2007 September | Will Video for Food

Internet Video Statistics September 30, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Google, Online Video, Video, Video Business, Video Sites, google video , 20comments

I’m working on a post that summarizes some of the recent statistics related to online video, and I’m hoping YouTube will share some recent stats. I’m also hoping I can post some of the data I source via Hitwise in my day job (with permission).

In the meantime, I found this Profy post titled “ComScore Releases Internet Video Report.” Here’s the full report, based on July stats, from ComScore. ComScore gets its stats from a panel of online consumers. Hitwise gets its data from ISPs, so the sample size is much larger.

Highlights:

75% of online users are watching videos (frequency obviously varies dramatically). That’s up 4% from 4 months earlier.
YouTube claims 27% of the market by the end of July. That comes out to about 2.5 billion videos viewed.
Comscore’s research shows Yahoo! edging out Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Interactive Media, proprietor of MySpace and Photobucket by about 100 million in terms of videos viewed.

Some of this doesn’t make sense, but that could be a function of ComScore’s sample size or methodology.

If you have any other stats or site, please list them below. I know Wordpress pushes hyperlinks into a moderated cue, so I’ll try to keep my eye on them!

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Controvery on Promotional Online Videos September 29, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Online Video , 15comments

I feel like I need to shed light on a recent controversy regarding my use of promotional videos. Feel free to comment and Digg this post if you like.

The vast majority who watch my videos are receptive to an occasional promotional video. Take my recent “Poor Man’s GPS” video I did for GPSManiac as an example. The video quickly became the second-highest rated “comedy of the day” on YouTube. And If you read the comments from viewers, they mostly found the video entertaining. I’m always transparent when I make a paid video.

As George Clooney recently said, “I’m not going to apologize to you for trying to make a living every once in a while.”

Still, I’ve recently been attacked by some members of “The YouTube Underground.” Apparently this group is in the midst of an “operation” that targets me for what they see as perverse self promotion and manipulation. During SouthTube (a YouTube gathering last weekend in Atlanta) I met a former member of this bazaar group. Mike Skehan gave me some insights into these people, and helped me understand why they prefer not to be labeled as “Haters.”

Last week I made a parody of some of the outlandish comments I’ve received recently, and as a result of Skehan’s insights I changed the name from “Scripted by Haters” to “Scripted from Negative Comments.” You may want to watch it — it’s kinda funny when you hear some of their weird comments out of context.

Despite my initial instinct to parody their absurdity, I won’t deny the attack got to me. You’ll see my thoughts on this in this 10-minute reflection I posted on one of my alternative YouTube accounts (it’s rather dull). Most of my YouTube friends tell me to ignore this stuff, and not to let it bother me. They can’t understand why it gets to me or why I give it any attention.

But I’ve been thinking about the fact that most YouTubers who get attacked simply want the controversy to go away. Almost every “famous” YouTuber becomes the victim of some attack… Renetto, HappySlip, LisaNova. YouTube “weblebrities” get bashed, and sometimes they’re embarrassed so they ignore it. In fact it’s frightening when you become targeted by people full of anger even if it’s probably an inevitable part of “putting yourself out there.” Renetto once got literally stalked by a “hater” and ultimately had to get the FBI involved. You don’t know if they’re just being quirky or if they’re downright lunatics who could be a threat to you or your family.

In one video, a person who calls himself “TheeStranger” does an “expose” on me, and reveals private information like my real name and the appraisal value of my house. He later apologized for listing my real name (and made this response video), but it’s still freaky when someone has researched where you live. Will someone show up at my home and attack me or my family? Even more frightening than TheeStranger is Samtwist who has made several videos that attack me: Nalts Cheats, Nalts Whores, The Underground, and Naltsferatu.

What motivates these people?

Some of them will tell you they’re serving some important cause. Why else would they invest hours and days making videos that harass you? In some cases, I believe their cause is legitimate. They want YouTube to be a community not a website that has advertising and promotion. I feel like there’s a great role for entertaining promotion, and most YouTubers are happy about receiving free content and perfectly willing to see advertising to avoid paying for content.

Ironically, the group accuses me of self promotion, but many of their videos are simply designed to get attention for themselves. This, to me, is a greater crime than using YouTube to advertise a legitimate product or service. It’s sad when someone uses anger and attacks on others to get attention, instead of creating something interesting, educational, artistic or funny.

So this will be the last time I give this controversy any attention. Writing this post, in fact, arguably gives them more attention then I’d like for them to have, and I’m sure they’re thrilled to have it. But YouTube should be about entertainment, community and art. And there’s also a role for marketing — especially since I’m not compensated for the 30 hours I spend making comedic videos (except for a modest income I receive from YouTube’s “Partner Program,” in which I receive a small portion of the advertising that appears with my videos).

What are your thoughts? Positive or negative. Bring them on…

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Best Video Cameras September 29, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Making Videos, Video, Video Gear, video cameras , 9comments

Every few days someone asks me what video camera to buy. Unless I happen to be “in the market” I don’t track closely. But I do trust Consumer Reports, and just received an issue ranking the top camcorders.

Note: My guide to buying a video camera can be found here.

