Ved.io Goes Beta: Breaking the Video Screen Barrier

I want ot take a few minutes to tell you about Ved.io, a new video sharing service that lets users pair a variety of content forms with video, launched I could take four paragraphs trying to explain this in digispeak, but let's try a picture and a single sentence:

Ved.io pairs a video with your choice of content in a real time tandem ad that runs next to the video. Click to enlarge:



Now, perhaps if you know a little about the video ad biz, you'll be surprised that a start-up is using the concept of a tandem ad as its core differentiator. After all, in the ad biz, tandem ads are pretty much on the way out.

But let's dig a little deeper. The whole reason why tandem ads were created in the first place was to provide a both a place for more advertiser info to live, more persistently, and to give users a place to click. That was before the vid screens themselves were clickable.

In the context of UGC, or in a larger sense, annotation, the tandem content area lets people add additional info or react to what's being said in the video in real time. That's an awesome concept. It lets the viewer see the vid while also consuming additional information simultaneously. It's the ultimate in multitasking media.

So what can go in that square? Well, quotes, text, pictures, or even a link. That's the rudiments of it. But what it MEANS is that you get to add documentation, editorial, supporting imagery, or any other form of content that can aid in the experience.

Here's an example from the footage of the debate last Friday, when McCain and Obama were asked what are the lessons of Iraq (click to enlarge):



On this case, the content on the right can help voters or even journalists better interpret the answers to this important event.

Now, on the other hand, one could also put a picture of Homer Simpson "D'oh" photo the next time that...to take a purely hypothetical example, a VP candidate makes a gaffe.

I really do like the idea of this. Head on over and check it out for yourself!

The beta offering is free - premium services are on the way.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write.