Casmiro in the News

Twitter and YouTube Marketing Guide

February 16, 2011

YouTube and Twitter are two free models of communication that you'll make absolutely $0 direct dollars using. They'll become tiresome and most likely end up interfering with daily activities. So...you're now probably thinking why do I want a to spend time in a social environment that Justin Bieber uses to update fans on his hair style of the day (Twitter)? Good question and I'm glad you asked. Let's start with some interesting facts about each of these revolutionary social content networks:

You Tube:

Twitter:


Now of course you see the value in using these networks as a communication portal to new and existing audiences, but how can you actively use them to increase video sales? Social networking addicts, which happen to make up a growing % of the population, are constantly looking for something new, exciting and engaging. Over 67% of all Internet viewers watch video during their daily usage of the web. Your goal should be engaging them with your amazing content and driving them back to a 'point of sale' (site where your video is for immediate sale and viewing)

If you sell video online, here are 3 tips to help you more effectively use Twitter:

  1. Target relevant groups and organizations in the network.
  2. Read their tweets and offer valuable commentary to influential Tweeters.
  3. Encourage them to checkout your video for feedback or interest. They will naturally tweet about their experience, informing the 50,000 people that follow them.

If you're a Casmiro customer, make sure to see how to use our automatic Twitter activation plugin for simple Tweeting and exposure.

Here are 3 tips to help you more effectively use YouTube:

  1. Post your video trailer on YouTube and link back to an online point of sale and link back to a online point of sale (Facebook etc). Watch the brief video on how to post your video trailer to Youtube.
  2. Encourage your audience to comment on your preview.
  3. Comment on similar videos in your genre while referencing yours, and including the link to it.

3 Techniques to Increase Your Online Video Sales

February 8, 2011

Filmmakers using the web to sell video online have the ability to increase sale conversions quite easily. Whether it's increasing video player placement or video sales, your most important metrics should always be conversions and revenue. Below are 3 factors that will directly affect sales, along with commentary on how to enhance each.

1. Diversify Distribution!

One of the best ways to increase exposure of your video is by increasing and optimizing the location in which it resides. Of course the next question is '...where would that be?' The simple answer is everywhere. The Internet is an abyss of information, delivering massive amounts of it continuously to every demographic. It's up to you to find the demographic (audience) that will have the highest probability of purchase.

Here's a scenario you may be able to relate to. You're an independent filmmaker that focuses on action sports documentaries. You have a small Facebook following and your preview to purchase conversion rate is 14% (14% of all Facebook fans that watch your preview end up buying when you post your video to Facebook. You are frustrated with the fact you cannot increase this number! First piece of advice: diversify distribution.

First idea? Find bloggers. In this case, find bloggers that write content about action sports. Shoot them an email asking if you can create a mutually beneficial business relationship by having them post your video directly into a blog post. If you are a Casmiro customer, posting video to your blog is easy enough they shouldn't have an issue. This will put you in the thick of the conversation and at high probability for films views, films purchases and audience growth. This will give them viewers and audience publisher content...and bloggers love audience published content.

Another resource is film critics. Sacrifice your film to be reviewed and you will be exposed (and get exposure). Data shows that although you may receive constructive criticism, you'll gain an immediate audience and insight into how to make your films better. If you chose to accept and apply that info is up to you!

2. Wow...You Need a Better Audience

This correlates directly with #1. Most savvy web users have enough common sense to understand which websites have a customer base they believe will buy their films. E.G: You're interested in selling gardening tips...don't post your video to a blogs that focus on adult dating. Get it?

Selling your video from Facebook garners immediate viewers. Make sure you post your videos in environments that have inherent and viral traffic.

Another option is Pay Per Click marketing though a major search engine or social networks. If you have experience in this field, PPC can be your best avenue for targeted, quality traffic. Although it will cost out of pocket, the return will most likely be immediate and substantial.

Remember; the better your traffic you drive the better results you will get.

3. Your Trailer Sucks.

The preview to purchase ratio is the most important metric. The typical preview to purchase conversion is 12%, although we have many filmmakers that exceed 28% conversion rate. Don't worry; they didn't start with this conversion. This was attained through analysis of video analytics and a great understanding of what their viewers want.

