Category Archives: North Salem

What to Expect in Online Video for 2013: Industry Leaders Predictions | North Salem NY Real Estate

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Predictions are always a tricky thing. In the past couple years it’s been easy. There were gaping holes in video advertising as compared to other forms, but last year saw many of them closed. With 2013 now here the question is, what will the new year bring with it? I spoke to a couple industry leaders about just that and have a few thoughts of my own on it.

Because of the cost of both video production and video advertising I think the main drive to continued expansion will have to be better real-time data. Without being able to quickly see the trends and react to them it’s hard to hit the highest ROI possible. I think we’ll see a refining process or perhaps a fine-tuning process in the information that is being provided to the ad buyer. Many of the metrics that we have are based on older forms of advertising and aren’t exactly the best they can be. Views are subjective, iGRP is still in its infancy, etc. As all of these metrics mature we will eventually see a ‘perfect fit’ which combines several of these major metrics to give ad buyers a quick idea of how well their campaigns are performing.

In terms of actual video advertising? More interaction is the way of the future. There are still loads of video ads I see that are nothing more than digitized TV ads. Many advertisers seems to still be missing out on the whole interaction thing and with the rise of connected TV, interaction is going to continue to grow as well. That means some new, more interesting video ad forms will evolve into interactive experiences instead of lean back. It also means that viewers should have more control over the ad experience by being offered more choice in what ads are offered.

Finally, I think it’s safe to say that by the end of 2013, you will need to be showing over one billion video ads a month to make it into the comScore video metrix charts for video ad properties. December saw the 10th place network, Tremor Video, showing 703 million and the number one network, BrightRoll showing over 1.77 billion ads. Hopefully everyone will manage to maintain that low frequency, clearly Hulu is going in the opposite direction and I bet they hit 80 ads per viewer each month (62.5 as of December).

Suranga Chandratillake – Blinkx Founder

Suranga gives a broader overall view including mobile, enterprise and connected TV across several predictions for 2013.

  1. Mobile break-point: we’re going to see a number of key activities on the web occur more on mobile than on desktop.  Local Search will be the first to fall (may have already fallen), but I think regular search, social networking (especially micro-social networking like twitter and photo-based), and even news-consumption hit the break-point in 2012. Given that very few companies actually have a meaningful business model for mobile this is both an exhilarating and terrifying change.
  2. Enterprise is back: the investors have already spoken with their feet, but in general I think we’re going to see some really interesting companies come out of Enterprise vs. Consumer next year.  In particular, I think we’re going to see cloud-models that were built for consumers or pro-sumers (think of things like DropBox) get translated over and I think a lot of really interesting big data stuff is going to happen in enterprise, not consumer.
  3. Connected TV: I put this one on every year, more out of hope than any precise belief.  Someone has to crack the killer app that makes Connected TV make sense for regular consumers.  It won’t come from second screens (reputedly have atrocious engagement rates) and I don’t think Google or Apple are going to figure it out.

Jeff Whacott – Brightcove CMO

Jeff gave me a few minutes of his time to tell us what he thinks will be going on in online video for marketing in 2013:

  • The use of video will be the single fastest growing tactic for content marketers.
  • Live event streaming will continue to grow as marketers and media companies figure out how to use live to build and engage their audiences.
  • This will be a make or break year for Windows 8 tablets and phones. Many organizations are sitting on the sidelines waiting to see if Windows 8 devices will take off before they invest in targeting content and apps for the platform.
  • HTML5 proceeds through the hype cycle. 2011 was the year of impossible expectations for HTML5. 2012 was the trough of disillusionment. 2013 will be the year everyone recognizes that HTML5 is not a panacea, but it is tremendously powerful when used skillfully for the mobile web and hybrid apps.

Tod Sacerdoti – BrightRoll CEO/Founder

Tod just wrote something up for someone else so I have to pull some of that in. He believes that brands will start moving toward single-platform solutions, there will be more video exchanges, audience delivery guarantee will be the target metric and mobile ad inventory will expand to about video ad inventory size.

For more on what Tod had to say about each of those, head over to the blog post.

Chris Young DBG (Digital Broadcasting Group) CEO

Chris gives us his view of the upcoming year which breaks down into three areas, branded content, mobile video ads and big data.

