Online Video Platform Summit: Building Value with Real Interactivity

In this final video from the Online Video Platform Summit, this panel discusses how interactive video experiences build value and engagement with online viewers. Interactivity by definition, is where a user can control their viewing experience, comment on it and actively contribute to it. The web evolved from text and image to interactive social media experiences. Social media interactivity can transform the passive, lean-back viewing experience into more of an active lean-in, engaged experience. A few examples are by customizing video players with clickable objects, comments, real-time chat, live audio and video, exploratory interactive video and virtual worlds, online gaming, and video remixes.

Building Value With Real Interactivity

Moderator: Tim Siglin, Chairman, Braintrust Digital
Alex Blum, CEO, KickApps
Scott Broomfield, Co-Founder and CEO, Veeple
Michael Dale, Open Media Developer, Wikimedia Foundation
Rainer Cvillink, Evangelist, Livestream

Video is more than just a one-way communication medium. At its best, it actively engages viewers in a lean-forward experience by allowing them to interact with the content in a unique way, including the ability to comment, rate, and share it across social networks; explore clickable objects within the video player; and even remix their own video responses using webcams or mobile devices. Live video streaming can offer even more functionality and an even higher level of interaction through real-time chat, live comment streams, and status updates. Our speakers will show examples of what you can do to make your video more of a targeted and personalized experience and discuss why you should make the effort.

Highlights from the Panel

The panel discussed ways to moving from audience to community. Community building tools from Kickapps, offer Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) suite of hosted social and media applications, to build highly interactive websites with a broad range of social experiences. CEO Alex Blum said that you can learn a lot about your audience or customers through their natural interaction, publishers can harvest data from their social media graph to gain insight for editorial choices, marketing or e-commerce, and foster deeper relationships with customers.

Veeple introduces clickable objects within the video that creates "call to actions" for viewers, interactive layer on top and deep analytics underneath. Engagement dramatically increases conversion and click-through rates for online advertising and marketing campaigns. According to CEO Scott Broomfield, Veeple customers have seen more than 25% viewer engagement by adding several interactive elements within the video. Veeple argues that the experience needs to branded, actionable and and measurable.

For Wikimedia, interactivity is used as a way to inspire collaborative production, through editing tools and sharing options. Values for Wikimedia community are free open source software, which Michael Dale said created problems for the video space, since there's no open ended video format. They are working with Kaltura to bring video to Wikipedia, and are pushing HTML 5 + Ogg Theora as the open video platform, and maintain that it's comparable in video quality to H.264.

Livestream offers a interactive TV platform by simulating traditional TV channels, but unlike
traditional TV where 98% is on demand, with a live channel, everyone is watching the same thing at the same time. Real-time comments on the live feed through chat, Facebook and Twitter allow viewers to engage with live broadcasters. The content creation tools Flex and Flash based studio giving control over the on air elements streaming solution with real-time conversation through user chat, Twitter and Facebook.

Many platforms offer a variety of solutions within the interactive space, which shape the way we consume, share, create, and monetize video content. This panel session offered unique examples of how interactivity builds value, by transforming viewers into contributors, and converting viewers into customers.

Alex Blum noted, that while many online video platforms are still having the same conversations about video from 10 years ago, he sees that changing:

"What I think is the next wave, is interactive elements within the video. The idea of wrapping social experience around the video experience."

Related @ovpsummit Tweets

@dboyll thanks for the kind words, and the tweets! 9:16 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck in reply to dboyll

RT @areggiori: RT @spidcast: New podcast: Managing video production work flow and metadata http://bit.ly/2MQyfm 4:13 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

ogg theora video looks as good as h.264 -- at least in the wikimedia demo here #ovps09 3:49 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

Wrapping up with session on building real interactivity into the video experience. Thanks to all who made the first OVPS so great.#ovps09 3:40 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

RT @kyte: RT eMarketer: Stat of the day: 139.8 million people watch TV and go online simultaneously in the US. #stats 1:21 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

