Easy Video Marketing with Animoto
The video above was created using http://animoto.com/, a cool video creation tool that David Dutton shared with me last week. I thought I would take this opportunity to show off some recent pictures from my weekend out with the girls *smile* – but keep reading, you’ll see the marketing value in it too…
Here are a couple of different remix versions to give you some ideas of how fun this tool can be (and dont worry – they are each less than 30 seconds):
If you really want to use video in your online marketing plan, but dont own a web cam or video camera – or simply dont like doing “talking head” video – Animoto will be right up your alley!
Its free to use for short clips (30 seconds or less), and you can use photos or images along with music to create a nice professional looking video. One that you can upload to YouTube or add to your website.
They have a lot of music to choose from, or you can upload your own MP3. Obviously you could record a sales message instead of using music if you prefer.
Since you can use JPG images to create your video you can use cover graphics, product images, screen shots, logos… get creative!
If you create a marketing video using Animoto, leave a comment below with the link to your video. You’ll have to upload it to YouTube first (which you can do straight from the Animoto website) and then leave the YouTube link. I will choose the best videos and feature them here in this post as an example!
Update: I’ve already upgraded to the All Access Pass. If you’re interested in using Animoto to make some great promotional videos out of images/photos, you’ll want to see this: http://www.clicknewz.com/animoto-help.htm . I’m reading it now and will post a full review & example video in a post this coming week…
Enjoy!
p.s. The rest of the photos are on my MySpace account under Sept 2008 
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Good stuff!
The fountains are so cool in Chattanooga.
D
Looks easy enough to master that I might actually give it a try. Hmmm.
Deb Gallardo
Follow me @debgallardo on Twitter.
It really is simple, Deb – all you have to do is upload the images and play around with the options!
You can upload your own MP3 file (music or voice) or they have plenty to choose from there already.
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
This is great! Thanks for sharing this. Has me thinking f all kinds of applications and uses. Just signed up for new account and think my first go will be to create some intro clips for various video segments I already do.
Lynn-really cool videos! You guys were having way too much fun! Thanks for the awesome tip. Animoto looks right up my alley…user friendly with great results!
Wow Great videos and awesome tool. Love the pictures. And I really like how you showed up three different ways that you could change things around.
This would be a great marketing tool for anyone.
This looks great Lynn!
I’m going to check it out after I’ve completed my deeds for today.
Got it bookmarked.
This video thing is so cool! I love it. I’m going to have to play with this when I get back from London with the pictures we a taking. Keep on rocking!
Matt
Follow me @mattbacak on Twitter.
That’s awesome! I look forward to trying it out. Thanks Lynn!
Follow me @PaulCooley on Twitter.
Definitely a cool little tool – thanks again to David Dutton for sharing that one with me
And yes – the fountains in Chatt are a blast!
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Love these videos Lynn. I am inspired to go check it out. It would be fun to play around with the options by using some pictures of my kiddos as well. I will let you know when I complete one.
Amy
@amymiyamoto
Looks like you “kids” had a blast. Might have to try that one out!
Follow me @annemarieobeatwitter.com on Twitter.
LOL Annemarie – We had a great weekend. All the kids that hang out here really keep things super fun! And keep me feeling young
Amy – be sure to leave us a link to your video here in the comments so we can check it out. That goes for everyone else too of course!
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
I like Animoto so much that I signed up for their affiliate program and am also upgrading to an All Access Pass (which allows you to create unlimited videos with no length limits). Definitely worth it for only 30 bucks!
This is my new referral link, by the way: http://animoto.com/?ref=jhrduxtv
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
That’s pretty cool… might check it out myself.
Very cool Lynn! Thanks for sharing. It occurs to me that you (or anyone) could use this for your blog . You make so many posts with pictures and videos that you could do a great intro with this.
Follow me @goldclub24 on Twitter.
HI Lynn,
I guess I got sucked into the “Bright Shiney Object Syndrome” of Animoto. But hey, it rhymes with Miyamoto.
Here are my links – took all of 5 minutes – very fun and very cool tools.
Original:
http://animoto.com/play/800LM50tHiqGIwfTv87GbQ?autostart=false
Remix:
http://animoto.com/play/YOf1G6vdWCmg10S6twMHKA?autostart=false
Amy
WOW Lynn,
Just tried the free version to see what would happen and I’ve got to say this is one neat tool. Looks like I’ll just have to get an All Access Pass too (Of course through your link)
Mike Hill
Hi Lynn,
I had some fun with that, though it took some remixes before I had it sort of right. I did the words in Photoshop, and grabbed the photo’s off Stock Xchng and this is now a little plug for my blog that I started thanks to the 30DC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aCFE6-Z9bM
I was wondering if it is OK to do this because of a clause in the Terms and Conditions saying you can’t use Animoto for any commercial purposes. I’m not sure how to interpret that.
