The Web has changed all that. These days, with a few professional tools, and the free publishing power of YouTube, you can produce and post videos to the world that effectively demonstrate your products.

If you have any type of computer-based product – a software tool, web-based tool, or even if you sell products online – you can take advantage of screencasts to create effective visual demonstrations.

Screencasts are basically video recordings of a computer screen, blended with a voice track that explains to viewers how a product works. They come in all shapes and sizes, from simple “how-to” videos to series of screencasts displayed on an e-Learning portal. They are effective because they provide viewers with a real-time demonstration of a product. But the real beauty of screencasts is the way they are published. Using free tools like YouTube, you can present your videos to a wide audience who can not only view them (and rewind and pause as much as they want), but they can share them to others as well.

It’s easy to get started with screencasts – you can download a free tool like Jing that will allow you to record short clips of your computer screen and add a voice track, then download them and share them to people. If you want to get more advanced, using a tool like Camtasia or Screenflow (Mac) will allow you to add animations and graphics, as well as do more advanced editing.

Screencasts continue to get more sophisticated as the capture software becomes more robust. Many companies are also looking to increase the production value of their videos, by hiring professional hosts and voice over artists, hiring professional script writers, incorporating some live-video shots, and adding more sophisticated graphics and music. If you’re looking to add some extra pizazz to your screencasts, consider bringing in a professional video producer to help. We did a similar project with investment software company Recognia recently, with some fantastic results.

Why not give screencasting a try? You may just find a whole new audience for your products.

[photo by Solo]

                          

However, if you are going to venture into video for your business, I recommend bringing a professional video producer into your project on some level. This doesn’t mean you have to hire them to do everything, especially if you don’t have the budget. But hiring a pro for some aspects of your production can be a cost effective way to ensure a slick video project.

Recently, Jester Creative worked with Tradex to produce two videos to educate people on the importance of Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs). Our client, Brien, already had a couple of great concepts for the video, and he is a photographer with a slew of high end camera gear, so chose to shoot the video himself. He brought us on to consult with him in the pre-production phase, to provide him with some tips on scripting, and on the best videography, lighting and audio techniques. He took our advice, and combined with his own existing photography and writing skills, was able to script and shoot some great footage.

Brien then brought us in again to help with the editing process. Rather than piece it together in iMovie himself, he wanted to add that polish that a professional editor can bring to a project. We took his already great footage and finessed it with music, graphics and imagery, to bring the whole story together.

The result were these two videos, which show clearly that by making video production a collaborative effort, great results can be achieved. So, look around and see what you may be able to achieve yourself, then know when to bring in the pros to add that extra bit of polish.

They Grow Up So Fast

RESP’s Through Tradex

                          

We first got involved in Women’s Worlds over a year ago, when we were asked to help produce some video calls for participation for the event. We were thrilled when the Women’s Worlds team contacted us again a few months ago and asked us to lead the social media and content gathering activities for the Congress itself.

It’s a big job, managing the social media efforts for an international congress such as this. In addition to running active and steadily growing Twitter, Facebook and blog presences, we are breaking new ground as well. We have been given the mission to create a full multimedia record of Women’s Worlds 2011, in photos, text, video and audio. In addition to Jester’s great team of content managers, photographers and video specialists, we are also working with more than 20 volunteers, who will be running around the Congress all week gathering the sounds, sights, and stories of Women’s Worlds, to be shared with the world.

The Women’s Worlds Congress is a tri-lingual event, so we will be presenting content in English, French and Spanish throughout the Congress, and also sharing stories in other languages too.

If you are interested in following the activities of the Congress, please check out our Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr feeds and web site, where we’ll be updating regularly. You can also follow the #ww2011 hashtag to capture the buzz and excitement from everyone participating in the Congress.

                          

My responsibilities were numerous and varied, which meant that I always had something to occupy me, and which meant that I gained valuable experience in a variety of areas — this placement got me out of my ‘comfort zone’, which I think is a very good thing for any new professional just starting out. I participated in the creation of graphical website mockups; I designed & developed a custom WordPress theme; I created customized branding for real companies; and I was consulted during the development of web services and applications. I was also given the opportunity to help get a few real client sites off the ground, and I gained further experience by providing maintenance to a few sites.

