Corrieography Blog

P90X and Bikram Yoga

2011-04-01T12:44:00Z

Just like my last entry said, I have been terrible about keeping up with this blog. Mainly because I find the GoDaddy blog system unwieldy and annoying. I prefer the WordPress arrangement (and do blog about Social Media related topics regularly on the Captico Blog). But this is what I have for now.

Hmm, my last entry was.... October of last year - almost 6 months ago. Lets recap. I continued to do P90X pretty regularly until December or so when the Holidays sidetracked me. But I've picked it back up since. I'm not following it exactly and tend to pick my own workouts from the DVDs to do based on what I feel needs to be worked out that day to best compliment the Bikram (or hot) Yoga I am doing now as well.

I am practicing yoga at Bikram Yoga in Severna Park, MD which is pretty much next door to my office, but an hour to an hour and a half away from home. The distance means I can really only take a class if I got to work and don't have obligations that evening, so I don't see myself continuing there much longer.

Bikram is hot yoga, meaning they heat the studio to 105 degrees and pump it full of 40% humidity so that you feel like you are going to die throughout the 90 minute class.

When I took my first class, they told me the goal was to just not leave the room. That if I felt faint or like throwing up to just sit down and try to breathe. My first two classes I did well enough but definitely had to take breaks. Its just so hot!! My third and fourth classes I managed to do really well - performing every move and not taking any pauses or breaks. My fifth class was a disaster.

You know how when its really hot or you are really sweating and exercising, your nose will run? It happens to a lot of people. On this day, my nose was running and stuffed full of grossness far more than usual, so I was forced to try and gasp for air through my mouth. You never breathe through your mouth in hot yoga. The air is so hot and mouth breathing triggers your body into a sort of panic mode. You feel like you are drowning. It was horrific. I had what the teachers call "a bad class". And everyone - even teachers - have bad classes from time to time.

So I went back a day later and my next class was great - I rocked it. S, hot yoga is interesting, but very demanding. It does amazing things for your flexibility though and you will sweat your brains out!

In May I will be adding a once a week belly dancing class - can you tell I like to mix it up?

P90X Challenge - Catch Up

2010-10-22T14:40:00Z

I have been terrible about keeping up this blog and documenting the P90X Challenge - but that doesn't mean I haven't been doing P90X! I actually had to get an additional set of bands. Due to work travel, weekend activities, and just life happening, I definitely haven't been keeping on the every day track, but I'm still pushing play and still working it!

On thursdays I've even added a Kickball league to the mix!

Day 10 - P90X Challenge - Yoga X

2010-09-15T01:02:00Z

So I took a couple days off to heal up my lower back and groin and jumped back into the routine with Yoga X...

Food:

Breakfast: 2 FRS supplement chews

Snack: -

Lunch: Taco Bell Chicken Flatbread Sandwich

Snack: -

Dinner: Baked tilapia and steamed broccoli (post-work out)

*Water with FRS supplement.

Exercise:

P90X Yoga X - A hatha yoga based session of breathing and intense stretching.

How Did I Do?

So last time I did Yoga it kicked my ass. (I think its also what caused some of my injuries.) But this time, VENGEANCE WAS MINE! I wish I had pushed through the DVD another couple of minutes last time as I now know I would have been able to finish it. Today I was very conscious of my lower back and wrists. I made sure to keep my pelvis tilted forward/under and angled my wrists out/used a hammer fist to minimize the pressure. My wrists are still sore but I was able to do everything but Crane. I left this workout wanting to do the second half again more often - in addition to other sessions.

Day 9 - P90X Challenge - Shoulders & Arms / Ab Ripper X

2010-09-11T00:56:00Z

Well, that muscle that was bothering me yesterday, still feels just as tweaked. I'm trying to stretch it, but I think I just pulled it... As I only feel it in very specific positions, and today is not a lunge or squat day, I should be able to move through my workouts with no problems. My right hip is still slightly wonky at times and my lower back is STILL bothering me- worse this evening actually... My body overall is aching less today though in regard to muscles I've been working out- both the plyometrics and kenpo workouts tend to shake everything loose.

Food:

Breakfast: Weight Watchers Amaretto Cheesecake Nonfat Yogurt

Snack: Pico de Guaco and tortilla chips

Lunch: salad

Snack: 2 Dark Chocolate Hershey's Kisses

Dinner: Chicken with peppers - (post-work out)

Exercise:

P90X Shoulders & Arms

How Did I Do?

I did way better on the Side Tri-Rises that kicked my butt last time! 10 reps on each side, left me finally feeling good about my workout again. I also used much heavier weight through all of my reps giving me a more intense workout than before... I'm trying to really work on my stance as I think I pop my butt out too far behind me during weight work resulting into my lower back pain that keeps haunting me...

