Posts Tagged ‘Mixpo’

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Choose to increase views

Friday, September 11th, 2009

The busy online publisher page where an advertiser’s Xspot is running contains a lot of content, all of which competes for viewers’ attention.

So how do you get an Xspot to stand out? To reach through the clutter and motivate viewers to watch?

By actively choosing a compelling thumbnail image. That’s how.

What is a thumbnail image?

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of the thumbnail image.

Studies show that consumers spend considerably more time engaging with video ads than with display ads, and that higher exposure rates mean more conversions.

But, if consumers never start watching a video ad, none of that great engagement, exposure, or conversion can happen.

That’s where thumbnail images come in.

Typically, media companies do not allow video ads that run on their sites to play automatically when viewers land on the pages where the video ads are embedded. Instead, video ads play when viewers click or pause their cursors over them.

The thumbnail image is the image that viewers see in the video ad player before they take action with their cursors.

The thumbnail image, in other words, is all you’ve got to influence whether or not that cursor action ever gets taken.

Choosing thumbnail images in Mixpo version 3

If you don’t take action to set a thumbnail image, you get the default image.

To see an Xspot’s thumbnail image, make sure its play mode is set for click-to-play or mouseover-to-play, then preview it.

The image you see in the Player on the preview page before you click or pause your cursor over the Xspot is the thumbnail image.

In previous versions of the Mixpo platform, you had one option for replacing the default image with a more compelling one: upload the more compelling one. In version 3, you can still go that route.

In addition, you have another powerful option: You can examine each frame of each video clip included in an Xspot and choose the frame that tells the most compelling story.

Choose Thumbnail from Video window

Choose Thumbnail from Video window

In the Choose Thumbnail from Video window, you can extract any video frame and set it as the thumbnail image.

Find detailed instructions for choosing a thumbnail image, visit the Create page and then click Where can I get a good thumbnail image?

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Introducing Mixpo Version 3

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Upgrades can be tough. Just when you get comfortable using a program, things change and you have to go through the time-consuming process of learning new routines.

No doubt about it. Mixpo Version 3 represents a significant change from the previous version. But, you’re unlikely to find the transition particularly burdensome. Why?

First of all, rest assured. Live ads won’t be affected.

In addition, behind the scenes, you’ll experience:

Tip You might also want to visit the completely redesigned and reorganized Help Center.

Same settings organized better

You don’t lose anything in the new version. All of the settings you’re familiar with are still there. You just have a lot more control over which settings you see when.

For example, take a look at the redesigned Publishing page. The new page is made up of sections that collapse and expand.

Publishing page with most options collapsed

Publishing page with most options collapsed

Each expanding section gathers a group of related settings together.

Choose Thumbnail and Customize Player section expanded

Choose Thumbnail and Customize Player section expanded

You see all related settings only after expanding an Advanced column on the right.

Advanced options expanded

Advanced options expanded

Redesigned product with a simpler workflow

In the new version, we’ve taken the guesswork out of the publishing process, that is, the process of getting from a VideoAd you put together in the Studio to a live ad running on a website or ad server.

For example, on the Publishing page, we clearly distinguish the essential steps (labelled Steps 1, 2, and 3) from the optional steps.

Step 1 - VideoAd Info

Basic VideoAd information - the 1st essential step

After naming a VideoAd, you can easily preview the ad yourself and send a preview page link to the advertiser.

Step 2 - Preview in Page

Preview - the 2nd essential step

With the ad approved, you’re ready to copy and embed the ad tag. You can easily customize the tag so it works on https pages, a variety of ad servers, and websites that use iframes.

Step 3 - Copy Ad Tag

Copy Ad Tag - the 3rd essential step

The optional steps are always there if you want to choose a thumbnail, customize the Player, share a VideoAd with other members of your team, and more.

Easier creation in a refined Studio

The Studio looks pretty the much the same as it always has but it works even better.

You’re familiar with overlays – text, image, and video objects that transform TV spots into interactive online VideoAds ready for the Web.

