Using Music in your Online Video

Music can make or break an online video. Many very popular online videos have become very popular because of the music they have used . Unfortunately many of the songs used in these million plus viewed videos were used illegally and that’s no way to build a business. Until the record labels work out a micro-payment and tracking system to legaly use copyrighted music works there are a few options to find and use music in your online videos.

First, there are sites like Podsafe Music, ioda and rumblefish where you can “promote” new music in your online video. Then there are sites like 5 Alarm, Xtreme and megatrax where you can pay money to license stock music for your videos.

Contracts for Online Videos

I’m not a lawyer nor do I play one on TV or the Internet. But legally speaking you might want to think about putting together some contracts for all the different things you are going to need in your online video.

If you have actors or on-camera guests in your videos you should get signed on-camera talent releases. If you have shot at a place you don’t own or rent you should have a location release. If you have uses other peoples personal property like a car or boat you should get a materials release. If you have had crew help you shoot the video you should have work for hire deal memos with them just so that they don’t get the idea that they own a piece of your video. If you have used other people’s photos or videos in your video you should get a release for the photo or video, a release from the people in the photos or videos and a release from the photographer who shot the pictures. Last but not least if you have used music in your video. You will need to license that music and this can be very complicated. As with all these links, they are just examples. You should consult your attorney because when you start making money with your online video if you don’t have your contracts in place people will show up wanting their cut of the money you have made.

Viral Video vs. Viral Brand

Having a viral video is great. It’s fun to upload a video that you’ve created and see it downloaded millions of times but you can’t pay your rent with free downloads. As you conceive your video ideas and execute them be thinking about what your brand strategy could be for those videos. Are there revenue streams other than advertising? Can you create merchandising opportunities? Are there places that you or the cast of your video could appear for performance fees? Are there book deals that could happen based on your video? Could your video be made into a TV Show or Feature Film? How far can you build your brand?

Digital Footprints

As you travel the web watching online videos and searching for information to help you build your business in online video be sure to comment on information along the way. When you leave a comment be sure and leave a link back to your site. You never know who might click on that link and then add a link from their site to your online video.

Making Friends

No matter what business you are in making friends will help you grow your business. The Internet has made it easy to find people interested in the same things you are and it is easier than ever making contact with them. If you live in a big city you will find that there are podcaster meetups, podcamps, barcamps , New Media Conventions, Video on the Net and large interactive conventions like SXSW. Even if you can’t make it to a convention or seminar you can join an online Yahoo or Google Group about online video, podcasting or vlogging. Some of the members of these groups even get together for Flash Meetings.

Advertisng Your Online Video

Television Networks have entire departments devoted to advertising their TV Shows. These departments are called On-Air Promo Departments and they create spots or “promos” to advertise their TV Shows both on their own network (On-Air or On-Net) or on other networks (Off-Air ), (Off –Net) or (Cross-Channel), you can do the same thing for your online video and if you use Revver you can even make money while you are doing it.

First, create a promotional video that explains what your online video is about, where people can find it and any other info you want your viewers to know. Then upload your promo to Revver and post your Revverizes promo online at your site (On-net). Next contact other online video producers and ask them is they will link to your promo as well as your main online videos.

Pursuing Your Passion

If you are looking to make money in online video you might want to pursue something that you have a passion. Whether it be Cars, mysteries, or political views and news , You’ll find that pursuing your personal interests will keep you motivated so that you can stay focused and make a business out of online video.