Day 8 - P90X Challenge - Plyometrics

2010-09-10T00:40:00Z

My right hip was a little wonky this morning - felt like I'd tweaked it - and had me taking it slow. It was fine by this afternoon though, allowing me to focus on stretching my back throughout the day - yesterday's workout really.. worked it. Hah.

Food:

Breakfast: 2 FRS chews

Snack: yogurt

Lunch: Red Robin Chicken wrap w/ fries & melon slices & a margarita

Snack: -

Dinner: Spinach fettucini w/ chicken tossed with olive oil; yogurt (post-work out)

*Water all day with FRS supplement added in.

Exercise:

P90X Plyometrics - "drills designed to connect strength with speed to produce power"; basically jump training; lots of lunges and jumps, really working the thighs.

How Did I Do?

Sweat sweat sweat. I feel like I pulled my inner left groin as it hurt during one of the lung-jump exercises and during some of my stretching... still kinda bothering me... I'll have to keep an eye on it...

Day 7 - P90X Challenge - Chest & Back / Ab Ripper X

2010-09-09T00:43:00Z

The bands of muscles around my upper thighs are making me walk a little stilted today as they complain about being used so much the last two days, but my butt is feeling a lot better so I call that progress! Since I missed my workout over the weekend (life gets in the way sometimes), I will be moving right into the next session instead of taking my "Rest" day today. (With P90X you do 6 days straight and then have a day off.) So today will be Round 2 of the workout series I did for Week 1...

Food:

Breakfast: Stonyfield Organic lowfat yogurt super smoothie

Snack: FRS chew

Lunch: Peanut butter crackers & yogurt & water

Snack: Pico de Guaco and tortilla chips

Dinner: Ravioli with diced tomatoes (post-work out)

Exercise:

P90X Chest & Back - warmed up with a light cardio workout and then basically alternated various forms of pushups with pull ups (or because the doorways in my apt don't support pull up bars- I used resistance bands attached high to a door and pulled down from a sitting or lunge position).

P90X Ab Ripper X - crazy hard crunches.

How Did I Do?

As I did this a week ago, I knew what to expect. I think mechanically I did better - focusing on correct execution, set numbers of reps, and heavier weight. This is a super push-up intensive session and as I struggle with pushups, I changed my approach. Last time I did 15 reps each session of traditional pushups- but they were pretty ugly. This time I set my goal at 10 "girl style" each round with good alignment - getting good and low. Definitely a better work out for me. I used a heavier resistance band on my pull downs, doing reps of 30 and emphasizing isometric holds to really max out my sessions.

Ugh- Ab RIpper- my least favorite thing... some of these just kill my lower back.... and the Mason Twists are impossible for me... I'll get better though!

Day 6 - P90X Challenge - Kenpo X

2010-09-08T01:00:00Z

Yesterday I did P90X Legs & Back - which was very lunge-happy. Let me tell you- I am feeling it in my glutes today!! Crazy sore! After a very long weekend and very little sleep (hit up the Virginia Tech vs Boise State football game at FedEx Field last night -- Go Hokies!) I was not looking forward to today's workout...

Food:

Breakfast: Stonyfield Organic lowfat yogurt super smoothie

Snack: -

Lunch: Potbelly Skinny PB&J on Whole Wheat

Snack: -

Dinner: Chicken/cheese/peppers/rice home-made wrap (post-work out)

*Water all day with FRS supplement added in.

Exercise:

P90X Kenpo X - Cardio/Martial Arts based workout consisting of kicks and punches

How Did I Do?

I loved this work out. Really brought me back to my point fighting days when I trained in Tae Kwon Do. A lot of similar exercises, so my muscle memory kicked in and my pivots came pretty naturally. I sweated a LOT and it felt great. The warm up stretches were hard- particularly with my aching thighs and hammies! This workout went by the fastest of all of them so far (just like Tony said it would) and I look forward to doing it again!

My one big complaint with the P90X program is all of the selling. They are constantly pitching their website, the drinks/supplements, etc. And after your program is over, a straight-up product infomercial comes on. Lame. But aside from that, Tony is a great host- just love him as a workout leader!

Day 4 - P90X Challenge - Yoga X

2010-09-04T00:12:00Z

Wow- I am FEELING it today! My body is stiff and sore and I was exhausted this morning... Today I feel it more than all the days-after, but it may be because I've worked out almost all of the muscle groups in my body now. Its normal for me to really feel a work out 2 days later, rather than the next day, so I think its all beginning to catch up with me...

I am really looking forward to tonight's yoga session- though I'm sure it'll be intense like everything else!