In Version 3, text overlays are a lot easier to manage.

For example, you can quickly edit text for all overlays in one convenient list.

Edit overlay text in one place

Edit overlay text in one place

And, you can control the appearance and behavior of all overlays on one handy Set Styles page.

Set all overlay styles on one page

Set all overlay styles on one page

Take the Version 3 plunge

This post just scratches the surface of the new Mixpo release but stay tuned. In this blog, over the next few weeks, I’ll go deeper and cover many useful new features and refinements in more detail.

(Want to start exploring new features on your own? Visit the Create page, and then click Where can I get a good thumbnail image?. Or, visit the Publish page, and then click What version of the ad tag do I need?)

As you begin working with the Version 3, we’d love to get your feedback.

Questions or concerns? Contact support.

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Take advantage of trimming

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Trimming is an undiscovered treasure of the Mixpo VideoAd creation process. Knowing when and how to trim gives you considerably more control over the content of the VideoAds you create.

In this article, you’ll learn:

Looking for instructions on how to trim? See Can I use only part of an existing video in a VideoAd?.

What is trimming?

When you trim a video clip, you trim off the excess bits and pare it down to just the portion you want to use.

You can trim at two different stages of the VideoAd creation process. As you’ll learn in more detail in a later section, the best time to trim is determined by the computer you’re using and/or the specific goal you’re trying to accomplish.

Why is trimming useful?

Suppose you have a TV spot or other existing creative on which you intend to base a VideoAd. The existing video clip may contain content at the beginning and/or the end that just doesn’t make sense online.

  • Trimming is an efficient way to eliminate the parts of a video clip that you don’t need.

Or, suppose you want to add a video overlay to a VideoAd. Video overlays are short, compelling video snapshots that intensify the primary content of a VideoAd. For example, a pizza chain VideoAd might supplement its primary content (a luscious, ingredient-laden slice being removed from a pie) with a video overlay of a chef expertly tossing dough.

  • Trimming allows you to quickly extract a small portion of a longer clip to include as an overlay.

If you separately record and upload audio and video content for a VideoAd, coordinating the timing can be tricky.

  • Trimming allows you to make small adjustments to video content so it coordinates precisely with the voiceover.

Two trimming approaches

In the Mixpo platform, you can trim at two different points in the VideoAd creation process:

This section describes the pros and cons of each approach so you can choose the approach that works best in a specific situation.

Trim before upload

Video Clip Extractor window

Trimming before upload takes place in the Video Clip Extractor window

Description Pros and Cons
  • Works only on a PC, during the import process (or from within the Studio before you save).
  • Trimming occurs on your local computer and only the trimmed portion is uploaded (the original video file is not altered in any way).
  • You can set the start time of the trimmed section anywhere in the clip.
  • Gives you the finest control over the trimmed result.
  • Viewing performance may be slightly better because you upload only the portion you need.
  • If you realize you want to include more of the original clip, you have to upload and trim again.

Trim after upload

Video Trimming Tool window.

Trimming after upload takes place in the Video Trimming Tool window.

Description Pros and Cons
  • Works on both a Mac and a PC.
  • Trimming occurs on the Mixpo servers after the entire video clip has been uploaded. (On a PC, uploading is complete after you import a video clip into the Studio and save.)
  • You can set the start time of the trimmed section only at key frames.
  • Available whatever operating system you use.
  • Fine tune video clip length at any time.
  • Use to trim video clips from the Mixpo stock library or an account’s media library.
  • Lack of fine control over start times.
  • May degrade viewing performance slightly because the entire clip is stored on the server.

To step through procedures for the two trimming approaches, see Can I use only part of an existing video in a VideoAd?.

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Account management tips

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

“Despite the slowing growth predicted for 2009, online video ads are still rising in popularity at a pace that would be welcomed by most other ad media.”

So says eMarketer, while predicting 23 percent growth in online video ad spending during 2009.

