Lone Star

YOUTUBE Revisited - One Million Views Later

A million of anything is a pretty big number.  As a real life example for those of us who are NOT professional athletes: if you earn an average of $50,000 per year it will take you 20 years to make your first million.  In January of 2007 I posted a video on YOUTUBE that explained the meaning of American Pie by Don McLean.  It took just 265 days to reach 1 million views.

One million people in 265 days.  That’s an average of 3,776 people checking out one of the three posted versions each day.  The most views in one day was 19.261.  Interesting to note that while two updated versions were posted just weeks after the initial video, it was the original posting that continues to get the most views.

The continued increase in views shows the incredible viral power of the Internet.  Let’s say the cost to produce this video was $1,000.  The cost to distribute the video was $0.  This puts the cost per thousand (CPM) to reach the viewers at just $1.  That is a fraction of the cost of traditional media.  And, unlike traditional media, as time goes by and another million people see your message, your CPM is lowered!

YOUTUBE and other UGC (User Generated Content) sites provide a personalized media experience unlike anything we’ve ever seen.  And, it is amazing how pervasive these type of sites have become.  During a recent party I had a 7 year old guest at my house and he asked to use the computer, not TV, to keep entertained.  When I went back to check on him…he was on YOUTUBE.  He showed me a few of his favorite videos, half of which were sly commercial placements concealed in compelling creative entertainment wrappers.    At the same time the TV was off.  Millions of dollars of commercials were going unwatched.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not advocating that traditional media should be abandoned…just carefully reviewed to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck.  And, at the same time include some alternate media placement into the mix.  And, with the web, the great news is that you don’t have to have a large ad budget to play…you just need to be creative!

Next time:  Can you TIVO-proof your TV spots?

Jim O’Neill – Lone Star Sound & Pictures
jim@lonestarsound.com

Inch by Inch, it’s a Cinch

As I’ve written here in the past, one of the things I enjoy most about my work is the wide variety of people I meet producing video programs and radio & TV commercials.  I’ve always felt that there is something to be learned from everyone we meet.  While we definitely learn more from some than others and often the lesson is a cautionary tale on how not to live our lives, I believe some sort of lesson awaits us in most everyone.

About a month ago, Michael Segal contacted me to produce a marketing video for his Houston based motivational speaking services.   Over the past few weeks as we have worked together on this I have been increasingly impressed with his unmatched determination, incredible positive spirit, and quick-draw sense of humor.

In 1981 when Michael was attending college in Austin at UT he walked in on a robbery at a convenience store.  The robbers shot him in the back of the head, execution style, and left him for dead.  He was given a 60% chance of dying on the operating table and a virtual guarantee of being a vegetable.   (Today Michael jokes, “Maybe that’s why I don’t eat my vegetables”).

When Michael regained consciousness in the hospital he was unable to walk or talk.  After being told of his bleak prognosis, he vowed he would not only walk and talk again, but he would return to school at UT.

For someone with his prognosis, this was certainly a lofty goal.  But Michael broke the long journey back into smaller, more achievable, goals.  As he says in his speeches, “mile by mile is a trial, yard by yard is hard, but inch by inch is a cinch”.

Inch by inch he made slow progress until he was able to return to school and graduated at the top of his class.  Michael Segal now works as a social worker in the medical center and is also a very popular motivational speaker.

In the short time I have known Michael, he has taught me so much that can be applied to my daily life as well as in my business.  He has demonstrated the power of hope, faith, family, the importance of a positive attitude and the power of setting goals.  And, above all, having the discipline and determination to achieve those goals.

One of the speeches Michael gives to businesses is about change.  One point he maskes is that the only constant we have in life is change.  Our reaction to that change determines our level of success both in life and in business.   Those who resist or ignore change are just avoiding the inevitable.  Just because your head is in the sand doesn’t mean the seasons are not changing around you. 

I have never met anyone who has had to deal with a more dramatic change in his or her lives, or who has dealt with that major change more positively than Michael Segal.   His project will be complete soon and I will post a link to that video here in a future blog.  I hope you’ll check back and review Michael’s story as I’m confident it will be as inspirational to you as it was for me.

Jim O'Neill of Lone Star Sound