ClickStreamTV recently announced the online video solution provider is partnering with EC Suite, a global provider of e-commerce, hosting and CDN solutions, to provide enterprise-quality video for small to medium sized businesses (SMBs).
“Over the past 20 years in sports broadcasting radio, TV and cable, ratings have been decreasing as online content viewing has been increasing at an incredible rate,” said Kevin Yahl, founder and president of ClickStreamTV. “We’ve developed ClickStreamTV to allow SMBs a solution to provide high-quality video online that was once only available to large enterprises.”
EC Suite will offer the ClickStreamTV product to provide a simple solution for customers to put video on the web. SMBs can easily sign up and enroll for ClickStreamTV without requiring installation, additional hardware or IT staff to operate.
The ClickStreamTV and EC Suite partnership includes Limelight Network, Inc as the content delivery network to provide high-quality streaming at no additional cost. Using ClickStreamTV, customers can easily stream optimum video live, on demand or generate revenue from pay per view (PPV) video players.
“Due to the movement to online media, there now is a need for businesses to monetize their video content with a pay per view system,” said Yahl. “ClickStreamTV was built to provide SMBs the tools to publish and monetize video online at a price they can afford.”
Monetizing video with a PPV system is possible through ClickStreamTV’s partnership with EC Suite, which enables reliable recurring payment processing for video purchases using ClickStreamTV. However, customers are not limited to using the EC Suite service and have the option of using a provider of their choice for content monetization.
ClickStreamTV’s open source based system automatically delivers video to any computer system, browser or smartphone all from one centralized management system. Video statistics and Video Email tools are also included in every ClickStreamTV package for SMBs to optimize their online video media.
To learn more or start using the ClickStreamTV video solution, go to www.clickstreamtv.com/signup or www.ecsuite.clickstreamtv.com.
ClickStreamTV can now be Self-ProvisionedClickStreamTV: Signing Up for an Online Video Platform
So you’ve made the decision to put video content on your website, congratulations! Most online video platforms (OVP) require you to contact a sales associate to begin set up an account, have your video player designed for you and then you can begin to start streaming your video online. However, going through a “middle-man” can take many days as your information is processed and the OVP creates your account and player for you to use. So what happens if you want to change something about your player, you’ll have to contact your sales associate again. Not only is this process tedious, but it will cost your business money and time. 
ClickStreamTV removes the middle-man, high costs and time frustrations as customers can now automatically sign up online and begin using their ClickStreamTV account immediately, without needing any IT knowledge.
Digital One unveiled an online self-provisioning feature for its ClickStreamTV video management platform that provides small to medium sized businesses (SMB) a simplified way to manage and publish online video.
“We designed the ClickStreamTV system for the SMB market,” said Kevin Yahl, President of Digital One. “Self-provisioning takes ClickStreamTV one step further in simplifying and automating the way SMB’s sign-up and use online media.”
ClickStreamTV’s self-provisioning feature allows customers to automatically sign-up and enrollonline at www.signup.clickstreamtv.com. Customers will have access to their account in minutes.
Once signed up, users will be directed to their Media Control Center, which is where all design, managing and publishing will take place. Users will then create their video player, manage online media and publish video online in minutes.
Customers can customize the look of their website’s video player from designing the player layout, choosing from an existing template or creating one, uploading images such as logos and adding elements including text, links or PDF files to their player.
“As the professional use of online video increases, SMB’s need an affordable, simple system that is easy to sign-up for and will properly manage their media,” said Yahl. “ClickStreamTV is a software as a service (SaaS) product that eliminates IT burdens and reduces high costs of putting video on the web.”
Enrolled users can upload their video content to ClickStreamTV and the system handles encoding, video storage and delivery in one click. The same system allows users to organize video content with playlists and channels, send video emails to targeted recipients and monitor video effectiveness with the system’s statistics tool.
ClickStreamTV’s exclusive system automatically delivers the appropriate video format and interface to any computer system, browser or smartphone all from one centralized management system. With this technology, the system delivers the optimal video stream required and enables internet users to view uninterrupted video content anywhere, at anytime.
