Brightcove enables publishers to stream HD content to the web. But you need to ensure you're encoding your source files correctly to take advantage of our high-quality streaming capabilities. Brightcove's support site contains a Source File Specifications and Recommendations document, but for those of us (myself included!) who think "4:2:2 pulldown" sounds like a foreign language, it's helpful to have a simple explanation of how to deliver true high definition video streaming.   Read More →

Sometimes we're all guilty of pontificating the value of all this wonderful stuff we call online video.   At the end of the day it's just easier to spread the word than to prove it.    One of the main challenges for proving an idea is that you need hard data to back up your claims.   And that, folks, is like gold dust these days.   Data, real meaningful data, can mean all the difference to a competitive edge of a company.  So yo Read More →

Consumers are still warming up to the idea of interactive video experiences in their online shopping, and internet merchants have a growing opportunity to introduce rich interactive media that has material impact on customer engagement and conversion. Read More →

Marketing efforts generally aim to reach that golden moment of conversion: when the customer takes the desired action. In e-commerce that's usually the point of sale, and to get there marketers rely on the trusty call to action. Until recently video on the web played a supporting role in conversion efforts by demonstrating product or services' value, but hadn't necessarily led as a platform to support the critical click-to-buy moment. Now, video platforms are introducing all kinds of interactivity with hot spots, overlays, buttons, widgets, and mouse-overs that present an immediate next step to lead customers to conversion. Instead of thinking of video assets as static media, marketers are beginning to use that immersive content to grab customers at the most persuasive moment: when they see products in use and in context. Timing A call to action can happen at any point during a video. Queuing up click to buy alerts throughout a video in context, like when a specific product is featured in a video segment, increases the number of touch points and products you can feature. In other cases it might make sense not to interrupt a more complex story, so you might wait to show a popup at the end of a video to provide a link with a strong message to prompt a potential buyer .  It's important to consider the viewers' experience in deciding the right moment for the call to action. Will the call to action be jarring, or helpful? If you aren't sure, analytics can provide accurate and specific feedback about customer response to the timing. Read More →