Stop Making Me Watch Videos!

[KenSilver]

Video information is the biggest time waster ever for any productive marketer.

I've just spent 2 hours trying to keep up with some videos (Frank's among them, I think), in between doing other stuff on my 5 PC screens to maximize my work time. I actually learnt nothing.

It's darn near impossible to suck in the knowledge I need for keeping up with my field when I have to watch video.

So I don't watch it anymore. I can't afford to. I spend 30 minutes writing a daily newsletter and blog, a few hours on sales and new product development, 30 minutes looking for The Next Big Thing (which I never find BTW), 3 minutes cleaning my teeth... you get it.

There's not much time left in the day to watch video.

I believe it is the worst kind of information-push any time restricted business person can experience.

Sure, if you're a buyer with time on your hands then maybe it's a good way to sell. But I'm not one, and they slow me down a lot.

So I never buy video products, even if they promise to reveal the NBT - unless they have a transcript enclosed.

There's a lot to be said for the written word with a short headline, subheads and bullet points. Quick. Speedy. Then on to the next thing. I can flip through an hour-long video transcript in several minutes. The time saved is invaluable.

Don't get me wrong - I love video. I have 9 screens in my office not counting the iPhone on a charger. I videoconference almost daily on my 24" iMac, which I bought specially for doing this.

But print wins when it comes to knowledge stuffing.
...

[Dana_W]

I did a post on this a while back. I HATE most internet marketing videos. They're an incredibly inefficient way to provide information.

The bottom line, though, is whether they convert better than presenting the same information in written form, and I don't know the answer to that. I know that I choose not to watch most IM videos or listen to most IM teleconference recordings, but I may be in the minority on that.

[Monetize]

I agree. I'd rather read it that way I can speed-read
skim through it or whatever. I don't have the patience
or the inclination to sit here and watch some lengthy
video that's probably going to tell me what I already
know.

[stsnelson]

Ahhh....people after my own heart!

I love videos but I just don't have time to watch them all if they are longer than 5-minutes. I prefer to listen to audio and read PDF's as I can skim.

[Peter Bestel]

Oh this one again.

This is to do with personal preferences and, more importantly learning styles. What's inefficient to you might be the most effective method of learning for another. You might hate video with a passion - that's your choice, but statistically, most people are visual, so you'd think video would be a good medium to promote stuff with.

Unfortunately for you, the trend of video pitches and products is unlikely to wane for quite some time - you're in the minority, sorry.

Peter

[adamv]

Video can be great when it's showing you how to do something that you are unfamiliar with. Michelle Macphereson's 30 minute backlinks program is one example. Her videos helped me tremendously when it came to making simple software, creating a pad file, and then submitting the software to various directories. Without her videos I would have been lost.

I've also watched videos on creating wordpress blogs and again something that I had no idea how to do before watching videos is now a piece of cake.

There are some video products however that I did feel were a complete waste of time. If the video is showing how to do something I think they're great. But, if the video is just information about a subject and not a specific do this, then that, type of thing you could get the juicy nuggets much faster out of a book.

[write-stuff]

They are also frequenly done poorly because the presenters don't know how to teach. They demonstrate but don't teach. That is, they don't focus on the art of knowledge transfer.

Conventional video is generally weak at knowledge transfer because it is serial. It is accessed linearly - not easy to find and repeat parts you want to review. There are flash tools that are an order of magnitude better for teaching than standard video.

- Russ

[mrmcd]

There are vids that are just blabbing (especially Franks new one on being arrested!), but there are also videos that give good content directly. It does depend on how we learn. Personally, I prefer video, unless it's too much talk, and not enough useful stuff. Then when I am doing an in depth study, for instance on copy writing, I definitely prefer to read. Just to take it at my own pace and let it sink in.

I think there is definitely a place for both, and considering the lack of concentration span of the new generation, video is a powerful tool for selling, and will be even more so in the future.

[Bruce NewMedia]

My Pet Peeve: Internet Marketing Videos that you CANNOT SPEED UP!!.

I get the idea. The marketer wants you to commit to watching the whole thing. Maybe its been tested, but I wonder. In any case, if I see theres no controls to speed forward and skip stuff that I don't care about, I don't watch it - period.

Printed info lets you intake the data faster and choose only what you want.

And I 'd agree with others that many videos are just terrible in terms of execution. Bad sound, always bad lighting, often boring, as if no thought went into it - no planning at all.