Why Use Open Source Technology for Streaming Video?
Technology is always changing
The evolving space of online video calls for a video delivery platform that can always be modified to work with emerging technologies. As history has shown, new, improved technology will always emerge and out date previous innovations. For example, Real Player was the first dominant online video player in 1995, exceeded by Windows Media and then Flash, which is currently the most popular player for online video. Another example is the the introduction of smartphones, which have taken online video a step further from the computer, enabling viewers to watch video when and where they want.
Without the ability to adapt to new technologies, a video delivery platform will not survive.
Open Source – The solution to evolving technology.
Open source technology is not owned by a particular developer or company, unlike Flash, for example, which is a closed source technology owned by Adobe. Open source refers to the method used to design the markup for technology and is released to the public for collaboration. People may freely change and use the open source markup to create their own product or service without dealing with ownership licenses.
ClickStreamTV was built using open source languages including HTML, SQL, Perl, PHP, JavaScript and AJAX. This allows the ClickStreamTV developers to create a unique product that they can continuously change or modify when needed.
Why does ClickStreamTV use open source technology?
Reliability
ClickStreamTV provides a solution to the evolving technology and is able to adapt by using open source markups. Open source technology allows for quick updates, changes/fixes for bug problems and extensions to the infrastructure to make it compatible with new or emerging technologies, reducing the need to build an entirely new product.
Users of ClickStreamTV will never have to wait for product updates or reinvest in a new product. However, with closed or proprietary software, often used by ClickStreamTV’s competitors, developers own the rights to the software and provide untimely changes and upgrade releases for users.
Compatibility
ClickStreamTV also provides a solution to meet the expectations and demands for high-quality video by allowing businesses to reach a wider audience. ClickStreamTV delivery system sends video to any viewer regardless if they are using a Mac, PC, iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile or Flash, Windows Media Player, etc.
No other product has the technology to deliver streaming video from the same encode to any computer system or browser nor can promise compatibility with future developments.
ClickStreamTV Provides Successful Email Marketing Solutions
ClickStreamTV’s unlimited video email capability, a feature of the turn-key, complete online video solution, proves to be a successful tool for email marketing campaigns.
“ClickStreamTV provided us with the flexible marketing tool that we were looking for,” said Ed Sterczek, President of Mass Marketing Insurance Consultants, Inc in Orland Park, IL. “Their video email tool helped us to successfully blend our image when promoting our customized health insurance plans for the members of our client associations.”
ClickStreamTV’s video email tool allows businesses to send video in their email to targeted recipients. The video is sent and launched from a custom branded email template with text and PDF attachment capabilities. Launching the video from the email instead of linking it or embedding it helps prevent emails from being blocked by spam detectors, allowing businesses to reach all of their targeted recipients.
“We are impressed with the results,” said Sterczek. “We now have the tools to accomplish our objectives and allow us to consistently provide high quality marketing support and obtain administrative oversight. The solid expertise and service given by Digital One is an unbeatable combination.”
Video Email comes with ClickStreamTV’s Statistical tool that allows businesses to track which recipients opened the emails to which recipients forwarded them, giving businesses the necessary measurements to analyze their campaign effectiveness.
“With businesses increasing their usage of email marketing, inboxes are being flooded and messages are being ignored,” said Doug Buffone, ClickStreamTV Vice President. “By including video in your email, you increase your chances of being noticed and engage your targeted customer with your message.”
Video Email is included in all ClickStreamTV’s video system packages, which includes Standard, Bronze, Silver and Gold. The Standard package price is $59 per month with a one time set-up fee. Businesses can send an unlimited amount of emails to unlimited recipients.
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ClickStreamTV delivers video to BlackBerry’s and iPhones
Digital One has expanded its turnkey, complete online video solution ClickStreamTV to support streaming video on mobile phones. In addition to its On Demand, Live, Pay-Per-View and Video Email capabilities, the all-in-one ClickStreamTV system will enable mobile users to view uninterrupted video content to smartphones, focusing initially on iPhone and BlackBerry products.