RT @vamsri: Live video stream viweing on mobile devices barriers: mobile bandwidth, mobile device processing power #smwest09 12:27 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

RT @klessblog Online Video Platform Summit Interactive Video Panel - Building Value With Real Interactivity http://bit.ly/115MAs #ovps09 12:18 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from web

RT @Kaltura: Michael Dale from Wikimedia Foundation, will discuss Kaltura's collaborative video project w/Wikipedia today at 3:30pm #ovps09 12:02 PM Nov 19th, 2009 from TweetDeck

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• Kickapps
• Veeple
• Wikimedia
• Livestream

For detailed bios on each panelist, see - Online Video Platform Summit Interactive Video Panel - Building Value With Real Interactivity

Online Video Platform Summit Interactive Video Panel - Building Value With Real Interactivity

Video is more than just a one-way communication medium. At its best, it actively engages viewers in a lean-forward experience by allowing them to interact with the content in a unique way, including the ability to comment, rate, and share it across social networks; explore clickable objects within the video player; and even remix their own video responses using webcams or mobile devices. Live video streaming can offer even more functionality and an even higher level of interaction through real-time chat, live comment streams, and status updates. Our speakers will show examples of what you can do to make your video more of a targeted and personalized experience and discuss why you should make the effort.

Building Value With Real Interactivity
Thursday, November 19, 2009 3:30 PM PST

Moderator
Tim Siglin
Chairman
Braintrust Digital

Tim Siglin is a contributing editor for StreamingMedia.com. He serves as Chairman of Braintrust Digital, a digital media production company, and is a co-founder of the go-to-market consulting firm, Transitions, Inc. He has been involved full-time with strategic consulting and digital media integrations fields for almost 20 years. Besides writing as a contributing editor for StreamingMedia.com, Siglin has also recently created a new blog, covering digital media workflows, with emphasis on metadata and online video in the corporate, higher education, web development production industries. The blog can be accessed at www.workflowed.com

Braintrust Digital is a media production and design company specializing in creation and delivery of content through traditional and new media. Braintrust also provides AV integration services for select clients that require high-quality viewing experiences on corporate, religious and educational campuses.

Transitions, Inc. - a business and technology development firm - assists startups and hypergrowth businesses in the financial services, digital media and advertising / marketing industries.

Speakers
Alex Blum
CEO
KickApps

As the CEO of KickApps, Alex is responsible for building a world class technology, marketing, business development, finance, and operations team with the goal of providing web publishers the tools to easily enable their sites with User Generated Content, Social Networking, Premium Video, and Content Syndication capabilities.

Before joining KickApps, Alex was President and COO of JumpTV, a leading Multi-Cultural Internet Protocol Television Network. Prior to JumpTV Alex spent 8 years at AOL most recently as the Vice President of Product Marketing for AOL's Audience business where Alex and his team were responsible for re-launching the AOL Portal and delivering an entire suite of web-based applications including: AOL's Video Player, Video Portal, Streaming Video advertising platform, AIM and AIMpages social networking service. Prior to that, Alex was General Manager of AOLTV, where he established strategic relationships with DirecTV, TiVo, OpenTV and Philips Electronics. Prior to joining AOL, Alex spent ten years in the software industry participating in three successful startup opportunities. Alex has an MBA from the Albers School of Business at Seattle University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado.

