Yellowbook Taps YouTube for Video Distribution

Yellowbook announced today that it has formed a partnership with YouTube to use it as an auxiliary distribution source for the SMB videos it produces. This essentially gives it broader distribution beyond its own walls (Yellowbook.com).

This is good for Yellowbook’s growing crop of video advertisers because it gives them more places to be found. In other words, videos in YouTube have a greater chance of being picked up in search engine results (especially Google). This marriage of video and search engine optimization is something we’ve covered and championed for some time.

This will gain steam as more and more local businesses realize the lowered barriers to advertising with video, and as more and more local media organizations (Yellow Pages and newspapers) deliver it to them. This is a key theme of our recently released local video forecast.

For Yellowbook this is the latest in a string of forward-thinking moves under Chief New Media Officer Pat Marshall (see recent mobile applications). It should make its SMB video offering that much more enticing to small-business advertisers.

Generally, the conversation in local video is evolving beyond who shoots the video and how it’s done to questions of where it shows up and how it targets the right local users. Distribution will be key.

This will continue to happen through distribution partners like YouTube, local ad networks (see Jivox) and vertical search partners. The latter has seen a great deal of action, including Mixpo’s partnerships with lots of real estate sites and TurnHere’s many partnerships with national hotel chains and IYPs.

The distribution side of the equation will get a big chunk of airtime during a local video “superforum” taking place at TKG’s Interactive Local Media Conference in Santa Clara, Nov. 19-21.

Nov, 20th: 3:45 pm – 5:30 pm
SuperForum II: Local Video/Out-of-Home Explosion

The unique Kelsey SuperForum approach continues. This fully interactive approach will feature:

· The SMB Video Opportunity: Brand-new Kelsey data and research

· Keynote: Brad Inman, Founder and CEO, TurnHere

· Video Production and Distribution: Live demos will give color to a panel discussion on different models for producing and distributing SMB video.

Glenn Pingul, VP, Marketing and Partner Management, Mixpo

Steve Espinosa, Director of Product Development, eLocal Listing

Diaz Nesamoney, Founder and CEO, Jivox

Frank Lucero, President, Adfare

· Video Sales: The local video revolution will be nothing without the ability to sell video production and distribution packages into the fragmented SMB marketplace.

Gordon Henry, President North America, Spotzer

Brad Inman, Founder and CEO, TurnHere

Brian McCarthy, VP, Merchant Product, Citysearch

Jon Rosen, VP, Sales and Business Development, Spot Runner

· Out-of-Home: Video is growing legs and moving beyond our living rooms and PC screens to take over an expanding set of well-trafficked coffee shops, department stores and gas stations. Wherever there are engaged viewers near a point of purchase, video will be there.

Peter Bowen, CEO, SeeSaw Networks

Aileen Lee, CEO, Danoo

John McMenamin, CEO, Ripple