Rating: ***

As Salesforce’s chief digital evangelist put it, “Video has gone mainstream for B2B marketers and switched from a nice-to-have to an absolute must.” Simply having a generic video for your product or service is not enough. Videos—like all assets—are only as good as they are relevant and helpful. People want to see the most useful information at the right time, instead of being inundated with all the facts at every turn. 

As a content strategist and producer, nothing beats a creative project that solves your client’s most complex content challenges. It’s an exciting journey that involves exploration, creativity, and collaboration. This is especially true of video projects, which often begin with a vision statement like, “we need a video.” Having delivered many creative videos over the years, we’ve developed a process that lets us explore and test ideas, while incorporating client input along the way and staying true to the project’s goals. 

“Video is the future of content marketing,” according to The Guardian. While this statement may sound provocative and reductive, it also has a ring of truth.

What happens after a video shoot often makes the difference between a decent video and a great one. And by after, I mean post-production. This is when you actually build and shape your story and add the graphics and music that make your video stand out. No matter the size of your project, it’s crucial to always plan the time and resources for post-production. If you don’t, you put the quality and value of your work at risk.

Rating: *****

In January, editors from Vox.com sat down with President Obama for a wide-ranging interview on several domestic and foreign policy topics. Vox has earned high praise for their innovative formats and use of data “to explain the News" and clarify complex topics. After reviewing "Obama: The Vox Conversation," I can say that the high praise is justified. 

2014 brought another year of hyper-viral Web videos that racked up millions of views. We looked at five of the most watched to see how they generated so many views and shares.

My name is Paul, and I’m addicted to the Investigation Discovery cable channel.

“ID”—for those not in the know—is Discovery Communications’ 24/7 collection of original and curated true-crime mysteries. Recently, my ID addiction led to the discovery of “Serial,” a new true-crime show that investigates a 15-year-old murder case. The show isn’t on TV. In fact, it’s not on radio or YouTube, either. It’s actually in a trendy digital format that’s risen in popularity by 25 percent from 2013-2014, according to Edison Research.