Top 6 DIY Video Sites For Commercial Inspiration

Posted: 8/19/2013

Visual marketing is the latest fad in the social media industry that businesses are adopting. Frontline apps like Vine, Instagram, MixBit, Cinemagram and countless others have demobilized video making from the hands of technicians-only to amateurs and hobbyists. In other words, video making for business and non-business reasons is actually becoming DIY, literally!

For us however, it is the business of DIY video making that is more relevant. Video marketing is an under-explored trend in the eCommerce niche. Why do I say this is precisely because small and medium business do not even sideline a budgetary task for such innovative tactics. For most businesses, video marketing forms a part of their regular blogging scene and not a standalone action for driving sales.

With scores of apps available, businesses now actually have a gamut of options to choose from. There is little or no expense incurred practically. Then why hasn't this trend caught up in the industry yet? The answer to this lies in a number of risks involved in going for a singular marketing strategy. Yes, businesses want to innovate and experiment but only within a short time frame. Most experiments are abandoned if results do not show immediately. Well such is the time we live in - both the marketers and consumers are caught in rat races of their own.

Taking all these viewpoints into consideration, we set out to explore some DIY video sites for almost every subject under the sky. Long or short, you can now make great seller videos for your customers.

1. Instructables

With a record of more than 100,000 projects under their wing, Instructables started out as a part of MIT Media Lab and later moved to the Squid Lab. Going independent in 2006, the team has worked on sharing creative videos on technology, living, food, play and miscellaneous categories. Their business one liner is "share what you make".

2. eHow

A big melting pot of professional advise and exploration of interesting videos in almost 30 categories, eHow is a free online resource for those learning the tropes of marketing. The site hosts over 2 million articles, videos and the best part is the interactive community, focused on problem solving.

3. WonderHowTo

Started in 2008 by professionals from television programming, software development, motion graphics and textile design backgrounds, they have hosted almost 170,000 how-tos videos in almost 35 broad and 424 sub-categories till date.

4. Videojug

The winner of YouTube Trends' "Top How-to-Video 2012 Winner", the website was founded in 2006. A perfect platform for commerce and branding, the UK-based site hosts videos in almost 10 basic categories. Their expertise is helping businesses create branded online video content.

5. MindBites

A full time publishing and commerce platform, MindBites go by the belief of their founder Jason Reneau i.e. exploring that tiny creative niche "intersecting technology, economics and business". Founded in 2007, their online digital library of tutorial videos cover a vast range of topics from Photoshop to Grammar lessons to Painting videos.

6. Common Craft

They say save the best for the last and Common Craft is indeed that!

An exclusive website specially for businesses, their readymade 3 minute videos can be easily embedded or downloaded by members. Yes it is a paid site, with membership starting at $49 per annum. Owned by Seattle based duo Lee and Sachi LeFever, the video making company was started in 2007. The most endearing part of their digital sources is their cut-out library that comes with images designed for use in making explainer videos and presentations.

Taking all that effort to create a video is a little time-consuming. However, it makes for a great way to communicate with the customers, to inform them of your exceptional products and make their shopping experience different from your rivals.

We hope that most of you you will explore these awesome sites and pick up compelling business ideas for your customers. Do let us know your views about about visual marketing through videos. Leave a reply in the comments section.

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