There’s no question that from both a content and distribution perspective, 2012 was a banner year for online video. With the groundwork laid for what figures to be an even more exciting year ahead in 2013, let’s take a look at some of the trends I think will shape the next 365 days in our industry.

Brands Will Become Broadcasters
This first theme has really taken shape over the last few months, and that’s the idea that through a combination of original content created for social channels and branded entertainment, more brands will become broadcasters. In today’s incredibly fragmented digital landscape, finding a consumer is becoming more difficult than ever before. In addition to the 30-second spot or display advertising, our conversations in the marketplace are signaling that more brands are using BE to supplement their already existing online advertising strategies.

Emphasis on Mobile Video Advertising
Mobile video audiences have increased 77% over the last two years according to Nielsen, so it’s no surprise that online advertisers have taken a liking to mobile ads. The promise of the third screen has been touted for some time now, but with stats like that, it’s safe to say that the third screen is no longer coming soon – it’s here.  And with its arrival has come a significant, rapid uptick in mobile video pre-roll, something that I expect we will only see more of in the next 12 months.

The Importance of Big Data and Content Adjacency Will Come into Focus
If the quality of online video is being compared  to that of television, there’s no reason why marketers shouldn’t be allowed to buy their advertising in a similar fashion. Quality programming is evolving and garnering large audiences, but those audiences aren’t just coming through sites anymore – they’re coming through social channels as well. That’s why I’d expect 2013 to be a year in which marketers will buy advertising with greater specificity, focusing on the content itself rather than the host site. But how will marketers know which shows to buy against? The answer lies in big data and analytics tools, which will continue to disrupt the online video space in the year ahead.

Dailymotion Thought Leaders

Roland Hamilton, Managing Director Dailymotion US on the online video space at large:

“You’re going to see a breakout of new and innovative discovery options for finding and consuming video content this year on all platforms. With content now available on virtually any device in the household, and debuting on new services every day, we won’t just see more video this year but an ever growing number of ways to find it — and technologies that pair it to the viewers’ interests. The explosion of mobile consumption on smart phones, tablets and set-top services like Xbox live means top video providers need to make themselves available everywhere that audiences are going to consume content.”

Neil Gladstone, VP Content for Dailymotion US on content trends for the year:

“More independent and artistic creators are producing high-quality, original content than ever before, redefining what it means to be a ‘premium provider.’ With multiple programs available from top video sites such as our Motionmakers program, anyone with a brilliant idea and the capacity to execute it can enjoy prominent venues to distribute fresh material to a wide audience. It’s more important than ever for creators to craft succinct, targeted material catering to niche and specialized audiences to really generate traffic and get traction with communities of viewers.”

Happy New Year!

Overall video looks to be ready to mature as well as grow this year. Branded content and mobile video are both set to expand and connected TV should finally become a force. There are connected TVs in 25% of American households. A jump to even 50% this year could make them a major way for people to interact with that traditionally lean back content.

via reelseo.com

North Salem NY Real Estate | 23 Top Tips to Make Your Blog Posts More Conversational

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Let’s face it; most blog posts that are currently being put out are simply b-o-r-i-n-g.

Dull. Unexciting. A big fail when it comes to keeping our attention.

The blogger is writing about a worthwhile topic no doubt, but the writing does nothing for the reader. It fails to engage, or draw you in. Even when you are supposed to be paying attention, you really aren’t. You keep on thinking about what else is out there. Your mind is wandering.

The writer is unable to form a connection and you end up clicking away. Hardly surprising, is it?

A tiny number of people are getting it right, though. They open their posts with a bang. They are spot on with their calls to action. Before you know it, you have read every single word and you wonder what happened to logging off for the day.

People like Jon Morrow, and Sonia Simone, and Darren himself. They are masters of engagement. They are talking directly to you. Only you.

How on earth do they do it? How do they make you stay put even though your pots are boiling over and your kids are screaming for dinner? Turns out they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves.

Let’s take a look, shall we?

Write like you talk—only better

You have probably heard this advice before, but we will take it up a notch here. Dig a little deeper. What does exactly it mean to write like you talk?

1. The most important word in blogging is “you”

Address you audience. Imagine you are sitting across the table from a really close friend, and write your post for them. You are allowed ask rhetorical questions, but cut down on ums and ahs. It makes for poor talking and appalling writing.