A good idea is to engage and log the feedback you receive from your social environment. When you post your video to Facebook to Facebook, listen to the comments and make adjustments accordingly. In social environments, people have tendency to be honest...sometimes brutally. Use the feedback as you wish.

If you are a filmmaker using the Casmiro portal, you have the option of getting a custom distribution analysis. This is a great way to get insight into your current and potential social environment of viewers and audience.

 

 

Beginner's Guide to Selling Video Online

January 22, 2011

A sound strategy for distributing your films online is necessary in this new age of video distribution. The are many variables to take into consideration when planning your approach: landing pages, traffic funnels, video pricing and duration expectations. Although these are all necessary evils to optimize your video sales online and get the most from your film library, every journey must start with the first step. Here are a few tips to begin your profitable self distribution business!

1. Get Social.

When we mention 'social video', we're not necessarily referring to comedic YouTube clips. Social video in our context has to do with the reach of you audience, brand and video message. If your goal is to monetize your video, increase your distribution legs and get to the largest audience possible, you must activate and engage your social networks.

Facebook is a great tool for distribution. If you're not acquainted with the significance of social networks, take a peak below.

Facebook Image

Begin with a Facebook page, adding as many fans, or likes, as possible. Whether you're a large or small content organization, we suggest creating and growing a business page as opposed to personal profile. In the long run, the analytics and audience information seen through 'Facebook Insights' is much more valuable.

2. Price your Content...(correctly)

Great rule of thumb is pricing your streaming content 50-75% below traditional retail costs. The distribution expense is less on your end, so it's only fair to pass along the savings.

3. Post Video for Sale

Post into the conversation. When monitizing your content, it's imperative to drive your video into traffic, not drive traffic to your video. Taking a proactive approach by posting your video to Facebook and posting your video to your blog, minimizes the expense and aggravation of moving your audience from website to website to buy your film.

Good Example:

4. Track Audience Behavior

What does your audience like? What are they buying? Make sure to use video tracking tools video tracking tools and video analytics to discover WHY people are buying.

 

Invite Beta Launch!

July 2010

Alright,the time has finally come for our soft beta launch! What does this mean? Well to be frank, we're hoping you can break the system.

"huh???"

Although our alpha testers rode the technology hard, the soft beta is our initial attempt to scale with volume. We want all video publishers and civilians to grab a camera, capture (or just upload stuff already in the can) some exclusive, interesting content, price it and post it up to your facebook!

"uhh ya, but why would I charge..."

---->refer to 'Public Beta' blog entry, section 'Are you a Filmmaker?' for answer

Inventory-less Inventory & FREE Distribution

June 2010

We didn't realize how much value digital inventory provided filmmakers...pretty stunning to see the attention a bi-product of our offer has brought in! So we figured what the hell, lets blog about it.

The value when using Casmiro tools are obvious; you don't need a distribution center, distribution materials or any distribution expense to create a content distribution business. Up to this point, the hardware, software and man(&women)-power required to distribute and monetize your video library could cost up to 60 cents on the dollar. In addition, quite a bit of money is required up-front to get these deals off the ground. Don't celebrate too fast though...the reaction of introducing a revolutionary virtual paid video distribution technology (..like Casmiro has) is the fact it has the potential to negatively effect the honest distribution companies that earn their dollars from combining vendor relationships and filmmakers. Casmiro is not in the business of putting others out of business, so we though long and hard about encompassing these middlemen into our offer. The solutions are a source of conversation right now, and, unfortunately, we won't bore you with the 46 options on the table. If you're interested in putting your two cents in, send emails to contact@casmiro.com.

Thanks and stay tuned for more mind-bending entries...

