Where does that interactivity reside? Primarily in the overlays you add in the Mixpo Studio.

Overlays play a key role in an Xspot’s appearance and appeal. The better you are at working with overlays, the better your Xspots will be.

In case you haven’t discovered them yet, here are three key overlay efficiency tips.

• Turn on the grid.
• Move overlays together.
• Preview at 300×250.

Turn on the grid

Overlay placement and alignment affect Xspot appearance and influence viewer interaction. Turning on the background grid gives you a more refined level of control.

Using the grid to align overlays in the Studio

Clicking the Grid control, outlined in red in the picture above, turns the grid on and off.

Move overlays together

You spend time carefully placing and aligning overlays. Then, because you add new creative or decide the overlays don’t appear at quite the right time, you decide to move them.

If you move each overlay individually, all the time you originally spent getting the relationships and alignments just right is wasted.

Fortunately, you can select multiple overlays and move them all at the same time.

Multiple overlays selected on the Timeline

To select all overlays, click the T at the left end of the Timeline. To select multiple overlays, select the first, and then press CTRL (or the Command/Apple key on a Mac), and then select the others.

Preview at 300×250

Just because overlays look fine in the Studio preview window doesn’t mean they’ll look fine in a banner-sized live ad.

Before you leave the Studio, use the handy preview feature to see how your overlays look in a 300×250 box.

Preview at 300x250 in the Studio

Clicking the Preview control, outlined in red in the picture above, turns the 300×250 preview on and off.

For more efficiency tips, see the Best Practices section of Help.

• Upload them from your computer, or;
• Add them from one of the 4 libraries associated with each account.

In this post, we’ll focus on these 4 libraries, covering what they are, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.

What are libraries?

Libraries are storage areas for media, such as images, video clips, and audio clips.

Because you access libraries from within the Studio when you’re creating or modifying an Xspot, you can add any media asset you find in a library to any Xspot you create.

Visuals, Overlays, and Sound tabs in the Studio

See detailed instructions for adding images and video clips to Xspots from Your Media Library.

The 4 libraries available in any Mixpo account include:

• Stock Library
• Your Media Library
• Shared Media
• Audio Library

First, I’ll describe each of the 4 libraries. Then, I’ll provide some tips that will help you use the first 3 libraries to their full advantage.

Stock Library

The Stock Library contains a large collection of free stock images and video clips. You can include any asset you find in the Stock Library in any Xspot you create either as a visual element or overlay.

Stock Library

Regardless of what account you’re in, you see the same assets in the Stock Library. However, as described in the Tips section, you can customize the names of stock assets for your own convenience.

Your Media Library

Every account’s Media Library is unique. The Media Library is a collection of the images and video clips contained in the Xspots created in that account.

Your Media Library

Your Media Library saves you time. You never have to upload an asset to an account more than once. Once as asset is in an account’s Media Library, you can use it in every Xspot you create in that account.

Tip If you delete all of the Xspots that contain a specific image or clip, that image or clip disappears from Your Media Library.

Shared Media

The Shared Media library allows members of the same Group to share common assets.

For example, suppose a national agency creates a 30-second TV spot for an auto company’s new vehicle model. To run the ad nationwide on local media websites, in the Mixpo platform, the national agency shares with franchises an Xspot that contains the new vehicle model video footage and auto company logo.

Because the franchises are starting with the pre-approved, shared assets to build their local Xspots, the national agency maintains brand control. In addition, the franchises can address regional audience needs by adding overlays that promote local specials and provide local contact information.

Assets appear in an account's Shared Media library only when other Group members share Xspots across the Group.

Tip You can’t customize the names of assets in the Shared Media library. Names of shared assets are controlled from the account that did the sharing. For more about customizing the names of library assets, see Tips for using visual libraries.

Uploaded Audio

The Audio Library consists of three sections, Music, Sound Effects, and Uploaded Audio. You see the same audio files in Music and Sound Effects regardless of what account you’re in.

Music includes a collection of free instrumental music in a variety of styles (classical, country, rock, motivational, and more). Sound Effects offers free sounds organized by theme (for example, Ceremony, Destruction, Nature, Household, and more). You can include in any Xspot any of the songs and sounds you find in these two sections.

Every account’s Uploaded Audio library is unique. The library contains audio files uploaded to Xspots created in the account.

Like Your Media Library, the Uploaded Audio library saves you time. You never have to upload an audio file to an account more than once. Once the audio file is in an account’s Uploaded Audio library, you can use it in every Xspot you create in that account.