Scott Broomfield
Co-Founder and CEO
Veeple

As CEO and Co-Founder of Veeple, Scott brings more than twenty years experience in leading highly-talented and innovative entrepreneurs in developing cloud-based software products. Scott's first experience with interactive media was over 15 years ago when he was a strategic advisor to Frox, the first true interactive television platform. Before Veeple, Scott was a managing director at Sand Hill Management Partners, a small Venture firm in Palo Alto, CA. During 2004 and 2005, Scott ran CALLIXA, an Enterprise Information Integration (EII) software company that he sold to SAP software in 2005. From 2001 through 2004, Scott led Visuale, a private Business Process Management Software (BPMS) company that he sold to Onyx Software. From 1998 through 2001, he led Centura Software Corporation (formerly Gupta), a $50M public software company, where he was recruited to turn around the business. Scott successfully repositioned Centura in the wireless enterprise computing market and accomplished a ten-fold capital return to its major investors, before selling the business in 2001. From 1989 through 1997, he was a principal with Hickey & Hill, Inc. a business re-engineering and turnaround management firm. In this capacity, Scott held senior operational, financial and advisory positions with Dazix, DEC, Etec, Frox, InVision, Trilogy and Samsung. Scott holds a MBA from Santa Clara University.

Michael Dale
Open Media Developer
Wikimedia Foundation

Michael Dale is an advocate for open video on the web based on free codecs like ogg theora. The past year he has lead development of open source collaborative video for Wikipedia in partnership with Kaltura and in collaboration with Mozilla's html5 video efforts. In 2006 Michael Dale co-founded metavid.org a community video archive of US proceedings.

Rainer Cvillink
Evangelist
Livestream

Rainer is a 20-year Electronic Media veteran with work experience in both US and Europe. As Evangelist for Livestream he creates content, gets the word out and leads people. Rainer replaces Max Haot, Co-founder and CEO, Livestream on this panel.

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Veeple Introduces interPlay, New Interactivity and Analytics API

Veeple has announced interPlay, their new interactive API and plug-in that adds interactivity and analytics to 3rd-party online video players. This is a shift in Veeple's business model as an all-in-one solution, in a move to a modular structure to offer their interactivity and analytics modules to customers who already have an existing video solution. Many potential customers were interested in interactivity, metrics and increasing user engagement but wanted them to work with other platforms. By opening up the platform, Veeple sees a greater opportunity to provide a solution to online marketers and content owners that dramatically increases viewer engagement and improve conversions.

Veeple CEO and Co-founder Scott Broomfield said that interPlay is based on customer demand:

"We know that Veeple customers are experiencing the power of interactivity in their videos and are seeing phenomenal engagement rates, at some points, up to 63%, well above the industry average. Due to numerous requests by potential customers who have already invested in their own video environments but need interactivity to give a boost to their video content, we have decided to provide access to our entire interactive library via our interPlay API. Now, people have the ability to add interactivity and enhance conversions, without overhauling their existing online video infrastructure."

interPlay is free and will be bundled with a 30-day free trial of Veeple's Intelligent Video Analytics Suite. The interactive capabilities consist of:

• Actionable objects including image & Flash animations
• Documents including PDF’s, Word & PowerPoint
• Transparent actionable overlays
• Popular social networking sites
• Textual overlays

The analytical suite includes:

• Videos views over a time span.
• Videos views in a geographic region.
• Interactions over a time span.
• Views at time intervals over video duration.
• Interactions against views over video duration.
• Real-time video ratings wave.

Scott recorded this interview for Kris Drey at VidCompare to answer a few questions about the new service.

• How will it integrate with other online video platforms?
• Do you see the Interactive API as a new feature of Veeple’s or a new business model in and of itself?
• How does the Interactive API position you as a business today as it relates to your core competency as an OVP?
• How will you address the competitive nature of the business as it relates other OVPs who are, to a large extent, your potential new business partners?

Unlike other companies that raise funds through investment groups, Veeple is a self-funded private company. This has allowed the company to grow organically into the space as an intelligent interactive video platform.

Veeple InterPlay will be bundled The beta program will be available beginning November 3rd, 2009 and anyone interested can pre-register here. They plan to roll out three plug-ins by the end of November for the JW Player and thePlatform and BrightCove.

Scott Broomfield will be a featured speaker at the Online Video Platform Summit in November speaking on the panel session, Building Value With Real Interactivity.