Glenny
Watching your videos now
Mike – I cant wait to see what you come up with using Animoto!
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Ohhh – I found something cool! I am reading it now and am blown away by the detail. My brain is buzzing with ideas for Animoto! Here’s the link to what I’m reading – but I’ll give you an example & full review this coming week
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Gleny – great example! I’m not sure on the commercial use either, so we’ll have to read up on that. Amy, for some reason your videos wont load for me on Animoto – did you put them on YouTube by any chance? I may just need to restart…
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Looks really neat!
Did I just say “neat”??
Oh… I got the book and the full access now – just you wait and see how “neat” it can be! Cant wait to get an example together for you guys
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Okay some quick examples:
http://www.askmikehill.com
Same problem as with Amy’s – I cant get them to load on my end if they come straight from Animoto… ? Odd.
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Hi Lynn,
This morning I attempted to upload my Animoto video directly from their site to YouTube. I received a message that it successfully uploaded – yet on my YouTube account it says “It is still processing”. It has been several hours so I am guessing something didn’t work correctly. Also when I went back to the Animoto site to view my own video the sound was absent and it froze up half way through. Not sure if problem is on my end or not. But it worked great multiple times last night…hmmm I will keep playing around with it as time allows. I would love to solve the mystery…
Amy
Odd – mine uploaded without a hitch. I wonder if they’re experiencing problems on their end today – that would explain a lot…
I’m heading offline for the rest of the afternoon, so I’ll check back in on it tomorrow and see.
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Hey Lynn,
my Animoto video finally posted on YouTube. Here is the link – hopefully you will be able to view it …finally…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Spw6gAm1J24
Amy
They are adorable Amy!
You should link to your website, though – see this tip: http://www.clicknewz.com/1505/youtube-tip/
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Hello Lynn,
I have worked all night yesterday to get what I decided to call my Inspirational Viral Marketing Movie all peaced together.
I want first to thank you for sharing this great tool with us.
I never thought about making a video for my site to promote my book. Then when you sent the link to Animoto, my mind started to see big potential for using this tool to get my inspirational messages out there.
So now by combining last week great sswt webinar (with Scott) and Animoto tool I was able to create the following movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmatEwY_v60 (its my final remix!!!)
I never thought about the power of video before but now that I have the right tool I think I’m going to make more of them!
Lynn, you’re really a great mentor and please say a big thanks to David Dutton.
By the way, I invite everyone to comment on my youtube movies versions and rate the best remix you like the most (I can’t seem to choose one specific version)!
I wish you the best,
Thanks.
Amel
Follow me @amelm on Twitter.
I really love that last remix, Amel – nice work!
You need to put a hyperlink to your website in your YouTube description though. See the link I gave Amy above
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Thanks Lynn for the Youtube tip!
I just made the changes and linked back to a particular internal page for each remixed movie.
So instead of putting the same URL page on each remixed version of my movie on youtube, I have places a unique and different URL on each remixed youtube video.
By the way, I got myself the All-access pass too!
I love this tool and I have a lot of idea now on how to use it.
Thanks Lynn,
Amel
Follow me @amelm on Twitter.
Just gave it a try. Very cool!
Posted it to http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/blogs/mikeg/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=1251
Thank you! Looks like a great tool. I appreciate your works in progress…:-)
Hi Lynn–
I have a question–I have raw video footage my husband took with our digital camera–can I use it on Animoto to create a video using the special effects they have, adding words & music, etc.? Or do I need to create “stills” from the video first to use Animoto (any idea how I would do this?)? I want to be able to chop up our original video, change the order of the images, etc.
Thanks for your help,
Juls
Lynn,
I’ve been loving the animoto I was introduced to it a few months ago and when building niches I like to crank at least a few videos for each one out with animoto’s tool. Very easy to use and the $30 pass is top notch.
@Juls – Animoto is specifically for still shots, images or photos. To edit video, use Camtasia or Windows Movie Maker (or something similar). If you dont have either of those, do a search on Google for “free video editor”.
Follow me @lynnterry on Twitter.
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for introducing me to Animoto. I put together a short video promoting a free credit report service using Powerpoint.com and Animoto.
Here is my youtube link -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOXBJC1QXDE
Cheers
Lynn,
This is my first shot at Animoto.com. It is super easy and alot of fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkadWN3kgXg
Follow me @lesliezengler on Twitter.
[...] until now I have used Animoto to create YouTube videos out of still photos. Obviously Animoto is still the best option for [...]