“ClickStreamTV is the complete marketing solution for businesses,” said Kevin Yahl, President of Digital One. “Businesses can now reach their
customers anywhere with their message while enhancing their online presence with video.”
ClickStreamTV’s exclusive Speed and System Wizard detects and feeds the appropriate video format and interface to any computer system, browser and smartphone all from one centralized management system. With this technology, the system delivers the optimal video stream required and enables internet users to view uninterrupted video content anywhere, at anytime.
As new phones are created for the market, ClickStreamTV’s open source system will continue to expand compatibility, much in the way it currently adapts its streaming formats to new computer browsers and operating systems.
“Simply put, technology has gotten our world to a point where people live on their phones,” said Yahl. “It has become their phone, music player, television screen and web browser. They are even making online purchases with their phones. Now more than ever businesses need to be able to reach the customer wherever and whenever.”
Video content is uploaded to the single system and delivered to customers’ and consumers’ desktops, laptops and smartphones. With one click, each video is saved in multiple formats automatically.
Mobile device video delivery is included as part of ClickStreamTV’s standard video system package that bundles On Demand Video Streaming, Live Video Streaming, Video Email and a Custom Player Interface. Standard Package pricing is $59 per month with a one time set-up fee.
Cogent Founder, David Schaeffer spoke highly of online video at ISPCON, a convention dedicated to service providers looking for the next big thing in Internet technologies. Comparing online to video to standard television, Schaeffer makes a point regarding what works and what doesn’t when it comes to monetizing content:
The HBO model already works for cable TV. HBO is profitable. On the internet, music services that charge a subscription fee, such as Rhapsody, are not as successful as those such as iTunes that charge per download. “Pay per use could be the future.”
Schaeffer makes an excellent connection between profitable ventures in current video and how the internet has not yet utilized the same business model. Subscription models provides a barrier to entry that has cut off several potential customers. If video providers are looking to turn their content into cash, they’re going to have to look to successful ventures for inspiration. The pay-per-view model seems to be the most effect means of monetizing content. The step content producers have to take is to form a relationship with a streaming video company that is able to create en e-commerce model suited to their specific needs.
ISPCON: Taking Advantage of Video [ISP Planet]
Wescon Builders Take Homeowners on a Virtual Tour
Construction company embraces online video as a successful form of marketing.
Chicago, IL: It is no secret that the housing market isn’t as strong as in years past. Realtors and contractors are trying to find ways to inject new life into their businesses, and many are turning to the Internet. Wescon Builders, a rehabilitation and construction firm in Chicago have found a new way to compete in the market, streaming video. By hiring the services of online streaming video provider ClickStreamTV, Wescon Builders is now able to take users on a virtual tour of homes and job sites.
Wescon Builders specializes in custom solutions to home design and construction, meaning theirs is a business where visual presentation counts. The company found success by creating an online portfolio of photos on their website, but were looking to go one step farther. Rather than have potential customers look at photos of their work, Wescon sought to provide users with video content. With the aid of ClickStreamTV, customers could now take virtual tours of homes completed by Weson and get a three hundred and sixty degree look at designs.
Streaming video, the technology being used by Wescon Builders is not new, but has only recently made its way into the mainstream business market. More and more companies are seeking ways to increase their web presence, a tactic which has been found to increase revenue. Most companies have web sites, but few are including multimedia due to lack of knowledge of the format, or a lack of direction regarding how to effectively use tools such as video to sell their products to a digital world.
ClickStreamTV was created as a solution for any business looking to put video on the web. The company prides itself on being flexible to the needs of their customers, and able to provide a complete video on the web experience that doesn’t require users to have an IT department to get the full experience.
Wescon Builders has been around for over two decades and specializes in construction and rehabilitation services. Priding themselves in high quality work and a strong commitment to the community, Wescon relies on the success of their repeat and referral client base.