What Format: Mini DV, DVD, Hard Drive, Combination?

The Consumer Reports “best buy” is a Panasonic SDR-H18 but it’s $430 and is a hard-drive model. I prefer the MiniDV for two reasons — first you’re always near a store that sells those little digital 8 mm tapes if you run out of space. Second, if my computer and camera blows up, at least I have the tapes. That said, most equipment malfunctions are related to moving parts. I suppose a tape recorder has more than a hard drive. Still, I’ve been burned too many times by crashed hard drives and few tapes have let me down.

Sorry. Not sold on these models that burn DVDs. I suppose it’s easier, but some models (the Hitachi DZ-GX5020A) gets 18 minutes of the best quality. 18 minutes per DVD? Puleez.

Bottom Line

So for the typical amateur, I’d recommend sticking with a simple Mini-DV model. The three Consumer Reports winners are the Canon ZR800, the Panasonic PV-GS80 and the Sony DCR-HC28.

I like Canon. I use the Digital Rebel for still photos and the Canon HV20 for my videos. No problems with either of them. The Canon HV20 takes longer than I’d like to “boot up” and the audio is poor. But the images are quite nice for its $1,000 price. For most amateurs, however, a prosumer $1000 camera is total overkill (unless you want high definition and have plenty of money). Buttefly.

So I’d go with the Canon ZR800. It’s listed at Amazon.com for $209 even though Consumer Reports lists it as $255. I get a lot of my impulse buys from BestBuy, but they’re listing it at $254 (but watch the circulars if you don’t want to wait for shipping).

It’s not perfect. Read the C-Net report so you know of some limitations, and the Amazon user reviews are mixed. It got a mediocre review, but so did the Panasonic. I also use PCMag to compare cameras, but the Canon ZR800 wasn’t listed.

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Marketers, Meet Online Amateur Video Creators. September 28, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Future of Online Video, Killer Video, Making Videos, Online Video, Video Advertising, Video Business, Video Contests, Viral Video, advertising, marketing, popular videos , 11comments

The folks behind Xlntads.com (the contest site that connects brands and video creators) were good enough to let me hijack their studio for my fake election videos (”Embarassing TV Appearance” and “Embarassing TV Appearance part 2“). Famed YouTuber, Renetto, makes a cameo in these.

So the least I could do was talk about Xlntads for a series being featured on iMediaConnection.com. Check it out.

You can also hear from the Acting CEO of Xlntads, Neil Perry, who talks about how marketers can get quality video content cost efficiently by leveraging amateurs. The former McDonald’s executive also plays my campaign manager in the above-mentioned videos.

Disclaimer: I’m leading the creator advisory board for Xlntads and I’ve entered a number of their contests. I’m a big believer on new models that connect creators with marketers, because I think it’s a great match. Unless you happen to be a creator working for The YouTube Underground. Then you’re likely to eat the marketer. And marketers don’t like to be eaten.

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“What Not to Wear” Host, Clinton Kelly, Insults Nalts’ Crocs September 27, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Viral Video, YouTube, metacafe , 14comments

Well I’ve been ridiculed about my Crocs before by such YouTube folks as Nutcheese (see this hysterical clip after the YouTuber caught a shot of my orange Crocs in a video).

But this takes the cake. Now Clinton Kelly, fashion guru and host of TLC’s “What Not to Wear,” is telling me they’ve got to go. Check out this footage on Metacafe from when he dissed me yesterday after one of his fashion appearances (see on YouTube). Don’t ask how I got into his limo, please. It’s such a long story.

So I’m eBaying these cute little Crocks that have been seen in countless online videos and traveled the country. Bid before October 5 at http://crocs.ofnalts.com/

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Making of Sponsored Video September 21, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Making Videos, Online Video, Profit, Video Advertising, YouTube, advertising, popular videos , 27comments

The folks that connected me with my recent sponsored video for GPSManiac did a blog entry that recounts the way the idea developed. Here’s the video, titled “Poor Man’s GPS.” It’s currently the third highest rated Comedy video of the day on YouTube, which is the highest rating I’ve yet received for a sponsored video.

This video was posted the day after a recent controversy, where I’ve been the target of a “YouTube Underground” operation. They don’t much care for my commercialism and marketing… which they believe perverts a site that’s about community. Ironic timing, but it seems the vast majority don’t mind a promotional video as long as it’s entertaining.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GsHnxykLok]

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Funny Or Die? My YouTube Subscribers Pulled Me Out of the Crypt September 16, 2007

Posted by Nalts in : Online Video, Video Sites, Viral Video , 13comments

Funny Or Die, the website made famous by Will Ferrell’s “Landlord,” is now hosting a few of my favorite Nalts videos.

Monday, Sept. 17 Update. Thank you YouTube subscribers for responding to this video and rating up my videos. Six of my appear as “hot” on the homepage!

Now about that collaboration video with Will Ferrell… Maybe I could take him through some private tutoring on how to get a video viral (on his own- the Pearl one doesn’t count). And he could teach me to be funny.

I’ll come to you, Will. And dig up that wig and the oversized pants, sir.

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