Easy Video Press: Video Player for WordPress Blogs

video player thumbnail

[evp type=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln-Xbz3TgbM[/evp]

 

Easy Video Press is a WordPress Plugin that makes it very easy to play videos on your WordPress blogs.  You can play videos uploaded from Amazon S3, YouTube or your computer.

You also have the option of customizing the video player – e.g. color of the background, buttons or outline.  You can change the size of the displayed video and allow full screen playing.  If you prefer, you can set the Easy Videos Player to play immediately someone visits your blog post (… and you can change this for each video).

Easy Video Press comes with four very short videos that explain each step in the process of setting up the Plugin and creating a video player for your blog post.

Monetizing videos with Easy Video Press WordPress Plugin

Easy Video Press enables you to add a hyperlinked logo to your video and build in a redirect to a website of your choice so that you can monetize the video.  I have illustrated these features in the video player below:

 [evp type=youtube logo=http://smallbusinessodyssey.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/meritsolutionsthumbnail1.jpg link=http://www.meritsolutions.com.au]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4StJfmKDus[/evp]

 

Easy Video Press: an easy WordPress Plugin for displaying a video player

This is a powerful WordPress Plugin that can open up the world of video marketing.  It is easy to use and makes video playing on your WordPress blog so much easier.

All you have to do is install the WordPress plugin, customize the default settings (e.g. Amazon S3 URL’s, color scheme, video size) and then start using the video player within your blog posts.

When you want to display a video in your blog post, you provide a few details and the WordPress Plugin creates a “shortcode” which is automatically inserted in your blog post.

The following illustration shows the control panel that appears below your blog entry as you are developing your post.  It enables you to:

  • specify the source of video – Amazon S3, YouTube or your computer
  • size of the video player
  • color scheme for the video player
  • cover image
  • logo image (if desired)
  • logo URL link (if desired).

 

easy video press control panel

 

If you want to use the advanced options available with Easy Video Press, you can do any of the following:

  • allow full screen
  • auto start video
  • hide controls/buttons or show them
  • redirect viewer at end of video

 

easy video press monetization

With either the basic or the advanced controls, Easy Video Press will generate a shortcode that is automatically inserted in your blog post when you hit the “Send Shortcode to Editor” button.  You can then locate the video player wherever you choose within your post.

I was becoming increasingly frustrated with displaying videos on my WordPress blogs until I found this simple-to-use WordPress Plugin.

Easy Video Press is, as the name suggests, an easy-to-use WordPress Plugin that will take the stress out of your blogging and enable you to professionally display, and monetize, videos on your WordPress blogs.

7 Major Changes in Small Business Marketing in 2011

reflection - sunset over Mooloolaba

 reflection - sunset over Mooloolaba

As 2011 comes to a close, it is instructive to reflect on the massive changes to small business marketing that occurred during the year and to look at their implications.   These changes were driven by a number of landmark events that spawned innovations.

One of the key drivers of the changes that small business marketing confronts today, and into 2012, is the direct competition between Google and Facebook for Number One position on the Internet (and all the revenue that goes with this position).   The impact of this competition is being felt throughout the Internet marketing world and in social media.  There are many people becoming disengaged by the endless changes created by the two Giants of the Internet as they try to outpace each other.   One possible prognosis is that this could open up the arena for another player who undermines the customer base of the both the big players, as Facebook did to MySpace.

I want to focus on seven (7) key changes as a way to highlight the impacts from a small business marketing perspective.  This approach is in line with my suggestion to write blog posts in sets and sevens.  So here are the seven key changes  in 2011 affecting small business marketing:

1. Google Places upgrade and resurgence

Google introduced improvements to Google Places, the platform for local businesses to highlight their location, hours of business and their products/services.  Along with these changes, Google gave new prominence to Google Places in local search results, changing the display and increasing the value of a Google Places web presence.  Sadly, very few small businesses understand the value of this change and have failed to take up their allotted Google Places website.  In 2012, Google Places will be an absolutely essential part of your small business marketing.  Without it, you may find yourself dropping deeper and deeper in the list of local search engine results as your competitors make full use of this facility (one which Google itself hosts!).

2. Changes to Facebook Pages

The big news of 2011, was that Facebook had more web traffic (visitors) in March than Google and took over the Number One position in terms of search engine volume.  The race is now on and Google and Facebook are involved in a head-on tussle to capture (or retain) the number one position.  This competition has generated many changes on both sites.  Facebook has made major changes to its Facebook Pages to make further inroads into the business market.  These changes have complicated the scene for small business marketing.  It has meant that many small business owners have had to ignore Facebook or engage small business marketing consultants (who are struggling themselves to keep up with the changes).  But how can you ignore the Number One source of web traffic that is also a social media site with over 700 Million members?

3. Introduction of Google Plus and Google +1

Google quickly responded to Facebook’s resurgence with the introduction of its own social network, Google Plus.  It also introduced an equivalent to the Facebook “Like” in the form of the Google +1 button.   There are other major changes in Google’s search algorithm and results display that accompanied these changes.  The challenge for small business owners is, “How can you keep abreast of these changes and their implications for small business marketing?”.  Again, you cannot afford to ignore the Google changes or your competition will be appearing in a much more prominent way than you as Google attempts to “reward’ those who get on board with its new social network and related changes.

