Seenit: Video Collaboration Platform [Review]

EventMB sponsored the Startup Tech Bazaar at TechFest 2015. Seenit was the deserving winner, despite some very tough competition. Here is our review.

Seenit: What Is It?

Seenit is a video collaboration app and platform. The technology allows organisations to co-create video with their fans, employees, journalists and experts from around the world. All contributors submit video footage via an app on their smartphone and this can be edited and distributed quickly.

Seenit can build a branded app for a company or can imbed their technology within existing apps. Once downloaded the app can be used to direct and collect footage from subscribers by setting them tasks and instructions. For example you could ask attendees to film themselves travelling to the event or ask them to explain what has most inspired them. Once uploaded the content is delivered to a private online studio where films can be quickly edited and distributed through social media live at the event.

The Main Categories of Features Are:

Seenit engages with your most passionate advocates and turns them into content creators via the power of their smartphone. You can direct what footage you need.

Online Studio. Via the private online studio you can create quick snappy vox pop style edits or if you prefer you can download the content to your preferred video editing software.

Marketing. The nature of the tool allows quick editing and distribution while the event is still live. Video content is produced “by the crowd” and so they can gain huge traction online, sometimes gaining millions of social media impressions per month.

Review

Seenit provides businesses with a very visual catalogue of who their most passionate followers are. It engages with these individuals and turns them into content creators. You can gather video from anywhere around the world just by encouraging your crowd to download and contribute.

Through the online studio all video can be managed and you can invite other users to become studio managers and edit your stories. You can create new projects which will immediately appear in the app. It is possible to load direction scripts into the Seenit app enabling you to instruct your crowd to capture exactly what you need. It is even possible to set a time limit for each shot so you make sure you collect the snappy energetic video you need. Live direct from the platform giving tips and guidance to your crowd as they record. The footage created is authentic. As friends are often filming friends real character and personality can shine through.

The online editor is perfect to create quick snappy Vox Pop edits. If  you prefer you can download clips to other video editing software or have your in-house editors log in remotely. There is also a crowd-sourced network of editors who can log in remotely, respond to briefs and help to create the content you need.

The app enables you to collect data on who your community is as everyone has to create a user profile. You can view uploaded video and manage your community to see who has and hasn’t contributed yet. You can then message people accordingly via the app. You can give feedback and prizes to contributors to incentivise them. You can check upload and user analytics week by week.

The terms and conditions grant a worldwide usage agreement between the filmer and the brand which means all video uploaded by the crowd can be used freely by the brand. This builds an archive of valuable user video which the brand can keep tapping back into.

The nature of the tool allows quick editing and distribution while the event is still live to extend the buzz of the event. Video content is produced by ‘the crowd’ and so they can gain huge traction online, sometimes gaining millions of social media impressions per month.

Users can upload from camera roll or record through the app. If the footage cannot be transferred due to lack of wifi or network coverage it will queue the content until a suitable connection is regained so footage isn’t lost. On the app there is a viewing section to see the clips the user has recorded and uploaded and a viewing channel for uploaded videos from others. People can comment on your footage.

The quality of the recording via people’s smartphones is naturally less than if you hired a production crew but the turnaround can be much quicker and this perhaps helps to add to the authenticity. To ensure you get the return from the tool you do need to activate and encourage your crowd to participate which takes forethought and planning. It is worthwhile having a number of champions who can inspire others by uploading lots of content.

Features

App
– user registration to create your profile
– collect data on who your community is
– empowers your crowd to make them content creators
– direct what footage you need
– easily edit the scripts in the app and update the app settings
– create new projects which will immediately appear in the app
– manage your community and see who has and hasn’t contributed yet
– message those that haven’t contributed
– T&C accepted regarding usage of the footage
– upload from camera roll or record through the app
– viewing section to see the clips you have recorded and uploaded
– viewing channel for others uploaded videos
– receive comments and prizes for footage

Online Studio
– you can manage all video
– invite other users to also become studio managers
– private online studio to create quick snappy vox pop style edits
– download the content to your preferred video editing software
– view uploaded video and give feedback and prizes to contributors
– see upload and user analytics week by week
– view video and edit your stories
– instruct your crowd to capture exactly what you need
– set a time limit against each shot
– live direct from the platform
– in house editors can log in remotely
– there is a crowd-sourced editor network who can log in remotely, respond to briefs, and help create the content you need.

Marketing
– quick editing and distribution while the event is still live
– video content is produced “by the crowd” and can gain huge traction online
– ownership – the T&C in the app grants a worldwide usage agreement between the filmer and the brand
– all video uploaded by the crowd can be used freely by the brand
– builds archives of valuable user video for brands

Who Is It For?

Seenit are B2B focused, currently working with large enterprises by application. They help brands cover the build up to and live events, they work with production teams capturing behind the scenes footage and internal communication teams to activate employees to become the creators.

Pros and Cons

Pros
– your crowd can contribute and create authentic footage
– speedy turn around to maximise the social media buzz
– more cost effective than hiring a film crew

Cons
– the quality is less than if you hired a production crew
– you need to motivate your crowd to participate which takes time and planning
– ideally the user needs wifi to upload footage promptly

Pricing and Plans

Seenit works on a pay as you go or subscription pricing model. Currently Seenit is available by application only.

In Conclusion

Seenit is a well thought out concept with great potential for event planners and marketers. The power of deepening relationships with your strongest brand advocates and the possibility of issuing collaborative video footage quickly, perhaps even whilst the event is still live, is a seductive prospect.

Seenit is an exciting startup and it is easy to see why they were the deserving winner of the Startup Tech Bazaar at Techfest. The event landscape is changing and crowd sourcing content is becoming more and more important, particularly for Generation X and Y. Tools like Seenit can help create more powerful brand engagement for the events of tomorrow.