Sunday, January 31, 2010

AudioBoo / Posterous.com

Bulimba, QLD, Australia

My Podcast at AudioBoo where I discuss Posterous.com and its many applications.

Posted via web from Ronpass posterous

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Turn your holiday photos into music videos

I have just returned from a great week's holiday at Mooloolaba
Beach.

We were treated to perfect weather in this idyllic holiday
location on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland (about
1 1/2 hours drive from Brisbane).

Mooloolaba is noted for its surfing, restaurants and accommodation.

Here's the video I created from photos I took over the week.

I took about 200 photos and selected about 60 to create this
3 minute music video using Animoto.



I have also created a Squidoo lens where I explain the easy process
of converting your own holiday pictures to video:

http://www.squidoo.com/promovideo

****************************

Related Posts:

Steps to create animated music videos from your holiday photos

Squidoo: Animoto for Fun and Profit

*********************************************
Ron Passfield is a Top 100 Squidoo Lensmaster and
Giant Squid100. He provides free resources
for Squidoo marketing on his Squidoo authority
site:
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoomarketingstrategies

To learn more about Squidoo Affiliate Marketing
check out:
http://www.squidooaffiliatemarketing.com

Subscribe to Ron's free Squidoo Marketing e-course:
http://www.smsecourse.squidoomarketingstrategies.com/

Ron is the author of the e-Book:
Squidoo Marketing Strategies

*********************************************


Animoto - Instant Music Videos

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

"I just updated my Squidoo lens"...so what!



Well the "so what" is a natural
reaction when people see this
comment on Twitter for the
hundredth or thousandth time.




The same applies to the comment, "I'm reading [lens]".

These are the default settings when you use the Squidoo facility
to tweet about Squidoo actions.

It's important to make the most of each tweet and make it meaningful.

Ways to do this are to:
  1. advise readers of the content of a recently updated lens
  2. highlight a new feature, post or module
  3. explain the use of a special module
  4. show how you have used a newly released module
  5. comment on a guestbook post
  6. advise of an award for the lens (e.g. Purple Star)
  7. mention a significant lensrank change
  8. highlight an increase in traffic for the lens
  9. mention a newly added module.
Here's some examples of what I have posted lately
on Twitter instead of using the standard tweet,
"I've updated [my Squidoo lens]":

Squidoo training: how to add modules, analyze traffic
and promote affiliate products:
http://tinyurl.com/ykx9gzq

Cupcake recipes and designs - the cupcake
company Brisbane:
http://tinyurl.com/dcu6xe

I've used the screen capture program, SnagIt, to add
screen shots to my Squidoo training lens:
http://bit.ly/7UysXR

My Squidoo lens on cupcakes has had 6,900 visitors
since its creation in June 2008 (without active promotion):
http://bit.ly/5XxlHF

SEO? - 650 different keywords used on Google
(over 3 months) to locate this tropical rainforest
Squidoo lens:
http://bit.ly/6r33ua



*********************************************
Ron Passfield is a Top 100 Squidoo Lensmaster and
Giant Squid100. He provides free resources
for Squidoo marketing on his Squidoo authority
site:
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoomarketingstrategies

To learn more about Squidoo Affiliate Marketing
check out:
http://www.squidooaffiliatemarketing.com

Subscribe to Ron's free Squidoo Marketing e-course:
http://www.smsecourse.squidoomarketingstrategies.com/

Ron is the author of the e-Book:
Squidoo Marketing Strategies

*********************************************


Saturday, January 09, 2010

Create animated music videos from your holiday photos

Well now that I am in my holiday break, I decided that I would
re-visit some of the digital photos I had taken during the year
and turn them into videos.

I told myself, "This is not work - it's too much fun, and it is!"

I get great satisfaction from turning my digital photos into
animated music videos.  I like the professional image of the
the finished product and the video gives me new perspectives
and nostalgic memories.  It's a good way to record a peaceful
experience that you can re-visit in times of stress.

Well, here's my latest effort which is based on a weekend visit
to the mountain village, Montville, on the Sunshine Coast,
Queensland:



This animated music video was produced with the
Animoto video creation program.

These videos are very simple to produce and very easy
to-remix to create multiple versions of the same video.

The simple recipe is:
Upload photos, add music and press button for "create"

Animoto uses the latest in cinematography to create a video from
your digital photos.  So you end up with a professional looking
animated music video that you can be proud of.

...and the cost?

Animoto is free if you just want to create 30 second videos -
and you can create as many of these short movies as you want
at no cost.  [By way of example of video duration, the above
video is 3 minutes long and took 60 photos to make.]