I was often given creative freedom at Jester Creative; their goal seemed to be to lay out my tasks, provide direction where it was needed or asked for, and to let me accomplish those tasks in my own way and during hours which I could set myself. Needless to say, that part only sweetened the whole experience, and I found myself personally motivated to put in the time necessary to create quality works.

My supervisors Jen and Susan treated me with respect and gave me tasks that mattered to them; they did not simply give me busywork.

Overall I am grateful for the whole experience and would do it again in a heartbeat. I am very fortunate to have found the work placement that I did.

                          

If you are highly motivated, self-directed, creatively inspired, and are looking to work in a challenging and rewarding environment with an exciting team of professionals, please forward your resume and a link to your online portfolio to info@jestercreative.com.

We are looking for:

Graphic Designers
Jester’s Graphic Designers have excellent design chops in both the web and print world. They are highly proficient in the Adobe CS Suite of design programs, including Illustrator, Photoshop, Flash and InDesign. They can take a high-level creative concept and build it into a sophisticated design that is in-line with current design trends and functionality. They handle constructive critique well and are flexible and adaptable to changing requirements and client feedback. They may have some experience designing graphics for video and television as well, and if they can use Adobe After Effects or other animation software, that’s considered an asset too. They can work well either on their own or as part of a team, and are highly self directed, motivated, and deadline-oriented. If this sounds like you, send your resume and online portfolio link to info@jestercreative.com.

Web Developers
The Web Developers we work with are highly skilled and proficient in a variety of tools and languages. HTML/CSS and PHP are at the forefront of this, and experience developing with the WordPress, Drupal, and/or Joomla CMS is a must. Experience with technologies such as JavaScript, JQuery, AJAX, MySQL and Flash/ActionScript are highly desirable as well. They have the ability to work closely with project managers and design teams to transform visual concepts into a technically sound and functional site. They have experience working on smaller sites but are equally comfortable working on more complex medium-to large size sites. They can work well either on their own or as part of a team, and are highly self directed, motivated, and deadline-oriented. If this sounds like you, send your resume and online portfolio link to info@jestercreative.com.

Content Developers
Jester Creative’s content developers are capable of creating content for a wide variety of purposes, from formal business writing, to video scripts, to web content, blog content and everything in between. They have a great deal of experience creating content for multiple purposes, and know that content doesn’t just mean text. They are comfortable with building content that includes not only the written word, but also video, audio, and images (or any combination of these). They are very familiar with social media tools such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, and are able to assess content needs and establish and maintain an online presence within these tools. They can work well either on their own or as part of a team, and are highly self directed, motivated, and deadline-oriented. If this sounds like you, send your resume and online portfolio link to info@jestercreative.com.

Video Specialists
Jester Creative’s video specialists are a multi-faceted group with a great deal of experience in all aspects of video production. Our team consists of videographers, editors, and directors and many of them have experience in all of these areas. They are flexible and work on many different kinds of projects, from television series to corporate video, and public service announcements to web video. They are equally comfortable shooting and editing for both broadcast and web video and have some technical experience in each area. They work well with Final Cut Studio and/or Adobe Premiere Pro, and it’s helpful if they also have some experience with Adobe After Effects. They have experience with a variety of professional and pro-sumer cameras, and have plenty of experience at shooting both in a controlled studio environment and on location. They are experienced at various lighting and audio techniques. An understanding of the needs of web video and web distribution is a must. They can work well either on their own or as part of a team, and are highly self directed, motivated, and deadline-oriented. If this sounds like you, send your resume and online portfolio link to info@jestercreative.com.

Promotions and Sponsorship Coordinator
Jester Creative’s promotions and sponsorship coordinator will be responsible for identifying promotional opportunities for our various projects and for researching potential sponsorship opportunities. They will work with us to create pitch packages that highlight sponsorship benefits and complete the required application process to acquire sponsorship and funding for web and video projects. They will contact potential sponsors and coordinate pitch meetings as required, and follow up on sponsorship requests and work with us to negotiate sponsorship contracts. They will create marketing and promotional collateral with the assistance of the graphic design team. The successful candidate will have experience in sponsorship sales, and the development of marketing and promotions for web and video production companies. If this sounds like you, send your resume to info@jestercreative.com.

