To say that finding funding for anything these days is challenging is a serious understatement. And for projects that have traditionally operated on a shoestring, this creates dire straits indeed. And so it is for documentaries, a medium that has a sometimes maniacal following but limited blockbuster appeal. Without mass appeal, producers of documentaries often have to bootstrap filming and hope for the best with distribution. This can result in great films only reaching a fraction of their niche audience.

Enter SnagFilms, a site that contains more than 550 high quality documentaries. Users can watch full length versions for free, without downloading any special software or creating a profile. On each documentary “home page” there is also an option for supporting a nonprofit cause related to the film. Sharing of the videos is encouraged with embed codes, favorites links and Facebook posting options.

The genius of this site is that the creators understand that independent film supporters have always been “brand evangelists”. By giving them the tools to “snag” their favorite films and promote them on other sites, they increase the likelihood that the message will become viral. If there ever was a perfect connection of brand and marketing strategy, this is it.

One of the greatest features of social  media is its ability to bring to light amazing content not generated by traditional mainstream channels. SnagFilms is the right platform at the right time for the right product.

Tags: rss marketing strategies, Search Engine Visibility, Social Media Marketing, social media optimization

This entry was posted on Friday, March 13th, 2009 at 6:09 am and is filed under Social Media Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.