Collaborative Online tools for Business and Community Engagement Case Study

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Case Study Title Using podcasting for advertising and training (Edutising)

Institution(s) involved New College Swindon and Ulltra Skincare Ltd (Rawpoint Beauty Ltd)

Contact + Email Stephanie Warren – E Learning Manager, New College stephanie.warren@newcollege.ac.uk

Brian Smithies – Managing Director, Rawpoint Beauty Ltd

JISC programme (if applicable) As above

Project Dates 2008-2010

Tags Podcasting, internet marketing, Facebook,

Headings/Questions Explanation and further information

0. Briefly describe your project (abstract)

Commercial enterprises are forever seeking new ways to capture and expand their markets. Small businesses have limited resources and funds to advertise their products and this project looked at how to create a low cost video podcast to promote a product range and to advertise significant features of the product. The resultant video podcast (vodcast) was added to the company website and analytical software was used to follow the traffic on the website in order to determine how the vodcast changed customer buying behaviors and click through rates. Discussions were also held to plan and produce a set of training video podcasts to assist sales staff to promote the product in the retail market. However, these videos were not produced due to time constraints.

1. Why did you use this approach?

Approx 250 words

One of the project aims was to engage with a small business and use collaborative tools in an innovative way. The small business chosen to work with was Ulltra Skincare Limited which is a company that sells a range of men’s shaving and moisturizing skin products.

Ulltra required the project team to design, create and present video advertising and video training materials (edutising media). It was proposed that we create a number of themed podcasts that would promote the products to different market sectors. Another requirement for Ulltra was to train its sales staff on the content and appropriate use of the product. A set of training video storyboards were drafted during the first planning meeting but not produced because of time constraints.

Podcasting through video was considered the strongest medium to promote the products because of budgetary constraints and the online nature of the business. The presentation style used was to present the video in black and white with the product in colour was a technique to enhance the impact of the product. The company felt that this was also consistent with the product’s brand image. It was intended to be presented in a cartoon/comic book style for the extreme acting in the video to fit. The storyboarding and script creation is typical support documentation for this type of medium.

This style was not intended to be used for the training video. These were to be more a talking head with shots of the product to list the features of Ulltra products.

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2. What is the context in which you are using this approach?

Approx 250 words

The advertisement video for Ulltra was embedded into the company’s website (http://www.ulltra.com) with the aim of attracting higher conversion rates (click through) and ultimately the increasing sales.

The context for the video was to measure the success of using video advertising through the internet which has been designed specifically to promote a product using this medium. The original plan was to create a number of themed video adverts to promote different products from the Ulltra range for both men and women.

In addition to the podcasting, using internet marketing systems/skills is still in its infancy with Ulltra and one of the aims was to improve these skills to present the successes to other small businesses. Other very interesting avenues were opened by the engagement with Ulltra which included: evaluation of online conferencing tools to use with training sales staff, study of using Facebook for advertising and profiling, use of Google Analytics and the outputs of this type of system.

Another aim was how to create effective training video that would engage and inform users of the product and sales staff on the product’s benefits and use. This “edutising” is a new concept in the FE/HE market that can be developed through our Business Services Division here at the college to offer alternative methods of delivering training. However, staffing changes did not allow this aim to be pursued.

3. What collaborative online tools and other technologies were involved?

Approx 250 words

The production of the video advertising for Ulltra products showed the advantages of using podcasting for advertising. The series of podcasts would have themed the products and given customers a full range of the products. The training videos were to be split into staged learning steps and designed with appropriate pedagogical content.

Ulltra is a relatively successful SME online company which sells a range of products via their commercial website. They currently use a number of internet marketing techniques for enhancing sales which include advertising through a link from other websites to take the client to their backend sales process, using Facebook to target certain profiles that match a particular product range, optimizing search criteria through search engines and use of Google analytics on their website. Internet marketing is expanding through the use of social network and other social media and this is another element of this project to pursue further in the future.

These collaborative/online internet marketing tools were studied by the project team to determine whether this could be transferred to other small businesses locally. To progress on from the podcasting for advertising, planning had started to create a set of podcasts and other online interactive materials to be used for training. Online conference tools were evaluated as part of this process to determine the most appropriate and cost effective system to be used in this context.