(P.S. I am doing the Classic version of P90X - there is a Doubles version (which adds extra cardio for a twice a day workout) and a Lean version (which is more cardio and less intense than the Classic).

Food:

Breakfast: yogurt

Snack: -

Lunch: Soup

Snack: 2 FRS supplement chews

Dinner: Steamed rice and chicken; goat cheese/crackers; pear; glass of wine (post-work out)

Exercise:

P90X Yoga X - A hatha yoga based session of breathing and intense stretching.

How Did I Do?

Well.... for the first time since starting P90X, I feel demoralized. The yoga kicked my ass... My wrists still hurt... I hate to admit it, but I didn't finish the yoga DVD... I was so sleepy and my wrists were killing me and I just... gave up at about the halfway mark. Tomorrow I plan on kicking my own ass...

Day 3 - P90X Challenge - Shoulders & Arms / Ab Ripper X

2010-09-03T00:30:00Z

Today I can still feel the workout from two days ago- my shoulders and chest/upper back! But its all still manageable! Still going strong!

Food:

Breakfast: Stonyfield Organic lowfat yogurt super smoothie

Snack: Orange

Lunch: Small salad

Snack: Happy Hour - a couple of small bites of apps and a beer - Stella Artois

Dinner: Steamed rice and grilled chicken with steamed squash (post-work out)

*Water all day with FRS supplement added in.

Exercise:

P90X Shoulders & Arms

P90X Ab Ripper X

How Did I Do?

The Side Tri-Rises at the end of Shoulders & Arms kicked my butt!

As to my second round of Ab Ripper, man, I could really feel my abs during this round- especially with the residual from two days ago! For the first two V like crunches, I tucked a throw pillow into my lower back for support and to keep me going and focused on my abs (due to the strain I continued to feel from last time). Hopefully I can build up strength there quickly.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

-Lance Armstrong

Day 2 - P90X Challenge - Plyometrics

2010-09-02T00:22:00Z

Today I was aware that I had had a good workout last night. I could feel the muscles in my chest and upper back/shoulders, but it was not incapacitating in any way. I woke up really tired this morning and could have used a nap after work but thats not all that odd (I get up at 5:30am and have a long commute).

Food:

Breakfast: Orange

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Salad

Snack: Very small piece of banana nut bread

Dinner: Steamed rice and veggies (post-work out)

*Water all day with FRS supplement added in.

Exercise:

P90X Plyometrics - "drills designed to connect strength with speed to produce power"; basically jump training; lots of lunges and jumps, really working the thighs.

How Did I Do?

For my second day, I think I did great. I hung in there with almost all of the drills- modifying of course when my body hit fail stage- and keeping hydrated.

I definitely needed my knee brace (I broke my right knee a few years ago) and may have even benefited from having both knees supported. There is a lot of impact in this session- I actually had to double up on my sports bra to keep the girls from getting injured!

I sweated a good amount and could really feel how good the workout was.

I really like how Tony keeps you moving, is encouraging, mixes it up, and lets you see him sweat. The workouts aren't easy- and he knows that. He keeps you motivated.

Day 1 - P90X Challenge - Chest & Back / Ab Ripper X

2010-09-01T01:20:00Z

Today kicked off Day 1 of P90X! Yesterday consisted of the assessment workout, measurements, weight, etc. I wasn't sore or stiff, but enjoyed kicking everything off with the assessment (which is designed to make sure you are fit enough to BEGIN P90X!).

Food:

Breakfast: -

Snack: -

Lunch: Chipotle Burrito (chicken, rice, corn, guacamole, lettuce) w/ Lemonade

Snack: -

Dinner: Steamed rice and veggies; yogurt; brownie (post-work out)

*Water all day with FRS supplement added in.

Exercise:

P90X Ab Ripper X - crazy hard crunches.

How Did I Do?

I think I got off really easy using bands rather than doing pull ups... but because I can't do a pull up, I did a LOT more reps using band pull downs, so thats something. I did alright with the pushups... I'm not getting nearly low enough and shot for 10 pushups each round... and there were at least 12 rounds...

After the hour Chest & Back session, I thought I was done. I was wrong. A 16 minute Ab session appeared on my screen... and boy- was that intense!! Oddly, it was my lower back that gave me the most trouble- it physically hurt with a lot of the drills. Not a good workout burn, but a no-support-injury type hurt. I modified a few things to focus on my stomach as opposed to straining my lower back, but I look forward to this session ripping my abs up again soon!

Blog Content Change

2010-08-30T18:11:00Z

So, as you can see, I haven't really been using this blog. Mainly because I do all of my blogging at Captico since I work there, and also because this site is a pain to use... and who has the time??

