Making the best of online video

At the end of January 2011, YouTube announced that every day it streams 4 billion videos. More and increasingly diverse users are consuming online video on their computers, mobile devices, and even on their net-ready TV. We used to refer to this as the 'three-screen experience', and back in 2006 it was just a theoretical technology. The market has come a long way from video podcasting.

Another interesting bit from the news is that, with the SuperBowl just around the corner and a 30 second spot running $3.5 million this year, most ads have already premiered online. Even major agencies are using the power of online video to build buzz in anticipation of the first airing of their commercials on broadcast TV. It's not upside-down, it's just taking advantage of the strengths of the online market to maximize the impact of that million-dollar ad buy.

So, drawing back to the small picture, how does a small brand take advantage of the groundswell that is online video? How do you stand out, and what pitfalls should you avoid? Here are some tips:

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