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Online Video Service, Inc. :: Seattle Net Tuesday Notes
Below are my notes from one of five presentations at August's Seattle Net Tuesday. Notes from each presentation are a separate blog entry. Sessions were limited to five minutes, so I followed up with presenters as needed. -- Brian Glanz
Online Video Service, Inc.
presentation by Cynara Lilly and Josh Folk
Online Video Service (OVS) presented the following reasons for non-profits to publish online video:
Their answer: for a better user experience. OVS explained that not everyone has a high speed connection, and the YouTube experience is poor without it. If your target audience is part of the minority still on dial-up, then YouTube won't be a good experience for them, and you should consider streaming video as OVS offers.
Accessibility may be a concern for your non-profit, and if so then you should be wary of publishing video only in Flash, as YouTube does.
OVS also raised advertising and general control of message as potential issues with using YouTube. It's at this point that my review of OVS becomes an opinion. This opinion is mine alone, and does not represent the opinions of Seattle Net Tuesday, Net Squared, my employers, et al.
Cynara Lilly of OVS mentioned that they always warn prospective, non-profit clients that they wouldn't want the likes of Britney Spears dancing next to their serious, important message. On YouTube, says Lilly, they won't have any control over context and thus over their message.
This was where OVS was hiding some of the truth, however. I find it troubling to have a for-profit corporation targeting non-profits and offering incomplete or exaggerated technical "advice."
Fact is, you can post video to YouTube on your own "channel," a page filled only with your videos -- for free. A prominent example is the YouTube channel used by the world-renowned organization ONE: The Campaign To Make Poverty History.
Then, if that isn't enough control for you, YouTube hands you the code you need -- again, for free -- so you can embed your uploaded video, hosted by YouTube, on your own web pages in your own web site. This technique is simple and has been used by such control-minded, global organizations as the National Geographic Society.
The specter of Britney jiggling near their cause's impassioned plea has probably scared a few, ill-informed non-profits into paying OVS for their services, but it's an imaginary threat and it's a dirty trick, too. As a software developer who has helped non-profits publish video online for free, in addition to mentioning the prominent examples above, I'm writing from experience. I don't always advocate YouTube, based yes on technical requirements and target audiences. Even then, there are many other, free choices worth exploring before you pay anyone, in this day and age, to host your video.
My summary opinion of OVS: the benefits of paying OVS, in terms of quality and length of presentation, for example, are high end benefits for high end clients. The case study OVS shared in our session, for example, was of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Most non-profits aren't wealthy or global enough to require OVS' services.
My summary advice to non-profits with video to publish online: Everyone who is anyone should by now be publishing video online. It's become as common as having an email newsletter, and the main reason why is the rise of free tools for doing so. If someone who is for-profit wants to sell you a service you can more or less get for free, think at least twice about your other options. If you need advice, get it from someone who is not targeting you for a profit. I haven't discussed options in detail in this entry, but they are just a few search results away.
Brian Glanz
Online Video Service, Inc.
presentation by Cynara Lilly and Josh Folk
Online Video Service (OVS) presented the following reasons for non-profits to publish online video:
- fund raising
- advocacy
- cost-effective way to extend reach of message
- target specific audiences
Their answer: for a better user experience. OVS explained that not everyone has a high speed connection, and the YouTube experience is poor without it. If your target audience is part of the minority still on dial-up, then YouTube won't be a good experience for them, and you should consider streaming video as OVS offers.
Accessibility may be a concern for your non-profit, and if so then you should be wary of publishing video only in Flash, as YouTube does.
OVS also raised advertising and general control of message as potential issues with using YouTube. It's at this point that my review of OVS becomes an opinion. This opinion is mine alone, and does not represent the opinions of Seattle Net Tuesday, Net Squared, my employers, et al.
Cynara Lilly of OVS mentioned that they always warn prospective, non-profit clients that they wouldn't want the likes of Britney Spears dancing next to their serious, important message. On YouTube, says Lilly, they won't have any control over context and thus over their message.
This was where OVS was hiding some of the truth, however. I find it troubling to have a for-profit corporation targeting non-profits and offering incomplete or exaggerated technical "advice."
Fact is, you can post video to YouTube on your own "channel," a page filled only with your videos -- for free. A prominent example is the YouTube channel used by the world-renowned organization ONE: The Campaign To Make Poverty History.
Then, if that isn't enough control for you, YouTube hands you the code you need -- again, for free -- so you can embed your uploaded video, hosted by YouTube, on your own web pages in your own web site. This technique is simple and has been used by such control-minded, global organizations as the National Geographic Society.
The specter of Britney jiggling near their cause's impassioned plea has probably scared a few, ill-informed non-profits into paying OVS for their services, but it's an imaginary threat and it's a dirty trick, too. As a software developer who has helped non-profits publish video online for free, in addition to mentioning the prominent examples above, I'm writing from experience. I don't always advocate YouTube, based yes on technical requirements and target audiences. Even then, there are many other, free choices worth exploring before you pay anyone, in this day and age, to host your video.
My summary opinion of OVS: the benefits of paying OVS, in terms of quality and length of presentation, for example, are high end benefits for high end clients. The case study OVS shared in our session, for example, was of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Most non-profits aren't wealthy or global enough to require OVS' services.
My summary advice to non-profits with video to publish online: Everyone who is anyone should by now be publishing video online. It's become as common as having an email newsletter, and the main reason why is the rise of free tools for doing so. If someone who is for-profit wants to sell you a service you can more or less get for free, think at least twice about your other options. If you need advice, get it from someone who is not targeting you for a profit. I haven't discussed options in detail in this entry, but they are just a few search results away.
Brian Glanz
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