4. How did you design or set up the interactions design?

Approx 150 words

At an initial meeting with Ulltra, the theme for the first promotional video was discussed. A storyboard was created to show each scene of the video with additional script was added to voice-over the progress of each shot. Additional products were covered in this meeting but it was decided to promote the main product from Ulltra’s men’s range. The theme was determined by the technical staff to produce a set of promotional video in black and white with the product in colour. The production team formed the project team for this strand of the project. These were specialists in Audio Visual production and video editing techniques. The video was shot using a high spec camera which is normally used for taking college video

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by the AV staff.

5. How did you implement and embed this approach?

Approx 350 words

The concept of using podcasting through the web for advertisements and training (Edutising) purposes is relatively new. The project team was brought together for their specialist knowledge in production of video for use in an online medium. The new element on this occasion for New College was producing a video within a time frame for a commercial enterprise.

At the outset of this project, staffing issues have plagued its progress and this has proven to be the most challenging element of the project. Staffing changes had a major impact on the continuity of the project and ultimately the reason why the aims and objectives were continuously reviewed to ensure some successes.

The evaluation process used for the use of the podcasts was through the use of Google Analytics. The tracking of activity on the website will measure the success of embedding the promotional video with the aim to increasing sales.

6. What benefits is this delivery approach producing for stakeholders?

Approx 400 words

A small business will have particular needs but mainly the aim will be to increase sles and promote the products and services it offers. This key aim was supported by the production of a short informative video podcasts covering the products gives the customer or potential customer a visual explanation of the product. The general public is comfortable with video style advertising as it has been around on television for many years and this familiarity will put the customer at ease. The video style advertising on the internet is normally unrelated to the page that is being viewed so to change that and focus the attention of the audience is a significant move forward.

Some of the benefits for this approach to advertising using video podcasting are:

• Gives a clear definition of a product’s benefits and USP

• Allows abrand image, style or a theme to be developed to identify the company, the product range in a given the genre

• Proven to have an impact on sales.

The more significant and potentially more beneficial use of video in small business is the production of Edutising training video. Podcasting in education is still new but is starting to be used in more and more universities and other educational establishments. The approach to producing a set of training videos for a small business would be similar to the approaches used for some educational podcasts. Again, the benefits to small businesses would be quite significant and would include the following:

• The podcasts are bespoke to the product / service being taught

• Staff can work at their own pace through training video

• Avoid repetition of classroom based sessions

• Save costs on staff travel, accommodation and presenters

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7. Did implementation of this approach have any disadvantages or drawbacks?

approx. 250 words

The only drawback that affected this approach was the enormity of the options to pursue for this case study. The potential of each of the elements of internet marketing and the analytical tools that can be used to improve sales for small business was not pursued in the depth that could have given more measured output.

Of course, there were staffing issues which had an impact on pursuing many of these elements but even with the static staff on the project team, their understanding and vision to use these tools were limited.

8. How will this approach be taken further?

approx. 250 words

Video production for small businesses was a new concept for the college and was being considered as a potential income stream to promote at the end of the project. The project outcomes would support ongoing development of this possibility.

With the changes to the Business Services Division the implementation of this product development has not been pursued. However, a new team is now established and plans to consider this in the next academic year have been discussed.

It is envisaged that video podcast production for both advertising and training in small business will be studied and rolled out as a service from the college.

Internet marketing techniques will also be studied as a further potential income stream and opinion from current clients will be sought for further focus.

9. Summary and Reflection

approx. 250 words

The challenge at the outset was to engage with a small business and use collaborative tools to enhance business practice. This was alien to many of the small businesses that were approached until definitions of Web 2.0 and the potential of Web 2.0 was explained.

The approach used was to determine what the SME required to enhance their business practices and ultimately to increase their market share and/or increase sales of services and products. Once this had been determined a more detailed scope to their requirements was developed. The scope creep for this particular client proved to be difficult to contain as there were many elements of this focus that did not form part of the original aims and objectives. The internet marketing techniques used by this small business were identified as being a significant advantage to other small businesses and would be a recommended area to pursue for further study.

It needs to be understood that small businesses will need to be supported to use these initiatives appropriately for their specific needs and the small business will need to have an online presence to take advantage of the potential of increasing online sales through use of internet marketing techniques.

Vodcasting or Edutising are terms that need further investigation through further research. One small business with one video promoting one product does not offer a significant result however successful the outcome has been.