Restaurants and Online Video are the Perfect Combination

Restaurants and other convivial establishments (bars, clubs, etc.) can all make great use of online video to help drive new business from online advertising.  That our partner Citysearch features video profiles on hundreds of local restaurants is a testament to its effectiveness for owners who want to reach the growing online audience searching for the best restaurants in their local area.

As more people go online to find out where to spend their entertainment dollars the restaurants that do the best job of informing the online audience and telling a compelling, authentic story about their establishment will be the most successful in converting online browsers in to in-restaurant customers. 

Nation's Restaurant News recently covered TurnHere's success in creating online video for restaurants in an article titled "Indies, chains broaden reach to guests with online videos".  You'll need a subscription to view the full article.  Here is the opening line:

A growing number of operators are producing short videos for the Internet in an effort to attract the throngs of potential customers surfing the Web for news and entertainment. 

We believe nothing makes a restaurant standout than by providing the online viewer the opportunity to get a sense of the restaurant in action with video of the food, atmosphere and staff that makes the restaurant a great place to eat.

Below is a video we shot for ChikaLicious Dessert Bar in New York.  This unique dessert-only restaurant leverages videos to show the incredible experience of coming to their location just for dessert. How can video help your restaurant showcase its unique attributes?

TurnHere Partners with Kudzu.com to Offer Online Video Services for Local Service Providers

We are very excited about our our new partnership with Kudzu.com, an interactive Web site that connects ready-to-buy consumers with local businesses. TurnHere will provide kudzu.com’s listing with videos to allow viewers to learn more about local merchants.

One of the great things about video for service providers is that it gives them an opportunity to demonstrate excellence in their service offering.  By using video to showcase the extra attention to detail, customer service and superior know-how and craftsmanship, service companies can differentiate themselves from their competition in the same field.

Imagine two cleaning companies with listings on the Web.  One company has a video showing them giving extra attention to oft-missed spots in the house, showing extra care around breakable items and providing a customer testimonial to their great work.  The other simply has text, contact information and a few photos.  Who gains more trust?  Who do consumers feel more connected with?  Who do those consumers call?  The one with the video.

That is the power of video for service providers.

From our press release announcing the partnership:

“By supplementing our Kudzu.com listing with video, we can really showcase the care and detail that goes into our cleaning service,” said Anna Zanthos, owner of Persnickety Cleaners. “Highlighting our business and the people that make it successful is a valuable marketing tool that helps potential customers make the decision to call on us ahead of our competitors.”

“Partnering with TurnHere adds another dimension to the breadth of services we offer to our listed companies,” said Edward Rosenfeld, director of business development for Kudzu.com. “Kudzu focuses on giving businesses the tools they need to tell their own stories. Consumers use this information to make important hiring decisions, and video provides a memorable and compelling addition to a robust business profile.”

Read the full press release here.

Video in Local Search

ComScore released an eye-opening report that shows that nearly 1 billion search results each and every month now contain an "Universal Search" result.  Universal Search results are defined as anything other than a standard web result or paid search result, such as video, maps, local information, news, weather, etc.  And its clear that video is playing a large part in those results.

From Small Business SEM:

• of 1.2 billion queries, 220 million contained a universal result
• 16% of total clicks involved a universal result
• 87 million people searched, 58% saw a Universal result (38% of people saw video, 34% news, 19% images, 10% maps/stocks/weather)

This change in search results bodes well for local advertisers that take advantage of video as part of their online marketing strategy.  By leveraging video local business has a better opportunity of appearing higher in universal search results.  Video can also be included in map results and local results making video a multi-faceted search improver.

In addition to inclusion in Universal Search video remains a powerful branding and direct response medium for the web for small businesses.  As Universal Search becomes more prominent video benefits will continue to grow as a vital part of online marketing for small businesses.

TurnHere Videos Work for Local Business

My mom, a small-business owner herself, for as long as I can remember has lamented the fact that she couldn't afford video advertising on television.  Her refrain is not uncommon among small business owners who feel locked out of additional business opportunities due to the high costs of creating and distributing video advertising on television.

TurnHere solves this dilemma for small business owners.  TurnHere's video production platform delivers low cost, high-quality video that creates awareness, creates action and most importantly, creates trust through a personal, compelling story.  Our first-person perspective and story-telling video format invites viewers to learn about the people and personalities behind the business. 

These video productions go beyond the "what" of a business and answer the "why."  Why was the business started?  Why does the owner have so much passion about their profession?  It's these types of emotive stories that capture the attention of viewers and earn their business.

Small businesses benefit from TurnHere's partnership with large directory services such as Citysearch, YELLOWPAGES.com, Superpages.com and more to create an online video for their profile that sets them apart from their competition and attracts the attention of viewers looking for their services.