2. Mirror their responses

Say things like, “so you feel like nobody’s paying attention …” or “I know crafting effective calls to action can be really hard.”

What have your readers been telling you? Use some of their language to reflect that you are paying attention.

3. Use contractions

Some people hardly ever use any. They stay proper, but that’s not how you talk to a friend. Use don’t, isn’t, it’s. Make it less stilted. Make it flow better and sound like human speech.

4. Be bold with exclamatory phrases

By this, I mean things like “Oh no!” and “Holy cow!”

Psst! Watch some reality TV or reporting shows. See how they keep you glued to the set with exclamations.

5. Ignore your high school English teacher—within reason

Your old English teacher was right when she told you to choose the right word, make it vivid and interesting and add adjectives to your prose.

This is not something you should mess with. You can, however, get away with breaking some rules of grammar. You just need to know which.

5. Use fragments

Like this one. Believe it or not, it is fine to use them even if you are not actually saying them out loud.

6. Start your sentences with a preposition

But that is not grammatically correct, you say. Well, this is one of those rules.

7. Stay away from adverbs

On most occasions that add nothing to your writing. Most of them are redundant like scream loudly, sigh sadly. Use sparingly.

8. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of slang, but don’t go overboard

Dig?

9. Use exclamation points when necessary

Cut back on the usage though. Dramatically.

10. Write at an eighth-grade reading level

Reader’s Digest does it. So can you. Keep it simple.

11. Avoid being formal

Instead of saying however, moreover, or furthermore, say but, so, or then. We are aiming for conversational here. Get a dialogue going.

12. Avoid jargon

Corporate lingo, marketing speak, gobbledygook. Call it what you want, if it is unintelligible, it has no business being there.

13. Use short words

Leave the thesaurus alone. Stephen King suggests picking the first word that comes to mind (in most cases). That’s gold.

14. Don’t be wordy

Notice how eyes begin to glaze over when it happens in face-to-face conversations?

Same is the case in the virtual world. Keep it tight; nobody likes people who ramble.

15. Don’t use the passive voice

Consider these options:

  • A decision was made vs. I decided.
  • Your email has been received vs. we have received your email.
  • Your response is appreciated vs. we appreciate your response.

Which sounds better? You decide (or, it has to be decided by you)!

16. Avoid monologue (keep paragraphs short)

You are not really having a conversation, we get it, but does it have to come across like a lecture? Keep your paragraphs short. Talk to readers, not at them. Don’t preach.

17. Forget about being politically correct

“He or she” is fine. Nobody will say anything, I promise.

18. Show off your personality

Pretend you are writing an email to a close friend. What’s different about this writing? It’s more authentic, more genuine, more you.

19. Don’t use words that you won’t use while talking

Is it something you’d say to somebody’s face? If not, it might be a good idea to skip it.

20. Use phrases that only you would use

Put your unique stamp on all your writing.

21. Ask hard-to-answer questions

Exercise tough love. Make their brains hurt!

22.  Watch your tone

Snarky, inspirational, flippant, self-deprecating, tough … how do you want to come across? Carry it throughout your piece. Be consistent.

23. Take a stand

Say what you mean. What’s the point otherwise?

You are writing for the most important person there is—your reader. Do you want to be clever or engaging? The choice is yours.

via problogger.net

Putnam County, NY, won’t give gun info to paper | North Salem Realtor

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Robert Freeman of the state’s Committee on Open Government says the county outside New York City would be violating state law if it withholds public data.

The Journal News says Putnam County officials have scheduled a news conference Thursday to announce their decision to deny the request.

In December, the Journal News published online maps that allow viewers to see the names and addresses of pistol and revolver permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties.

Critics have called that an invasion of privacy. Some say it could endanger permit holders.

The newspaper stands by the project. It sought the information after the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown, Conn.

via myfoxny.com

Cliff Deal Likely To Include Wind Tax Credit, Aides Say | North Salem Realtor

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A potential last-minute deal on the fiscal cliff is likely to include an extension of an expiring wind-energy tax credit, according to congressional aides.