This impressive growth rate means that, as a sales or operations team member at a local broadcast provider or online publisher, you’re likely to be managing an increasing number of advertiser accounts that include VideoAds, and it will become increasingly important to manage these accounts efficiently.

In the Mixpo VideoAd platform, by following one simple rule and taking advantage of a couple of handy features, you can easily:

Keep track of each advertiser’s VideoAds

It’s easy to keep track of each advertiser’s VideoAds, if you follow one simple rule:

  • Create a separate account for each advertiser.

Why follow the one advertiser/one account rule?

  • You eliminate the possibility of confusion about which VideoAds belong to which advertiser.
  • Performance reports are automatically generated on an account-by-account basis. Separating advertisers by account makes it easy to keep them informed.
  • You can search on account name to quickly locate and compare the performance of all of an advertiser’s active VideoAds.
Create an Account option in Account Settings

Create an Account option in Account Settings

Group Managers create new accounts by signing in, opening Account Settings, and then clicking Create an Account.

Show me detailed steps for creating new advertiser accounts.

Access advertiser accounts

In Account Settings, you can search for individual accounts by typing part of all of the account name.

But, as a Group Manager, probably the quickest way for you to locate a specific account is to use the handy List All Accounts in Group option.

List All Accounts in Group option in Account Settings

List All Accounts in Group option in Account Settings

In the resulting list of all the accounts that you manage, you can click a specific account name to open the Update Account page.

Clicking an account in the accounts list

Clicking an account in the accounts list

From the Update Account page, you can edit account details and sign in to the advertiser account to create, modify, or publish a VideoAd.

Signing in to an account from the Update Account page

Signing in to an account from the Update Account page

Tip You don’t have to sign out of your Group Manager account to sign in to the advertiser account and you can return to the Group Manager Account at any time. Learn more.

Monitor and communicate VideoAd performance

While a lot of creative effort goes into making VideoAds, they are not ends in themselves. What matters – to you and your advertisers – are the clicks, leads, and brand exposure that VideoAds generate.

In the Mixpo VideoAd platform, for your convenience, performance reports in PDF format are automatically generated on a weekly and monthly basis for each account.

If you manage a number of advertiser accounts, signing in, locating, and downloading the reports for each account can be quite time consuming.

Save yourself a lot of time by setting up each advertiser account so you receive the auto-generated reports in email.

During set up, you can identify multiple email recipients. If you choose, performance reports can be sent directly to advertisers as well as to yourself.

Walk me through the process of setting up email delivery of reports.

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Download VideoAds as MPEG-4 files

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

You’ve created some great VideoAds for your advertisers. Your sales reps want to show examples to prospective customers but they can’t always count on Internet connections during their sales pitches.

In addition to running a VideoAd in your publication, an advertiser wants to upload the ad to YouTube or other video-sharing websites.

Now, generating a free-standing video file that you can play offline or upload is easy.

From within the VideoAd platform, you can download any VideoAd as an MPEG-4 (.mp4) video file. Common media players, including Windows Media® Player and QuickTime®, and popular video-sharing websites all support the .mp4 format.

Download MP4 Version button on the Syndication tab

Download MP4 Version button on the Syndication tab

To download a VideoAd, click Download MP4 Version on the Syndication tab in the Publisher.

Downloading is actually a two-step process:

  • First, the platform has to generate the .mp4 file.
  • Then, you can save the file to your computer.

Because file generation can take a few minutes, we’ve designed the process so you don’t have to sit and wait for it to happen. After you click the Download button to start the generation process, generation occurs in the background.

You can close the Download MP4 Version window, cancel out of the Publisher, and do some other tasks in the VideoAd platform. Or, if it’s time for a break or meeting, you can even close the platform altogether.

When you return and click Download MP4 Version, you can immediately save the .mp4 file to your computer.

Things to consider

  • When you download a VideoAd to a free-standing .mp4 file, you lose interactivity. For example, suppose your VideoAd includes an overlay that viewers click to open a lead capture form. That overlay won’t be clickable in the .mp4 version.
  • The INFO menu is not available in the .mp4 version.

