How Online Video Can Increase Traffic
to Your Web Site
Copyright Herman Drost

Have you caught the online video wave yet? 2006 may be
known for the year that online video was launched on the
Web in a large way. It will become more prominent as more
people gain high speed cable connections and see its
marketing value. Evidence of this phenomena can be seen in
Google's recent acquisition of YouTube (an online video
sharing site) for 1.65 billion.

How can you get a piece of this online video pie?

Here a 7 ways to increase traffic to your web site using
online video:

1. Embed videos in your web site

A short video clip demonstrating, or discussing your latest
product is a great method to create interaction with your
audience. They receive a visual presentation (sometimes
with sound) rather than just reading plain text.

2. Add your videos to video sharing sites

The 4 main video sharing sites are YouTube, Google Video,
Yahoo!, and MySpace. These web sites enable you to upload
your video and include a link back to your web site. This
increases your link popularity. It will also create a viral
marketing effect as more people link to your video and take
action on its contents.

3. Include affiliate links in your videos

When creating your video, mention affiliate sites that
visitors can check out. For example you could do a weekly
marketing tip that includes a link to an affiliate site you
are promoting.

4. Sell your video content

Since video is relatively new to the online world, you
could offer to create a short promotional video for a local
business. You could also provide a paid subscription
service for visitors to download instructional videos from
your web site.

5. Include Google Ads next to your online video

Some of the video online sharing sites allow you to include
Google Ads with your video. Make sure you create an
attractive description of your video that includes keywords
people search on to find your video.

6. Create Google Video Ads for other businesses

Google Video Ads are now being included with Google
AdSense. This means video ads can now be displayed on other
sites besides text and image ads to market products. Many
businesses don't know how to create video and don't have
the time or knowledge how to make money with them. You can
create the video for them then charge for its production.

7. Syndicate your video content

If you create a video that caters to a specific market you
may get people to pay you for the right to include it on
their sites. Syndicating your video content to other site
owners will create a viral marketing effect that will boost
traffic to your own web site.

Google is expected to syndicate video also. According to a
news report Google will syndicate and distribute
Viacom-produced content (MTV music videos and various
shows) to third party sites across its network. The content
will be ad-supported.

Conclusion

Online video marketing is a great way to increase traffic
to your web site because it's a relatively new medium that
engages your audience personally using visual and audio
content.

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Herman Drost is a Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW)
and owner of iSiteBuild.com
Web Site Design, Web Hosting, Web Site Promotion

Author of “Marketing Tips” newsletter.
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