In theater, ‘noises off’ means noises that originate offstage, such as the sound you hear right now of Dylan writing some tasty html. When hissed at stagehands, I’m told it can also mean “Everybody be quiet!”

That’s the phase we’re in now as we work to bring you a bigger, better invodo.com. For a short time we have to disable comments while we get the new site ready to launch. I promise it’ll be worth the wait.

In the interim, if you’ve got a comment or question you can reach us at 1-800-280-4122, email us at sales@invodo.com, or reach me on Twitter as @rsomers.

Like the adage says, “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”  Well, the same goes for eCommerce sites.  To achieve higher sales and conversion rates, you have to set the stage and “dress” your site for conversion success.

Many sites implement traditional merchandising methods including product descriptions, reviews, 360 degree views, suggested items, etc.  While all are good techniques, the reality is consumers expect them and many don’t pay attention and/or avoid them.  So what do consumers want on a product page that increases their likelihood of conversion?  Video.

We all know by now that video sells. The presence of product videos on eCommerce sites gives extra appeal and a competitive edge.  Increases in conversion are still more likely with video on a product page, even if the consumer doesn’t watch.  But just like traditional merchandising techniques, video has to be done right for it to work.  Luckily, Invodo knows how to effectively produce and implement eCommerce video without the confusion and hassle often associated with production and site re-designs.  No matter what the problem, Invodo has the solution.

A recent predicament Invodo encountered was the lack of space, mainly above the fold, on many retailers’ product pages.  Because eCommerce sites spend a lot of time and effort on merchandising, many product pages are already packed full of content.  Since many sites don’t have the flexibility to place a video player front and center on a page, we got creative and created Invodo Smart Merchandising to increase video views.

Invodo research shows that a video player above the fold has twice the view-through rate as a video placed below the fold.  Even if you don’t have the space, Invodo Smart Merchandising allows the freedom and flexibility to put video anywhere on your site while maintaining visibility, optimizing views and sales, and enhancing the user experience. Using all three elements of Smart Merchandising results in maximum impact.  See examples of Invodo Smart Merchandising  below.

Smart Merchandising Call-to-Action

Smart Merchandising Image Overlay

Smart Merchandising Customized Player

Learn more about Invodo’s complete video solution.

Have you noticed your search engine results looking subtly different lately?

A long time ago (in 2007), your search results were basically a list of text links. Optimizing for search was all about showing up as highly ranked as possible in one very, very long list. For example, searching for my name returns 3.3MM results on Google. And competition to be on that first page is intense for a product like a Tickle Me Elmo doll.

These days your results look a little different. Shopping and video are blended in, both in their own front-page sections. And video is particularly compelling as it shows with a thumbnail and a ‘play’ button. The competition isn’t quite as fierce for those slots, to put it mildly – my name returns 79 video results. Which would you rather try to be: first out of 3.3MM or first out of 79?

Nate Eliott and the team at Forrester Research did some research on the search impact of video. They found that using video gives you a 53 times better chance of making the front page of search results. As Nate points out, “so few interactive marketers focus on video optimization that most of the videos in Google’s index aren’t very well optimized — so if you optimize your videos well, your chances of success will increase even further.”

In other words, in the highly competitive world of search engine optimization, here is a high-impact traffic-driving lever that your competitors aren’t using – yet. Smart marketers will beat them to the punch. But in order for it to work, they have to have eCommerce-optimized video content.  And they have to host video content in a way that gives their website, not YouTube or another host, the video search benefit. All things, if you’ll pardon the commercial interruption, that we specialize in here at Invodo.

How long before eCommerce video optimized for search becomes table stakes for interactive marketers? In the fast-moving world of online retail, I’d think pretty quickly. What do you think?

Online video continues to gain traction and popularity across the web.  ComScore recently reported 170 million U.S. Internet users watched online video in November 2009, with a total of almost 31 billion videos viewed.

These are big numbers.  170 million people translates into 340 million eyes watching online video (give or take a few for all the pirates out there).  The majority of these eyes, 39.4%, are watching video on Google sites such as YouTube, and others are entertaining themselves on sites owned by Hulu, Microsoft, and Yahoo.

To keep these people happy and watching, fresh content is needed.  Based on the 31 billion online videos viewed, I’d say the demand is being met, and online video is being produced and pushed to the web quickly to satiate the video-hungry. My automatic thought is: With such a large and eager market, why has online video been so hard to successfully monetize?  YouTube, for example, has millions of viewers and videos and is arguably the hub for online video, yet they still have not turned a profit.

When it comes to making video profitable, I like to think of online video as a unique engagement tool and NOT as a commodity.  When effectively produced and distributed, video indirectly monetizes itself.   Video is complex in the way it reaches, engages, and communicates with viewers, and the effect that video has on a viewer is where the value lies.

At Invodo, we see the benefits that video can have in the eCommerce space.  A tool that conveys the features and benefits of a product, gives purchase cues to consumers, and solidifies a brand’s image all in one little player is an absolutely powerful thing.  We produce, distribute, and manage video to help retailers and brands sell more, and it works.  With 170 million US internet users watching 31 billion videos, video is without a doubt changing online behaviors and the overall eCommerce landscape.  Don’t miss out!

Happy Holidays and New Year!

Even though New Year’s Eve is only days away, I’m sure many people have yet to determine their New Year’s resolution.  Yes, resolutions are cliche and very rarely executed, but this year there is one resolution we can all make that will benefit everyone in the eCommerce space.   What, you might ask?

To get conversion driven eCommerce video on as many eCommerce sites as possible!

This is by far the best resolution to date.  Not only is eCommerce video production and distribution easy to accomplish with Invodo’s complete video solution, but video helps manufacturers and retailers sell more while engaging and converting consumers.  If there is one thing to change about your website for 2010, it’s adding video.

Check out how to create and syndicate eCommerce video for your business through Invodo. Also, enjoy some pictures from Invodo’s holiday party!