Social/Video Advertising Not A Viable Revenue Source
Advertising on sites like Facebook and Myspace are not a surefire moneymaker says an Epsilon survey. 55% of marketing officers surveyed had little to no inerest in the social networking ad game. Wired has the full story and wrote:
Another study, this one by the research firm IDC, suggested their lack of enthusiasm might be well-placed. More and more users are spending more and more time on social networking sites, but the study found they aren’t very responsive to ads there: Clickthrough rates were reported to be far lower than at other sites. On the web in general, nearly 80 percent of users clicked on at least one ad in the past year; on social networking sites, fewer than 60 percent did so.
It is no secret that one of the biggest draws sites like Facebook have is that their features are all provided free of charge. This is great for users, but the people behind the site are left with trying to find a way to monetize their service. Charge users a fee and risk losing countless members. Settling on advertising, Facebook still isn’t winning, with users up in arms about privacy invasion and now advertisers upset that their investments are not panning out.
What does this mean for the online video market? Well, free sites like YouTube are not immune:
Meanwhile, the folks at Google are still scratching their heads over YouTube, for which they paid $1.65 billion in 2006. The web video supersite serves 5 billion videos a month in the United States and nearly 4 billion in France, Germany and Great Britain, comScore reports. Yet its revenues are negligible—about $200 million this year, according to analysts’ estimates. That’s barely 1 percent of Google’s total income.
The volume is there, but the translation from visitors to income is missing. Companies, however, would be mistaken in thinking that online video iteself is not viable. The key of course is how video is being used. Streaming video sites that allow unrestricted uploading serve a very specific purpose, creating a community. Companies should adapt the community building aspects of social sites, but give it a business edge.
Video Email Part 2: Control
I spoke last time about the need for a business to have control over their video content. Sending hypertext links or trying to embed a video on their website is not control. When I speak of control, at least on the subject of sending video, I’m talking about combining the content with the package it is to be sent in. This brings me to video email. What is video email? Think of it as a method to send video content to someone’s inbox without having them needing to travel to another site, or download a massive file.
Most people think that when they want to share a video, they are restricted to sending a link through email. This link will then take users to a page where the video is embedded, or perhaps to a page that leads to another page. The point is that this process is cumbersome and generally not very professional. Also the control I’ve been talking about is nonexistant.
This is where video email comes in. Imagine being able to create a list of videos you want your recipient to watch. You place thumbnail pictures of these videos into an email, then you customize the email with additonal text, links, and downloadable documents. When your recipient opens up the email and clicks on the thumbnail, the video launches and begins to play. No digging through multiple pages or sending users to a cluttered site. Simply click and watch. Senders of video email can now control what content their receipients are viewing by directing their video watching experience.
In additional to the control afforded over the content itself, video email providers can also give senders the ability to track their emails. Not only can you track when an email is opened, but also when a video is watched, which files were downloaded, and which additional links were clicked. Video email tracking has become just as sophisticated as web statistics.
I end this segment of video email by saying that businesses can embrace video, and the sending of video without giving up control. The key is to find the tools that allow for you to retain control without sacrificing the technology that comes with streaming video.
For more information on video email, please visit ClickStreamTV
Video Email Part 1: Sending Video
The topic of video email is coming up more and more with many users not content to just sit idly bay and wait for viewers to come to them. We live in a global market where we’re no more than a few clicks away from new customers. So how does video email fit into this market? Allow me to explain.
Think of video email as the next step in sharing videos. I’m can gurantee you’ve shared a Youtube video with friends, perhaps it was a clip from a television show, or someone falling off a boat. You have a few options when you share these videos. You can copy a link and send it to a friend via email or instant messenger. You can even embedd the video onto your own site, facebook profile, etc. The point is that the videos do not stay in one place. Like all data on the Internet, they travel.
So what if you’re a small business? Of course you could put your videos on YouTube and hope others share them or send links to those videos to customers. While YouTube is inarguably the most popular video sharing site, businesses who use it for video content are sharing their viewership with clips of kids blowing off fireworks.
What businesses need to do is step away from social media sites, they need to embrace their own video content and exercise complete control. This is where video email comes in.