"Facebook Cinemas"

June 2010

The stats are staggering. Facebook has truly turned out to be the foremost forum for distribution and sharing of every type of content. It's become the largest concentrated market place open 24-7, serving and enticing users from all corners of the planet. Mind bending stats:

"Average user creates 70 pieces of content each month"

"More than 25 billion pieces of content are shared each month"

It's pretty amazing to see the way FB has connected users and business. The obvious question is how can businesses directly monetize using these social networks. Killer part about FB is that '...more than 550,000 active applications currently on Facebook Platform' showing the acceptance and utilization of tools. If you're not current consumer of Wired Magazine, great source of tech trends by the way, Mark Z gives his two cents on 'Facebook's plan to become the web's central depository' among other hacker-centric advocacy..check it out 'Report: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Doesn't...' Casmiro is pretty unique..we're huge advocates of sharing, hacking (within legal limits of course),p2p feedback and referrals while still giving creators of the content rightfully what's theirs: revenue for their exclusive art. I think everyone is hoping to get closer and closer to a global, affordable e-commerce based media consumption platform plugged directly into the sites and services we use on a daily basis. Is an ideological capitalist an oxymoron?

Social Fishing...'Look Mom, I caught an Audience!'

June 2010

Initial concepts for social awareness and 'audience fishing' were to enable connection and utilization of indirect social sites: YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter etc. Tube Mogul is a great resource for these connections and PUSH tactics for free media. For our public beta, we implemented a really creative mechanism like this which pulls social members from a point of awareness (sites mentioned) to a point of sale. Since it's common practice to have numerous accounts, feeds. notifiers networks, we figured it would greatly benefit our users to engage their audience, old and new, on all fronts.

Public Beta!

June 2010

Developer Casualties

Our social streaming video commerce solution is ready for it's debut! Majority of our development team has made it through countless deadlines, sleepless nights, and endless bugs to bring you the most unique socially driven video commerce platform available. Unfortunately, as with any challenging feat, there were casualties...in our case developer casualties. We want to thank every programmer, developer and designer who helped us to this exciting point. Your work was not in vein and we look forward to reconnecting when the time's right.

A wise developer once told me "The more challenging it is, the more you realize you're on the right track."

Are you a Filmmaker?

Casmiro's company objective is broad: "Provide the tools to facilitate a micro-economy that's conducive to trending technology." We are truly in the business of creating methods for artists to drive commerce using everyday tools and information. What's that defined as? Everything! Facebook, iphones, internet video, news, hollywood trends,sports,etc...the list is infinite.

Although the Casmiro platform is a god-send for established professional filmmakers, video publishers and content organizations that are looking to securely and socially drive video commerce, brand awareness and demographic pull, we've realized, and actually proved during alpha testing, that everyone has the ability to create unique video clips that are in demand. Why shouldn't they have the same opportunity to sell? Current distribution options fall flat (too expensive, lacking internet resources or immediate audience) for the typical Weekend Warriors with a camera and a Facebook page with 300 friends. All the while, the adage rings true: one man's junk is another man's treasure. So everyone that has a Flip Videocam, iPhone, Android, video camera, GoPro etc, get out there, grab some cool unique clips, stories or seminars, dress it up on iMovie, tag it for $.99 or $99.00 and throw it out to your audience!

A Hollywood producer once said to a friend of mine at a script pitch: "If I knew what video content would sell, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."

Get Started with a FREE Trial

Of course trial usage is best way to try any product. For our initial beta launch, Casmiro will abide by this cardinal rule! Upon ignition, filmmakers and content organization can use our basic technology for a limited time at NO COST. If you like it, great! If not, no problem and no payment! Mind you, we've not only created this platform as a revolutionary socially streaming video commerce utility, but also as a VIRM.

"Huh?..."

Yes, VIRM: Video Intelligence Recommendation Engine. This is not your run-of-the-mill viewer to viewer recommendation engine. VIRM is built to evaluate your viewers, sales and data metrics and regurgitate, via recommendations, how to increase YOUR video sales. Simple, effective and EXTREMELY beneficial to get your video sales sky-high.

Film Festival Application?

2010

Yes! We want to thank and congratulate our first international film festival for getting on board with Casmiro Alpha platform. Who is it? Public Beta will reveal. Stay tuned.

Unique Alpha Testers!

**Names are left out to protect the guilty...at least until public beta (c'mon...we are trying to be a little 'stealth' here.)