I’d like more details about how to download a VideoAd.

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Tour the Timeline

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Cross-platform ad buys make sense for both you and your advertisers. When the same ad runs both on television and online, you make more money and your advertisers reach larger and more diverse audiences.

But don’t let the online versions of those cross-platform ads end up as what Gary Stein in Online Video Advertising’s Breakout Moment calls “broadcastware.”

By “broadcastware,” Stein means ads that never make the digital leap, that remain mired in television think and fail to take advantage of the interactive possibilities that online offers.

With the VideoAd platform, it’s easy to turn passive TV ad footage into a digital-ready, interactive online video ad. In this post, we’ll focus in particular on two convenient features of the Timeline:

Overlay management

For the purposes of this discussion, let’s assume the advertiser you’re working with is a travel agency promoting a trip to Barcelona, Spain.

After you upload the advertiser’s TV video file, the Studio looks something like this.

Studio with uploaded TV spot in Timeline

Studio with uploaded TV spot in Timeline

The 30-second TV spot you uploaded, shown here in red because it’s selected, appears as a visual in the Timeline.

Now’s your chance to cross the digital divide.

Given the nature of television, all the TV-spot can do is verbally encourage viewers, who want more information about the Barcelona tour, to contact the travel agency by phone or email.

In the VideoAd version, you have other, much more powerful options.

If you add a lead capture overlay, viewers can request information about or even sign up for the tour right from within the VideoAd.

Overlay that opens a lead capture form

Overlay that opens a lead capture form

You can also add website link overlays that viewers click to visit the travel agency website or to open an annotated map of Barcelona that shows the tour highlights.

Website link overlays linked to pages on the travel agency website

Website link overlays linked to pages on the travel agency website

Each overlay you add is automatically added to the Text row on the Timeline. You have full control over each overlay’s position and duration.

Overlay selected in the Text row of the Timeline

Overlay selected in the Text row of the Timeline

To position an overlay in the visual flow, drag it along the Timeline. To set how long an overlay remains visible, drag the handle on its right end.

Dragging an overlay handle to set how long it's visible

Dragging an overlay handle to set how long it's visible

To learn more about overlays, see The power and glory of overlays, Don’t forget lead capture, and The power of video and image overlays.

Selecting and re-ordering Timeline elements

Unlike television ads, online VideoAds often play only in response to viewer actions, such as clicks or mouseovers.

This means that, when you create an online version of a TV spot, it’s essential to take the time to make the VideoAd as inviting as possible.

One of the most effective ways to make a VideoAd more inviting is to add a compelling image as the VideoAd’s initial thumbnail.

Here’s how the Timeline might look immediately after you upload a compelling initial image to the Barcelona tour VideoAd.

Initial image added to right end of Timeline

Initial image added to right end of Timeline

The initial image is the first image that viewers see so you need to move it from the end of the VideoAd (far right on the Timeline) to the beginning (far left on the Timeline).

However, if you simply drag the image from right to left, you’ll shift the elements on the visual row while leaving the overlay elements in place. This means that you’ll have to reposition all of the overlay elements in relation to the video clip.

This is when you can take advantage of the Timeline’s multi-select features.

Click the T at the far left end of the overlays row. This selects all of the overlays.

Click the T to select all overlays

Click the T to select all overlays

Then, press CTRL (or the Command (Apple) key on the Mac) and select the video clip in the visual row. Drag these related elements together to the right until the initial image is in its proper location on the far left.

Selecting and moving multiple overlays and the video clip

Selecting and moving multiple overlays and the video clip

To learn more about the power of initial images, see Better thumbnails mean more views.

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Experience the new expander

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

In response to viewer clicks and mouseovers, VideoAds now do more than play.

They also expand from the 300×250 banner ad size to a 560×300 expander.