I guess if it was easy, everyone would be making Hollywood Movies :-)
_______
Bruce

[KenSilver]

Originally Posted by Peter Bestel

...Unfortunately for you, the trend of video pitches and products is unlikely to wane for quite some time - you're in the minority, sorry.

Peter

Either I'll lose out bigtime on some exceedingly valuable knowledge, or else I'll have far more time on my hands from NOT watching vids to spend on promoting my own products. Hmmm...

[Shannon Herod]

Hey Ken,

I am actually the complete opposite. I learn a lot better when I'm watching video. I am actually at an avid reader, but do not like it that much. I read because I want to increase my intelligence. If I can watch a video and do the same thing, I'm all for it.

I just do not watch videos during the working day. I watch videos like I read books, in my spare time.

I have never dedicated learning during working hours. I have just always done it in my spare time, so the time it takes to watch the video does not bother me much.

Shannon

[Yoseph101]

I find some video's helpful, but I agree they can be a huge time waster, I remember one where the "Narrator" showed me what I had to do to install Google toolbar for like 5 minutes! The rest was pretty good though.

[write-stuff]

Yep, the internet and some very bright programmers have given us wonderful tools. Just like everything else though; most of the resulting creations will be sub-par.

[Pete Egeler]

If you're one of those that think that a busy marketer (and, a serious one) has time to sit around and wade through videos (most of which really suck!) you're only kidding yourself.

And we won't even talk about the programs coming out now that require you to download the videos. Talk about clogging up the works!

When I want to watch a video, I flip on Monday Night Football!

Pete

[Dana_W]

To clarify: I like it if a video is showing me step by step how to do something, but not if it's just somebody reading something aloud or having a long rambling conversation with another internet marketer, punctuated with the occasional decent piece of information - which describes most IM videos I've seen.

But again, if they sell better, then that's the way to go.

[Bev Clement]

I hate video, and having a crappy internet speed doesn't help.

But, this is my main complaint, most are crappy videos, and done because something thinks it's a good idea at the time. They have no idea how to create a decent video and think any rubbish will do.

I was discussing this with someone who produces video, and their comment was it takes a few hours or a day to produce an ebook. I can do a video in 30 mins or less, and charge twice as much for it. Quality doesn't matter, it is the perceived value which puts the money into my account. I think that says it all. Sad, but true.

[Vyliss]

I think it depends how your level of expertise in the field. Newbies would take to video learning more than someone who already knows half the stuff.

I agree though a lot of the videos is just people rambling on about crap and not getting to the point fast enough, so what happens is I stop paying attention and miss the important bits!

One of my biggest pet peeves are videos that start playing automatically when you load a page, GRR! It's annoying when you have 20 browsers open and then you hear sound coming out you dont know where it's coming from! very annoying.

[lklein]

I rather have text as well. Video is okay as a addon though.

[Sheryl Polomka]

I must admit I prefer text also. I hate watching 30 minutes of video to learn one small thing that if it had been in text I could have skipped past everything I already knew.

That's just my personal opinion though, I guess when there is something to be learned then watching how to do it can be easier than reading it.

[Shannon Herod]

Really, I think it comes down to using your best judgment. Whenever I read a book I will always look at what it's about before I read it.

The same applies to video. Before I watch a video I'm going to read what it's about. If I know the information that is contained in the video, then I will simply not watch it or skim through it looking for bits of information. (if it is a PowerPoint presentation anyway)

Shannon

[NaomiDunford]

I prefer text generally, but in some cases it's video that makes me convert. But useless bonus video? Useless.

I also think that video converts a lot better with people you as an individual can relate to. Frank has me riveted. (Maybe it's the accent.) Eben? No interest here. Ed Dale is somewhere in the middle for me.

What really gets me is conference video. I bought Mass Control and got all the bonus conference footage. Two hours of my life -- and no indication that it was a two hour video, either -- and I learned... nothing. But there was enough going on that I couldn't tune out and get any work done either. Argh.

Definitely transcripts are the way to go. The people who love the video and want to feel like they're there in person can have it, and everybody else can grab a highlighter.

Thanks for speaking up, though. I was wondering if it was just me.

[Jose Delgado]

PDF all the way for me.

I've seen GREAT information Videos but almost every single one is crap.

Boring... Slow...

UNLESS, your name is Spandanko and you're dressed as a D.I.C.K.S agent and chasing Frank Kern with your big fat stomach flopping everywhere.

[Hesaidblissfully]

Videos can be helpful for tutorials that are very technical in nature or involve a lot of visuals, but in general, yeah, I find myself going "cut to the chase already!"