                          

Now, I don’t know how many of you have ever been on a reality TV show before, but it really is one of the most invasive things you can do. Not only are you subjected to having a camera in your face 10 hours a day, but you have to be willing to share the good, the bad and the ugly with the world. Lucky for us, Jen was up for it, and thus, The House Healers was born, with Jester Creative at the helm to produce the show.

Four years and 26 episodes later, we’re about to launch our third season, and although there have been a lot of changes in Jen’s life – a new marriage, a couple of kids, and three houses healed – The House Healers are staying true to their roots, continuing to take the most run down, beaten up houses in the city and transform them into things of beauty.

This time around, The House Healers are taking on suburbia. Jen and her new husband and co-healer, Brennan, have purchased a house in Kanata, on the suburbs of Ottawa. This house is not in quite as rough shape as some of the previous projects, but it is totally stuck in the 80s. It’s in serious need of at 21st century update, and The House Healers have big plans. In past seasons, the renovations were big, challenging, long projects.

If you look at our past projects, the Elmgrove house took 11 months. Park Place took 10. Well, this is still going to be a challenging reno – The House Healers’ most spectacular renovation to date, in fact. The catch? This renovation has to be move-in ready in just SIX WEEKS.

We couldn’t do it without the team.

Jen and I produce and write the show, and Jen is the host as well, but we’ve got plenty of other people working behind the scenes to make The House Healers a reality. Brennan Cartier is Jen’s husband and House Healer #2, and he also helps us out as Associate Producer. Dustin Langlois is our amazing camera guy, director and editor. Not only is he running around getting everything captured on video, he’s busting his butt to get a technically sound and visually pleasing product on the air each week.

Tom Martineau and Jordan Arscott helped us develop our awesome web site and we continue to add new features all the time. Check out past episodes, blooper reels, our blog, and our Go Green page, which contains lots of tips and news on living and building green.

And of course, last but not least, we have our amazing sponsors, without whom none of this would be possible. Special thanks goes out to this fantastic group, you can see a full list of our sponsors on the House Healers Web site. Please check them out! Renovating a whole house AND producing a TV show about it is one of the most challenging, exhilarating, exhausting and rewarding things we’ve ever done at Jester Creative.We hope you enjoy the series and please, drop us a line and let us know what you think!

Currently, The House Healers is being distributed locally in Ottawa by Rogers TV, but we’re actively seeking distributors, both in Canada and internationally. If you’re interested in discussing distribution of the show via television or the Web, please get in touch!

The show airs on Sundays at 7pm, on RogersTV Cable 22 in Ottawa. For now, here’s a sneak preview of what you can expect to see this season!

                          

But there’s a second part to it. We’ve all heard the famous expression by the poet Robbie Burns, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” It’s true. Sometimes all the planning in the world doesn’t yield the expected results. In my experience, plans that “go awry” often do so, not because they were poorly planned, but because they were poorly implemented.

Jen and I work with many clients on strategy. Our clients goals range widely – one client may want to increase sales leads via social media. Another needs to connect with a specific audience using training videos. We will work with them to clearly outline a strategy – defining measurable goals and objectives, laying out specific tactics to achieve each, and setting out operational requirements, resourcing and timelines. In the end, our clients are happy and we’re satisfied with a job well done. But in some cases, that’s where the work stops short. We’ve had situations where clients happily walk away with their strategy, thinking that they will be able to take the instruction and advice we’ve provided and make a go of it on their own, only to be stopped in their tracks when they realize they don’t really have the time, experience, or even the inclination to fully implement what we’ve helped them to develop.

There are many cases where going it alone isn’t always the best approach. I’m not saying that there aren’t plenty of things people can do to put the wheels in motion on their own strategies – on the contrary. Strategies NEED to be developed with a keen eye towards what the client can do on their own to be successful with it. But often, once the client gets moving with the implementation, the reality of the actual level of effort, experience, or technical knowledge required to fully implement solutions and get results sets in and things can start to derail.

One thing we pride ourselves on is that we’re always on the level with our clients. We take great care in first of all, coming up with goals that are not only clear, but are manageable within the constraints (financial, resourcing, or otherwise) of the organization we’re working with. We ensure that timelines and resources are clearly defined with the appropriate contingencies built in. However, once push comes to shove and the implementation work begins, people often realize how much work is really involved. They realize that maybe they don’t have all the in-house skill sets necessary to complete the tasks within their timeline and budget.

