It is interesting watching the online marketing trends over the years.

I remember when popup boxes started becoming all the rage. That was followed in the last year or two by online audio generators.

The next evolution into this realm appears pretty clear...

Online Flash Video Testimonials

Now that high speed access is becoming increasingly more common, one trend you will be seeing much more of is Flash video tutorials and testimonials on sites.

Why settle for people simply listening to you when they can see you as well.

Here are some of the factors that are bringing this to reality:

• inexpensive video camera - between low cost digital video cameras and web cams, it is now easier than ever to actually record the footage you want to use on your site
• compatible software - almost every computer these days comes equipped with Flash file compatibility. Flash movies and animations are very small in size and now can be seen on almost all computers (and even some cell phones!)
• inexpensive software solutions - there are many video editing solutions in the $100 range that can convert video to flash files

Here are some examples of web sites using flash video tutorials to add more credibility to their product or service:

http://www.ultimatesoftware.com/products/custvid.asp

http://www.smokefreeohio.org/Cleveland/testimonials/default.asp

As you can see, the nice thing about video is that it is more personal. You can actually see the people and because of that, the testimonials are more credible.

Some Things to Consider

If you have the opportunity to record customers of yours onto video, do so. This would be with their permission of course. Make sure you record them saying and spelling their name, along with the fact that they don't mind you using the footage on your web site.

This is done very effectively at seminars and in fact, I plan on using that very tactic at a seminar I will be involved with next April.

There is an opportunity to take advantage of this upcoming trend as well. If someone was enterprising enough, someone should put together a "do it yourself" package for web site owners.

Someone could bundle together a very easy and simple to use system for flash video testimonials. Combine their software that they had created for them, an inexpensive webcam and a step by step tutorial of how to do it. It would probably sell very well for $149.

I have not see any studies yet looking at the effect of flash video testimonials on a site, but I am will to bet it is pretty good.

I am planning on doing one for my sites and I will let you know the results. I will also share with you the steps it took for me to get the video converted and onto my site.