Video: the medium that moves with the times

A Cisco white paper predicts that by 2019, 80 per cent of all internet traffic will be video content. According to the paper, videos made up 64 per cent of internet traffic in 2014. By 2019 online video content will have increased by 16 per cent in just five years.

Why is video set to dominate other forms of communication so dramatically in the online world?

An internet fuelled by wider broadband availability has helped video not only kill the radio star, but bury it with other forms of low-bandwidth fossils such as text-on-screen. Engagement with video content is so prevalent nowadays because video is a fast, accessible and attention-grabbing communication medium.

YouTube and the rise of video searching

YouTube is the pre-eminent resource for video content on the internet and the second-largest search engine in the world. YouTube’s own statistics illustrate how prevalent videos are as a communication tool in 2016:

  • Over a billion users (almost one-third of all people on the internet).
  • Hundreds of millions of hours of videos watched daily.
  • A 50 per cent year-on-year increase (for three years) in video watch time.

Faster information for shorter attention spans

One of the reasons video is so popular is the speed in which it can deliver information – it’s simply faster to watch a video than read a page of text.

The visual method of delivering information has proven so popular that videos have contributed to reducing our average attention span from 12 seconds in the year 2000 to 8.25 seconds in 2015.

Technically this means our attention span may become shorter than that of a goldfish. On the other hand, our ability to process information simultaneously from different sources has also improved.

Faster internet makes video more viable

Technology has made video content more accessible, with more than half of YouTube views now coming from mobile devices. Service providers, fibre-optic cabling, smartphones, tablets, VR headsets and the internet of things are all enabling more people to watch video without the wait.

A 2015 IAB report found that the use of smartphones to watch video content has increased by 35 per cent. 360-degree videos are already proving very popular – explore this shipwreck on your smartphone or ride this exhilarating rollercoaster. The next big development in video production is virtual reality video content. Deloitte Global predicts that virtual reality will have its first billion-dollar year in 2016.

Videos tell an immediate story

Our brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than information presented as written text. Studies show that videos offer an enhanced learning experience that can also inspire and engage viewers.

Videos can offer viewers a more expansive sensory experience than written text alone. Take real estate advertisements. The Australian Real Estate Group reports real estate listings that include video content receive four times as many enquiries. Why? Because video lets viewers have a virtual walk-through before they decide a house is worth inspecting. This isn’t just faster than reading the information; it’s also a more immersive experience.

How to make your own videos

With good quality digital video cameras and easy-to-use editing software now commonly available it has never been easier to create professional looking video content.

Here’s a simple guide to filming a video presentation:

  • Create a script for your video – who will say what, and when.
  • Setup your smartphone or digital camera (preferably on a tripod) in a quiet room with enough light so the speaker can be clearly seen and heard.
  • Record as many takes as is necessary until you have the footage you need.
  • Use editing software to compile your video and export the finished product. Some useful programs are: Apple iMovie for Mac and iOS, Movie Maker for Windows, FilmoraGo for Android devices.
  • Publish or use the video for your target audiences.

If your project needs a more experienced touch, contact us to find out how we can help enhance your campaign or project with effective video content.

By Michael Wos