Video ads online

One of the most shocking things I learned when I started CityVoter was just how much it cost to produce and run a television advertisement on local network television -- ABC, NBC, CBS, or FOX. I had no concept of all the different ways business owners got charged for coming up with these ads, shooting them, and then of course making sure they were played on TV.
Recently, the cost of making these ads has gone down a lot. Some of this is due to cheaper equipment and better editing tools. Some this is due to the economy and competition driving down prices advertising agencies and media companies charge.

In many cities, CityVoter partners with local TV stations. These groups are working hard to come up with cost-effective ways to help their existing TV advertisers put their ads on the Internet. Often they have a difficult time doing this because they're not set up to support this kind of production.

That problem has given birth to a number of young companies who are building internet video expertise. Since it is a big problem, there are many interesting companies who are thinking about how video will be played and shared across different websites, but I wanted to introduce you to two companies who work directly with local business owners:

1. Mixpo -- which is based in Seattle -- is developing a really cool tool that business owners can use to create their own web video advertising. They take a smart approach that assumes that most business owners have photos of their businesses and don't own or know how to make videos for the internet. This approach allows business owners to easily string together photos into what looks like a basic cable commercial. You can see an example here: VideoAd by MixpoThey help upload music, photos, logos, etc. and for business owners with video, they provide simple tools to edit a commercial.
   
   
2. The other company is TurnHere. TurnHere is also based on the west coast. They have hired videographers in cities across the world so that they can immediately send some body out to your location and create a quick video for your business that will be ready to play on the Internet. They do everything for you, but they make it clear to customers that this is a point-and-shoot documentary style commercial. To customize your video, they will charge you more, so be clear you understand what you're buying. You can see examples of their work here. Just be sure you're looking at local business videos. They also do high-end work for bigger clients.