Digital Shoebox

Tips, stories, and video in today's changing world.

May 10, 2019 In They like me, they really really like me By DigitalShoebox

How the movie theatre survives

Movie theatres should have died five years ago. The price for a family of four was no longer reasonable, the concession cost more than admittance, and you had to arrive at least 45 minutes prior to show start so you weren't stuck with seats in the front row. The floors were always sticky and gross, battle lines were drawn over arm rests, and you had to contort your body or hug your popcorn bag while trying not to spill your drink as you rose to let someone pass. Why did we tolerate this nonsense? It's simple. Going to the movies was an experience,...

March 24, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

It’s never just a potato chip – A marketing story

I'm a sucker for anything new, especially in the CPG (consumer packaged goods) category. My 12-year-old son opened this container of Wavy Pringles and took some out. He handed one to me and I just stared at it for a minute, until I started smiling. You see a potato chip with ridges. I see a whole story. A young man is new to the Pringles production line, just starting his first full-time job. His job is repetitive and his mind wanders over the course of the day - planning the weekend, thinking about the love of his life, dreaming about the new car...

March 15, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

5 PRODUCTION TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR VIDEO ALIGNS WITH YOUR BRAND

Whether or not you have entered into the world of creating video for your business, there are some steps you can take that will ensure every video you produce going forward aligns with your brand styling. You need to squash down that desire to just get some video done and throw it out into the world. Video needs to be done with purpose, intent and professionalism, even if you have a restrictive budget. Whatever road you take with video, pro or do-it-yourself, its role is to elevate your brand. Logo Your logo is like a famous brand of hot sauce and yes,...

March 12, 2019 In They like me, they really really like me By DigitalShoebox

Life without the web: A resource guide for anyone under 35

Today, the World Wide Web is 30 years old. Two and a half decades of evolution since computer users were first able to use their phone lines (landline for those who have never had one) to connect remotely to a bulletin board or a newsgroup (an early version of a forum). Life moves much faster now, and for the better. Everything is accessible, searchable, shareable. When the internet began spreading it's fingers in 1989, people were ready. The lavish excess of the 80s demanded that we have the latest of anything, but we were also on the verge of a...

March 11, 2019 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

How voice search will impact video marketing and your SEO

As voice search becomes more commonplace, your video needs to be easily found. I had an epiphany last year when we added Google home to the appliances cluttering our kitchen counter. I never wanted the device in my house. I did not see the purpose of it. Sure, it could play music and podcasts, but so could my phone. It could tell me the weather and give me a rundown of the news headlines, but so could the morning news I watched every day as I sipped my coffee. To me, Google home was just another piece of technology that could listen...

February 22, 2019 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

How to a leverage a speaker reel, even if you never take the mic again

A speaker reel is an important part of any marketing plan, even if you have zero aspirations of being in the spotlight. Over the last couple of years, I've watched business owners take their first trepidatious steps to the microphone, swallow back their fear, force out a breath of anxiety and just go. They've told their stories, spread their philosophies, and shared their knowledge. I'm no stranger to the microphone myself, especially since I turned my camera lens on myself more than 7 years ago. It was an uncomfortable experience, but after the first half dozen or so, it just stopped...

February 1, 2019 In The Business of Video, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

Finding royalty-free stock footage

Is something missing from your video? Are you not fully satisfied with your footage? Did you create a voiceover but are unsure where to find the images to accompany that? How about music? Even the best videographers occasionally have to turn to other sources to find appropriate footage. I've needed to find footage of the perfect sunset from a Hawaiian beach and my client certainly was not going to fly me out there to get a 40-second clip. Would have been nice though. Royalty-free stock footage sites are popping up like weeds. A lot of savvy videographers and photographers have realized that...

January 30, 2019 In Social Video, Video Ideas, Video Marketing Tips By DigitalShoebox

Shooting great video with your mobile phone

If you think you don't have the tools to make a good video, think again, then check your pocket. If you own a current smartphone, then you already have a powerful video producer in your pocket. Today's technology enables anyone to create amazing video, provided you understand the basics, take some time to test the waters and really listen to what your audience is telling you they want to hear from you. If you are serious about creating video for your business and are really committed to doing so yourself, then you need to invest some time and a little bit of...

December 11, 2018 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

Tailoring your video to Google trends

I’ve been geeking out on Google Trends for the last 6 months or so. I devour almost every article that lands in my inbox. I take screenshots, run tests, and unpack what I learn so that I can teach or apply the information to my clients’ success. If you haven’t yet investigated or played around with Google Trends, be prepared to go down a very deep, but deeply satisfying rabbit hole. Trends is like Pinterest, but for data lovers. I’ll admit, this part of my personality caught me by surprise, but clearly the left half of my brain is enjoying diving...

July 31, 2018 In The Business of Video By DigitalShoebox

The value of Google My Business

Have you been using Google My Business? If not, you are missing out on the power of this valuable - and free - resource. I'll admit it, I was slow to the game with Google My Business, but mostly because I was still stinging from the wasted effort I put into Google +. I wanted to wait a while, see what would happen, how the platform would develop, and whether mapping a service-based business would bring people in the door, so to speak. The game changed when Google Maps updated to allow videos to be added to a Google Listing. I created a...