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Audio and video content on the Web has raised the bar for search engines — consumers demand superior search capability that provides context as well as accuracy. While Google redefined search a few years ago, the next wave of search now includes video and audio, which brings into play technologies like EveryZing.

Today’s podcast features an interview with Tom Wilde, CEO of EveryZing.com. We highlight how translating formats into searchable text and providing context around those keywords will further advance the way marketers can package information.

This is about marketers having the full spectrum of media at their disposal to communicate and add to that the ability to search all of those formats. Give it a try: see the EveryZing search box to the left (if you’re reading this on providentpartners.net). Type in “viral video” — use the quotes — and make sure you choose to search the Provident Partners channel, then click “Zing It.” I bet you’ll get a results page that shows you the time code where I mention “viral video” in this podcast.

So how do you think multimedia search can be used? Use the comments box on this blog post and we’ll give a $25 Amazon e-certificate to the application we like best. Deadline for comments is August 31. The winner will be announced on Labor Day.

Also a big thank you to Mihai Banulescu, a wonderful instructor of dance that can be found at Beyond Blues. Mihai e-mailed us a question about whether Beyond Blues would be a good candidate for a vidcast or podcast.

Beyond Blues features the style of dance called Blues Dancing. It is a complex mixture of blues music with pair dancing. It’s a sophisticated, sultry combination that has some of the essential elements of a good vidcast or viral video. They are:

–an element of user generation; hell, the very nature of dance as a form of self-expression flows right into the concept of user-generated content
–beauty; you have to see some of these dancers to appreciate the grace that goes into this dance style
–folly; self-deprecating humor, after all, is what made America’s Funniest Home Videos so popular
–instruction; just like the popular vidcast Tiki Bar TV uses a mini-plot to carry the knowledge of making drinks, Beyond Blues has that same potential
–characters; video lets people make a connection with the audience, and to the extent that Mihai and his colleagues or students have an interesting story or look, that will make the vidcast more compelling and give it a loyal following.

Some examples of this include Amanda Congdon, formerly of Rocketboom, Dusty Wright of Culture Catch, and Shel and Neville from For Immediate Release. Their personalities have built a following along with the valuable content they provide.

There is also a foundation of socialness, of being together and learning. Mihai holds dance sessions around the country. Some examples can be found on his site, www.beyondblues.com.

Remember: for each comment or e-mail we get, will give a food item to people in need.

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