Producing and utilizing digital media files — like images, logos, and pdfs — is an everyday occurrence for most marketers. And many have a digital asset management (DAM) system to help keep this content organized and accessible. Video files, however, are much more dynamic and complex. As a result, we are often asked, “What’s the best video format to upload into my DAM system?”

Let us introduce you to the word “mezzanine.” No, we’re not talking about the middle floor in an office building. In the video world, mezzanine files are compressed videos that take up less space than the full-resolution files, but are high-res enough to be used on the web. They can allow you to conserve storage space without sacrificing the quality that your users need.

Over the past decade video content has steadily grown in popularity and importance among marketers. Not only does it have the power to increase traffic, leads, sales, and audience understanding, but faster connection speeds and improved hardware make daily video consumption the norm. It’s no wonder that 93% of marketers who use video say that it’s an important part of their marketing strategy.

Because video content is an increasingly vital marketing tool, it needs to be managed effectively throughout its lifecycle. Let’s take a closer look at how the right technology can extend the reach and value of video content across phases — including archiving.

For nearly two decades, video has been the rising star of marketing. It started gaining speed alongside the launch of YouTube in 2005, and all signs point to continued growth through 2021 and beyond. Research from HubSpot found that more than 99% of marketers currently using video will continue to in 2021, and 69% of those who aren’t, plan to start.

This wild popularity almost begs the question — why? Are businesses just blindly following trends or are their investments in the creation, management, and distribution of video assets more deeply rooted? Let’s have a look.

By now, it’s no surprise that video is a popular marketing tool for brands. The numbers are staggering. A whopping 86% of businesses use video content, and 93% of marketers who use video say that it's an important part of their strategy. With over two billion YouTube users it’s no secret why!  

So yes, video is popular. But, just because brands use it and people watch it, doesn’t make all video effective. Video for the sake of video won’t cut it, which is why the savviest of marketers have set their sights on what’s called “branded video.” 

Video has proven to be one the best tools — if not the best — for communication and promotion. Its ability to convey and elicit emotions is without equal. So it’s not surprising that  video is now the number one form of media used in content strategy, overtaking blogs and infographics. 

And while demand for video is expanding, so are the tools to take high-quality video. Cameras in today’s smartphones have better video capabilities than professional cameras had as little as 10 years ago. With the right knowledge they can yield extremely high quality results — without a George Lucas-level budget. Let’s explore four areas where the right tricks and tips can help your videos look professional and achieve the desired impact:

What’s the difference between YouTube and a digital asset management (DAM) system, and which one should I use? These questions are often asked by Widen customers who want to expand their use of the Widen Collective to manage video assets, and by potential buyers who need a better way to manage their video assets on YouTube. 

DAM software is a content management system with publishing capabilities. YouTube, on the other hand, is a publishing platform and a search engine. So they are actually quite different, and shouldn’t be thought of as “one or the other.” We suggest you use both, and have some tips for maximizing the value of each.

In 2020, 85% of businesses use video as a tool in their marketing strategy. That’s because video works — it can increase traffic, leads, sales, and audience understanding. But, it only works at an enterprise level if you store and distribute your videos strategically.  

Do I wait two weeks for a photograph request? Or do I use the same one I’ve already been using? That was a question many at the University of San Francisco (USF) faced.

When we interviewed Tressa Crozier and Candice Pinault Novak, you could feel the pride and importance behind the USF brand. Unfortunately, the cost of providing the assets that embodied the brand came at a cost of time and chaos.

A hackathon, also known as a hack day or hackfest, is an event in which software developers work intensively on a software project of their choice for a day or two with the goal of creating a usable piece of software for educational, social, or business purposes. Widen has dubbed our own hackathon as “Hackathon Days” where the goal is to “deliver” usable software within two days. Denna Ballew, Widen’s development manager, uses Hackathon Days, which happen twice per year, to allow Widen developers to work on anything they want, to flex their creative muscles and to explore technologies that have not been used yet.