gimme 5

Everyone is on the internet these days.  Activity on the 'www' has skyrocketed.  Smartphones and tablets connect the customer on the go with their friends, families and businesses.  For all intents and purposes, the world operates on a virtual platform.
Savvy business owners have known this for some time now, and many of them have undertaken great efforts to ensure they have an effective and informative website.  In fact, it has gotten to the point that many consumers are taken aback by anyone who doesn't have a well-nurtured web presence.
I spend a great deal of time online these days, managing social media and internet commerce for a number of clients ranging from retailers to bars to hairstylists and artists, and I pay attention to what the competition is doing as well.  There is a huge volume of activity online these days and your business needs to be in the midst of it just to survive.  In order to thrive and flourish, you need to stand out.
So how do you accomplish that?  Numerous studies have indicated that two primary elements grab the attention of online consumers: compelling graphics and short videos.  All too often, business owners fail to use either.  Or they pair a great picture with a slap-in-the-face message like 'stop in and buy something today'. Do you greet customers in your store that way?  "Hi. What did you want to buy today?"  I think not.
The online consumer is savvy, loyal and [often] somewhat bored.  They want to be informed, amused and entertained.  They want to 'like' what they see and become familiar with your business in a more casual cocktail party kind of way.  And generally they don't want to read a lot of boring words.  That's why Twitter's 140 characters have become so popular.
How do you capitalize on that?  Remember the old adage "A picture is worth a thousand words"?  Well, a video must be worth a million.  All the latest studies indicate that online video messages are extremely effective [moreso, even, than the print and TV ads we are all so familiar with.  Check out the sponsored videos and promotional clips on www.channel125.com and you'll see what I mean.  Channel 125 has made it their mission to bring small businesses the option of posting their videos online without the extravagant expense of network-generated commercials, and delivers them to a huge audience around the world.  Based in Atlanta, this ground-breaking venture features countless videos for the entertainment of their viewers and does an incredible job of driving traffic through social media posts to tens of thousands of potential new customers every day.  Their newest program series, Gift Horse, is designed to feature product reviews in a short and entertaining format, providing their audience with information about the latest and greatest gift ideas, tech products and retailers via promotional videos.  The videos run 24/7 on their numerous websites and can be embedded in the client's website or shared by them via social media.  As an added bonus, unlike youtube, Channel 125 videos can be set up in a proprietary 'channel' that prevents new viewers from being directed to your [more popular] competitor's video after viewing yours.
What more could a business owner ask for?  Contact me or Channel125.com for details. And get your videos out there!
Please feel free to peruse the many posts on this website or contact me directly at wowART@yahoo.com with questions or comments.