Juniper Rich Media

get me started: perhaps this subject deserves its own post in the future as I truly think that term is grossly misused). It’s just plain exciting, and there’s no question that increased bandwidth (subtle Juniper plug) and processor speeds are making rich media options a reality for the business that wants to really stand out.

This is all well and good if you’re a consumer brand, but I think a lot of B2B execs out there find themselves asking — especially in this rough economic climate — “What’s the business value?”

Rich media provides a host of opportunities for the enterprise, but I think a good case can be made even if I focus on the top two: efficiency and personality. Put simply, rich media makes your message 1) personal, and 2) easy to convey.

Whether you’re trying to extend a marketing message into the sales process, or letting satisfied customers speak for themselves, rich media pieces done properly get right to the point, and drive it home with engaging entertainment. Add to these reasons that it can also be easily and successfully integrated into your social media, driving traffic toward your corporate site, or creating its own audience through RSS subscriptions or podcasts, or integrating it contextually within your Web site.

So what are your options? Let’s take a look. And please, by all means, share your top candidates too. I’ll take a look at your suggestions for an update down the road, because this topic is not going away, what with YouTube having the third-highest traffic according to Alexa. http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/youtube.com

The first thing you learn when investigating rich media is that the options are plenty. This might seem daunting at first, but it’s actually good news, because by choosing from the various approaches, types of media, and distribution channels, it’s possible to put together just the right vehicle, at just the right budget, to meet your business needs.

The first thing to ask: What do you want to do with it? A short list of common uses for rich media are 1) sales tool, 2) product or solution demonstration, 3) customer testimonial, 4) introduction of new or relevant faces in your company or industry. Let’s go through these and explore media types and distribution along the way.

1) Rich media as a sales tool

A short video that introduces your product or solution suite, business benefits, or technology capabilities, can enhance — or even be — the first touch in a sales cycle. This can save time (and money!) for your sales team, while maintaining the personal dimension a simple e-mail would lack. High-quality video, like that linking from this Siemens home page, is great for this purpose, because it’s important to wow them at this stage. In addition to it running on the corporate site, they can either attach it to an e-mail, send a link to a version of it you’re hosting, or show it on a laptop in the first meeting. It even makes a perfect leave-behind, since it can be sold up the food chain if needed.

2) Rich media for demos

Nothing can illustrate complicated or conceptual subjects more effectively than Flash. Flash demos can incorporate short video segments, voice-over narration, text, and animation into an interactive tool that can quickly and seamlessly guide a user through benefits and feature sets, then move the viewer directly to a prominent CTA. These demos, like those for Juniper’s data center solutions, can be embedded into the corporate site where appropriate, be sent to prospective customers on DVD, or even live in their own YouTube channel, where you can collect valuable feedback on their effectiveness from the public comments.

3) Rich media testimonials (partners and customers)

According to Forrester Research, “satisfied customers are a B2B marketer’s biggest asset.” And what better way could there be to get the message across while avoiding reference burnout than filming a brief testimonial for your extended use?

4) Rich media and corporate spokespersons

Putting a face on your organization can strengthen the associations clients and prospects have with your brand. By getting executives before a camera, you can show thought-leadership and create a personal appeal simultaneously. A company that’s doing this really well right now is Sun Microsystems. Their YouTube page reveals a host of videos on a variety of topics, but one of the most intriguing series is CEO and President Jonathan Schwartz’s video blog episodes. He provides a friendly and candid view on the company’s future, while giving insight into its culture simply through his plainspoken manner. It helps that he’s calm and casual on film, of course, but the idea stands. I’d recommend subscribing to their channel, so it will notify you each time a new video is posted.

Rich media distribution

I’ve noted some examples of distribution above, but it’s important to remember that you don’t have to stick to just one. The great thing about any piece of rich media is that once it’s hosted, you can link or place to as many channels as makes sense, as well as broadcast using social media such as YouTube, share it on Facebook, and even utilize subscription-based media like RSS and iTunes. By podcasting Juniper videos, for instance, we’re expanding the options for time and location our viewers have to learn about our company and solutions. A user can simply subscribe to our podcast, and the content is automatically updated in their iTunes, iPod, or iPhone for convenient reference anytime.

Obviously, it’s a rich subject (ha ha ha on the pun), and with exciting new directions like Hulu.com being explored all the time, there’s plenty more to say. But one thing is certainly clear: rich media is in high demand, and as the astounding popularity of YouTube makes plain, that demand is only growing. Offering a rich media experience can go a long way toward creating enthusiasm in prospective customers.

Suggested reading:
Laura Ramos, “Tell Your B2B Marketing Story with Online Video,” Forrester, January 26, 2009
Bobby Tulsiani, “Five Rules to Drive Video Traffic,” Forrester, March 26, 2009