The reality of implementation is, even the “best laid plans” can become cumbersome once the work gets underway.

If you’re thinking about engaging a media or marketing company to help you develop a strategy, seriously consider the full scope of the relationship you want to have with that company. Begin with the end in mind. What is the capacity of the company to not only help you define your goals and develop your strategies, but to help you implement those strategies too? And how can you budget towards that?

Strategy and implementation work is an ongoing process. Engage with those companies who can see you through from beginning to end, and your “best laid plans” will not be in vain.

                          

Still, the pressure is mounting for you to develop your online presence beyond a static web site. Customers are focusing their attention more and more on companies who are engaging with them online. This recent study by the Yankee Group shows that “over 70% of consumers want access to company experts and support via social media channels and trust company information provided to them via social networks.” (source: BizReport.com)

Your customers are looking for you online. If you’re not there when they come knocking, where are they going to go? To the next competitor who does answer the knock.

It’s no secret that building your presence via social media takes time, just like your other marketing efforts. The good news is, the upfront costs are pretty low, as most of the common social media tools are free or very inexpensive. Most of the cost involved is your time, and it’s hard to know where to start, and how to fit it into your already hectic schedule. Here are two simple ways you can start to get a handle on your social media efforts today:

1) Stop. Look. Listen.
The World Wide Web is a big place. Right now, there are millions and millions of people from all over the world looking for information, chatting with each other, and sharing what they know. There are over 150 million users on Twitter. Facebook has half a BILLION users. With all of these people talking at the same time, how do you even begin to get involved? It starts by listening. You need to search out the conversations that matter to you and your business. Two great, free places to start are Twitter Search, and Google Blog Search. Poke in a few keywords that pertain to your business. Scan through the results and you’ll start to see what other people are talking about. Subscribe to the results using a News Reader like Google Reader or Live Bookmarks in Firefox. Track the conversations going on in your industry, and not only will you start to find your prospective clients, you’ll start to get ideas about how you can contribute to the community. Spend just 10 minutes over your morning coffee, every day for 1 week listening. You’ll be amazed what you can discover, even in a few short minutes. This good habit will pay off!

2) Build your Ideas.
As you listen, you may start to get ideas about what you want to say to your community. As you get those ideas, capture them. It can be as simple as opening a Word document, or a new note on your smart phone. You can use a voice recorder to capture ideas as you commute to the office. Whichever way you choose, do capture your ideas. Soon, you’ll have a whole list of things that could be turned into blog posts. Talk to your web site designer about including a blog on your web site. If you don’t have the budget to build something new right now, set up a free blog at WordPress.com and link that site to your main web site. And then, just start writing. Commit to writing at least one article per week. They don’t have to be huge essays, just a couple hundred words that get your point across. Then just hit Publish. At first it may seem like you’re talking to a brick wall, but this exercise will get you accustomed to the blogging format, and most importantly, into the habit of creating content.

Of course, there are many more steps involved in building out a full-on social media strategy that incorporates your blog, as well as tools like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIN. These are just two ways you can start to get a sense of the conversations going on around you and start to develop the habit of creating and publishing content. At a certain point, you may want to bring in a consultant who specializes in new media and online marketing, to help you build out your plan and make sure it integrates well with your other marketing efforts. But starting with these small steps, you can be on your way to building a social media presence for your business today.

                          

The advent of inexpensive cameras like web cams and Flip cameras, along with easy editing tools like iMovie and Windows Live MovieMaker and free publishing platforms like YouTube and Vimeo, have given even the novice videomaker the tools they need to get started with creating video. While there is a time and place to call in the professionals, the good news is, creating video is becoming more accessible to everyone than ever before.

Perhaps you are considering incorporating more video into your web presence, but you’re still a bit concerned about the amount of time, effort, and money it will take, and whether communicating in this way will ultimately pay off for your customers. This is where grabbing a few simple tools and experimenting on your own can come in handy.

Everyone has a story to tell.
Everything about you and your business is part of your story. Deciding how to best tell that story to your audience so it has the most impact is critical to being able to engage, inspire, and motivate. The written word is one way to do this, but sometimes, making that connection through face-to-face contactwith your audience is a good approach too. However, if you’re never done video before, it can be a bit daunting.

