Podcasts and videos should be standard fare in the Web 2.0 world. Hannon Hill's founder and president explains how to add it to your site without sacrificing usability.

In our web-based industry, it's hard to have a conversation without mentioning Web 2.0. Videocasts, podcasts and blogs are hot items in the world of corporate marketing. In October 2006, Nielsen Media Research announced plans to fund a pilot study of how individuals consume video across various platforms. Experts are predicting a surge in Web 2.0 in 2007, and I encourage everyone from clients to coworkers to get on board sooner rather than later.

Research says: Rich media is standard content for corporate training and marketing
It's not just fluff; YouTube and MySpace might be the most prominent websites that come to mind when you're thinking about rich media and user-driven content, but the same rules driving those sites can apply to the corporate world, too.

Several types of rich-media content mediums, including podcasts and videocasts, are now considered standard vehicles for delivering training, news and marketing materials to website audiences. Earlier in 2006, research firm Gartner called podcasting "a new, low-cost, high-impact form of audio content delivery that's ready to be exploited for training and general information delivery," and advised that "enterprises should review their communication and training strategies to find places where podcasting would be valuable."

Employing rich media without lowering your standards
There's a fear among some corporate marketers that adding rich media is just adding clutter. This problem most commonly occurs when marketers are so eager to get on board with new technology that they dive into implementations before sorting through the hype and putting a solid plan in place. The internet has moved from its early period of sloppy code (tables-based, background images, proprietary HTML tags, et cetera) to a time in which HTML standards and CSS-based designs are, although maybe not followed to the letter, at least universally hailed as the industry standard.

In order to evolve with Web 2.0, companies must be willing to take the time to learn how to successfully enhance their established online presence with rich media within the context of a structured, well-managed website. The best websites are those that are easy to find, access and navigate. That shouldn't change when rich media is incorporated, and it's not hard to do if you have the right foundation.

If you've already got a standards-based site, then you're well prepared for rich media. But if you're still struggling with your XHTML and CSS validations, it's best to start now before adding new elements. Rich media, while trendy, is an enhancement, not a quick fix for a poorly designed site.

Tips for keeping rich media usable:

• Don't hide potential key words inside videos or graphics. No matter how valuable the media, if there isn't relevant text on the page that can be found by search engines, your audience won't find the information. Much of the reason that YouTube is so popular is that you can find whatever you're looking for. Tagging content and providing accurate descriptions is what makes your rich content findable.
• Let your audience know what to expect. This goes back to the key words and descriptions, but it also goes beyond that. Website visitors make conscious decisions about what content to stream or download. A well-written title and a few bullet points about the content will help them make the right choice (and not miss out on your message) by making it clear what they should expect.
• Don't rely on rich media for everything. Remember that much of your audience may be limited by their technology, or by their ability or willingness to use it. If you've got a message that's too important to miss, make sure to give visitors the option to bypass rich media elements without losing out on valuable information.

David Cummings is founder, CEO and president of Hannon Hill. Read full bio.