Banner-ad-size VideoAd embedded in online publication

Banner-ad-size VideoAd embedded in online publication


After mouseover, VideoAd expands to 560x300 expander size

After mouseover, VideoAd expands to 560x300 expander size

You’re in control of whether a VideoAd expands and what the expander space contains. For example, you can set a VideoAd to fill the space in a wide-screen format. Or, you can add a message or image to the left of the ad.

You also have the option of adding a colored border and background to an expander.

Expander examples

Click each of the following four thumbnails to open a webpage where an expandable VideoAd is embedded in a hypothetical online publication.

When the webpage opens, pause your cursor over the embedded VideoAd to expand and play it.

To see a couple of other new features in action – overlay transitions and image overlays – take a few seconds to watch the entire VideoAd.

These examples give you a sense of what’s possible. They also make it clear that, with the addition of the expander, advertisers are limited only by their imaginations.

Examples are fine but I want to know how to set up expandable VideoAds for my advertisers.

Tip Want to turn expanding on for a VideoAd that is already embedded in an online publication? After you set the expander options, be sure to copy the new embed code and paste it over the old code.

VideoAd fills the expander

This expander contains only the VideoAd and has a colored border.


Thumbnail of embedded VideoAd

Click to see the embedded VideoAd in action

Expander with message

For this expander, I added a custom message and a colored border.


Thumbnail of embedded VideoAd

Click to see the embedded VideoAd in action

Expander with transparent image

For this expander, I uploaded a transparent image.

In the expander, the space to the left of the VideoAd is exactly 200 pixels wide and 300 pixels tall. You can create neat effects by uploading a transparent image of just that size. Be sure to turn off the border.

transparent_thumbnail1

Click to see the embedded VideoAd in action

Expander with regular image

You aren’t restricted to transparent images or images of any particular size. All images you upload will be centered and scaled appropriately.

For this expander, I uploaded a regular (non-transparent) image. I added a colored border and background color.

Thumbnail of embedded VideoAd

Click to see the embedded VideoAd in action

Image credits

The bouquet I used in the Expander with regular image example is a photograph taken by Keith Kerr. Keith’s fine photos are available for use according to these guidelines.

The transparent rose that appears in the Expander with transparent image example and as an image overlay in the VideoAd came from the website fabiovisentin.com.

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Reports – It’s all about the numbers

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

For you and your advertisers, it’s all about the numbers.

Advertisers want to know what they’re getting for their advertising dollars.

You sell advertising based on its ability to perform.

In this post, we’ll walk through the performance reports available in the VideoAd platform and describe some best practices for accessing and generating them.

We’ll answer the following questions:

What types of performance reports are available?

As a group manager, you have access to:

All reports are in PDF format that you can easily open, save, print, and email to advertisers.

Summary reports by VideoAd

Summary report for several VideoAds in an account

Summary report for several VideoAds in an account

Useful for: Providing advertisers with a high-level snapshot of how one or more of their VideoAds are performing.

Includes: Graphical displays of views, clicks, interactions, and playthrough. A tabular presentation of engagement and exposure rates for each VideoAd.

Generated by: Selecting the VideoAds you want to include, specifying a date range, and clicking the Generate Report button in the Dashboard.

Detailed performance reports by account

Detailed account report. Data shown for one VideoAd in report.

Detailed account report. Data shown for one VideoAd in report.

Useful for: Analyzing a VideoAd’s performance on an on-going basis and optimizing the VideoAd to perform better.

Includes: Summary engagement and exposure statistics for each VideoAd accompanied by detailed graphical displays of impressions, interactions, views, and clicks.

Generated by: The platform, automatically, every week and every month. Available in the Advanced Analytics section of each advertiser account or by email.

Tip Not sure what a particular statistic means? Check the glossary of performance terms included as the last page in each account report.

Summary performance reports by group

Group report with summary data for each account.

Group report with summary data for each account.

Useful for: Maintaining a high-level perspective on the account activity within a group. Comparing the performance of accounts across the group.