Print is definitely more convenient, time wise.

[lennelljones]

I only like to watch videos if they are tutorials for something that I am interested in learning. I almost ALWAYS prefer to read the material, since I can accomplish that much more quickly.

If I have to watch a video about a product, I prefer that it is 5 minutes or less. After that, I am moving on to something else.

However, many people love to watch videos - as can be attested by the numerous video sharing sites and the THOUSANDS of videos on them...

[Rob Lee]

I bought a video course on how to set up the Rapid Action Script. That helped a lot. So my guess is that any type of tutorial video course would be worth your time. Especially if it has something to do with software or doing stuff online. I agree that having a transcript could be a good idea. I know that different people learn different ways. I also believe that video in itself is a good idea. I like to watch videos if they are done right. I really like the more professional videos that are entertaining while being informative. For instance a dvd of a confernce or seminar would be cool. It can be the next closest thing to actually being there.

If you don't like to watch videos don't do it. There is plenty of info to learn in other mediums. I think Kern's videos are good. I was disappointed in the last video I tried to watch on his blog because it was not loading fast enough and I could not finish watching it. But it was interesting to get his opinion on the market crash. I also liked his funny video for the relaunch of masscontrol. There are other Warriors that are excellent at selling using videos.

I believe that video marketing and video courses are just starting to really take off. As far as building an ebook versus making videos I completely agree it is much easier to make videos than to write an ebook. Video courses are currently looked at as higher value than ebooks that is a great point by Bev.

[John M Kane]

I love vids hate pdfs
'course if the video is made by some Kn*b shine that is out to boost their ego it going to be a boring watch. Long,verbose and ...sleepy time.

[MikeAmbrosio]

Ken - I have just one question for you...

Just HOW do they MAKE you watch these videos?

Quite frankly, I'd like to have that technology...

[AgileHosting]

I also hate video with a passion. It's to the point now, that if a product comes in video format and not written, I won't buy it.

Videos are TOO SLOW, dangit. I just don't downshift that low. But if I try to multi-task, then I end up doing none of it competently.

Either give me the material at my speed in the video, or just give me the damn book already.

Bailey

[Flyingpig7]

Hello Ken,

I hate to admit it I love vids. It condenses what takes me hours to find in a ebook and I like being shown what the author is trying to teach me, just in case I missed the meaning in an ebook.

Guess it's about preferences as we all have different learning styles.

Cheers
Keren

[IM_Geek]

What's the consensus on instructional tutorial/tech instructional videos?

Which is better, a video or a walkthrough with screenshots?

[AgileHosting]

Originally Posted by IM_Geek

What's the consensus on instructional tutorial/tech instructional videos?

Which is better, a video or a walkthrough with screenshots?

Written, step by step. No need to include screenshots if you tell me what exactly to look for, or what exactly to type.

Bailey

[Frank Ayres]

I prefer videos, i learn more from watching videos than i do from reading ebooks

[IM_Geek]

Originally Posted by AgileHosting

Written, step by step. No need to include screenshots if you tell me what exactly to look for, or what exactly to type.

Bailey

Interesting, I've always assumed that people prefer screenshots or something visual to orientate on.

Thanks for breaking the assumptions on my part!

[Lesley Huntley]

I love video, but most IM videos are so slow, and have so much superfluous nonsense, that I give up halfway through. I don't want to watch you driving, or anything else, I just want you to get to the point. Otherwise, I start yelling at my computer screen for you to do just that, and scare the cats. For goodness sake, think of the cats!

[Jason James]

To all you guys dissing video... Frank Kern and this guy seem to totally disagree with you... Quick Video Marketing

[Justin Jordan]

I only find videos useful for learning physical stuff. You want to help me improve my tennis swing, video is the way to go.

But if I get a video on how to, say, install some kind of wordpress cafloofle, then I have to stop the freaking video at each step, do whatever, see if it works, rewind the video, watch it again...

And so on.

I really do have trouble wrapping my mind around the idea that someone could find this more useful than just having the information in print.

[Jill Carpenter]

As a video gal I hear the pain mentioned above and will keep that in mind on my videos.

There are some valid points mentioned above. Not all videos are the same. I too hate when someone appears to be rambling on and doesn't get to the point. But this is just as bad a problem in a lot of ebooks I've seen.

And the big issue I have with most ebooks is that they aren't detailed enough. They tell you to do something but don't give you the real details of how to do it.

I am tired of reading. Too much reading on the web. It is far easier to open a video tutorial in one tab, open your project in another, and just follow along.