About Veeple
Veeple is the leader in simple, interactive online video solutions for marketers and content creators looking to deepen customer engagement and conversions. With Veeple's cloud-computing solution people have easy access to use interactivity, full content management for multiple clients, branded player video delivery and full clickable analytics. Veeple has the solution for successful online video campaigns. Veeple is a private company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. For additional information go to www.veeple.com/solutions.php

Veeple and TubeMogul Announce Distribution and Syndication Agreement

Iin another strategic partnership Veeple has announced an agreement with TubeMogul that will offer greater distribution and syndication choices for marketers, agencies and social media leaders using Veeple's Interactive Online Video (IOV) platform. The agreement allows Veeple customers the use of TubeMogul’s signature “Load and Track” service which gives users the capability to upload videos once and automatically deploy them with as many of the top video sharing sites as they want, within the users’ specified accounts. TubeMogul, in turn, will recommend Veeple as one of TubeMogul’s three primary online video platform providers. Veeple and TubeMogul expect to deliver the new capabilities by the end of July.

According to Brett Wilson, TubeMogul CEO and co-founder, “Veeple understands the needs of today’s marketer who is responsible for telling a compelling story while building a well-respected brand through the powerful tool of online video. TubeMogul is pleased to enhance Veeple’s service offering through the ability to help increase the distribution of the interactive videos that Veeple’s customers are creating.”



I asked Scott Broomfield, Veeple CEO and co-founder, about how the new partnership evolved and he said that TubeMogul found them first as their customers began to ask them about online video platforms. Veeple also saw the need for wider distribution and syndication is a key element, along with embed, url, RSS, and video SEO. Interactive works if the destination site allows embed, url or metadata tracking. This means for sites like Ning or Wordpress, but not for YouTube or Metacafe. Over time Veeple plans to add an 'onion skin' that will ride along with the InPlay API that will make everything interactive.

Broomfield added that, “Veeple is all about enhancing, engaging and measuring online video campaigns. Our customers expect not only simplicity in our service but also a platform that quickly evolves with their needs. As we evolve the Veeple service we knew that syndication was a top priority for our customers who are increasingly adding online video to their marketing mix.”

To see interactive video in action see Veeple's customer web sites

• Veeple Video - Executive Producer's Package
• Guided Meditations Daily | Meditation Masters Network
• iVideo: TVOT09 - Intro to The TV of Tomorrow Show | InteractiveTV Today
• LEHD Media | Online Video that Works for You - Demo Room
• LouTube Videoblog | Online Video Branding: Build a breakthrough brand with web video!
• Pacific Healing Arts | Learn more about the DVD
• San Diego Charitable Events Registry Magazine - Fundraisers, Galas, Parties, Non-Profits Organizations, Charities and Volunteer Spotlight
• The Sound of Music
  

Follow Veeple and TubeMogul on Twitter

• srbroomfield (veeple) on Twitter
• VeepleVpro (VeepleVpro) on Twitter
• tubemogul (tubemogul) on Twitter

About Veeple
Veeple is the leader in simple, Interactive Online Video (IOV) solutions for marketers looking to deepen customer engagement through online video. With Veeple's cloud-computing solution people have easy access to use interactivity, full content management for multiple clients, branded player video delivery and full clickable analytics. Veeple has the solution for successful online video campaigns. Veeple is a private company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. For additional information go to www.veeple.com/solutions.php

About TubeMogul
TubeMogul is the first online video analytics and distribution company serving publishers
large and small who need independent information about video performance on the Internet and automated upload to the Web's top video sharing sites. TubeMogul's analytic technology aggregates video-viewing data from multiple sources to give publishers improved understanding of when, where and how often videos are watched. TubeMogul offers tracking far beyond the traditional metric of video "views." TubeMogul InPlay, which can be activated within minutes, tracks rich viewership metrics such as audience engagement, attention span and site performance -- all in real-time.