--BUT--

I just started on the P90X work out program and so as a way of managing my personal accountability as well as providing a place to point everyone who keeps asking me how its going and what I think, I have decided to reactivate this old blog and document my personal life a bit.

So, to sum up, if you want to read my social media blogs, go to Captico.

If you want to talk about film and video production, follow my Twitter .

If you want to check out my work out stuff, read this.

If you just want to say, hit me up on Facebook .

Thanks!!

Semi-absentee and multi-unit franchise ownership workshop - Today

2010-04-28T14:46:00Z

From a fellow member of Women in Film & Video, Washington DC:

Semi-absentee and multi-unit franchise ownership workshop - Wednesday, April 28th
With Heather Rosen, Consultant to people exploring business ownership.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

On Wednesday, April 28th, Heather Rosen will be conducting a workshop on how to minimize your risk and your costs when starting a retail or food franchise in the current economy. Joining her will be a SBA lender to discuss financing options and a commercial real estate agent to discuss leasing space in a recession. As many people saw their 401K become 101K, people employed and unemployed alike are considering how to diversify their assets.

Retail and food franchises often appeal to people who want to continue in their job or continue running another business. Many of these types of businesses allow for “semi-absentee” ownership: the owner hires a manager and then spends just 10-20 hours per week on the business. Some retail and food franchises even offer the opportunity to run multiple units on a semi-absentee basis.

Below is a more detailed description of the program.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ATTN: Small Business Owners and Entrepreneurs

You are invited to attend:

Owning a Retail or Food Franchise: How to minimize your risk and find bargains in a down economy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 7:30 am – 9:30 am

Location: Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce, 1763 Fountain Drive, Reston, VA 20190

Cost: $25 in advance/ $30 door. A light breakfast will be provided.

To register: contact Heather Rosen at hrosen@frannet.com or 703.291.0939. Space is very limited.

Segments Will Include:

• SEMI-ABSENTEE OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

• HOW TO RESEARCH EXISTING BUSINESSES AND FRANCHISES

• HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE YOUR RISK?

• REAL ESTATE OPPORTUNITIES – WHAT IS “MARKET” RIGHT NOW? HOW TO FIND SPACE?

• WHAT ABOUT FINANCING?

• WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO SUCCEED?

• WHAT ABOUT B2B SERVICE OR CONSUMER SERVICE FRANCHISES?

• AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Spend 2 hours and learn how to take advantage in the ramp
up of our economy. With lower start-up costs, now may be
the best time to start your business!

Presented by:

FranNet of Virginia

Mid-Atlantic Commercial Realty, LLC

Access National Bank
By Heather Rosen, Consultant to people exploring business ownership.

Will Social Media hurt or help you?

2010-03-23T18:20:00Z

This article was originally posted on Captico's Blog on 3/22/10.

The debate continues on blogs and in corporate board rooms around the world. "Should our company get involved in social media?" "Do the potential benefits outweigh the risks?" "Is it worth the investment?"

Short answer? YES.

The internet and consumers don't care if you have an official representative or not - they are still going to talk about you. They will review your goods and services on 3rd party sites like epinions.com, ConsumerReports.org, Yelp, TripAdvisor, TestFreaks, and the myriad of other sites that have cropped up to do one thing - become the go-to place for consumer research and reviews. A recent study by BIA/KelseyGroup revealed that 97% of consumers now use online media when researching products or services in their local area.

Victoria’s Secret, the infamous underwear maker, has two “Fan Pages” on Facebook. One for the regular store which boasts over 3 million fans and one for their Pink line with over 2 million fans (a year ago it was at 900,000). Fans can watch videos, browse merchandise, enter contests, talk about products, and upload their own photos. Victoria's Secret is even celebrating their 3 million fan status onFacebook with a limited edition panty that the FANS got to help design and vote on. By actively participating in what their demographic is doing, Victoria’s Secret remains relevant and accessible while keeping a hand in how their brand is represented. In addition to the official and authorized Fan Pages, there are also over 800 other Victoria's Secret themed Fan Pages and over 11,000 Groups on Facebook alone! Corporate Victoria's Secret knew they needed an "official" presence to combat and/or complement all of the dialogs going on about them.

Its hard to put a price on brand exposure, but by participating in popular social networks or hosting a targeted community for customers, companies are bringing their messages to waves of fresh consumers while building brand recognition and increasing brand awareness. Consumers are already actively rating and reviewing products, services, companies, people and even each other. Companies know that they need to have a hand in the way their brand and products are portrayed, and so are joining networks and creating their own. Grocery store chain Whole Foods has over 1.7 million followers on their main Twitter feed, but many stores have their own accounts as well creating and controlling a giant network around the hip trend in natural and organic foods.