Just yesterday I was discussing with someone just how much I used to hate history classes when growing up. I was bored out of my skull and couldn't take it.

Now, I actually enjoy the history channel. Why? Because of the way it is presented. It is more alive in a video format.

So, I wouldn't dis video, but you can dis the video makers who are boring you or wasting your time.

[Charles Harper]

Bottom line is videos make a course seem worth buying, even though most of us don't watch them.

Charles

[martinp]

I find videos useful when they're teaching something technical that might not be so easily understood when reading through a pdf. Otherwise though I'm not a big fan of videos at all, especially long ones.

I'm on Andre Chaperons list (which is very good - he gives great information away for free) but recently he's sent a few 45min (approx) videos and I just can't bring myself to watch them. I'm way behind in my video watching at the moment. I haven't even finished watching the Commission Blueprint videos and I got that weeks ago .

[Jack Humphrey]

This would be a good thread to read if you are creating videos. I shy away from the tactic of making people watch videos because of the varying experience levels of my readers/watchers.

Marketers need to step up their game in video production and marketing (because it's not going way) and make videos quickly educational, point by point, as short as possible, and produced exceptionally well.

The days are long gone where you can slap up a video from your first take, rambling for a majority of the video, and only making a point or two, if that, that most people would consider education.

I bet the opinions here regarding video vs. text would change a bit if the videos you are being asked to view were done properly.

[Lewis Leake]

"I also hate video with a passion. It's to the point now, that if a product comes in video format and not written, I won't buy it."

I agree with Bailey on this. Not too long ago I bought a course with 20+ videos - most pretty good - but it's a pain to review anything because I have to figure out which video it's on. If I had a written transcript then I could find what I wanted easily.

Lewis

[kkchoon1]

I agreed. Video product should had made them easier to navigate, can skip topic anytime.

The best video presentation is to concentrate on what you want to say, skip the BS....

Still, video makes good money, although I hate to watch them, kill my time!

[Gene Pimentel]

The main problem is, most marketers don't understand when video is necessary and when it's not. As a marketing tool on a squeeze page, when done well, it's a huge sales booster. But when video is used in place of written information or training materials just because everybody is screaming "you need video to succeed!" the point of video is missed completely.

[Chris_Willow]

Ok, video products take decent time to watch etc etc, BUT as Peter already mentioned- most people are visual and they learn more when they see a video.
And video advertising works because people respond better to MOTION rather than plain text.

But if you decide not to jump on the video bandwagon(wich I believe is the next big thing), you are losing money.

Chris

[Takuya Hikichi]

One time I was watching Eben Pagan's famous productivity video and I wanted to share this information with my subscribers and I broke it down.

This way, people can fast forward to what they may think it's interesting without spending their time watching it for 30 straight minutes.

I think I saw Frank done something similar for one of StomperNet videos and I liked how he broke it down and I decided to do the same.

From now on, whenever I introduce a video of any kind to my list, this is the model I am going to follow.

It generated a good response from my subscribers -- people probably felt that I took time to make it easy to understand.

The following is NOT an affiliate link to Eben’s product.

But direct link to a video which will help you become
more productive everyday.

WakeUpProductiveBlog: How To Manage Yourself And Your Time (And How To Dramatically Increase Your Personal Productivity)

I KNOW your time is valuable and if you’re like me,
you don’t always have time to watch 30 min video.

So here is the breakdown and hopefully it should summarize
why I think this video can give you great impact.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

4:30 min into the video.

Eben says once you’re distracted, it’ll take about 20 min
before getting back to before you were distracted.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

13:13 min into the video.

Eben brings up FOUR things we can do now to increase
our productivity.

That is

1. Clean Focus - block out uninterrupted time minimum of 2 hours
2. Clean Breaks - then go take a break

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

17:50 min into the video.

3. Routine - doing something important the same time of the day

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

18:20 min into the video.

4. Renew Yourself - you have to watch it, please.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

20:00 min into the video.

This is where he starts talking about IM related stuff.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

25:45 min into the video.

How to start a day - I followed it today and felt really GOOD!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

30:50 min into the video

He said to start working on at least ONE pillar of your
business and I think he said minimum of four hours.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

[Loren Woirhaye]

If I download a video I sometimes would prefer to watch/listen
at 2x speed. I can understand all the information in general
at a faster speed.

As far as watching the newest IM launch videos on a slowed-down
server - I don't do it. I prefer to read - I can process more
information that way and pull out what I want to know.

