Israel-based internet company, E-learning Knowledge Solutions, recently launched SuTree.com, a video aggregation service where users can add and categorize instructional videos from across the web, providing a directory of video that would often be buried under the weight of competing content on sites such as YouTube and MetaCafe.
The service is similar to Scouta, in that instead of being primarily machine aggregated content, users on both services are encouraged to add the content themselves, tag or categorize it, comment and add to a larger directory to be shared by others, although SuTree does lack at this time any ability to automatically suggest video.
The site has over 5000 videos indexed across a broad field on interests, ranging from Kids through to Pets, Electronics, Food and Business. I was particularly impressed with the variety of source material, its not just the usual collection of YouTube videos that a prevalent on many aggregation sites, but from a much broader field including video from specialist content providers within each area of interest.
It would be easy to bag the site in terms of it Web 2.0 credentials, navigation is very much old school and doesn’t jump out and hit the casual visitor with a flurry of Ajax and DHTML goodness, but for its target audience of beginners, mothers, those with hobbies or seeking to learn something new it provides a nice rounded package that utilizes user generated inputs for the delivery of some great knowledge to many.
Duncan - fyi, both myself and mashable reported on this last week… my review is on my name click above and mashable is here:
http://mashable.com/2007/04/07/sutree
One of my suggestions for them:
My last suggestion is to enable an option so that the video content creator is notified when a SuTree user posts a comment or vote on one of the creator’s videos. This will allow the content creator to understand how their videos are received.
I like the idea, and the implementation too. The last thing I need is a ‘flurry’ of navigation if I’m just browsing around.
I usually have multiple tabs open, and I pretty much have to browse on mute anymore because of all the tones and voices and surprises and auto-play video. Anyway, SuTree is refreshingly quiet.
My $0.02
Scaling back on the ads might make the site feel a little more welcoming, despite the UI flaws.
Really, Really, Really… Like this idea, it would be even better if it became a hit. Because after all, all this social media sites are alive because of the users!
-Sam from MarketMatador.com
This is a fabulous idea. A video based Yahoo Answers. I only wonder if it will be difficult to grow the video base pass the initial 5,000 videos.
http://www.ebizmba.com
I think this is a quite good site and I should be keep an eye on it. At least you can learn something from the videos.
I like the idea…very similar to youtorials.com. Video is such a powerful teaching tool.
Cool No million dollar funding topic…. Unlike Mike’s blog — He shows and tell how many millions newly startups get.
This one… is excellent…
I actually posted a review of sutree a few weeks ago….
http://techfold.com/2007/04/27.....ch-a-tent/
…and gave them some useful suggestions:
1. Improve your Search: Search appears to be a literal text string search. i.e.: There’s a video on SuTree called How to Pitch a Pop-Up Tent - searching for “pitch a tent,” however, returns nothing. That does the SuTree index a real disservice. Given the complexity of good search, if I were SuTree, I’d be tempted to just add a search widget and let Google deal with it.
2. Open Up the Taxonomy: Either enable users to suggest categories, or add a full tagging implementation (see next point).
3. Complete your Tagging Implementation: Submitting a link lets you add tags, but from that point on, they aren’t visible. You can’t search on them, there’s no tag cloud, tags aren’t listed for videos… they basically just disappear into the void. Tagging adds real value in a context like this, supplementing/complementing the rigid category taxonomy.
4. Streamline & Automate the Submission Process: SuTree would likely get a lot more submissions if doing so didn’t require entering a bunch of meta-data that can be grabbed programmatically. If SuTree could build a submission process that let a user point a crawler to a video page and walk away, that would be better. Given the diversity of sources on SuTree, however, such an implementation would be difficult; perhaps a teired submission process would be an answer. If the submission is from YouTube, users just need to post the YouTube link. If its from elsewhere, more data is required.
5. Clarify your Submission Practices: When you add video, it appears to go into a queue to be approved by a SuTree editor. Once approved, it goes public. I couldn’t find any verbiage on the site describing this process. Perhaps it does so later in the submission process. Either way, this would be nice to know for both consumers (that SuTree is handpicked, quality video) and submitters (don’t bother submitting crap).