Uploaded Audio library

To listen to an audio clip, select it (A), and then click the play button (B). To add an audio clip to an Xspot, select it (A), and then click Add (C).

Tips for using visual libraries

Becoming familiar with 4 key features makes it easier to find and manage images and video clips in the Stock, Your Media, and Shared Media libraries.

• Rename
• Search
• Show
• Sort by

Rename

Renaming an asset in the Stock or Your Media library to something you’re likely to remember makes that asset much easier to find through search.

You can assign a new name either in the library itself or in the Studio.

• To rename an image or video clip in a library, click the asset, select the current name, and then type the new name.

  Note The new name is saved automatically so you don’t need to click OK unless you want to add the asset to the Xspot that is currently open in the Studio.

• To rename an image or video clip in the Studio, select the asset on the Timeline. On the Visuals tab, under Video Properties, select the current name in the Name field, and then type the new name.

  Note An asset’s name is constant across all Xspots and libraries. In other words, if you change an asset name on the Visuals tab in one Xspot, the name also changes in all other Xspots where the asset appears.

Tip You can’t rename assets in the Shared Media library. Shared asset names are controlled by the sharing account.

Search

While you can use the page numbers and arrows at the bottom of a library window to page through a library’s assets, it’s usually quicker to find the asset through search.

• To search for an asset, type all or part of the asset’s name in the library search box, and then click Search.

If you frequently use an asset, you might want to make it easier to find by giving it a more memorable name.

Show

If you know you’re looking for an image rather than a video clip (or a clip rather than an image), you can make your search quicker by using Show.

• To filter the type of media that shows in a library, from the Show list, select either Videos or Images.

Sort by

By default, assets in a library are organized alphabetically by name.

You can use Sort by to organize them instead by Date Added. Assets added most recently are listed first.

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:

• The same familiar settings organized better
• A redesigned product with a simpler workflow
• Easier creation in a refined Studio
• Great product support in case any questions or confusions arise.

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

Each expanding section gathers a group of related settings together.

Choose Thumbnail and Customize Player section expanded

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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

In this article, you’ll learn:

• What trimming is.
• Why trimming is useful.
• Two approaches to trimming and the pros and cons of each.

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:

• Before you upload a video clip.
• After a video clip is uploaded.

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

Trimming before upload takes place in the Video Clip Extractor window

Trim after upload

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

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

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.
• Selecting and re-ordering Timeline elements.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Local processing option.
• Server processing option.

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

Server processing option

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

For example, this is a transparent version of the Mixpo logo.

Transparent images as visual overlays

Company logos frequently have transparent backgrounds. Logos are likely to be the most common type of transparent image that advertisers want you to include in their VideoAds.

Tip While logos are vital brand elements, they usually aren’t integral to a VideoAd’s key message. To place a transparent logo on top of the content of the ad, add it as a visual overlay.

Tell me more about adding visual overlays.

This brief VideoAd demonstrates the use of transparent images as visual overlays.

Transparent images as VideoAd content

In addition to placing transparent images as overlays on top of the visual content in your VideoAds, you can also add transparent images to the Timeline to include them in the body of the VideoAd itself.

Transparent tree image in body of VideoAd

For example, here is the transparent tree image included as a visual element on the Timeline.

Tip Remember that the background for VideoAd content is black. If you add black transparent images, such as the villain or axe from the demo VideoAd above, to the Timeline, they’ll be invisible in the VideoAd.

Because transparent images are often dramatic and compelling, you might want to consider using them as initial thumbnails for VideoAds set in mouse-over-to-play or click-to-play mode.

I’d like to know more about uploading images.

Because of this, it’s key for you to know exactly how a VideoAd will look at the 300×250 banner ad size.

We’ve just added a control in the upper right corner of the Studio preview window that makes it easy for you to toggle between the full window and the 300×250 size. This convenient toggling allows you to identify problems without leaving the environment where you can fix them.

As you can see in the following picture, the control looks like the full screen control in the Player.

Preview set at full size

When you’re looking at a full-size preview, clicking the control results in a 300×250 preview.

Preview set at 300x250 size

Clicking the control again returns the preview to full size.

I’d like to read a blog post about creating overlays that work at any embed size.

Show me the Help topic about previewing VideoAds.

Tip After you create a VideoAd, you may want to give the advertiser an opportunity to preview it at banner ad size. An easy way to do this is to set up a blog using Google Blogger™ or another free blogging service. In the Mixpo Publisher, set the embed size to 300×250 and copy the embed code. Paste the code into a new blog post, and then send the post’s URL to the advertiser.