One way to get started with video is to just do a simple web video where you are talking straight to the camera, and sharing a few minutes of wisdom with your audience. The simplest way to do this is to create a free YouTube account. When you click the Upload Video button, you’ll have the option of recording via your web cam straight into YouTube. All you need to do is click record, say your piece, then fill in a title and description information and save. YouTube does the rest. You can then embed the video into your web site or post the link in your next email newsletter.

While posting a video may be easy, you do want to make sure that what you’re putting out there is the best quality possible. So here are a few pro tips to help you get the most out of your video efforts.

1) Keep it simple.
Your first video efforts don’t have to be feature films. Doing something very simple, such as a video book review or a couple of industry tips, can be a really effective way to share your story with others. Come up with an idea, and then get ready to hit the big red record button.

2) Plan what you’ll say, and practice it.
Before you do hit that record button, spend a bit of time planning what you’re going to say. Break your talk into a list, like “Top 3 Tips To Save Money”, and then practice it a couple of times before you start recording. But whatever you do, don’t read off a script. It doesn’t look natural and your audience may have a hard time believing you. Practice, yes, but talk naturally, as if you were in a conversation.

3) Quality is important.
You don’t have to be a professional videographer to have good quality video. Here are a few things to look out for:

Lighting – it’s really important to have good lighting, our your video will look grainy and dark. Make sure you’re in a well lit room. Natural light is best, so if you can position yourself next to a window (but not right in front of it, or you’ll look like a silhouette!), or at least turn on a few more lights in the room, that is ideal.

Sound – make sure you turn off all fans, background noises such as TV sets, and send the kids outside to play before you start. Background noise can be very distracting so try to get into as quiet an environment as possible.

Camera angle - put your camera lens as close to your eye level as possible so you are looking straight at it. If you are looking up at the camera, it can make you seem small and insignificant. If you’re looking down at it, it can make you seem intimidating. Eye level means you’re talking to someone on their level.

In the end, it’s all about trying new things. Give video a try, and see how it works for you. Eventually, you may want to call in the pros to help you produce something more extensive, with graphics, animation, music, interviews, or demonstrations. But you’ll be surprised what you can do with just a web cam and a great idea!

[photo credit: Thomas Hawk on Flickr]

                          

Sound familiar?

One of the biggest challenges companies face when designing their online presence is creating compelling content over the long term. It takes a lot of work to consistently crank out insightful blog posts, track conversations on social networks, and stay on top of the latest industry news. It’s hard to balance this with the day to day challenges of running a business – especially if you’re a smaller business.

How to Be the Master of Your Content Domain.
You work hard to plan your business – you have a sales plan, a human resources plan, and project plans. So, why not build a plan for your online content? Creating a content strategy is the first step towards being able to actually maintain consistent and compelling content across your online presence.

Answering the following questions may help you to start to get a handle on your web content strategy.

What are your goals?
What do you really want to achieve with your online presence? More sales? More attention? Brand extension? Defining measurable goals and objectives is a critical first step, for in order to get somewhere you have to know where you want to go.

Who is your audience?
Who do you want to attract? What are the characteristics of the people you want visiting your site? Where are those people hanging out now?

What stories do you want to tell?
What do you have to offer your audience? How can you make a contribution to the community?

What strategies will you employ?
Coming up with specific strategies that can be implemented over the short, medium and long term is critical to success. This is your to-do list.

What technology is needed?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Every company is different, and knowing your goals and audience will help determine what tools and technologies will work best for you.

Who is going to do the work?
This is often where it falls apart for most companies. It’s great to have goals, strategies, and content ideas, but figuring out who’s going to do what, and when, is key. You need to build an editorial calendar that’s realistic to how many people you have to do the work, and when they can realistically do it. Then, it’s up to you to ensure that it’s all happening as planned.

Having a content strategy in place is the only sure-fire way to ensure that your web presence continues to stay lively and relevant. It can be helpful to work with a content specialist to work out the plan and help you implement various aspects. The outside point of view can help you find the stories you need to be telling, and maximize the efficiencies of the technologies too. Additionally, someone who specializes in developing content can help you find creative ways to create content across various media like video, audio, and text. In the end, it’s all about having a plan that will help you meet your goals and do it in a way that’s realistic to the time, money, and ideas you have to put into it.