So, yes, social media CAN hurt you- if you put out a terrible product, people will rant about it. If your technician falls asleep at the customer's house - chances are that video will go viral (like the Comcast technician). But if you respond to your customer's complaints, approach social media with an air of transparency, and engage in an open dialog with consumers, you can create a rabid fan base who will talk about you, promote you, and defend you.

Below are some statistics on consumer reviews as they affect sales:

• The Shop.org State of Retailing Online study, conducted by Forrester Research, found only 26% of the 137 top retailers surveyed offered customer ratings and reviews, but 96% of them ranked customer ratings and reviews as an effective or very effective tactic at driving conversion. (Forrester)

• Consumers say that word of mouth is still the number one influencer in their apparel (34.3%) and electronics (44.4%) purchases (Retail Advertising and Marketing Association/BIGresearch Study, November 2008)

• Online social network users were three times more likely to trust their peers’ opinions over advertising when making purchase decisions. (“Social Networking Sites: Defining Advertising Opportunities in a Competitive Landscape,” JupiterResearch, March 2007)

• According to a global Nielsen survey of 26,486 Internet users in 47 markets, consumer recommendations are the most credible form of advertising among 78% of the study’s respondents. (Nielsen, “Word-of-Mouth the Most Powerful Selling Tool”)

• 70% of online consumers said they use the Internet to research everyday grocery products. (Prospectiv, 2008)

• The majority of electronic consumers researched online for an average of 12 hours before making a purchase, according to a Consumer Electronics Association and Yahoo! Study released in 2006, even though the majority bought their purchases offline through retail stores. Seventy-three percent searched the net because it was easier to compare prices. Sixty-four percent simply found more variety online.

• According to new research in December 2008, UK company 1&1 Internet found that two-thirds of online shoppers carry out internet-based research about retailers before making a purchase and nearly half of UK shoppers read online reviews or recommendations about specific products before buying them.

• The two leading reasons people contribute content to social shopping sites are the need to feel part of a community (31%) and recognition from peers (28%). (IBM Institute for Business Value, August 2007)

• When asked what sources of information they are “very likely” to consult before making a decision about their entertainment options, 62% named Web sites with user reviews as their top choice, even beating out a knowledgeable friend (59%). (Marketing Sherpa, July 2007)

• 81% of Online Holiday Shoppers Read Online Customer Reviews (Nielson Online, December 2008)

• 86% of consumers read online business reviews before making purchasing decisions; 90% of whom say they trust these reviews. (Kudzu.com survey of 600 users, December 2008)

• 91% of millionaires say they always or often look at reviews before buying luxury goods; 68% of ultra-affluent shoppers use consumer reviews. (Unity Marketing/Google study, reported in AdAge October 2008)

• Satisfaction for those who recalled customer reviews on the retailers’ site is 10% higher than those who said there were no reviews offered. Loyalty increases, too: 7% higher likelihood to purchase online, 8% greater likelihood to purchase from the retailer next time they’re buying similar merchandise and 11% greater likelihood to recommend the site to others. (30 UK Online Retail Satisfaction Index, January 2008, ForeSee Results)

• 83% of shoppers said online product evaluations and reviews influenced their purchasing decisions. (Opinion Research Corporation, an infoGROUP company, July 2008)

• 74% agree—including 14% who strongly agree—that they choose companies and brands based on what others say online about their customer service experiences, the survey shows. (Society for New Communications Research, May 2008)

______________________________

You may also be interested in:

How to add Facebook Like and Share Buttons to Your Website

Facebook: Like

Facebook Ditches Fans in Favor of Likes

Creating Your Facebook Fan Page

Managing Your Facebook Fan Page (Basics)

3 Basic Steps for Using Video to Better Market Your Business Online

2010-02-26T18:08:00Z

This article was originally published on Captico's Blog on 2/25/10.

Everywhere you look online it seems, video is popping up. Whether its product videos, customer testimonials, storytelling, commercials, promotional clips, or just goofy personal installments, everyone has jumped on board. Network television has Hulu.com, the bloggers have their vlogs, filmmakers are using Vimeoand AtomFilms, photo sharing sites like Flickr and Photobucket host video, even social networking giants Facebook and MySpace have joined the party- and of course, many still count on the all mighty YouTube to host and link to their video assets.

1. Decide if you want it.

Companies left and right are adding video to their product pages, to their “about us”. They are posting information and promotional segments on their websites. You can now walk a potential customer through a complicated process, or the steps for using a product. You can give them a better look at what they are buying and entice their senses. According to the BIA Kelsey Group, viewers engage more after watching a video, with clicks for more information increasing by 30-40% and phone inquiries by 16-20%. Web video is a proven selling technique and is far cheaper than traditional advertising.

