The term multimedia simply refers to content that uses two or more types of media (text, graphics and video or animation). In the 1990s, multimedia content usually meant content that was delivered to a computer in the form of a CD-ROM. In these terms, the concept seems dated, but multimedia has evolved and means something very different in today’s internet driven society.

Today multimedia refers to content on your website that goes beyond text and static images and includes audio. Typically this means that once an individual has landed on your bakery’s website, videos are playing. The audio could be music or a recorded message that the viewer can hear.

Innovative, creative and consistent Multimedia marketing strategies are now a necessary tool of trade, no longer just an add-on, rather a medium on which to compete globally, reach more customers, and build new relationships.

Video

Most likely, your bakery has a website with text and images—if it doesn’t, it should—the next step to raise your online state is video. Establish a strong web presence by sharing videos (aka podcasts) on your website. Online videos represent a great resource, especially due to the high number of people tuning in. Not only that, but online videos offer customers, both existing and potential, the idea of a closer personal relationship with your bakery, and you.

According to a survey released by comScore, a digital marketing research firm headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Google's many video sites accounted for 12.2 billion videos viewed in a given month, including YouTube, which accounted for nearly 99% of the total. People like watching videos on the internet.
 
Being able to run videos on your bakery’s website basically requires four things: an area on your homepage for the video to be shown, equipment, a marketing plan and a theme for the videos content. For the retail bakery, first focus on equipment and a theme. Once you have the video done, then proceed to getting it up on your website and promoting it. When you do a video the right way, it acts as an effective promotional tool.

Equipment

For smaller budgets, you can purchase a camcorder or a webcam. Webcams limit your mobility in the sense that you’ll just be sitting in front of your computer. The best way to go for the budget-conscious is a camcorder, preferably a "three-chip" camera that uses three computer chips to separate colors, which results in a higher quality picture, says Peter Brusso, an Anaheim, California, podcasting producer and technology marketing consultant. You’ll also need a small wireless microphone for the audio and some simple editing software such as Sony's Vegas Movie Studio or Final Cut Pro 7.

If you have a bigger budget, hire a professional. Prices run from $1,000 to $15,000, according to podcast industry sources.

Theme

You could have the best-looking video around, but it wouldn't matter if you didn't do something that was interesting and consistent. If you can, it’s best to stick to a regular broadcast schedule like once a week or month. And keep shows short. Grab your viewer’s attention quick, but don’t try to hold it for too long or they’ll become uninterested and may not come back in the future.

Take the opportunity and use your video as a sort of commercial for new or specialty products that you think your customers and viewers would particularly enjoy. If you’ve got somebody with a steady hand, walk around the store and talk about new products and specials. If the camera gets too shaky, set it up stationary and bring products in and out of the frame as you talk about them. There are numerous ideas for short videos that your customers would enjoy.

You could do a “how-to” for setting up displays and trays of your products that customers could use when serving items purchased at your shop. Another idea that customers might enjoy is a “behind-the-scenes” video in which you take customers into the production area for a taste of what goes into the making of the products they love.

The Right Reason

As a retail bakery, you might at some point have enough views to get some sort of advertising if you also post your videos to YouTube or a similar site. But it probably won’t amount to much even if you do. It is quite easy to post a video simply for visitors' enjoyment. For a small business owner, posting a video for entertainment purposes stands to generate many views, which in turn may spark interest in the company and possibly lead to the purchase of products or services, such as catering.

Whether or not your ability to measure monetary success happens, those who visit your website with enjoy seeing a video of the goings on in your bakery. Also, business savvy people know that personal relationships are the cornerstone of success. Posting fun and enjoyable videos on your website will nurture these types of relationships with your viewers and give them a reason to see you and your bakery as more than just a source for baked goods.