Social media and web video go hand in hand; throughout 2011 people across the world have watched more online video than ever before. If you a creating films for your business, your product or just for yourself, you will obviously want to share it with as many people as you can.

The myriad of social media opportunities now available have made this easier than ever before, and with sites like Facebook becoming more subscribed to than Google it is more imperative than ever that you get your content across the various social networks.

The fine people at videoinfographics.com have created a film that displays just how massive social media has become over the past year, it includes some amazing stats such as; There are more Facebook users than there are cars in the world and that 1,736 tweets are sent a second totalling over 150 million a day.

If you want to get your business noticed on the web then why not talk to SpectreVids about producing a high quality video production without the price tag.  

Online marketing campaigns, for all their frightfully new-fangled knobbly novelty, actually use quite a lot of the same techniques that also powered more timeworn 'n' traditional publicity campaigns. For example, the chance to get something for nothing is always a powerful inducement. And the chance to get something really shiny and expensive for nothing is even more powerful. Hence the MINI Getaway game, which is due to land in Japan in the next few days.  

Having launched in Stockholm last year, MINI Getaway is a smartphone-based game that finds players trying to capture a virtual MINI car and then stay out of the orbit of other players, who are aiming to ‘steal’ the car off them. Whoever has the digital MINI at the end of the allotted game-time is then given a real one, absolutely free.  

A veritable online marketing hit first time out, MINI Getaway has been credited with doubling sales of said car in Sweden in the period since the game’s debut (from 3 to 6. Er, maybe). And the Tokyo game is set to be bigger and better (definitely the first one), taking in as it does a game area more than 32 times the size of the Stockholm field of play.

The action all kicks off from 3 December and runs for nine days, and the game is now open to Android as well as iPhone users (you need to download a special app). Take a look at the trailer below.

If you want to keep up with the latest web marketing news, then be sure to keep our blog bookmarked.

Film Production in the UK may struggle to find an appropriate body of reel-chuckers of late, as Icon finally shuts its gates of distribution across our fair British Isles. It is also to cut around twenty of the thirty-two jobs in its London office, reports Variety. Lionsgate UK are said to be in talks to acquire Icon's library, and distribute a hefty mountain of titles acquired by the label but not yet released.

Employees at Icon, said to be gravitating towards a greater focus on production, are currently going through a redundancy consultation phase. Let’s just hope the removal guys don’t come for the chairs during the group therapy session. In January, 15% of lovies at the company were laid off as a cost-cutting measure. Variety suggests that the managing director of the company, Ian Dawson, had been given a year to improve Icon's performance or face its closure. Maybe Dawson’s failure is a blessing in disguise, if Icon can actually turn the ship around and maintain a rebirth as filmmakers.

If Lionsgate does buy the library, it will be picking up titles such as A Single Man, The Road, Precious, The Killer Inside Me, Man On Wire and Paranormal Activity. The label had a number of high-profile releases this year including Project Nim, The Devil's Double, The Beaver and, most recently, Drive.

Would you like to produce and distribute your own video or movie? Check out our website for the best help in the business.

The world of web video has been a strange place over the last couple of days with footage of racist abuse on trains and nonsensical Bollywood songs racking up the views. Added to this yesterday was the uploading of Bizzle the half man-half dog enjoying some cream cheese and breadsticks.

Once again, as with Fenton the runaway dog this viral to-be, is no doubt headed to the advertising domain, possibly via the video marketing department of Dairylea or perhaps another dunkable based snack.

This web video has all the classic hallmarks of a quality viral and I would be incredibly impressed if it was in fact the creation of the Dairylea marketing team though it is more likely and far less cynically just the product of a dad mucking around with his kids.

It doesn’t come with a catchy tune, but for all the ‘dog people’ that couldn’t get into Keyboard cat or indeed the plethora of cat related uploads that seem to surface every week, Bizzle and Fenton will be most welcome.

If you want to find out how to make effective use of viral video why not check out SpectreVids.

Filmmakers have inspired us to buy items featured in the movies for years, whether it’s through shameless product placement as with the Bond movies or a unique, highly desirable style as with pretty much every Wes Anderson film.

Ebay have tapped into this desire by creating a new addition to their iPad app that lets you search for items that appear in the film that you are watching. Steve Yankovich, the VP for Ebay’s mobile department got the idea when he saw a particularly nice toaster in the Jack Nicholson film ‘Something’s Gotta Give’.

According to Yahoo, at least 80% of us operate a web device whilst watching movies or TV and a further 38% say this enhances the experience. This trend clearly says a lot for the power of video marketing and the effect that quality placement can have on your brand.

Research into the buying habits of consumers online has shown that they are 85% more likely to buy a product if it is featured with a web video. If you have a business that could make use of video production, why not get in touch with SpectreVids for an affordable and effective solution.