Do You Like Videos or Audio or Text?
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I was just reading an email I received.
Didn’t know the person it was from, or what she was talking about, really. Some kind of product that was off the market for 6 months, now is available for 3 days only. (Lessons: Make sure you put yourself in your recipient’s shoes … and always ask, “Who cares?”)
Anyway, the short email sent me to a video to learn more.
I did not want to click on the link.
I don’t like videos online, frankly. I sit in front of my computer long enough. If I go to a web site, I want to be able to quickly scroll down and get to the punch.
I don’t want to sit and watch a video. But worse–when I did relent and click on the link (in the name of research, for this post), there were LOTS of videos to watch.
Yikes! What a time suck! I closed the browser post-haste.
So, I would really like to hear from you: Do you like videos on web sites?
Do you like audio? Me, I kind of like an friendly audio–as long as it doesn’t start automatically (which is embarrassing when you’re on the phone multitasking and you come to a site with a booming voice suddenly blaring out of your loudspeakers). I especially like when a site tells me how long an audio or video is.
I also like to be able to choose to subscribe to something (as with podcasts I like, that automatically download to my itunes so I can listen when I’m cooking or washing dishes).
Yes, I prefer audio. I prefer text.
But I’d love to know what YOU prefer. Please post your comment.
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Diane,
I know most of the US is on high speed Internet and video is the newest darling but I think the online community does use it way too much. The key information in my view should still be given to the reader through text then audio and in a downloadable fashion.
The norm from my experience is that you have to sit at your computer and watch an online video.
Great thought-provoking post.
Terry
Author of Book Proposals That Sell
April 25th, 2008 at 11:24 am
I prefer text but I have listened to audio. There have been sites which have a video but I rarely access them as I do not want to sit and watch a video on my computer. Videos may be a coming thing but I think most people do not like to sit and watch anything on their computers unless it may be a movie. This I can understand. I think videos are overused. People like to see the information in front of them or be able to download information free if it is thought that it is something they want or need and they trust the site. I am hesitant about downloading something from a site which I do not know and usually will not do so. I have had virus problems in the past and I am careful about what I download.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
The question is kind of vague, like do you like tv? I like some things on tv, yes and some things, no. It depends.
Since online videos can be used for a mutltitude of purposes, I prefer videos on a sales letter to be less than 2 minutes. And please say something important. Don’t use video just to use video, and under the video, let me know how long it is.
If you are giving me a glimpse into your business strategies or providing me a quality training, I am more than willing to sit through a 30 or 60 minute video, but it’s usually at a later point in time.
90% of the videos I watch seem like a detriment to the creator. I get 30 seconds into it and think, what is your point? and I tune out and move onto important things.
Video is great if you use it wisely.
Jill Koenig
Editor
http://www.DotComPreneur.com
April 25th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Good points, Jill! I agree completely. Like anything, video, if used wisely, appropriately, and with the end user in mind (always a great principle), can be effective.
Too many people are hopping on the “video bandwagon” and using it for the sake of using it. Kind of reminds me of Seth Godin and Meatball Sundae….