I still remember my dad’s video camera growing up. It was one of those RCA units where the camera was one piece and it connect to a separate VCR deck with a special cable. So if you wanted to record on the go, you’d be lugging a heavy camera, heavy tripod, and a boombox sized VCR deck with you. Talk about practical! As most consumer technology goes, the video camera has evolved drastically over the past 30-years to being faster, lighter, and smaller. The quality has also increased so much that many consumer-level cameras can rival pro-level equipment in the right hands.
The small Sony HD camera I used for the @Ford website while I was at Ford. It's not the size that counts!
It seems as time goes on, as well, that these small and good quality video cameras are also being placed into almost every consumer’s hand by being in highly portable devices like small digital still cameras, FlipCams, mobile phones, and even iPods. Some of these device makers, such as with the Kodak Zi8, create their software with the ability to upload directly to Facebook and YouTube. To take it even further some devices, such as the new iPhone 4 or Ion Audio’s Twin Video, are equipped with cameras on both sides of the devices that allow for recording video of both the user and their surroundings at the same time. This, coupled with editing software built in directly, as with the new iPhone 4, means that consumers have the ability to create engaging video content for the web at almost anytime.
Ion Audio's Twin Video has the ability to record video on both side of the camera at the same time.
So the question then becomes what are you doing with consumers’ ability to create, edit, and upload video at almost any point during their day? According to YouTube, every minute, 24 hours of video are uploaded to it’s site. How much of that video is talking about your products? Reviews about their experience in your store or restaurant? Impromptu commercials for a special contest you’re running? Stories about how they are using your product or service to better their lives?
What are you doing to turn these consumers with access to amazing video technology into your brand advocates?
I’d love to hear about how you are using this evolving technology in your Internet marketing. Comment below!