21 Jul Video Blogs: Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em?

Video brings so much value to your message.  If you’re not offering some sort of video to your audience you have a lot of catching up to do!

As a marketer I know these things. However, as a consumer, I do have mixed feelings about the explosion of video information. So this list of Pros and Cons is strictly from a consumer viewpoint – from the information I receive in my inbox and on my chosen feeds.

Video Pros

• Allows me to truly connect with the face behind the message, which helps the trust factor
• Shows me more details of a product or service than I may have with just a description and photo
• If done well, is more effective in reaching me emotionally, prompting a decision about what is being offered
• Makes it easy for me to share with people I think could also benefit from the information

Video Cons

• Many times I read emails throughout the work day, or on my smartphone, which are not feasible times to watch a video with sound (if it loads at all on my phone)
• If my high-speed is acting up or unavailable, the constant stopping/starting/freezing of a video is frustrating enough for me to not only not watch it but possibly unsubscribe.
• Most video blogs I see average 10-20 minutes in length – who has that kind of time to sit through a video uninterrupted?
• Today’s videos are smarter: they do not include an option to pause. While the intention of this is for viewers to be “forced” to watch it in its entirety, it has the opposite effect on me: I abort it altogether if I can’t watch it on my terms (with breaks)
• I try to save the ones I receive until I am able to give them my undivided attention; but by then I have several 20-minute videos lined up to watch and I feel overwhelmed

Overall Consumer Opinion

I know many of these fantastic, FREE videos are packed with very valuable content. Unfortunately, I miss out on a good portion of it because it’s simply not convenient for me to watch videos on the fly, when they are presented to me. I would much rather a short, two-minute video introduction with a downloadable PDF packed with the pertinent information I am seeking. Perhaps making video an option for those who have the luxury of watching videos as they arrive in their inbox is the best choice.

Do I differ from the average consumer? You tell me – do you like receiving your content better in a traditional, written blog or over video? What are your pros and cons? Let us know by commenting below or posting your thoughts on our Facebook page!