2. Get it done.

Whether you take a DIY approach (perhaps through a blog format) or hire someone to do it (Capticocan include it in an SEO/SEM campaign), you find a way to get some videos put together that reflect your goals and brand image. Remember that this video can add to your credibility, build trust, and improve your customer experience, so whatever you do, do it right. If the goal of your video is to sell a product, make sure that it:

a) Tells the viewer why to buy the product or service;

b) Explains what they need to do or the steps involved clearly – whether that is “click the buy button” or walks them through a sign up process;

c) Motivate the viewer! Make sure you have a call to action and end the video on a strong note!

Your video does not need to be lengthy or overly flashy- in fact its better if its not, customers can see through overly scripted sales pitches- but you need to keep your end goal in mind and focus the viewer onto doing what you want them to do. [I recommend reading Creating Persuasive Interactive Video for E-Commerce.]

3. Get it out there!

Whether you host the video on your own site or embed it from a YouTube service, you need to get it in front of people. Post it on your Facebook page and add it to your Google Local Business Listing.

Don’t forget optimization in your video plan though. Search engines return what are called “blended results” meaning they find images, videos, articles and more, so you want to take advantage of this. According to a recent experiment by Nate Elliot of Forrester Research, when analyzing search results from common queries, they found that on the keywords for which Google offers video results, any given video in the index stands about a 50 times better chance of appearing on the first page of results than any given text page in the index. That’s HUGE for any business. Elliot suggests the following tips for optimizing your online videos:

a) Insert keywords into your video filenames. [Google pays a lot of attention to the titles of videos]

b) Host your videos on YouTube, and embed those YouTube videos into your own site. Google says its algorithms consider how many times a video is viewed, and any views embedded videos receive on your own site get added to the 'views' tally on YouTube. (And yes, nearly every video we saw Google blend into its results came from YouTube.)

c) Optimize your YouTube videos by writing keywords into your videos' titles, descriptions, and tags.

d) Embed videos into relevant text pages on your site. The context provided by the text on those pages (which is hopefully already optimized for search as well) will help the search engines figure out what your videos are about.

e) Also create a video library on your site, so Google knows where to find your video content. (Google Video Sitemaps can help with this too.) Write keyword-rich annotations for each video in the library.

[You may also want to read additional Video SEO Tips and Techniques.]

You may also be interested in reading: ROI: Web Video sells. Even if customers don’t watch it!

Twitter: Follow Friday

2010-02-07T17:03:00Z

Most of you are on Twitter and so are familiar with the notion of "Follow Friday". For those of you not acquainted with the micro-blogging-status-update-networking tool, fridays have become the day that many Twitter users will post the names of people they recommend other people "Follow" or "Subscribe to" in the Twitter universe. As you network and meet people over time, your Follow Friday (or #FF if you use the hashtag abbreviation) list gets rather unwieldy for 140 characters and so people have begun creating ongoing and more descriptive lists on their websites or blogs and then simply linking to this. Some examples include:

@tylerweaver's List on the Multi-Hyphenate Blog

@grking's List on his blog

So today (as we are snowed in here in DC with Snopocalypse 2) I finally have some time to put a list together of some of my favorite filmmakers and people associated with the industry on Twitter who are worth checking out.

You can find me @corrietweets on Twitter as well.

Film Follow Friday:

@jokeandbiagio - These two are awesome. A husband and wife producing team in L.A. with shows like Beauty & The Geek and VH1's Scream Queens under their belts. They also have a great blog full of good info. Plus, they are actually super nice and all around rocking people.

@kingisafink - Another dynamic duo, these two are super supportive of independent filmmakers, perhaps because they know what its like. If they aren't making a movie, then they are writing one! They also maintain a great blog with lots of good stuff.

@grking - This guy always has something in the cooker. A new film, an interesting blog entry, or just keeping us up to date on his projects through twitter.

@tylerweaver - A Cleveland-based indie fillmmaker, he is also a great writer who recently launched the epic blog Multi-Hyphenate. Check out his website.

@philontilt - When not running EgoFest in Minnesota, he is making movies. Check out his website.

@dannylaceyfilm - Not only is he adorable, but this UK-based writer/director also runs a live filmmaking discussion online. Oh, and he has a blog.

@theodorefisher - This Manhattan-ite has his finger in so many things, it makes me feel lazy! As a filmmaker, photographer, curator, and teacher, he brings a great eye to his documentaries. Check out his website to learn more.

