# New Website Video



## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

I've been tinkering with adding video clips to my site. Here's a first effort using Microsoft Movie Maker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3uq3H8ppK4


The only $$$ invested was for the royalty free music clips I purchased for the background.

I'm pleased with the look, but I need to slip a call to action in there somewhere--otherwise it's just a masturbatory art piece.

Any thoughts?


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

Brilliant Chris

Your work and website are absolutely breath taking. Really first class work.

The video should make a really nice touch

I just want you to know I can't stand you and I meant that with every bit of professional jealousy and envy I could muster up:w00t:


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

I like it!


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

rbsremodeling said:


> Brilliant Chris
> 
> Your work and website are absolutely breath taking. Really first class work.
> 
> ...


 
Thanks, I appreciate that a lot coming from you... From reading your posts, I'd hardly say you "know nothing" as your avatar tag says...


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

Chris, curious as to where you got the music from?


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## rbsremodeling (Nov 12, 2007)

ChrWright said:


> Thanks, I appreciate that a lot coming from you... From reading your posts, I'd hardly say you "know nothing" as your avatar tag says...



Your welcome Chris


Do you think you would have to trademark, register the video some how?? It would seem to me some no good contractor like (COLE) might copy it and put it on there website? 


I of course would never do something like that:whistling


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/

I found their prices very reasonable. The disc I bought (online download) had about 8 themes... and for each of those there were 6 to 8 variations of varrying length (15 second, 30 second, loops, etc.) They came in WAV format, I think, and directly imported into the video editor.


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## orson (Nov 23, 2007)

Chris,

I've been thinking about adding a video to my website and to my google local ad.

Seeing your video reinforces this as a really good idea. Your video is as fantastic as your work! 

I'm not sure that you really need to add a call to action, I think the quality of the video and the work is its own sbliminal call to action. Maybe just add a phone number and email adress to that last still shot with your logo.


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

rbsremodeling said:


> Your welcome Chris
> 
> 
> Do you think you would have to trademark, register the video some how?? It would seem to me some no good contractor like (COLE) might copy it and put it on there website?
> ...


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Thanks Orson,

Actually the google local listing was my main motivation for doing this. 

Although for some reason now that I have a video uploaded there--my pics don't show up on the search listing.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Very nice Chris!


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Next thing you can experiment with is Fruity Loops.

Great video presentation. I would like to see what you can do with your OWN music! No Professional experience required.

http://www.fruityloops.com/

(play the song at the top of the page)




I have it. It is easy as pie.







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5JIS9VHbDI&feature=related


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## SethHoldren (Feb 13, 2008)

Yeah, your stuff really does look great. Your picture on your site instills confidence.

I agree wholeheartedly about the call to action. On your video, and also your website.

What makes your business unique? Incorporate that into your call to action. 

Good stuff. :thumbsup:


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

MALCO.New.York said:


> Next thing you can experiment with is Fruity Loops.
> 
> Great video presentation. I would like to see what you can do with your OWN music! No Professional experience required.
> 
> http://www.fruityloops.com/



Very cool... thanks for the link.

I definitely like the website clip better than the youtube clip... That one sounds like I should be hosting a rave. :blink:


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

ChrWright said:


> Very cool... thanks for the link.
> 
> I definitely like the website clip better than the youtube clip... That one sounds like I should be hosting a rave. :blink:


*Welcome!*



You can download an active demo on the site.

You can buy it. Expensive.

You can bootleg it at Mininova.com. But that is illegal.:whistling


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## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

This kind of media is great for mailers that include a DVD.

Or leaving it with prospects that need to "think about" their decision. Kind of puts your company apart from the rest of 'quotes' they get.

I'm working on something similar. I just can't figure out how to add screenshots from a software program to the video. I'm also fiddling around with Windows Movie Maker on Vista.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

I used MM on Vista for this one and it was ok for a photo slide show. I thought it had just enough bells & whistles for what I needed.

I put together a wedding video for a family member a couple of years ago with photos and video clips and it worked very well for that--and exported well to dvd.

If I were going for a non-web/high quality video, I'd probably get a more robust editor. I think the key is that this is a low investment, quick and dirty method to put videos up on the web that look professional.


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## Igal (Sep 19, 2008)

yea im about 70% done with my website as well and i used movie maker to create a video for the front page. www.vrconstruction.org 

i agree its a quick and dirty way to put a video on a website


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## MALCO.New.York (Feb 27, 2008)

Igal said:


> yea im about 70% done with my website as well and i used movie maker to create a video for the front page. www.vrconstruction.org
> 
> i agree its a quick and dirty way to put a video on a website


My only repulsion and I do mean repulsion! is that "Free Estimate" button. You are looking for kitsch and that is old. Come up with new. The rest is so-far, so-good.


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## Igal (Sep 19, 2008)

Thanks for your honest opinion. i'm not crazy about the whole front page either.


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## wilsongc (Aug 26, 2008)

nice showcase of your services, which looks excellent as well. It would be nice if you could do some crossfading (not sure if WMM will do it) as I find the transitions to be a little disruptive. Maybe the photos could stay up a bit longer as well.

Great Job!


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## wilsongc (Aug 26, 2008)

MattCoops said:


> I'm working on something similar. I just can't figure out how to add screenshots from a software program to the video. I'm also fiddling around with Windows Movie Maker on Vista.


