SocialNext

Five Point Breakdown: John Edwards on YouTube's You Choose Spotlight '08

YouTube launched the "You Choose Spotlight 2008" which features a presidential candidate each week. It's a wonderful opportunity for candidates to reach a massive audience using a whole new medium. But can they take advantage? Every week I'll be breaking down each candidate's spotlight video based on five points: Message, Video Background, Participation, Dress and Editing. This week I'll be taking a look at Sen. John  Edwards (D). If you have any ideas for other categories please leave them in the comments!

1. Message: Edwards completely misses the mark. I find this surprising considering how well his campaign is using social networks to connect with voters. This is his chance to tell us what he would do to change the country. I liked that he asked what people would do to being about change but Edwards is running for president. I want to hear what he wants to do, just like this video responder.

2. Video Background: Boring! Where is he? It looks like he's across from an apartment building of some kind.

3. Participation: He encourages people to post video responses but says, "I'll try to watch them." Wrong. Say you will watch them. Honestly, all totaled the responses aren't more than a half hour. Heck, he could even have an campaign aide watch them and pick one for Edwards to respond to. The Senator posting a video response to another YouTube member would be a pretty big deal.

Kudos to the campaign though for allowing comments, both video and text, that are critical of him and his positions. Heck, even this guy, a former campaign volunteer who alludes to being high posted a response.

4. Dress: Why so formal? Please, and this goes out to all the candidates, lose the tie. This isn't Larry King.

5. Editing: Why the fade edits? Why can't Edwards speak directly to the YouTube community? The more unfiltered you appear the better the video comes across.

Overall Grade: 4/10 - Edwards missed a big opportunity. He should definately make the extra effort in his next video. Again, I'd recommend making an informal response video to one of his video responders.

Veoh Traffic Surging Ahead

Hitwise, one of the most popular web traffic trackers, has predicted the next six big web 2.0 companies. One of which is viral video site, Veoh.

Veoh has some great publishing tools other sites under the brand Veoh Pro. This program allows publishers to snyc their uploads so when uploading to Veoh, they’re also uploading to YouTube, MySpace and Google Video. (A huge time saver.) Plus, it features centralized tracking with cross-site reporting with information on views and comments, HD-quality video and also gives publishers the opportunity to make money with the option of charging for their videos.

Veoh is getting stronger (look at this traffic) because they understand if you’re not number one you have to be better where your competition is weak. Better features such as tracking, synced uploads and financial options make Veoh a strong contender in the viral video space.

MySpace Continuing Transition to Portal

This morning MySpace launched MySpace News which scans leading news sources and allows MySpace users to vote on stories which determines what reaches the front page. It’s powered by NewRoo a company they acquired last year. Techcrunch has more coverage here.

It’s a great new feature to the site and another step from “popular online hangout” to “full fledged portal”. I wonder how long it will take for the mainstream media, and companies like Yahoo!, MSN and Google, to figure out that’s what MySpace is doing.

Or maybe they do know and just don't care. I know MySpace users have a certain stigma but it will be interesting to see what they do as they get older. Will they abandon it or will MySpace be considered a defacto site everyone is a part of? With its user base continuing to grow it would be a mistake to underestimate MySpace.

Top 10 Magazines that “Need” a Social Network

With the news that Rolling Stone magazine is developing a social network that no one will use I decided to compile the top 10 magazines that “need” their own social network. Drum roll please!

10. The New Yorker: Pompous cultural elites can finally leave comments asking "What's to be done about this Homer Simpson?" 

9. Entrepreneur: It would be soooooo ironic!

8. Wired: List 'Digg' as an interest and it's automatically replaced with 'Reddit' 

7. MAD: Fold their network and it looks just like Facebook!

6. Guns and Ammo: Because we WANT these people networking 

5. Reader’s Digest: Default font size: 36 pt

4. WildBird: Friend that Pelican you've had your eye on 

3.  New Jersey Monthly: See Guns and Ammo

2. Bassin': A legitimate reason to tell a 15-year-old girl "It's this big!" 

1. Crappie World: aka Friendster

Viral Video Needs to Inspire

Cord Silverstein, over at Marketing Hipster, has a great post about an advertising firm that launched a viral video that didn’t generate any traffic to their clients site.

I completely agree with Cord that the video in question doesn’t inspire anyone to seek out more information. There isn’t any indication that there is more information for someone to seek out, as opposed to a comedy group or rock band whose videos can inspire people to download graphics or subscribe to their respective channels. 

Marketers need to remember when it comes to viral video views are important but inspiration is better.

 

MySpace Should Develop Its Own Search Engine

According to data released from JupiterResearch and iProspect, 4 out of 5 visitors to social networking sites, such as MySpace or Facebook, use the site’s search function.

MySpace is looking more and more like a portal destination of it’s own with categories in Music, Books, Comedy, Jobs and the others including the new Movie Trailers section. I’ve mentioned before that MySpace should be developing its own search engine in order to better monetize this traffic. 

With data like this I think it’s only a matter of time.

New Post over at Search Engine Journal

Hey guys! I have a new post about CBS' viral efforts for their sitcom How I Met Your Mother over at Search Engine Journal.

Viacom to Kill iFilm in Favor of SpikeTV?

Viacom announced recently it is closing iFilm and folding it into it’s male-targeted SpikeTV web initiative. 

Viacom has two great web properties that carry weight with customers: AtomFilms and iFilm. AtomFilms remains an invitation only web property but with Viacom trying to marginalize YouTube why kill off iFilm?

iFilm is a strong brand with users and content creators. To fold it into SpikeTV seems short sighted. You could always use iFilm technology for Spike Video product that strictly targets men, say SpikedVideos, and leave iFilm as a viral hub for clips from all of Viacom’s properties.