@pattyfantasia - In addition to her role as the Director of Marketing for the Nevada Film Alliance, she is also a producer and writer. She always has informative tweets on social media and the film business. Scope her blog.

@rogerthatprod - Lots of great tweets on filmmaking, editing, and DSLR related info.

@gregorybayne - I am super excited about his newest project DRIVEN about the MMA fighter Jens Pulver which he got funded through @Kickstarter in just 20 days. A really compelling piece. Learn more on his website.

@davidspies - Seattle is more than grunge rock and coffee and this screenwriter can prove it. Check out his website to see all of his various areas of expertise.

@philseneker - Another Seattle-ite, this guy writes and produces. You can hire him. Somebody send him a unicorn hat.

@TedHope - Informative tweets, a knowledgeable filmmaker, and here is his blog.

@garysanders1 - This screenwriter has great tweets on social media.

@SpiderVideo - A canuck with a lot of experience with video for the web.

@gavinbjames / @FootstepsFilm - a bit of a mystery, this writer/director just released an intriguing new trailer for his newest film "Footsteps".

ROI: Web Video sells. Even if customers don't watch it!

2010-01-21T18:01:00Z

Video. You need it; customers want it; and boy is it useful.

This article was originally posted on Captico's Blog on 1/20/10.

Studies and statistics continue to show that using video on your website not only improves online visibility and adds to your company's credibility, but it also engages customers in a way that increases conversions. In fact, recent case studies by Treepodia show that videos help sell products even when customers don’t watch them. Shoppers who viewed the videos were MORE likely to buy than those who did not view, but -based on multivariate testing- visitors who did NOT watch the videos converted at a significantly higher rate than those who saw the same product page without the option for video viewing.

This gets back to the credibility benefit. Customers assume that if you believe in your product or service enough to show it in detail and explain it thoroughly, then you have nothing to hide and it must be “good”. (This is another reason why good website design is important. Having a beautiful and easy to use website makes it look like you invested in that asset and to do that you must be doing alright- you look more legitimate. Video is an added asset. Its comforting.)

When it comes to actually surfacing your video on your website, you can either link to the video hosted elsewhere (a dedicated video page, a 3^rd party like, Youtube, etc) or you can actually embed the video on that product's page so viewers simply hit “Play”. Mark Robertson, the Founder and Creator of REELSEO references Treepodiain saying “If you add a simple link to video from any given product page, you can expect something between a 5%-15% video view rate, while a video player embedded on the same page will deliver a view rate ranging from 10%-35%.”

But don’t limit yourself to simply product videos! There are lots of benefits to having videos on and off-site about your company.

The Beer Battle with Monster

2010-01-04T20:59:00Z

You may have heard about a “David and Goliath” story being played out in the media lately. On September 14, 2009, the makers of Monster energy drink sent a cease and desist letter to Rock Art Brewery in Morrisville, Vermont claiming the brewer’s “Vermonster” label on select beers caused brand confusion with its “Monster” energy drink. Owners Matt and Renee Nadeau are fighting back, claiming there is no infringement issue and that the “nuisance lawsuit” is another case of corporate bullying and brand over-protection. (Read Monster’s parent company “Hansen Beverage Company”’s response.)

In the past this dispute may have been swept under the radar by Monster, or at least limited to the friends and family of the brewer, but with the access and power of social media, Monster is potentially facing a PR nightmare. Matt and Renee of Rock Art posted a video on YouTube and their website (www.rockartbrewery.com) explaining their history and addressing the lawsuit. They are putting a face and a story to their dilemma that people who had never even heard of Rock Art Brewery are responding to. Their followers on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are taking up the cause and forwarding the story to their followers, using twitter hashtags such as #boycottmonster and #monsterboycott. Their Facebook group Vermonters and Craft Beer Drinkers Against Monster boasts almost 14,000 members. Journalists all over the world are picking up on the story and individuals are blogging their opinions and comments (for both sides).

Whichever party in this debate you find yourself backing, its the power of social media to sway public opinion that is a force to be reckoned with. No matter who wins in court, Monster will have some damage control to run to get their product name back into a favorable light.

Twitter & Lee Unkrich of Pixar

2010-01-03T20:56:00Z

Case Study: How Twitter changes the real world, one tweet at a time

Like many people, I have a Twitter account. My personal account (@corrietweets) revolves around the indie film and video industry and the people I “follow” or “friend” or “subscribe to” tend to reflect that interest. One of those is Lee Unkrich (@leeunkrich), Director of such Pixar classics as Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and the upcoming Toy Story 3. He also edited Toy Story, Toy Story 2, and A Bug’s Life.