Includes: Summary of activity across all accounts. Tabular presentation of engagement and exposure rates for each account.

Generated by: The platform, automatically, every week and every month. Available in the Advanced Analytics section of the group manager’s account or by email.

I’d like more details about working with reports.

How can group managers easily monitor their accounts?

The easiest way to stay informed about the performance of VideoAds and accounts in your group is to receive automatically generated account and group reports by email.

Setting up email receipt of automated reports

Setting up email receipt of automated reports

To set up email receipt of reports, sign in to the account with reports you want to receive and go to the Reports tab in the Advanced Analytics section.

For example, to receive group reports by email, sign in to your group manager account. To receive specific advertiser account reports by email, sign in to each advertiser account.

You can have reports sent to just one or several email addresses. In the Email to list, separate multiple addresses with commas or spaces.

I’d like more details about setting up email receipt of reports.

Can group managers generate custom reports?

Yes they can.

From within an advertiser account, you can generate account reports customized by date range and the specific VideoAds the report includes.

From within your group manager account, you can generate group reports customized by date range.

You generate custom reports on the Reports tab in the Advanced Analytics section.

Generating a custom report

Generating a custom report

This picture shows how to generate an account report that covers the time period from January to April, 2009 and includes only VideoAds with data.

As custom reports are generated, they are placed into a Customized Reports list on the Reports tab.

Customized reports list

Customized reports list

To open a PDF report, click the link. To delete a report, click the red x.

I’d like more details about generating custom reports.

Tip

You can quickly generate custom account reports for specific time periods from within your group manager account. Under Individual Account Reports, select a time period, and then click to open a PDF report.

Individual account reports for a specific week

Individual account reports for a specific week

When you generate individual account reports using this method, you can’t specify which VideoAds the report includes.

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The power and glory of overlays

Saturday, April 25th, 2009

Say you’re running an advertiser’s 30-sec TV spot as a VideoAd.

Arguably, the most powerful way you can add value to that VideoAd is through overlays.

Overlays are text, image, or video objects that you place on top of the content of a VideoAd.

A recent study shows that text overlays increase the amount of a video ad that viewers watch and the percentage of viewers who watch the entire VideoAd.

While the power of overlays may lie with their ability to increase viewers’ exposure to an advertiser’s brand, the true glory of well-designed overlays is how they engage viewers and encourage them to interact.

To understand how you can harness the full power and glory of overlays, take a look at the following demo VideoAd featuring a hypothetical pizza restaurant called Best Pizza.

The VideoAd illustrates how you can:

Transition overlays onto the screen

Every overlay in the VideoAd, including the Best Pizza logo, takes advantage of transitions, the most recent overlay feature added to the platform.

  • The logo in the upper left corner grows in toward the beginning of the VideoAd and shrinks out toward the end.
  • Authentic Italian Pizza!, a plain text overlay, slides in and out from the top.
  • The animated Contact Us! overlay fades in and after a few seconds fades out.
  • Click to order now! slides in and out from the left.
  • See our full menu! grows in and shrinks out.

Adding transitions brings overlays to viewers’ attention and adds visual appeal to the entire VideoAd.

How do I set overlay transitions?

Keep viewers who click from leaving your website

You want your advertiser’s VideoAds to perform well. At the same time, you’re not real crazy about the idea of viewers clicking overlays in VideoAds and leaving your website.

Now both you and the advertiser can get what you want.

Play the demo pizza VideoAd again. When the Contact Us! overlay fades in, click it.

The Google map of the hypothetical restaurant’s location opens in a frame on top of this blog post. Click Close in the upper right corner of the frame and you’re right back on the website where you started.

How do I set links to open in a frame?

Add interest with animation

You probably noticed that the Contact Us! overlay is animated.

Advertisers who want to add a light touch to an offer or promotion have a small collection of professionally-designed animated overlays to choose among.

Animated overlays collection

Animated overlays collection

How can I animate overlays?