If you want to create an unlimited number of movies of unlimited
length you can get an All-Access Pass which at the time of writing
costs $30 per year.  The All-Access Pass also gives you access
to Animoto's music library for adding music to your video and
can be obtained at the discount price of $25
through the link below:
http://animoto.com/?ref=tzolcekr

If you want to use the created videos purely for commercial
purposes there are three monthly and annual business rates
as well. 

...and the downside?

It takes a while to upload the photos to Animoto (particularly if
you have 60 to upload).  Animoto offers suggestions to speed up
the process however.  What I do is go off and do something
else while the uploading is happening - clear out my email,
edit my Squidoo lenses, write a blog post, etc.  When you
finish, one time benefit is that you can upload your new video
directly to YouTube ...and this is fast!

Since I travel a lot throughout Queensland conducting manager
development programs, I have been in the habit of taking my
camera with me and taking photos of the towns I visit.  I now
have a nice stock of photos to turn into videos and/or to
use as images to add to my Squidoo lenses.

[Note for teachers : if you are a teacher, imagine how much fun
your students could have creating and re-mixing movies? -
what a great way  to teach geography or any other subject for
that matter. Gen "Y" appears to me as the "re-mix" age.]

After that aside, I'm off to create some more videos from my
digital photos with Animoto.  BUT, I can't decide whether
my next one will be Surfers Paradise (at twilight), Stradbroke
Island, Noosaville, Mooloolaba Beach or Townsville on the
north coast!!

What a problem to have!  This is the most fun affiliate
program I have ever had the pleasure to promote.

If you want to see some of the Animoto videos I have created
to get some ideas, pop on over to my lens:
http://www.squidoo.com/promovideo

Related Post:
Squidoo: Animoto for Fun and Profit

*********************************************
Ron Passfield is a Top 100 Squidoo Lensmaster and
Giant Squid100. He provides free resources
for Squidoo marketing on his Squidoo authority
site:
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoomarketingstrategies

To learn more about Squidoo Affiliate Marketing
check out:
http://www.squidooaffiliatemarketing.com

Subscribe to Ron's free Squidoo Marketing e-course:
http://www.smsecourse.squidoomarketingstrategies.com/

Ron is the author of the e-Book:
Squidoo Marketing Strategies

*********************************************


Animoto - Instant Music Videos

Friday, January 01, 2010

Internet Marketing Training: 30 Day Challenge Plus (30DC+) Review

 







/











Over the past couple of months I have participated in the
30 Day Challenge Plus Internet marketing training.

There is no doubt about it, but this is certainly leading edge
stuff.  You actually get to look over the shoulder of the Master
Marketer, Ed Dale, as he creates and markets original content.

Ed Dale not only takes you into his office and his car,
he also takes you into his mind.  He explains what he
does, how he does it and why.

Best of all he illustrates everything with video, clarifies with
podcasts and provides PDF transcripts of everything.

I thought I knew a lot about Internet marketing before I
started this program.  However, as it's leading edge
I have been able to learn heaps.  The beauty of it is
that Ed shares with you what he discovers in Internet
marketing as it occurs.

He focuses strongly on participants taking action steps so
that what you learn you put into action straight away.
For example, he has set up a special Flickr group for
30DC+ members to put into practise his hints on producing
and distributing great photos (Ed is a passionate photographer
as well).

The essence of the 30DC+ approach is the creation of original
content and its distribution in the marketplace.  He shows you
how you can use your everyday tools and actions (inputs) to
create quality content for social media marketing (outputs).

Ed has consciously created a community through his 30DC+
forum which enables members to share their experiences
and ask questions.

The 30 Day Challenge Plus program certainly encourages
you to be the best marketer you can be.  There is plenty
of opportunity to stretch yourself and learn, and heaps of
encouragement along the way.

Each month, Ed introduces a new theme and provides
demonstration videos, podcasts, transcripts, Q & A
webinars and an interview around the theme.

I strongly recommend this program - there are more than
12 months of resources and ideas available if you access
the program now.



*********************************************
Ron Passfield is a Top 100 Squidoo Lensmaster and
Giant Squid100. He provides free resources
for Squidoo marketing on his Squidoo authority
site:
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoomarketingstrategies

To learn more about Squidoo Affiliate Marketing
check out:
http://www.squidooaffiliatemarketing.com

Subscribe to Ron's free Squidoo Marketing e-course:
http://www.smsecourse.squidoomarketingstrategies.com/

Ron is the author of the e-Book:
Squidoo Marketing Strategies

*********************************************