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September 15, 2009 in About
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Monthly Archives: September 2009
How to get paid to travel the world with your video camera
September 8, 2009 in About, film making, Filming Secrets, online video, Travel Videos
Never before has there been a time in history, when one could travel the world for free, by using their video camera.
Everything is in place – the equipment needed to produce broadcast quality videos is cheap and readily available, social networking sites like facebook and couchsurfing help develop international connections, and the internet provides a worldwide broadcast platform. Youtube really is to world’s largest television station.
Where to start
First you need a good lightweight backpack filmmaking kit, then you need to set up a successful youtube travel channel and work hard on both developing your style and getting both subscribers and views of your videos.
Numerous studies point to video as the best online marketing tool available and clever venture capitalists, such as turnhere, have already realized the huge potential of online video.
You need to be able to tell tour operators, hostel owners, bus companies etc why online video is of value to their business. Here are some key points:
* YouTube is now the second most popular search engine in the world and is owned by Google, which is the most popular. This means youtube videos are highly placed in google search.
* “Streaming video delivers nearly three times higher brand awareness and message association, and more than 100% higher purchase intent and online ad awareness than non-rich media ads.”
* More than 83% of travelers in the U.S. use the Internet to research or book travel, according to Prospectiv’s 2006 nationwide Travel Poll.
* 62% of adult Internet users surveyed in April 2009 have watched a video on sites like YouTube (up from 33% in 2006). In contrast, 46% of adult Internet users are active on social networking sites, 19% download podcasts, and 11% use sites like Twitter.
Get free Trips, Accommodation, Transport
Once you have developed a popular travel video channel on youtube there is no reason why you should ever pay for a tour, accommodation or transport again. Inform tourism businesses that you will make a video of their product and put it on your youtube channel. But remember, they have a brand they have worked hard to develop, if your videos are sloppy and boring, don’t expect success. Also, take into account cultural differences – some countries will be more open to having videos made than others.
Produce business profile videos
Another option is to actually get paid to produce an online video for a tourism business. Look at working with local travel companies or chains that have overseas ventures. This way you are not breaking any international labor laws.
Online video marketing, presents a huge opportunity for traveling videographers and some clever companies and individuals have already seized on this new opening.
For those with a bit of video production experience, there are also websites that will actually pay for you to produce a video for them eg turnhere, geobeats, tripfilms
Get paid for your videos
If you are not keen to produce video advertisements for travel business, there is a great alternative. Certain sites will pay you for your videos. Youtube is the most lucrative whereby when you become a youtube partner you share in any ad revenue for ads surrounding your videos. The more times your videos are watched, the more chance there is someone will click on an ad and you make a nice passive income stream that allows you to keep traveling.
Other sites like lonelyplanet.tv and tripfilms may also pay or offer rewards for premium content. And when you develop a real internet presence you will be surprised the number of sites that may approach you looking for quality video content eg. ninemsn, compulsive traveler, blinkx.
Stock footage can also be sold on sites like istockvideo and revostock for a nice passive income, while you travel.
So as you can see, there are numerous ways to use your video camera to travel the world for free, and the exciting thing is, the gold rush has only just begun. Online video is still in its infancy and we are yet to see its full potential.
So get out there and start making vids. Everything is in its place for you to have your own travel show.
UPDATE : 8 options for making money with video when travelling the world
How to set up a successful Travel Channel on Youtube
September 8, 2009 in About, marketing, online video, Youtube
Youtube is the most popular video site on the internet, but with 20 hrs of video being loaded every minute, it is getting harder and harder to get recognised. Below are seven ways to develop a popular youtube travel channel
*Network with other travel channels
Search out other travel video channels on youtube, subscribe to them, add them as friends and even contact them telling them about what you are doing. If they are a partner, they may even feature your channel. Each partner has a branding option that allows them to feature 16 other youtube channels.
*Find an Audience
People who subscribe to other travel channels will most likely be interested in travel videos. Do them a favor and tell them about your channel, send them a message, add them as a friend. Who knows, they might even subscribe to you.
*Get Involved
Youtube is a community – a lot of youtubers visit the site regularly and have favorite channels they follow. Be involved, watch other travel videos, rate them, comment on them and reply to comments on your own videos
*Post regularly
Posting videos at regular intervals helps new people become aware of your channel, it helps place your videos in daily, weekly, monthly statistics such as most viewed, most favorite and most commented. Posting regularly also shows other youtubers you are a serious youtuber and not just a ‘johnny come lately’
*The power of the thumbnail
Believe it or not, both your channel icon and video thumbnail can influence views. One of my most popular videos has a thumbnail of a buxom blonde in a bikini and has been viewed over one million times. Go figure! Also, my channel icon leaves no doubt about what viewers will find on my channel.
*Video responses
If you make a video about a particular location, do a video search for this location, find the most viewed video, and post your video as a video response. This can help people looking for information about this location to find your video.
*Cross post to other social network sites
Spread the love; set up a twitter account, a facebook account, a myspace account, a digg account and cross promote your videos. On facebook for example, there is a travel video group where you can embed your videos and maybe increase your exposure to a whole new audience.
So there you go, seven ways to help develop your youtube travel channel. Some youtubers manage to produce a huge viral video hit and become overnight sensations, but for most, developing a following takes time. Support other travel channels, help develop a network. Viewers love travel related content and by supporting each other we help share culture.
Finally I would like to add two videos that sum up, in a humorous ways, how to have a popular youtube channel. The first video is produced by youtube comedian Nalts, and the second, produced by myself.
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