by drifter0658
Vlogging Content vs. Written Content: Be Careful!
July 1, 2009 in Drifter's Tales, Featured by drifter0658
Are you ready to lose out 66% of your audience?
Is vlogging (video blogging) the next surefire way to promote content? Maybe. Vlogging content certainly seems to be chewing at written content’s heels. Just take a look at how popular YouTube is as well as how many lensmasters incorporate videos into their Squidoo lenses, me included. Even my pal chef is vlogging over at chefkeem (move over Brad Pitt, your star is going to be eclipsed).
With all that new digital technology is offering these days, just about anyone with a cell phone, webcam, or Flip video camera can post a video on their blogs or websites. The flood is starting, and as marketers we are going to find definite dangers in getting caught up in those turbulent waters.
We have to remember that we are practicing the rules persuasion, and if we fail in any of the five key points of those rules, our successes will be limited.
How can we fail?
First of all, not everyone was born for the camera. I am one of those that have a much better radio face while others have a tough time visually explaining their point. Stiff movements, reading scripted material and sloppy production will turn your message right off.
Lastly, only about a third of us are visual learners. The other two thirds are either tactile or auditory. Strictly going the way of video will shut out two thirds of your audience. Losing sixty-six percent of you prospective clients is draconian.
Many folks work better when they have text to reference as opposed to rewinding over and over again. And don’t forget that we often bookmark something we read so we can print it and take it with us, or come back to it later. Some of us are more attentive when it’s quiet, and videos certainly present many distractions.
We shouldn’t avoid the potential of vlogging. After all, there are those thirty-three percent of us who learn best visually. What seems the best approach is offering a PDF file of the transcript, or a “refer to” page for written content.
How are you going to ride the big wave of marketing with video?
[ratings]
With thanks to 
Overheard on twitter...
Can’t think of any vlogger that I feel compelled to watch. :/
MiMi´s last blog ..Write-A-Caption Contest
I would not call myself a vlogger, bud. 90 percent of my content is written, but I like to use lots of pictures and videos where appropriate. However, you make some important points. I’ve seen pure vlogger sites and, honestly, they tend to turn me off. A juicy headline and a compelling first paragraph contain much more persuasive power than a video’s still photo. We need to ask ourselves – what’s the very first impression of my page for a scanning stranger…someone who’s in a hurry. How can we convince them to stay on our site a bit longer and keep reading?
You’re right A, and I apologize for making it seem as if you were a complete vlogger. You’re no Mother Vlogger (arrrrrrrrrgh), not even close.
Here is something else to ponder. Gotta wonder what the conversion rate is for those of us who are tactile learners. Those folks gotta be hit withe words so hard they feel it.
drifter0658´s last blog ..Freelance Copywriting Is Often Hard, But Can Be Fun