Google “has been” perhaps the very best at giving people what they want – a little cash for the time and content they offer online. Following suit, Revver the video entity and others have offered monetization models for people who contribute.
We had the opportunity today to review Zadby perhaps even more viable site for actually paying people for the time and expertise.
This startup essentially refines the producer/advertising interconnection by allowing both to freely contribute and evaluate potentially worthwhile promotional videos. In essence Zadby is what we might call a DIY video advertising market. Imagine the possibilities for both to seek out emerging talent and ad niches where none might exist otherwise.
Besides having a great angle on “cutting out the middle man” as far as video is concerned, Zadby has a very nice platform and a simple interface.
The actual user interface is kind of Web 1.0 really, but it does not need to be high tech to accomplish the mission of letting people find either projects or people to fill them. When you get right down to it, anyone wanting to either make or utilize productions. On the face of it, and in reality, all any user has to do is; sign up, search for a commission (or list one), shoot their video, submit it and get paid if they complete the contract.
I think of the system as a kind of Elance for video. A great idea.
From the Horse’s Mouth
The screens below are from the company’s corporate pitch, and like the simplicity of the site they convey some realities of doing business via video.
- Firstly, Zadby provides a conduit for advertising and marketeers to reach hard to reach segments and venues.
- Secondly, the service obviously operates the same way with regard to opening up a new market for “would be” video producers.
By tapping in to the massive user generated supply line for video and talent, Zadby just may have created a singular niche for themselves in that no one else has tried effectively to become a middle ground in such a way. As illustrated in the screen below, Zadby makes it easier to reach the difficult to reach or influence.
The Shortest Distance
Everyone who took a geometry course knows that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. As the illustration below points out however, the points in between play a big part in this geometry. Traditionally advertisers have sought agencies connected to media and ultimately the public. This seems like a rather direct approach until one considers the limitations and cost. Zadby short circuits the process, and conceivably the costs, by hooking advertisers directly into the talent and production stream. In principal this is a stupendous idea. There are problems however, as we will discuss later.
Pros And Cons
The great news for Zadby is that no one is competing in this way in this niche effectively. Also, the Web 2.0 principal of optimizing user generated value are inherent in the developer’s vision obviously.
People simply love the idea of having an avenue for their ideas, art, dreams and ultimately monetary reward. In essence, anyone with a hint of talent in making video might now gain access to customers they might never have reached before – ever. Brands will also have a virtually limitless library or resource for value content, and perhaps even more likelihood of find that “special” talent or pop icon. In essence, both ends of the spectrum are looking at a potential win-win.
Now for the bad news. Zadby has several issues or hurdles to overcome. First, finding a potential video ad gig, making a video, submitting it to Zadby and waiting to see what happens is not exactly what we might call a user friendly approach.
We joined up easily and found the aforementioned simplicity, but since we are not video producers (and because of time) we have no clue what the end process is actually like. This is problematic for a number of reasons, but suffice it to say Zadby needs a much more integrated approach to this aspect of the process.
A suggestion might be featuring videos with ads with “no home” so to speak. In this way producers and ad seekers alike might see some graphical “grass” in this field of dreams. When all is said and done, Zadby is really not eliminating the “middle man” as it were. Instead, they are in a way replacing the ad company with their more DIY version. To get past this the developers need to come up with a more visible platform for their “mini video mart”.
Refining A Great Idea
The most powerful ideas need a platform, visibility, traction and obviously the technology to back it up. In the end, every successful startup I ever tested became more of a story of the people behind it than the technology. However, there can be no shortcut employed when providing users with the tools they need. Zadby has a way to go in this regard if their vision is as big as the market they seek. Refined, bug free interfaces and ultimately a bunch of people seeking video ad fodder are what the service needs. After some thought, anyone can begin to list the hurdles before the development.
Given that the people behind this little ad machine are smart, they also need to understand that market entry, visibility, site specifics and other issues are a ticking time bomb. One huge stumbling block (or monster waiting in the wings) is someone like my friend Dmitry Shapiro at Veoh taking up the gauntlet and using their immense network and refined video capability to do just the Zadby thing – tomorrow. I am a fan of smart people, and I certainly hope these guys get some help putting this thing on wheels. A great idea, perhaps moving a little too slowly.
Post from: eWritings - Online Public Relations
Something For Your Time – Monetizing Video