It's easy! Vista comes with a handy tool called the Snipping Tool. You can launch it at Start > Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool. Alternatively, you can just hit your windows key, type snip and hit enter.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Igal said:


> yea im about 70% done with my website as well and i used movie maker to create a video for the front page. www.vrconstruction.org
> 
> i agree its a quick and dirty way to put a video on a website


This is a bit off-topic, but since it's my thread--here goes:

A few points of constructive criticism on your website:

I've been doing remodeling for almost 20 years, and I can't remember a client ever asking me to "make life simple." That's something a closet organizer might target. Granted, simplifying things is often a side benefit to a project or design--but most people aren't motivated to build a new bath because they want it simpler. Most of the time they hate the way their spaces look and want what they see in a magazine or tv show.

Who are you targeting? You can't be all things to all people and target any one market very well. If you want to market to residential, industrial and commercial--I would suggest having separate sites. You have to get specific to have an impact. That's how the web really shines--picking the specific kind of visitor you want and laser targeting your content to draw in and appeal to that person. 

Your narrowest width is still a wide screen resolution, or at least appears so--this may be a factor of your template or a factor of how you've edited it. Check to be sure it's going to look good on a smaller monitor--this goes for your text as well which looks very small even on my large monitor.

Colors are important and convey a whole host of things to the viewer. I would do some research on this, and really think about what kinds of feelings you want your visitors to come away with about you.

On your video clip--your font selection for the titles is a bit "mom and pop" and could look a little classier. When it comes to transitions, MM comes with a variety of options and it's hard not to want to include several kinds. Using too many can be distracting from your content, though. I would suggest you stick to the simpler fades instead of the page curl.

Your front page needs more content. You will have a hard time showing up well on a search engine without more content. Look into keywords and their uses. There's a lot of free info to be found on search engine optimization that will help you sort through this.

There's also nothing on your home page that hooks a visitor into digging more into your sight. Think "bounce rate". 

The watermark to the right is very strange--I think there are even some hearts there :blink:. I'm guessing you're using a template--which is fine--but that one isn't doing much to convey a clear message or brand to your visitors. 

Since you don't have a lot of references, you'll need to revamp your content to be very benefit heavy. Think "what's in it for me?". 

Saying customer service is important to you is a "feature" not a benefit. Benefits are what connect with a reader. What specifically will you do for me before, during, and after the project that makes you special and better than any and all other alternatives available to me? This applies to every page and every paragraph. Tell a story about who you are as well--instead of just listing what everyone else says. (Quality, customer service, etc. etc.)


Please don't take any of this as me tearing down your site. Starting from scratch and doing it yourself is a lot of work and I commend you for it. These are just a few things you may wish to consider.

Let me know if there's anything further I can do to help.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

wilsongc said:


> nice showcase of your services, which looks excellent as well. It would be nice if you could do some crossfading (not sure if WMM will do it) as I find the transitions to be a little disruptive. Maybe the photos could stay up a bit longer as well.
> 
> Great Job!


Thanks for the input.

I may go back and take out some of the "fade outs" in favor of cross fades... That's a good observation. 

As for the length and shortness of clips: I think the video is more of a teaser instead of a full portfolio slide show (which I want a viewer to come see on my website).


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## wilsongc (Aug 26, 2008)

ChrWright said:


> Your narrowest width is still a wide screen resolution, or at least appears so--this may be a factor of your template or a factor of how you've edited it. Check to be sure it's going to look good on a smaller monitor--this goes for your text as well which looks very small even on my large monitor.


Agreed, everyone should be targeting 1024 x 768 resolution, at this resolution your template is broken. Some people would even target 800 x 600. However, this is not standard industry practice any longer as 800 x 600 and below are less than 7% of users now (and getting fewer).


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## MattCoops (Apr 7, 2006)

wilsongc said:


> It's easy! Vista comes with a handy tool called the Snipping Tool. You can launch it at Start > Programs > Accessories > Snipping Tool. Alternatively, you can just hit your windows key, type snip and hit enter.


Thanks for that tidbit.
I started doing it this way:
Hit the "prt sc" key > open Photoshop > Ctrl+V (paste)
crop my image > maybe a nifty edge fade and a caption

your way works also, thanx


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## Crete Buster (Dec 5, 2007)

Video clip looks great. The music went well with the image you are promoting. It could just be the fact that I'm slow, but I didn't have time to read your quote in the beginning of the video. Videos definitely are a plus for our website, even though they are not as professional as yours. I did get inspired with a new idea after watching your video. Thanks Chris.

P.S. I still appreciate you giving me the heads up on errors on the home page of our website a few months ago. I am about to make some more changes soon on it.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

No problem...and thanks for the feedback.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Also, for anyone considering this... Youtube now offers an option to watch videos in a higher quality than the standard fare--this depends on the quality of the original video you send them.

However, when inserting the standard code to your site--it defaults to the lower quality. 

There is a cheat to get around this--a slight alteration to the code--but I've yet to find a way to insert the high quality version without 'related videos' coming up at the end (which I'd prefer they didn't).

If someone else has a way around this, I'd love to hear it.


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

Did you find away around the lower quality default?

One other thing, what disk did you buy from http://www.partnersinrhyme.com if you dont mind me asking.


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## ChrWright (Jul 17, 2007)

Motivation was the name of the disc I bought.

No, haven't found a new workaround. I did find a setting in the code to prevent the "related videos" from coming up at the end. I prefer to only see the "replay" option when videos are viewed from my site.

I put together a second video and posted it in another thread, here it is again:


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## Cole (Aug 27, 2004)

Great work, buddy! Thanks for the info. I love the audio and havent found anything similar that even comes close.


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