Forrester’s Charlene Li Speaks About Online Video

Nice clip featuring “internet superstar” Charlene Li (Forrester) ruminating about online video. (Source: BeefTV via

My thoughts:

• I can’t believe she’s so easy on YouTube. Yes they have an audience but can they commoditize that? She seems surprisingly optimistic.
• Not sure advertisers need video ads to promote on video sites. I’m doing my own experiment to see what wrap-around banners do for click through. Details soon.
• Most valuable point- what type of advertising works in the online-video model? I agree we’re going to have a lot of learning, and I put my money on companies trying to brand not transact. Coke? Yes. Canadian Pharmacies? No.
• Interesting how she calls online video a “virtual cycle.” The more we see the more we comment.
• She’s speculating about the future of online-video contests like it’s new (at a time where I’m more concerned about nearing saturation of these).
• Glad she calls our attention to pay-for-content models. Content creators, she says, should share in the ad revenue. And it gives them an incentive to drive traffic to the site.

WillVideoForFood’s prediction: What advertising makes sense for online video near term? I put my money on companies trying to brand not transact. Nike? Yes. Canadian Pharmacies? No. It’s an awareness model that may soon evolve to a direct-response vehicle.