If you have never before heard of Kicklight then this article will help shine some light on the issue. I wanted to write about exactly the idea behind Kicklight and how it can make a difference for you as either an online video producer or a video viewer. There are some similarities and differences to the benefits for both parties. Once you have a better grasp of the concept you will see why Kicklight has dubbed itself a revolutionary company for the online video experience.

Online Video Dilemma

Do you enjoy watching YouTube or other popular video sharing site videos? Aside from the many silly videos there are plenty of how-to and tutorial videos that give out great information. Some of these video producers include text on the screen as you are watching, such as steps. Other entertaining videos may be exclusively images and sound. What if the video producer or you the viewer wants additional information that might enhance what you are watching? Currently the narrator has to say something or text has to be put on the screen. For some videos this might not be a big deal but for others it can get in the way of the video.

As an example take the most viewed video in YouTube history, The Evolution of Dance by Judson Laipply. While enjoying this hilarious video what if you wanted to know the name of a particular song and the artist/groups name? Unfortunately you would have to do some searching or the video would need to display song information on the screen. As of now Judson would have to place a link in the right side description section of the video and hope that people actually click on the link. What are the chances very many people will click on that link? Very few, which means Judson and so many other video producers will not be able to capitalize on their efforts and audiences will not be able to get the information they want.

So how does Kicklight fix this problem? With a simple but powerful concept, kicks.

The Kicklight Solution

What if you could receive all pertinent, informative, interesting, useful information for videos without disrupting the video viewing experience? Allow me to explain the Kicklight concept. Think outside of the box. Literally. Kicklight has placed the information outside of the video screen and attached it to the bottom of each video. A box that is filled with a graphic file (a kick) that can contain images and text that pertain to the video. Problem solved. No more need for stuffing text and audio within the video. The kick will do the heavy lifting for you by displaying information that corresponds with the video playing.

Here is an example of a kicklight with behind the scenes information.

There is probably not an unobtrusive way to include so much information into the silent movie other than with kicks. I can only imagine the amount of movie producers who would love to provide background information for their productions. My guess is that many would like to offer up some interesting tidbits for their fans.

Kicklights Are Clickable

On top of all the previously mentioned benefits for kicks there is also the ability to attach URLs to each individual kick. Have you noticed some YouTube videos have in the screen links to click? Personally I find these links run the gammit from a bit obtrusive to completely obnoxious. With kicks viewers can simply click on the kick and they will be brought to the corresponding page. Clickability not only cleans up the video screen and therefore improves the viewing experience but also greatly improves the chances of viewers clicking on links. This is positive for both video producers and watchers.

Let’s say you produce weekly videos on YouTube and sell shirts, hats or other product to support your efforts. Instead of saying “Make sure and click on the link in the description” or leaving a message at the end of the video directing people to a certain URL you can put that information in a kick. Using kicks will cut down video length and greatly increase the chances of viewers clicking on your links. There of course will be a very slight learning curve as the general video watching population becomes used to kicks and their interactivity.

Kicklight Breeds Originality

Most current Kicklight users are uploading YouTube videos that were already published to create kicklights. However, the long-term perspective is for Kicklight users to create original videos that utilize the power of kicks. Therefore over time as Kicklight catches on there will be a wave of original videos that only work with kicks. The possibilities are endless for incorporating kicks into already entertaining videos. My intent is to start producing some how-to videos for new Kicklight users and fully utilizing kicks.

Wrap Up:

• Kicklights enhance the video viewing experience
• Kicks are unobtrusive
• Clickable kicks increase the chance of viewers actually following links
• Kicklight will create new “kicked” videos

I for one see the incredible potential of Kicklight and wonder how long it will take for the site to catch on. It will be very interesting to see people’s imaginations running wild with the Kicklight concept.

Have you heard of this funny thing called Kicklight? As of the posting of this article chances are you have not. Kicklight is nothing short of a revolution for online video interactivity and a viable monetization solution for user generated content. There is so much opportunity for creative minded people with the power of Kicklight in their hands. As you become more acquainted with Kicklight and its possibilities you might be interested to know more about this company. I thought I would share some tidbits with you.

#1. The idea for Kicklight came about two years before the company was started.

The founder of Kicklight John McIntire formulated this idea back in 2006. However, he sat on it for two years because he thought for sure that YouTube or Google would come up with a similar idea. Much to his surprise and obvious delight his idea was never discovered. With the backing of Stanford Research Institute (SRI) John set into motion the revolutionary concept of Kicklight.

#2. Initial marketing for Kicklight was done by a Claremont Mckenna College Junior Shamil Hargovan.

Shamil is the person that introduced me to Kicklight back in October of 2008. He did a 2008 summer internship at SRI, where he met John McIntire and learned about Kicklight. Shamil was and still is the person who is marketing the site to the public. He is very energetic and has a great deal of vision for Kicklight. I’m impressed that he can market this up and coming company while being a full-time student. I for one could not do it.

#3. Kicklight was tested and used by Claremont College students in the beginning.

While this may not come as a surprise it is interesting to note that the founder of Kicklight, John McIntire a CMC alum, decided to place Kicklight in the hands of college students. Through a few presentations on the Claremont College campuses students were introduced to Kicklight and allowed to produce their own creations. My introduction to Kicklight was through a presentation at Scripps College in 2008.

#4. The hope for Kicklight was that Google would purchase it and integrate kicks into the YouTube experience.

From the beginning Kicklight did not want to be a competitor to YouTube but instead a partner. The idea behind Kicklght is that videos be made with the intention of utilizing kicks to enhance them. YouTube/Google has struggled mightily to find a way to monetize their videos. They briefly played with pre-rolls, which was axed almost as quickly as it appeared, and now are placing ads in transparent boxes and a variety of other “in the box” formats. Kicklight has brought kicks outside of the box so as to maintain the integrity of the video and not distract from enjoying it. Wouldn’t you prefer seeing ads, graphics and other information outside of the video you are watching? Welcome to Kicklight.

#5. Kicklight contacted YouTube/Google about their concept.

This may seem strange or counterintuitive but YouTube was contacted about the concept behind Kicklight. A representative from Google told Kicklight that they thought the idea was interesting and would keep an eye on them. I found it strange that Google would not jump on Kicklight from the beginning but they may have wanted to see if it caught on before investing time and money into the idea. My guess is that once Kicklight reaches a certain level of exposure Google will dip in a offer to purchase it. Of course this is assuming that most video producers will want to create their own kicks.

It is interesting and strange to be writing about Kicklight before most people even know about it. I hope some of these tidbits will interest you, especially if/when Kicklight is a household name. I think it would be a lot of fun if the online video community were to grasp the power and earning potential behind Kicklight. Here’s to the Kicklight revolution!