Affiliate marketing is moving into the digital age of audio and video. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but a picture with a thousand words may be even more powerful. As information products make their way to the marketplace, and as the volume of people looking for information increases, the importance of multimedia distribution cannot be underestimated.

The Marketplace

There is still a very important place for the written word in the creation and distribution of information products. But the role of audio and video, in the form of an audio pod cast or webinar or as a video program, is becoming more commonplace and expected. Video tutorials have proliferated and are now very much the rage with the super affiliate community. There is no doubt that anyone intending to do business online will have to learn to master the creation and distribution of audio and video information programming.

Production Value

While the production value of much of the current product in distribution does not match what you are accustomed to see on your television set, there has been a great deal of progress made in creating and distributing programming material that is of very good quality. As time marches on, the production values will increase as technologies develop to compress and move more efficiently over the Web.

Communication Skill Set

The skill set needed to move into this new form of communication will require the mastering of research, writing, voice work, editing, and attention to detail that is commonplace in the television and movie industries. You will need to make sure that you develop a well researched and well written script before you sit down in front of your digital camera to produce your product. Even if you plan to voice over graphic material, you will definitely need to plan and rehearse your words before you create your information audio or video. I have sat through many a tutorial only to be frustrated to have an off screen click or tab used by the teacher leaving me clueless about how to proceed. Remember that if it seems obvious to you, it may not be obvious to your viewers. A cardinal rule of video communication is that NOTHING IS OBVIOUS.

Nor can you assume anything. As a novice to affiliate marketing you have a lot of questions and need to have the time to know what questions to ask. It goes without saying that in the early stages it is hard to know where to begin and difficult to know what to ask. So you need to understand your audience, understand what they are facing, and in many instances you will have to anticipate what they need.

Program Formats

Single presenter

The simplest and most basic presentation is that of the single presenter and a demo screen of the product or process he/she is trying to demonstrate. This is easy to execute because it offers material the host knows inside-out and can be illustrated using graphics from the software being used in the lesson. The caution here is to make sure that any off-screen clicking and selecting be clearly covered in the audio track so the viewer does not lose track of the information flow. The most common error is to move off the viewable screen and make clicks and selections that are important to the lesson plan.

Two person Interview and Webinar

The classic two person interview is also becoming a more common marketing tool. In some cases, it is an audio interview, often of a phone conversation between the expert (presumably you) and an interested second party who wants you to impart your knowledge for the benefit of their audience. Many free bonuses that accompany a product purchase are audio interviews of a super affiliate explaining strategies or techniques of marketing online.

Another form of audio or video information product is that of the Webinar or teleseminar. In this format, you have the expert and a group of panelists cover a topic of interest. It can be followed by a question and answer period that allows the audience to participate and lend legitimacy and authority to the final product.

All of these program formats should be complemented with written transcriptions to increase their effectiveness and improve the quality of the experience for the audience. It is very effective in proving the legitimacy and commitment of the program producer to the audience and contributes to building trust and confidence in the relationship with that audience.

Conclusion

The role of the audio and video electronic information product is going to become central to anyone who is planning an online marketing business. It is going to be a given in the design, development and execution of Web sites or blogs. As such, it will demand that the affiliate marketer become conversant with and fully knowledgeable of the right way of making and distributing audio/video information to their customer base. While it needs to be executed properly, it is also one of the most effective ways to grow any online business.

May Your Travels Be Prosperous.