The deal taking shape Monday would include tax breaks adopted by the Senate Finance Committee earlier this year, aides with knowledge of the talks said. Among them was a one-year extension of the tax credit, with slight modifications that would allow wind-farm developers to claim the credit for projects that begin construction by Jan. 1, 2014.

As the law currently stands, only projects that are completed and connected to the electricity grid by the end of 2012 can claim the credit.

Aides cautioned that the fiscal-cliff deal and its components weren’t final. Any package agreed to by lead negotiators also would have to be passed by the Senate and House.

President Barack Obama, speaking Monday afternoon about the emerging deal, referred to clean-energy tax credits without mentioning wind power specifically. He said the deal “would extend tax credits for clean-energy companies that are creating jobs and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”

The cost of extending the wind-energy credit could be about $12 billion over 10 years, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation. Wind energy provides about 3.2% of U.S. electricity.

The tax credit is worth 2.2 cents for every kilowatt hour of electricity generated by a wind farm, so long as the facility is connected to the grid by the expiration date.

The last-minute renewal of the credit would arrive after months of heated battle. Proponents of wind energy, including clean-energy advocates—but also many Republicans from states such as Iowa and Colorado with healthy wind-power sectors—argued that extending the credit was key to preserving 75,000 jobs in the wind-energy business. They said that the expiration of the tax credit would have cost 37,000 jobs.

Opponents say that at a time of fiscal austerity, extending the credit is too expensive. Additionally, critics of wind power say it does little to make electricity generation more environmentally friendly because wind farms require some traditional sources of power as back up.

Power companies had also joined the fray. Exelon Corp., EXC +2.34% one of the largest utilities in the U.S., lobbied not to extend the credit, saying the subsidy distorts electricity prices and makes the company less likely to add new generating capacity.

NextEra Energy Inc., NEE +1.38% the largest U.S. wind generator, pushed to extend the credit.

If the credit is extended, attention would likely turn to ways to modify how the government supports wind energy. One proposal, endorsed by the wind lobby itself, would phase out tax credits over several years, giving the industry a chance to close the cost gap with traditional sources of power while still enjoying some government support.

Another proposal, introduced in Congress last summer, would make it easier for individuals to invest in renewable-energy projects by giving them the same tax treatment—access to master limited partnerships—that oil and gas projects receive. By widening the pool of investors, it could reduce capital costs, which could make renewable energy more competitive with traditional power sources.

The months of uncertainty over the credit’s extension mean that plenty of damage already has been done to the project pipeline and wind energy’s manufacturing base.

Uncertainty surrounding the credit led companies throughout the industry to lay off employees in 2012, from big makers of wind turbines such as Siemens AG SIE.XE -0.59% to small outfits that make some of the 8,000 components that go inside each machine. Also, because wind-farm developers hurried to finish projects in 2012 before the credit expired, a good part of the pipeline for future projects has already been installed, which will further damp the prospects for 2013.

By allowing wind projects that begin construction in 2013 to become eligible, the Senate Finance Committee’s version of the extension would support wind-farm construction over at least the next two years. A one-year extension without that modification would have been essentially useless, given that it can take between 12 and 24 months to build a wind farm.

via online.wsj.com

Impact of proposed tax increase for high earners would be marginal | North Salem NY Real Estate

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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that under the Obama administration’s proposed revisions to income tax rates, taxpayers in the highest tax bracket would not only pay a higher marginal tax rate on income above $398,350, but would also be affected by proposed adjustments to the lower brackets and other changes.

The Republicans in Congress and President Obama are in the process of fighting World War III over tax rates for upper-income taxpayers.

The president wants to raise rates on taxpayers earning more than $250,000 per year. The Republicans introduced a plan, later withdrawn, to increase rates only on those earning more than $1 million per year.

With all this going on, now is a good time to understand the term “marginal tax rate,” because that is what all the fighting is about.

It sounds complicated, but it’s actually very simple: Your marginal tax rate is the tax you pay on your next dollar of income. For example, if your marginal tax rate is 28 percent and you earn $1,000 this week, you’ll owe $280 in federal income tax.

It’s important to understand that your marginal tax rate applies only to your next dollar of income, not all your income.

Thus, a person with a 28 percent marginal tax rate would not pay a 28 percent tax on all of his income. As shown in the table below, in 2012 a single taxpayer would pay a 10 percent tax on his first $8,7000 in income, a 15 percent tax up to $35,350, and a 25 percent tax up to $86,650. The 28 percent rate would apply only on taxable income over $85,650.