4. The resurgence of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the world’s largest online network focused on business and in 2011 grew to over 130 Million members.  LinkedIn is a new and growing force in small business marketing.  Depending on the nature of your business, it can be a critical component of your small business marketing, particularly in the light of the overall growth of social networking which looks like continuing unabated in 2012.  The introduction of status updates by LinkedIn is an attempt to utilise its growing power to move into the Big League occupied by Facebook and Google. 

5. The growth of local marketing

During 2011, there was a massive switch of focus by Internet marketers from affiliate marketing to local marketing.  This was driven in part by two influences, (1) the decline of affiliate income owing to the depressed economy in the US and (2) and the recognition that around 80% of business for offline businesses comes from within a 5 kilometre radius.   The changes to Google Places and the emergence of social networking ‘review” sites, intensified this new focus.   What it means for your small business marketing is that you have to make the most of online local marketing tools because your competitors are being courted daily by Internet marketers who see this area of consulting as a the new “goldmine”.  The new superstars of Internet marketing generate their income from monthly retainers paid by businesses, small and large, for local marketing services.

6. The massive growth of mobile marketing

With the advent of the Smart Phone and the associated growth of mobile usage, mobile marketing has taken off as the new frontier for Internet marketing.  This growth is being aided by the focus on local marketing and has spawned the development of thousands of apps for mobile phones.   Two new areas of online riches are emerging, (1) the creation and sale of mobile phone apps and (2) the development of mobile marketing strategies and tools (software).  As a small business marketer, you are going to need mobile compatible websites and mobile marketing tools.  One advantage of Google Places discussed above is that  it is already mobile-compatible – which is another reason why it is so critical for small business marketing.

7. 2011 – The Year of the PlugIn

With so many changes on so many fronts, WordPress developers have had a field day.  There has been a massive growth in WordPress Plugin development in 2011.  I receive an invite every day to purchase two or three new plugins.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to keep abreast of these software innovations.   However, the WordPress plugins are designed to make it easier for you to accommodate your small business marketing to the changes that are occurring in Internet marketing.  Many of the plugins help you to automate your small business marketing process.

In succeeding posts, I will further explain these 2011 changes and highlight their implications for small business marketing moving into 2012.

How to Install a WordPress Plugin

wordpress plugin menu

A WordPress Plugin is software that extends the functions of the basic WordPress program.  Plugins enable you to import or export information, increase the security of your blog, enhance search engine optimisation (SEO) and undertake an endless range of tasks designed to improve the functionality of your WordPress blog.   When I last looked there were over 17,00 plugins in the WordPress Directory (with over 235 Million downloads).

Installing a WordPress Plugin

WordPress makes it very easy to install plugins.  There are a series of steps you can follow which are guaranteed to work 95% of the time, so have a go without fear.  I will list out the steps here, so you can follow easily.

Step 1: Download the WordPress Plugin to your computer

To locate a WordPress Plugin, you can visit the WordPress Directory, search available plugins from within the admin area of your blog or undertake a Google search for the specific WordPress Plugin you are looking for. Many WordPress Plugins are free but some of the more sophisticated ones have a fee.  Important Note: For most plugins you will download a zip file which you should place in a designated folder on your computer (I call mine “WordPress Plugins”).

Step 2: Upload the WordPress Plugin to your blog

There is a Plugin Section in the Admin menu (yourblogURL/wp-admin) of your WordPress blog.  As the following image shows, the options available under this menu section are “Installed Plugins”,  “Add New”, “Editor” and “Akismet Configuration”.   Akismet is one of the installed plugins that comes with your basic WordPress blog and is designed to handle comment spam.

wordpress plugin menu

 

You need to click on the “Add New” option and the following image will display.  Here I have subsequently clicked on “upload” (bolded) to start the upload process:

upload WordPress Plugin

You then use the “browse” button to locate the zip file for the WordPress Plugin on your computer.  Once you have highlighted the file in the relevant folder on your computer, you press the “INSTALL NOW” button.  Note:  WordPress Plugins are usually uploaded as zipped files (do not unzip the file unless specifically instructed to do so by the developer).

Step 3:  Activate the WordPress Plugin

You need to make sure you click the “activate” button once you see that the Plugin has been successfully uploaded.  This activate button effectively integrates the Plugin with the WordPress Program.   Once a plugin has been uploaded, it is added to the Installed Plugins list.

Step 4: Read the WordPress Plugin instructions carefully

Each Plugin comes with its own set of instructions re setup and operation.  In most cases, you will need to complete some data fields to specify what options you want.  For example, in the installed plugin listing for the All in One SEO Plugin you will see this set of instructions/options:

“Out-of-the-box SEO for your WordPress blog. Options configuration panel | Upgrade to Pro Version | Donate | Support | Amazon Wishlist

WordPress Plugin can open up a whole new world of functionality for your WordPress blog and enable you to automate many tasks associated with blog post and comment management, marketing of your small business online and presentation of information to readers and the search engines.