Veeple Extends Reach With Bitgravity

Interactive online video platform Veeple has announced a new partnership with Bitgravity in which Veeple will standardize its offering on BitGravity's global high-speed content delivery network. BitGravity in turn will be adopting Veeple's platform as one of their three standard partners, with the others being Brightcove and Fliqz. Veeple also announced a series of enhancements to its interactive service including player branding, syndication, contact information and an affiliate program.

"BitGravity's focus on fast, high-quality video delivery is of primary importance in working with them," said Scott Broomfield, co-founder and chief executive officer of Veeple. "BitGravity truly understands high performance video delivery, ensuring a fantastic online video experience for our customers," he continued.



I spoke with Scott yesterday about the announcement and he outlined the "need for speed" as the driving factor for partnering with Bitgravity. Both have stiff competition in the saturated online video platform and CDN space and much like the Qik/Brightcove announcement yesterday the Veeple/Bitgravity alliance is another example of the evolving value chain within the online video ecosystem. CDNs are turning into a commodity says Broomfield, they are looking for partnerships, content, players, analytics and, we'll more see combining and some attrition over time.

Broomfield highlighted the three drivers for moving to Bitgravity.

1. High quality - delivery move from Amazon to Bitgravity who has a hub and spoke model which gives much quicker downloads. Marketers love high quality video and Vimeo and Fliqz uses Bitgravity. Bitgravity will use Veeple as one of three partners. Interactive component, simple business model, start at $99, way easier for sales
2. High reliability - faster buffering
3. Speed - the hub and spoke architecture, pushes video to spoke, reduces buffer times, video and interactive features, 7-10% bits coming down the wire, a good 40% better

Veeple's platform delivers interactivity with clickable objects within the video player and cites a 22% in-video click-through rate, over 10 times today's pre-roll statistics. Veeple believes we were at the beginning of a new era in online video, an era where the passive, lean-back viewing experience is transitioning to a more lean-in, engaging experience. The age of interactive, actionable video. Early customers have included Yale University, AmazingTechProducts. com, and Global Social Media Network

“Veeple is an excellent example of the type of service we envisioned supporting when we designed BitGravity’s CDN. Veeple’s focus on offering a simple customer experience for uploading, managing, hosting, and best of all, making online video actionable, were the deciding factors in our working with Veeple.” said Chris Turner, VP of Worldwide Sales at BitGravity.


About Veeple
Veeple is the leader in simple, Interactive Online Video (IOV) solutions for marketers looking to deepen customer engagement through online video. With Veeple’s solution absolutely no programming is required for interactivity, full content management for multiple clients, branded player video delivery and full clickable analytics. Veeple provides the necessary tools for successful online video campaigns. Veeple is a private company headquartered in Palo Alto, California. For additional information go to www.veeple.com/solutions.php

Scott Broomfield Veeple / CEO 408-605-4231 (c) / 650-331-0785 (o)
Twitter: @veeple
LinkedIn: http://tinyurl.com/d29vqb
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/ck73lt

About Bitgravity

BitGravity has built the first CDN for Interactive Broadcasting, which is optimized to deliver affordable, HD-quality video on demand, live broadcasts, and interactive applications for massive audiences on the Internet. BitGravity's patent-pending CDN is Tier 1, highly scalable, and delivers the performance that consumers want and expect, including streaming videos that play instantly, and live video with no buffering. The company is based in Burlingame, Calif and is privately funded. BitGravity was founded in early 2006 by technology pioneers Perry Wu and Barrett Lyon.

Public Relations:
press@bitgravity.com
+1.650.356.8572
http://twitter.com/bitgravity

Related:

• Veeple Announces Agreement With BitGravity Along With New Service Enhancements
• MediaPost Publications Veeple and BitGravity Combine Streams 06/26/2009
• Veeple in Deal with BitGravity, Unveils Enhancements to its Interactive Video Platform | InteractiveTV Today
• Radio: Veeple CEO, Scott Broomfield | InteractiveTV Today
• Contentinople - Ryan Lawler - BitGravity CTO Steps Aside

6/26/09: Updated links and text