So a single taxpayer with a taxable income of $90,000 in 2012 would pay his 28 percent marginal tax rate on only a tiny sliver of his income: $4,350. This would amount to $130.50 in additional taxes (3 percent of $4,350).

Tax rate

Taxable income if singleTaxable income if married, filing jointly

The Republicans in Congress would like to extend the 2012 rates into 2013 and later. However, President Obama disagrees. His proposal, shown in the following chart, would preserve the 2012 rates for most taxpayers, except for single people earning more than $203,600 or married taxpayers who make more than $247,000. These taxpayers would have higher top brackets.

Obama’s proposed 2013 tax rates

Tax rate

SingleMarried, filing jointly

The crucial point is this: When we’re talking about raising taxes on people earning over $398,350 from a marginal tax rate of 35 percent to 39.6 percent, as President Obama has proposed, the 39.6 percent rate will only apply to income over $398,351.

So a person with $399,351 in income would pay a total tax of $396 on his last $1,000 in income instead of $350 under the old rates — a difference of $46. However, because of adjustments to the lower brackets and other changes, such a taxpayer would pay a total additional tax of $6,513 on all his taxable income under the Obama plan.

It hardly seems worth it to bring the U.S. government to a grinding halt to prevent such a relatively minor increase in taxes on high earners.

via inman.com

Stucco doesn’t have to scream slapdash and cheap | North Salem NY Real Estate

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The late Malvina Reynolds best expressed the modern image of stucco when she sang about “little boxes made of ticky-tacky.”

In the years since World War II, the mention of stucco has usually prompted snickers, its image cheapened by dreary G.I. housing and monotonous design made infamous by tracts such as Levittown, N.Y., and Daly City, Calif. — the real-life inspiration for Reynolds’ lyrics.

But stucco’s history is long and dignified. The ancient Greeks applied it over rough stone to get a smooth surface that could be decorated, and the Romans mixed it with marble chips to obtain a brilliant interior finish. The magnificent frescoes of the Renaissance were painted onto a form of wet stucco. It’s still the finish of choice in Mediterranean lands.

Stucco is still unmatched for beauty and versatility. It’s far more durable and fireproof than wood. It can be formed in limitless ways, and the final or “skim” coat can be colored to almost any shade, and will never fade, peel or need repainting.

America’s golden age of stucco began with the California bungalows of the 1920s. These squat little homes, which were eventually built from coast to coast, quickly demonstrated the material’s economy and design potential.

Contractors found that, unlike siding and shingles, stucco went up quickly and would conform to any shape. Better yet, stucco could make a humble house look substantial: By applying it over a hollow wooden framework, for example, a porch column could be given Herculean proportions.

The Mediterranean-style homes of the 1930s also put stucco to good use for mock adobe walls and arches. Its ability to form compound curves made it perfect for the bulging shapes this style demanded.

After World War II, the pressing need to house tens of thousands of returning GIs made home styles turn strictly utilitarian. Stucco was used because it was cheap, but little attempt was made at creativity. The dreary legacy of postwar tract housing gave stucco its undeserved reputation as a slapdash, built-on-the-cheap material.

The inspired stucco design of the bungalow era isn’t lost, however. It’s just dormant. Here are some ways to capitalize on stucco:

1. Take advantage of its plasticity, or ability to be modeled into any shape. Stucco can easily form arches, vaults and even compound curves. All that’s required is a rough wooden framework that approximates the final shape. Turrets, serpentine walls and bulging forms are just a few of the possibilities.

2. Use stucco to suggest mass and solidity. Handle it like masonry, not like exterior wallpaper. Make design features such as columns stout enough to look structural, using the same proportions that stone might require. The bungalow builders excelled at making inexpensive wood-framed homes look very massive, and using stucco three-dimensionally was the key to this trick.

3. Use stucco’s many available textures. If you’re adding onto a home with an unusual stucco texture, find a contractor who’s willing to match it. If you’re building a new house, take a drive through some prewar stucco neighborhoods. You’ll find a huge variety of textures, each the “signature” of its creator. You’ll also find a lot of great design ideas.

via inman.com