Since I “follow” Lee (I’m going to assume we’re on a first name basis now) I am regularly updated on the status of his films, when they are coming out, contests he hosts to increase excitement about Pixar and new releases, and any behind-the-scenes quips he may care to share.

In March 2009, Walt Disney Studios and Pixar (and Lee) announced they would theatrically re-release Toy Story and Toy Story 2 together in 3-D. This double feature would be the first place to see the trailer of the newest film in the series, Toy Story 3. As an avid fan, I jumped at the chance to see the movies on the big screen again- and based on their reported box office receipts in October, I wasn’t the only one.

But it was while reading some of Lee’s “tweets” or messages on Twitter, that I was struck by yet another example of how Twitter is breaking down walls between people.

While “listening” to the online chatter and responses from people who had attended the Toy Story double feature, Lee learned that not all of the theatres were showing the Toy Story 3 trailer – to a large number of people’s dismay! Lee immediately began putting the word out through his Twitter account that everyone should let him know exactly where and which theatres weren’t playing the trailer and he personally took care of it.

Let me repeat, a major studio director/editor was asking individual movie goers to send him a message detailing their problem and he would take care of it. They did. And he did.

This is one of the amazing things about Twitter – accessibility. Not only does it provide a window into the lives of those we admire or would only read about in the papers, but it allows us to open a dialog with them (or at least feel like we do). In return it allows those who would otherwise be cut off from individual feedback to have a hand in their public perception and to connect with “the little people” and each other. Imagine having this kind of control over how your products are displayed in a store, or being able to participate in consumers’ discussions about your brand. Twitter allows you to do this and more. So jump in and get involved in the conversation that is social media!

Brand Abassadors - The Importance of Customer Service

2010-01-02T20:52:00Z

I am a brand ambassador for Discover.

I didn’t know that’s what I was, but that’s what marketingreports and studies would label me. They would call me that because I am ahappy, enthusiastic, and loyal customer who tells others how happy Discovercard makes me. I am an advertising executives dream. I am want you want yourcustomers to be like. I am hundreds of thousands of free (and perhaps moreeffective) advertising dollars.

So how did Discover, a credit card company of all things,win my heart?

Because they treat me well, give me what I want, fix myproblems when they arise, and tell me they appreciate me. And they CONTINUE todo so.

I am not a high-roller. I don’t put $5,000 on my credit cardevery month. I don’t buy into “additional credit card monitoring plans”. I have never had a balance (which meansI’ve never paid interest), I have no annual fee, I’ve never missed a payment,and I pay my bill in full every month. I am not the kind of customer that makesa credit card company any money at all. In fact, Discover actually pays ME tobe their customer (through their cashback rewards program). Yet they still makea substantial effort to not only keep me as a customer, but to keep me a happyone.

Recently my wallet was stolen and all of my bankcards/credit cards were used. Discover was the only company (of three) thataggressively sought to aid me in recovering my missing belongings. Theyencouraged me to file a police report, gave me all information on where andwhen the card was used, which locations might have surveillance, how to bestcatch the perpetrators and volunteered to work with the police to catch thecriminals. (The police unfortunately wouldn’t return my calls to report astolen wallet in D.C. They said “someone will get back to you on that.”)

Any time I’ve had to call Discover - to increase my limitfor a big purchase, to notify them when I was travelling internationally, tochange my address, etc,- I have only encountered friendly and helpful staff whospeak my language natively. I have even received a call before from Discoverjust to check in on how they were serving me – whether I had suggestions toimprove their service, if I was happy, etc.

So what is Discover’s ROI in me? I am a walking talkingDiscover billboard. When people complain about their card company I urge themto switch to Discover. When people talk about getting a new credit card, Irecommend Discover. When a business doesn’t take the Discover card, I thinktwice before going back and tend not to set up long-term accounts with thosewho don’t take it (I like getting rewarded for my purchases!).

So how do you create brand ambassadors? Two words:C-U-S-T-O-M-E-R. S-E-R-V-I-C-E. Treat your customers as individuals. Respect them. Listen to them. Thank them. Whether itis with a formal rewards program or not, WORDS go a long way. Don’t always beselling! (While stranded alone in the city with no wallet, no ID and on thephone with Wachovia trying desperately to cancel my stolen check card, theirrepresentative had the gall to try to sell me a new Savings Account plan!!) Alittle understanding and respect go a long way. Customers can forgive a lot ifthey think you appreciate them. I am only one in a customer base of millions,but Discover treats me as if I’m a valued asset and I reward them with loyaltyand the best advertising money can’t buy.

(Note to the reader: no, I am not getting any money fromthem to write this; I don’t sell ad space; they have never asked me to writeanything about them, and I have never worked for them nor any other credit cardcompany.)