I have almost zero-interest in the personality-driven IM guru video
marketing that is going around - guess I'm not the target market.

[ramkarthik]

It differs from person to person. I personally like both videos and text. Some people can understand something only when showed in video. To be honest with you, I understood how to setup a wordpress blog (1 year back) only after watching a video. When people said cpanel and stuff like that, I didn't understand anything. Sometimes text is not enough to teach something.

There are certain things text can't teach properly. Sometimes, with text, you may not be understood and worse, you may even be misunderstood. But in a video, it can never go wrong.

But simple things that are easy to understand can be explained using a text. This is because people who have slower net connections or dialup may not have the patience to wait till the video loads.

It is always better to follow the method 30 Day Challenge people followed. They had videos and also had pdf transcripts. So people who can understand by reading can read the pdf and those who can't, can watch the video.

Just my opinion.

[Sandor Verebi]

I see that this topic arises again occasionally, affects them who prepare the videos and they who should look at them.

Personally I only don't like the videos that are not educational, long, bore, not points onto the essence and has poor quality.

I have most trouble with the quality. For example I wanted to look at the video that Jason suggested above, but it was unenjoyable because of the jerky motion and the sizzle. I am so sorry for it because Kern may have said interesting things certainly.

The peoples not alike; there is who reading, other is looking, another likes to gather his informations with the help of audio. Someone is mixing the latters. IMHO the best solution is if the sales pitch contains transcript besides the video. This way verybody may elect what he prefers. Win-win situation.

I've readed somewhere that the video is the 'bubblegum of our eye'. I don't know how much this is in this manner. But it is necessary to take notice of the fact that the video exists and it is used in the selling, nevertheless from the result I don't have statistics.

[christyk]

As someone who enjoys doing video tutorials, I know that there are both types of learning style so I always try to provide a text transcription as well. I, personally, learn better from written form for the most part and I like having the ability to take notes - that's assuming I can stay awaking. lol Seriously, ever since college, even reading something interesting makes me ready to doze off :P

I do, however occasionally like video because if the written tells me to do something and I can't find 'where' this person is talking about for instance. I also like video because I CAN multi-task. Not while doing other business activities but while folding clothes, cleaning the kitchen, etc (also love audio for this reason).

As a video producer there are 2 things mentioned above that I need to work on. I do tend to over-explain things and take longer than I should and this is because I try to think of ANY questions that might come up and then cover them. I also was thinking of adding just what Takuya recommends above - adding a breakdown of what's covered and where to find it. So, for instance, someone can quickly find which video contained the instructions for changing a page permalink once it's already been created. But, boy, that's going to take a lot of time to put that reference together.

Quicker to throw a video together?! Definitely not for me. You can go back and easily add forgotten details in a written lesson. If you like to be thorough as I do, it takes a while to get the video right.


Oh, and one more note :P.. I SO agree that you must be able to FF/RW/Pause videos. I was not able to get some of my swf videos to do this, so I changed them all to flv even though it took up a lot more bandwidth. It's an absolute must.

Christy

[BrianMcLeod]

"I hate video", is the new "I hate long-copy"...

In both cases, what the complainant REALLY means is:

I hate BORING. Hey, me too...

Give a sales letter reader a dual reading path that makes it easy to skim a 40 page sales letter. Give your viewer a sensible means of navigating a 40 minute video to accomplish the same thing.

Now, I know, I know... We as marketers don't care about making the experience better for the lookie-loos if it loosens our death grip on the buyers (at least we shouldn't as a rule).

Giving a video "skip around" functions very much changes that "stuck watching video" dynamic. By editing and scripting your video based on a potential non-linear path, that problem is largely addressed plus you may just see a lift from reinforcing certain sections multiple times with multiple headings.

Did that make any sense? I was up late...

I am heavily of the mind that the next killer video app will be better annotation and navigation controls inside a flash player. Some sites and players already have it and more will appear. That's a good thing.

Another way people can accomplish the non-linear path is by delivering smaller video segments "wrapped" in complete interface ala SproutBuilder.

Home | Sprout Builder - Create living content.

Internet Marketing is often on the cutting edge, but also on the barrel bottom for laziness. **** we get away with selling to the IM market of ravenous opportunity seekers would NEVER fly in more discerning markets and through more traditional marketing channels which demand a higher degree of sophistication and execution.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that we can throw up a keynote video with a VO recorded live on a USB headset and have traffic and sales in an hour, but that's also our downfall in many ways.

Brian