6. Clean Up your Vocabulary: On the same page, SuTree will ask you to both Add and Upload video. Given that you can’t actually upload anything to SuTree, this just ends up being confusing. Pick a single word and use it consistently. “Add” or “Submit” would be good. Given that editors appear to need to approve video before it goes public, “Submit” would probably better as you can’t “add” until approved anyway.
…never did hear from them.
Smart idea, because I think companies/advertisers are going to start getting more into creating content wrapped around their brands and instructional videos are a great way to do it without being overly intrusive.
Tech is hot in Israel right now. I keep seeing interesting companies and solutions come out of there. It’s not new but it does seem to be growing. It’s always interesting to see the innovation taking place in other countries.
To those mentioning the functionality of it, my thoughts precisely. There’s a lot to like about this site, it’s not pushing the boundaries in terms of tech but it’s a solid, practical approach to user aggregation.
And at the end of the day, data aggregation is worth a pile of gold. Especially with useful content like instructional videos.
We reviewed this website much earlier than techcrunch
http://www.businesshackers.com.....knowledge/
it’s a pity we don’t get as much traffic as techcrunch
SuTree rimes with sue - as in cease and desist. I am wary of those websites who want their users to pull videos from all across the web.
how much does a pr post cost at this site?
this is very lame.
http://www.videojug.com/
- I think this is a decent site -
- Aggregation just doesn’t really; turn people on.
- Then again , on a simple level everything is aggregation.
“Youtube is aggregation of online videos that might have made it online without youtube….”
- Like a said a real simple level, its all the same
- the problem is this site isn’t really - on the simple level its like a 3rd degree aggregator … its aggregates the aggregators
Word: Aggreagator Count: 6
sorry, RB
Heh each video can’t even be played on the site and is simply a link off to about.com or somewhere similar.
This is not sexy and pretty boring, frontpage material?
Does anyone think videos like this one:
http://artcollectorsguild.com/detail/?id=3
fits in on this website? Yes, they do come from a gallery trying to sell artwork, but on the other hand, they are very informational. Please let me know your opinion- thanks!
I don’t know, aggregation works for techmeme.
It’s a nice concept, but aggregating is a lazy way to go 2.0. I don’t see a reason why it could work when eventually there’s no community here, only index.
There are 2 websites that do the same - http://www.5min.com and http://www.videojug.com - but they also give community srevice and the right vibes for users. I don’t see sutree doing that…
Very clean site with a simple idea, to teach people with videos that already exist but are hard to find. Another brand new site, http://www.brainplugg.com , is doing a very similar concept but host a challenge for users to win money and vote on submissions every 2 weeks.
Sutree is very impressive with it’s simplicity.
The concept is simple but still very clever.
Go find a decent free video tutorial/lesson using YouTube or Google…
I hope we’ll see SuTree grows and indexes all free video tutorials/lessons.
I hope their next version will include more community features, but even now - I like this site ( - :
How much did they pay you guys to post this up. There are 100 other sites like this, big deal.
Daniel
not 1 cent. First time I’ve seen a site like this, and there was a lot to like about it, hence the post.
I thought it’s great. I’ve already used it (first time I made a perfect white rice), and I’ll use SuTree.com again.
I advise you all to keep an eye on sutree - my guess is that they’re going to be the next big thing in the web.
As for people like #23 - maybe someone can add the following lesson to sutree - “the biological and psychological roots of envy”?
For educators, websites like this one are wonderful. Most school districts block video sites, but with an “instructional” video site, we may be able to work with network administrators. I want my students to turn in fun projects, not just text on a page. This gives me a good tool to teach my 8th graders both the content of the course, some video editing, and social networking without exposing them to a lot the parents would probably object to.
Thanks!
i am excited about the site, and am looking fwd. to using it. Concerning the COMMERCIAL or PR video postings, why not have a “Commerciality rating” of 0 to 5 - if a great recipe is shown being cooked with Wesson Oil and Cool-Whip and Betty Crocker Cake Mix, rate it a 2 or 3.
a bea c (# 26) is right. Most schools have to block video sites, all of them. This could be an invaluable resource for teachers, if the ads are appropriate for kids. Also, there could be a “rating” tag added to indicate the minimum age allowed to watch, and the maximum age that would probably enjoy watching (based on the interest level, etc. Barney showing how to make a PB&J would have a min. of 0yrs and a max of 7.)