Use calls to action to capture leads

Play the demo pizza VideoAd until you come to the Click to order now! overlay. Click the overlay.

A color-coordinated lead capture form opens where viewers can type their names, email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, and pizza orders.

When a viewer clicks Send, the pizza restaurant receives the order in an email message at a specified email address. The message will look something like this:

Lead capture email message

Lead capture email message

In addition to having a convenient way to process delivery orders, the pizza restaurant also has an on-going supply of contact information for highly qualified leads to whom it can send newsletters, special promotion announcements, and more.

Tip Go ahead and submit a pizza order. Just don’t expect to actually have a pizza delivered.

How do I set up lead capture?

I’d like to read more about lead capture.

Encourage clickthroughs by making the entire VideoAd a link

Place your cursor anywhere over the VideoAd as it plays and notice that the cursor changes to a hand. The entire VideoAd is hot.

This greatly increases the likelihood that viewers will click the VideoAd and end up right on the webpage where the advertiser wants them to be.

How do I turn my entire VideoAd into a hyperlink?

Add depth with image (and video) overlays

Seconds after the demo pizza VideoAd begins playing, the pizza restaurant’s logo transitions onto the screen. The logo remains in the upper left corner throughout the VideoAd, reinforcing the Best Pizza brand.

The logo is an image overlay. Image overlays work just like text overlays. You can associate them with URL’s or lead capture forms.

In this demo, clicking the logo opens the Mixpo home page. An actual advertiser can associate a logo with the URL that best supports its promotional goals.

Tip Take a close look at the Best Pizza logo. It’s transparent. The VideoAd platform supports transparent images in GIF and PNG format.

I’d like to read more about transparent images and image and video overlays.

To see detailed instructions for adding video and image overlays, visit the Create page, and then click How do I add videos and images as overlays?

Studio Tip

With this release of the platform, overlays are easier than ever to manage in the Studio. You can now select all or multiple overlays and move them as one unit.

To learn more, visit the Best Practices page, and then click Move elements together on the Timeline.

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Which upload option should you use?

Monday, March 30th, 2009

When it comes to uploading video and image files to the Mixpo platform, you have two options:

These options aren’t created equal.

In this post you’ll learn about the differences and get advice about the best option to choose.

Local processing option

Question Answer
Advice? If this option is available, use it.
Why local? Transcoding, that is, processing files into a format the VideoAd platform can use, takes place on your computer.
Who can use it? Anyone using a PC running Microsoft® Windows® XP or Vista® and either the Firefox® (version 1.5 or higher) or Internet Explorer® (version 6.0 or higher) browser.

I’d like to see a list of file format and hardware requirements.
How do you do it?
  • When prompted at sign in, install the Mixpo Media Transcoder, a small browser extension. Without this vital little extension, file processing can’t take place on your local computer.
  • In the Studio, on the Visuals tab, click Your Computer.
Details?
  • It works better, it’s faster, and it gives you more control than server processing.
  • Media files are imported directly into the VideoAd you’re editing.
  • If you run into a problem importing a video file using local processing, you can try the server processing approach.
  • Won’t work unless you download a small browser extension.

Server processing option

Question Answer
Advice? If you use a PC, try local processing first. If you use a Mac, this is your only option.
Why server? Transcoding, that is, processing files into a format the VideoAd platform can use, takes place on the Mixpo servers.
Who can use it? Anyone. If you can access the Dashboard, you can use server processing.

I’d like to see a list of file format and hardware requirements.
How do you do it? On the Create a New VideoAd tab, click Upload Media.
Details?
  • VideoAds created using server processing require a slightly newer version of the Flash Player (version 9, update 3) than VideoAds created using local processing. This means that more viewers will be prompted to upgrade.
  • It requires more management. The platform automatically creates a new VideoAd for each group of simultaneously uploaded files. If you intend to use the uploaded files in existing VideoAds, you have to delete the automatically-created ones.
  • It’s slower than local processing.

Show me detailed instructions on how to upload videos and images.

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