Editorial Articles

Tom Laidlaw, CEO at Videojug on Online Video

Online video has been the big news story in online marketing over the last 12 months and I don’t see much coming through to dislodge it. However, I would broaden this out to include IPTV both online and set-top box-delivered, as well as mobile. Marketers will be reaching consumers through their computers, phones and later in 2011 TVs with video messaging made specifically for this digital world. I believe 'online video' in this broader form will be the biggest growth area in digital next year.

I think the growth in spending and activity around web video will continue, but it will be boosted strongly by mobile and later the arrival and wider adoption of services like YouView. Mobile and 'online' video is just a great combination now that handsets and networks are up to scratch and widely adopted. I believe this confluence will drive growth here. YouView I think could be a very dynamic force when it finally arrives, I hope in time to make a difference in 2011.

Broadly, the challenge for marketers is to create content that engages, not just advertises. Consumers on connected devices have so much choice and control that they don’t need to put up with too much from advertisers. This leads to the need to help and engage the consumer, not simply shout at them.

What developments will there be in terms of SEO and targeting? SEO in the most basic sense is ensuring that the search engines can find and recognize your content for what it is, and that you have something to offer them in terms of their assessment of quality. In a world where there is almost infinite supply of content and information, this second area is probably where the SEO edge is to be found.

I think social media has also been good for brands because their real reputations can be laid bare when consumers are able to openly discuss them publically. This drives self-awareness and should refine messaging and proposition.

Mobile will be exciting in 2011. I’m also really excited about distributing video content around the web to find consumers where they are. There are lots of very interesting things we’ll be doing with brand video clients but I’ll have to keep that under my hat for now.

I’d also hazard a guess that some of the less interesting display ad formats will decline a fair bit next year. I’ve also not mentioned tablets yet but I do think these devices will begin to alter content consumption patterns as more people consume more online stuff at points in their days that have been harder to reach for online media to date. And I predict Android will win this one.

Tom Laidlaw, CEO at Videojug

www.videojug.com