Tom Anthony Personal Blog

I just finished up a new video – this time for my own company, IMS Strategic Internet Marketing. This was a fun but really important project. Google Business Center was renamed and re-launched a couple of months ago and it’s now called Google Places. That’s where every business owner can claim their own listing – and add content such as business hours, types of payments accepted… that sort of thing. But Google Places also allows you to add other content such as Photos, coupons, even blog type posts and up to five videos to help make your case. That’s pretty powerful.

I decided to make a video specifically to be viewed from within Google Maps under the listing of my own marketing company to illustrate what could and should be done in Google Local. I also wanted to create it using hardware and technology my company owned and operated to make the case for selling the production of such videos. To this end I used a portable backdrop stand we own, with a big roll of special chroma key paper. This is also known as blue screen. I used a photographers light with reflector screens to not only illuminate the subject – which in this case was me – but also to create an even light on the blue screen.

That’s important when you are editing the video – if the blue screen is well lit it is easier to remove the background so you can replace it with something else. That’s how your local TV weather forecaster does it, only for this video instead of a weather map I used a loop of video showing an office building. It looks like I am in front of a window and you can see the office building and street activity below.

Laptop Teleprompter

I think the best item is the wireless mouse which powers a PowerPoint file containing the script. The PowerPoint is being displayed on a laptop that is located immediately in front of and under the camera so it acts like a teleprompter. I have been on both sides of the camera for over 30 years and even if you memorize what you intend to say it ALWAYS comes out better with a teleprompter or similar device. Of course a lot of my early professional life was behind a radio microphone with a script so perhaps that’s just my comfort zone.

I would enjoy your feedback on the video – call me.

You should be able to view the video directly from Google Maps if you type in the following:

“IMS Internet Marketing Services, Chesapeake, VA” or just click here.

This needs no further explaination – but – Jake is really funny sometimes

From: Brian Walker

Google’s moving into the phone service business. This sounds really cool.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/technology/personaltech/12pogue.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

Adam Coppin wrote:
And really creepy that they’re going to be listening to my phonecalls as well as reading my emails, monitoring my blog and tracking my position on the globe…

As if anyone really believes the “do no evil” motto any more…

Adam Coppin
Senior Web Strategist
Web Teks, Inc. – An eBusiness Solutions Firm

Jake wrote:

In a Google World:

0730 – Set Facebook status to “Eating breakfast at Chick fil’a” – also updating my Twitter
1200 – Watch old episodes of MacGeiver on YouTube during my lunch break
1330 – Get a voice mail from a friend mentioning something about a chicken suit and a request to bring over one of your power tools
1700 – On the drive home from work, notice that billboards change as you drive down the highway, advertising a Black and Decker Robot Chicken that can break into your neighbor’s house with a paperclip

What’s so wrong about all that?

.___.                .___.
{O,o}  Jacob  Tews   {o,O}
/)__)   Developer    (__(\
-"-"- Web Teks, Inc. -"-"-

http://www.webteks.com

the xy axis in the trackball is coordinated with the summer solstice

I just read a report in a feed from Web Site Magazine about an incredible announcement made by Google this week.

Google Maps has a section for business owners allowing them to update and enhance their listing. Before this week you could use Google AdWords to advertise when someone looks up your business category in your geographic vicinity. That cost is determined by a budget you determine in advance and on a per click basis.

For no cost you could correct your listing or add information – like store hours, or what category your business belongs in. You could also upload up to 10 photos showing off your business. For example if you go to local.google.com and type in gym 23454 you should see Face the Pain Gym near or at the top – with a picture. You can click on more info and see an overview of the business – reviews and photos. And starting this week you can view videos if they are there.

What an unbelievable opportunity to feature customer testimonials, product demonstrations or how about a personal invitation from you the business owner to visit your store?! I have not actually tried it yet, but it is described as being similar to the process of adding photos, businesses are allowed to display up to five videos in their Maps record and pull videos directly from YouTube. I like where this is going.