Videos Do You Like 'em

[StephenT]

A while back, there was a thread about videos on sales pages. It seemed most people thought them irritating.

What about blog posts? If a blog post is done in video do you watch it? If the blog has an intro; what about that? I was doing two or three a week, but after the comment on sales pages, I stopped. I only do a weekly recap now. It doesn't matter what I like, it's what the general public likes.

I love them! anytime someone puts video on their blog I watch it. I watched Lynn open her packages twice! It makes me feel as if I know the other person just a little better.

Let me know! Give me your smarts on this thread and do the poll. I'm editing this thread to add, tell me why either way. Why do you love' em, why do you hate 'em? Ask your kids. ask your neighbor. I think video is it, but I was wrong once before! :D

[PpcJen]

I would have to say I am in between two options. I do like video blog entries, but I do not watch every single one.
I like them if they are short, to the point, interesting, helpful, or fun.

I'd also like to know an easy way to do them. I haven't tried it yet for my own blog and I think it would be fun.

[StephenT]

I'd also like to know an easy way to do them. I haven't tried it yet for my own blog and I think it would be fun.
There are several easy programs to use I use Corel pro. IF you can take the video, the program practically does the rest. I did have adobe premier elements and it was not goo. There is an aussie company called NCH, i believe, that I used for quite a while. It was cheap and easy to use, but no bells and whistles.

[Rick Olsen]

How do you put polls on here? I watch video on youtube. That's what it's there for. I read on blogs. That's what they're there for. I don't like videos on blogs, or on sales pages. I ignore them. Don't go by what I say, because lots of people do like video on blogs. I'm just not one of them.

The only exception is a tutorial blog.

[Suzi]

I'm not so keen on video either, unless, as Rick says, it is instructional and I need to see it.

And the thing I really don't like, is when there is a video there, but I don't know how long it is. My time is very precious, and if I know the video is only five mins I might consider watching it - but if I start watching it, and then have no idea when it will end, I tend to just switch it off.

But I know lots of other people like it - maybe you need to be a young 'un....

Suzi

[lindastacy]

It doesn't matter what I like, it's what the general public likes.

In my opinion it doesn't matter what the general public says they like or don't like. What matters is what works on your site, blog, or sales page. And the only way to know for sure is to test.

I think the demographics of your target market makes a huge difference in the effectiveness of video. Just in my little family you'd get three different responses. My teenage son would definitely respond to video, my husband prefers audio, and I prefer text.

I won't be surprised if the poll results indicate that many people don't like video, but I think you'll find many marketers who will say they get great results.

[angienewton]

I'm in the middle. I like watching some videos as long as they don't start up right away. AND I like to see when a video is transcribed below it so I can read if I so choose. I don't usually watch videos that are more than 5-7 minutes or so. That is cutting it for me LOL

[StephenT]

Thanks everybody that has so far given their opinion. I thought a lot about this today as I sat in the mall watching people. I watched younger people who were glued to texting and video games and older people who read newspapers. now that doesn't mean all are like that either way, just a generality.

I think a video blog post that is more than four or five minutes would be just as annoying as a written post that was five hundred plus words. Blogs should be short and concise, in my humble opinion.

[TraciKnoppe]

Since I do a lot of training videos, obviously I like and use video a lot. However, not every post on my blog is video - only specific training, or the occasional short video where I believe seeing me adds a necessary element to the message.

I also do not like long blog posts.

[StephenT]

Thanks for the input Traci.

[Debra Conrad]

Not much choice for "in between" in the poll. I would have chosen "It Depends"...LOL.

I "watch/listen" to blog posts. I actually don't watch much. I listen in while I work.

I like to see a video or two of the "person" so I can have a visual of how they interact but after that I would rather just listen.

Unless it's a tutorial - Then I'm glued!

[StephenT]

Thanks Debra!

[Rick Olsen]

In my opinion, the length of a blog post has no bearing on it's value or ease of reading. I'd much rather read a long blog post that tells me what I want to know, than 10 short posts which say the same thing using slightly different semantics.

Blogs like this are boring and of no value. Read one post and you've read them all. Why come back? Concise is good. Precise is better.

Also, in my opinion, an intro video has no value. If I still need to read the post to get the info I want, why waste my time with an intro video? Why waste yours making it? Just write it, so the flow isn't interrupted.

Here's an example from ClickNewz: http://www.clicknewz.com/1993/how-to-write-a-blog-post/ (http://www.clicknewz.com/1993/how-to-write-a-blog-post/)

Lynn could have split this into eight 2 paragraph blog posts. She could have made an intro video for each one. Instead, she wrote one, precise, info packed post. She didn't waste my time, because she had something to say, not something to show. She gained my respect and assured I'd be back for more. Lynn's a master writer. Follow her example and you can't go wrong.

Lynn - Hope you don't mind.

[aussieroo1]

I guess it depends on the intro and what the video's about. Generally, I prefer reading blog entries, but if the videos are concise and direct to the point and keep me interested, I watch the entire thing.

[Clay Franklin]

I like to watch Frank Kern Videos on his blog. Usually very informative. Results in advance stuff. I like to watch Lynn Terry videos about anything. I do not watch vidoes on You tube and often find videos on blogs boring.
Have really good content or have a relationship with your viewer for best results.