Here's a great video about Cuba, a local New York restaurant.  It's a perfect example of small business taking advantage of online video to create an inviting ad that makes you want to head right down for some Cuban flavor!

YELLOWPAGES.com Taps TurnHere to Produce Online Video for Local Businesses

We officially announced our partnership with YELLOWPAGES.com today to produce online video for their local business owner-customers as part of the company's Premium Video Profile package.  YELLOWPAGES.com customers will now have the opportunity to include video in their online listings.  We're extremely excited about the relationship which extends our reach in to the local market on the heels of our Citysearch and Superpages.com partnerships announced last year. 

Our diverse, global filmmaker base allows us to provide video to local businesses no matter where they may be.  And our production model allows our partners to offer video to their clients at price points that fit their advertising budgets.

From the release:

“TurnHere has established a strong foothold in the directory and local markets,” said John McWeeny, senior vice president, business development, TurnHere. “We continue to see rising industry demand as small merchants embrace online video as a platform to attract new customers and drive business growth.”

Local business customers see the benefits as well:

Benjamin Weiss, owner of Chez Ben/Fahrenheit Bar & Bistro in Providence, RI, recently shot a video with TurnHere and understands how it can help him attract new customers. “As a local merchant, I am always looking for cost-effective ways to broaden awareness and tell the story behind the bistro,” he said. “TurnHere really captured the spirit and essence of our business and enabled our online listing to come to life.”

You can read the full release here.

For more coverage of the release check out the articles on Mashable, ClickZ, MediaPost and the Kelsey Group blog.

More on Our Superpages.com Partnership

There continues to be plenty of positive coverage about our recently announced partnership with Superpages.com.  We're excited that more and more, people are seeing the real value of high-quality, authentic, affordable video for local businesses.  TurnHere specializes in making mini-documentary films for businesses of all sizes; and our new partnership with Superpages.com will bring the power of video to the more than 18-million businesses serviced by Superpages.

Here is a bit more on the coverage of the announcement from around the web:

From MediaPost:

According to Greg Sterling, senior analyst for Opus Research's Local Mobile Search, the widespread adoption of online video has hit the IYP and local search space as well, and soon it will be mandatory for providers to offer video ads to stay competitive.

On Insider Chatter:

TurnHere is on a local video roll. Just months after landing a deal to power the production of online video spots for Citysearch, the “full service Internet video solutions provider” is now making videos for Idearc’s Superpages.com.

TurnHere Founder & CEO, Brad Inman, is enthusiastic about the market opportunity for his company’s 2000 member strong ”Filmmaker Network,” independent creatives making “high-quality videos for the Web that capture the true local spirit of a place and the people and businesses that bring it to life.”

From Tripp Fenderson:

I stumbled across TurnHere in June of ‘06 and immediately connected with the high-quality production values of the local, local, local content. TurnHere offers more than just an online video ad - they present a picture of the business - the story behind the sales. And because it’s a story about a business in the community (and not some faceless corporation hawking goods) people are more willing to listen.

TurnHere Brings Video to Superpages.com

We're excited to announce the launch of TurnHere's partnership with Idearc Media's Superpages.com(R).  Under the terms of the agreement the 18-million-strong base of Superpages.com businesses will have the ability to add high-quality, TurnHere produced video advertisements to their online profiles. 

This new partnership brings the impact of video advertising to businesses that have typically stayed away from the video due to cost concerns.  TurnHere's network of experienced filmmaker-producers provide flexibility to businesses of all sizes in creating professional, engaging content at a fraction of the cost of traditional video creation.

From the release:

“TurnHere, with their national network of talented video producers as well as their efficient and highly scaleable production process, is an obvious partner for us and will meet the needs of Superpages’ customers,” said Eric Chandler, president, Internet for Idearc Media. “TurnHere’s authentic video style, coupled with the company’s value-oriented delivery process, will serve as a compelling advertising tool for clients ranging from local merchants to professionals and emerging businesses.”
...

“TurnHere has established the standard for scaleable online video production in a variety of industries – our new relationship with Superpages.com demonstrates our growth and success in the local market sector,” said Bradley Inman, CEO and founder, TurnHere. “Our goal continues to be helping companies convey the unique personalities and services behind their businesses through a real-time medium that is both dynamic and cost-effective.”

Learn more about how you can add video to your Superpages.com(R) listing.   If you're a filmmaker and want to be a part of TurnHere's network of professional filmmakers visit us here.

TurnHere takes center stage in Vator interview series

TurnHere founder Brad Inman appeared on Vator.TV this week in the first installment of the site's weekly interview series. View to learn more about TurnHere's initiatives in the publishing industry, local business video production, and organizing filmmakers around the world.