A Beginner's Guide to Creating Rich Content

On Wednesday night at the first ever Agile SEO meetup hosted by WebiMax's own Chris Countey, I delivered a presentation regarding the value of rich content and its place in the future of online marketing.  I discussed the growth of video on the Web and how it has gradually become a more powerful marketing tool for those who properly utilize it.  However, the development of a successful digital video marketing campaign is a complex and involved process that may seem daunting to some.  In fact, following my presentation, several attendees approached me with questions and concerns about the video production process.  I've designed the following guide as both a response to those Agile SEO attendees and to help those not present at the meetup to better understand the value of rich content in online marketing.

Getting Started
Arguably, the greatest challenge of any marketing campaign is the initial development process.  Determining the best course of action to maximize visibility and enhance revenue can be difficult and this holds true in relation to video SEO campaigns, as well.  The planning or "pre-production" phase is the logical starting point for rich content creators.  The pre-production process involves developing a script or an outline of the video itself and evaluating the budget and anticipated timeframe for completion.  Pre-production is a crucial part of video development and should never be overlooked, even by the most experienced video producers.

The Production & Post-Production Process
Once the video is planned, production can begin.  This process includes recording or otherwise generating all of the content to be featured within the video.  After the content is created, it is then edited (if necessary) and uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo, DailyMotion, Tout or a number of other popular video sharing websites in the "post-production" phase.

Optimizing Rich Content
Just like web pages, videos can also be optimized to increase their visibility in the SERPs and throughout social media.  Creating original, relevant titles, descriptions and keywords for videos as well as enhancing social engagement are the cornerstones of the video optimization process.

Video viewership will continue to rise online in the years as the accessibility and quality of rich content on the Web increases.  Going forward, video SEO will not only become a more significant element of digital marketing campaigns, but a crucial factor in achieving greater overall brand awareness online.

See my Agile SEO meetup presentation on SlideShare here or contact me directly at brymshaw@webimax.com or @brwebimax on Twitter.