When you’re a web series creator, you quickly learn that there is no end to the work. All your episodes maybe online, but there are always people left who haven’t seen your show.
That’s where an internet network can come help. For Ruby Skye P.I., we’re working with a few of different networks each a wonderful support in its own way.
In addition to the Ruby Skye P.I. website, we have our videos up on many many video sharing sites — YouTube, Vimeo, BlipTV, MetaCafe, Daily Motion, Blinx, eBaum’s World, Viddler, Veoh, VodPod, Stupid Videos, AOL Video and Yahoo).
I can distribute the video to them fairly easily using BlipTV or Tubemogul, but still have to go to each site, set up a channel and profile, add pictures and tags, check each upload to make sure the tagging and thumbnail are correct. And then I still have to go spend lots of time on the site to build an audience there.
There are other downsides to these sites. Did I mention the porn ads next to our tween friendly videos? And although some of these sites have huge numbers of users, it can be hard to be seen on the sites. With millions of videos, how do you make sure people find you? Even with excellent tagging and video SEO, there’s no guarantee you won’t get lost in those crowded spaces.
Plus many of these sites have 100 MB upload limits which limits the quality and length you can offer on their sites. Or their conversions downgrade your video quality. Shot in HD and with lengths of 5 minutes or more, many of the Ruby Skye P.I. episodes aren’t on many of the sites we have channels on. I will eventually get around to creating lower quality (and thus smaller) versions of those episodes, so we can get them on those sites, but at the moment I have neither the time nor the heart to downgrade the quality of our work.
They feature content that’s created for the web, which means there’s less clutter. They also have a vested stake in seeing your show do well, because they have less on their shelves, so to speak. It can’t hurt to have extra people on your team, helping to promote your series. Each of our partners has already provided us with something unique and wonderful and we’re just at the very beginning of our relationships.
For examples, the Best of Clicker is an opportunity for the community to vote on their favourite shows in various categories. Ruby Skye P.I. got nominated in the Best Kids category and miraculously came in third in a field of TV series! This has been great for us, brought in new viewers and raised our profile, among other things attracting this wonderful review from a new fan.
DigitalChickTV mentioned us in their What You Should Have Watched in 2010 review. We’re their only series in Digital Girl section right now which makes Ruby Skye P.I. very easy to find!
MingleMediaTV has interesting ways to help web creators keep current on trends and get their work seen, including supporting meetups, industry panels, a new media film festival and Twitter’s weekly #webserieschat.
This is why internet networks are so valuable and growing in importance to web series creators. Because promoting your work is an endless task and it’s great to have supportive partners working at with you!
Stephanie Piche
This is so super awesome…thank you Jill! I am now in tears because this means so much to me. To know that what we’re doing at Mingle Media TV is helping grow this industry and support shows like Ruby Skye PI and share your wonderful storytelling to the digital generation and beyond makes me and my clones very very happy!!
Much success to you in 2011…
and to all of us in web TV series!!
Stephanie
admin
Now you’re making me cry! I do feel like we’re building an industry and what I love most about it is that we’re building it collaboratively — helping one another, promoting one another because we’re smart enough to know we need each other. And it’s more fun this way!
Ryan W. Mead
Another shoutout to me? I’m blushing! Thanks again for your kind words on my review and best of luck in future projects.
Ryan
Marilyn Campbell
Hi Jill
I just wanted to be sure you and the Ruby Skye team know about the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence. I don’t know much about them, but I just came across a mention that the nomination process is now open and submissions are due by February 21st. Thought I’d pass it along, just in case.
admin
Thanks Marilyn. We’re going to submit! Fingers crossed for us.