Video white papers are a relatively new concept, so let’s start by defining what a video white paper is. A white paper is an authoritative report that is intended to educate customers and prospects about a particular product or service. They are often used in situations where the product or service being sold is fairly complex so the use of charts, graphs, or other research is critical to effectively support a position. Because of their high content value, many companies put a registration form in front of them and use them as a lead generation vehicle. A video white paper is simply an alternate delivery medium, which relies on visual elements such as video, graphics and animations to convey the information.

One of the benefits of video white papers is their ability to combine detail with the personality that is conveyed through audio and/or video. When done well, audio and video enables the speaker’s authority and personality to bolster a program’s content. You can also efficiently build a relationship with prospects by offering a variety of content choices to keep them engaged, so they'll become educated and interested enough to begin seriously considering a product or service.

A recent B-to-B study found that 78% of respondents believe video makes online content more compelling (KnowledgeStorm/Universal McCann). In a similar study, respondents were increasingly selective about what types of content appeals to them most, with educational white papers topping the list at 71% (KnowledgeStorm/MarketingSherpa). These consumption patterns indicate that companies should utilize video white papers to deliver educational information that will attract and appeal to their target audience.

In certain markets, moving from text to multimedia white papers is no longer a luxury. eMarketer reports that online video consumption in the U.S. alone will grow by 28% to 157 million viewers by 2010.  This growth is fueling a sense of urgency for marketers to use video in all aspects of their communications for target audiences. This is especially true for the younger generation that has grown up in multitasking, multimedia environments. In addition, media of all shapes and forms have multiplied -- from mobile, to podcasts, wikis and blogs, so utilizing a medium that will cut through the clutter is of utmost importance.

For marketers, the ultimate goal of producing a white paper is to move prospects along the awareness-consideration-purchase continuum. Video white papers can help accomplish this goal and drive time and expense out of the sales cycle if they are built on a platform that supports user-driven navigation, has flexible online data capture, and reporting metrics that support marketing performance measurements.

For example, an on-demand rich media platform like AccelaCast can measure things such as number and source of registrations, how long a person viewed your white paper, what resource links they clicked on, and which segments they actually watched. This very tangible engagement data can help your sales team prioritize leads, develop a follow-up strategy based on what content the viewer is most interested in, and even identify those prospects that are closer to buying. All of these data points can feed into an engagement formula and ultimately, this kind of behavioral intelligence offers real value that you simply don't get with a PDF document.

Appropriately designed interactive video white papers can not only deliver tailored content based on the requirements of consumers, but also the actionable insight your organization needs to accelerates the sales cycle. This can be accomplished with a robust rich media platform and service provider that is willing to work with companies during the development stage to provide creative input, feedback and guidance during the production process.

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Editors Note: The name of this newsletter was recently changed from "Perspectives" to the "Rich Media Report" to better reflect the topic and scope of information included in each issue