The declining effectiveness of traditional e-shots and newsletters has prompted the {{launch of a revolutionary video newsletter service}}.

Research suggests that recipients of the new video newsletter are up to 12 times more likely to watch a three-minute video news programme than to read a printed or digital newsletter, with click-throughs dipping below one per cent in some cases.

Some 92 per cent of those surveyed said they much preferred the experience and 72 per cent said they would be much more likely to opt into a video newsletter than a standard email.

Friday’s Video News Company said its highly affordable new service had already attracted significant demand. Businesses using video news as a new form of communication instead of traditional newsletters and e-bulletins include Aberdeen Investment Trust, VISA, Ordnance Survey, Eaton Corporation, Direct Marketing Association, BPMA and CIPR.

According to Friday’s Video News MD Richard McCann, growth of 25 per cent is predicted in Q4 2010.

Internet marketing author Dave Chaffey says that the level of what he calls “emotional unsubscribing” – where list members don’t unsubscribe but tune out and never open or click – is the biggest challenge of email marketing today, and calls for a ‘more refined approach’.

“The day when I received more than 80 e-shots and deleted almost all of them immediately as a simple coping strategy was the day when I realised that something different was needed to grab people’s attention” said McCann. “That’s what the Video News concept does.”

“The importance of video in search engine optimisation strategies is also significant”, added McCann.
According to Forrester Research, an online video is 50 times more likely to hit the front page of Google than a single text web page.

“The chief current use of the video newsletters concept is to create short weekly or monthly video bulletins for use in B2B and B2C campaigns,” said McCann. “However, we are now seeing a trend towards video news for employee communications, home page currency, product launches, market-specific demonstrations, presentations and exhibitions, iPhone broadcasts and even reception area videos, since the cost is in hundreds rather than thousands. So investment is comparable to e-shot campaigns but with far better engagement.”

The Friday’s Video News Company offering is very simple – clients go to the website and choose from a range of professional newsreaders and impressive virtual news studios. Businesses can then either submit their own news story and supporting images or Friday’s Video News Company can create the script if required.

Once the £699 video is approved by the client, FridaysVideoNews.com will upload their news programme on to their website and desired social media sites and they can then start emailing the link to staff, clients and prospects. The video news programmes can be used in business receptions and at conferences and they can also be used on mobile phones and can add additional content to apps. If the business is international, Friday’s Video News Service can also provide native foreign language newsreaders or add subtitles to the bulletins.