As the concept matured, we looked for quality Alpha testers to prove the technology and provide feedback to enhance usability and components for public Beta. Ideal candidates for alpha tester are content companies that have an existing audience, substantial traffic and plenty of video content. Who better than a professional, globally recognized sports organization?? Fully branded and implemented for their championship telecasts, Casmiro is off to a great start.

Next up is a smaller video content owner that packs quite a punch: Alpha2. This action sports media conglomerate has iconic video footage in the advancement of water-sports from the late 1980's to present. They have thousands of fans crawling their social networks and a library of content ready to sell and stream. Social implementation of our video commerce players was exactly what Alpha2 was looking for. Their Media Director found the Casmiro concept of secured sales and streaming of their video content through their Facebook wall to be the solution they have been waiting for: "It's great..we can show our exclusive videos, which we've held the rights to over the years due to sh***y distribution offers, straight to our fans. That's the best way for any company to do business: go straight to their customer in a social forum." Go Alpha2!

Casmiro Logo Story

Okay, so here's the lowdown on the logo. We went through a lot of revisions, reductions, redo's and rubbish. The idea was to translate our business model: syndication of streaming paid video commerce players into social networks and beyond! Something that would represent the current web environment and demonstrate the ability for video filmmakers and content publishers to directly sell the video content to their audience. Pretty simple....ended up being far from that.

So, lets go through the batches (Feel free to comment if you're attached to any of the ones we didn't choose).

Batch 7-10

What can we say? They look fun, colorful and different. Problem is they don't quite convey our unique streaming video offer.

Batch 11-14

A bit closer...We settled on this:

What does 'Casmiro' mean?

Let's start this story at the beginning. The name Casmiro comes from the quantum physics 'Casimir Effect.' In a nutshell, the effect proved the creation of positive energy from an inert environment. Astonished by the basic foundation of this principle, the Casmiro founders drew immediate parallel to today's inert environments: social networks. Yes, Facebook, Myspace, Orkut, Hi5, Ning and many, many other networks are great for getting back in touch with friends and softly promoting business, but is there a way to directly monetize them? A way to drive revenue directly from an audience who is bound to the confines of Facebook? And if so, who could benefit?

Entry into Streaming Video

At the time, the combination of streaming video, e-commerce and social networking seemed to elicit major controversy, debate and opportunity in video content circles and media mogul dinner tables. The question from amateur filmmakers, budding producers and established content organizations became: 'how can we monetize our exclusive video libraries in a social environment while maintaining security and transparency?'

Casmiro was born.

Secure Video Commerce

Step One was creating a revolutionary method of streaming video commerce. A simple way to enable video publishers, video filmmakers and content companies with catalogues of video content to insert their media in the middle of a waiting social audience. Are downloads an option? Of course not. Countless comments and feedback from global content owners and filmmakers, was to keep security tight but make the video tool loose and viral plus include ability to brand it, price it and immediately/transparently view revenue. Team Caz spent many nights sketching the perfect solution....and came ('ta-da') the V-Commerce concept. A secure, socially integrated streaming video widget with interchangeable payment gateways to accept payment, and most importantly, fully customizable branding, license terms and options for the filmmaker.

Social Video Commerce

Now that we had the idea squared away for delivery, we kept our sites on location. What location breeds the largest audience and awareness in the shortest amount of time...Facebook of course. Social networking has become a vital information highway for viewers and publishers. Utilizing such a forum would give our filmmakers the ability to plug right into their audience - waisting no time 'filling the theater.' Obvious question was, can it be done? Would it be worth it? At this point we knew the need was REAL. Was it possible to implement the V-Commerce into a such a closed environment? Yes.

Global Social Networks

What about plugging into new audiences? New social networks? This is a necessary evil for filmmakers: getting their films out to new viewers, regions, and continents. Casmiro team knew the best option was socially integrate the video commerce player into foreign social environments: Goo, 51.com, Hyves, IDtail, etc, immediately giving the filmmaker and video publisher global reach.

At this point, we're using our top talent to make this happen. Will it work? Mmm we honestly don't know yet. Stay tuned!

Casmiro is a registered WA State LLC. The names and logos for Casmiro are registered trademarks of Casmiro, LLC. All text and design is copyright ©2012 Casmiro, LLC. All rights reserved.