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Quit wasting my time with pointless video!

by DavidO
31 replies
I know, threads like this come up on a regular basis... but the needless use of video just keeps getting worse. I've just got one that really takes the cake...

It's a 20 minute video consisting of nothing more than very large graphical text, the exact same text being read (in an overexcited voice) by the narrator. The technique is sometimes used well when the video text just highlights a more extensive narration. But this one is word for word.

I could read each frame in 0.5 seconds and then had to wait a further 10 seconds for the narrator to get over his excitement and move on to the next frame.

Despite a very interesting topic, I didn't last more than a couple minutes. I'm simply not going to spend 20 valuable minutes watching a video that contains one minute of text.

Worst of all, the creator of the video is not an amateur but a very well-known marketer who should know better.
#pointless #quit #time #video #wasting
  • Profile picture of the author John Romaine
    Well you might see it as pointless, but Im sure its all part of a perfectly logical (and quite possibly very effective) SEO strategy.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andy Fletcher
    There are two explanation here.

    One is that the successful marketer has indeed screwed up and done it wrong.

    The other is that you are not part of his target market and thus the sales process isn't designed to appeal to you.
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    • Profile picture of the author zannix
      Solution - don't watch the video. Listen to it.
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    • Profile picture of the author oneplusone
      You should try testing it yourself David, they're extremely effective in certain niches.

      Often they can double/treble conversion rates when you put one of these in place of a sales letter, especially if there's been a lot of pre-selling beforehand.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bradley J Anderson
      Originally Posted by Andy Fletcher View Post

      The other is that you are not part of his target market and thus the sales process isn't designed to appeal to you.
      I hate when I hear that, because that's not true. Just because I don't like someone's sales process has nothing to do with whether I'm a 'target market'. In order for that to make sense, then what you are saying is, "This person's target market is people that like to watch repetitive videos while listening to the voice of an over-excited narrator."

      I don't like to watch (or hear) that kind of crap, either, and rarely will for more than a few seconds. I've bought several excellent products from this guy (I would be willing to bet it's the same guy, too), and he really is a great guy with a lot of knowledge, but the fact is his ad videos SUCK and that's why I never watch them, and I think most people probably feel the same way about it.

      Did you ever think that maybe if he would tone it down and give us just the FACTS, instead, he might make even more sales because half the people didn't shut down the video 10 seconds in?

      As a matter of fact, I don't even watch any of his videos anymore because I already know what to expect, so how many sales has he lost from me because of this?

      I've bought several of his products already, so obviously I am a part of his target market. My point is it usually has nothing to do with being a 'target market', it has to do with bad choices. Now if his target market is people that like to watch cheesy, repetitive videos, then he has the market cornered.
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      • Profile picture of the author Linda_C
        Originally Posted by Bradley J Anderson View Post

        Just because I don't like someone's sales process has nothing to do with whether I'm a 'target market'. In order for that to make sense, then what you are saying is, "This person's target market is people that like to watch repetitive videos while listening to the voice of an over-excited narrator."
        Sooooo true. Spot on. I'd "thank" this more than once if I could.

        It's the same with the long, copy short copy debate. People say "if they're your target market, they'll read long copy." WRONG. If your copy doesn't suck like a Hoover, they'll read it. Lots of times I've gone looking for somewhere else to buy the SAME thing because I *am* the target market, but the copy (or video) was vomitous and I just can't consume it.
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        • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
          Sometimes I really hate to read. I'd be happy to have some videos/audios included in a lot of things. I like to listen to them while I'm doing things like housework, etc.

          If I didn't want to read the pdf, would the video still be pointless?
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        • Profile picture of the author fluffythewondercat
          In book publishing, some people feel a weightier product says "I'm an authority." So they cheat by setting the text in large type and having lots of white space.

          Sounds like it would be worthwhile for any marketer to do two versions of the video: one longer and puffed up, the other shorter, direct and to the point. Split test them on your mailing list. That's the only way you'll know which converts better.

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          • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
            There's a third possibility no one has mentioned...

            The video the OP hates could simply be part of a test, and the losing part at that.
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      • Profile picture of the author Andy Fletcher
        Originally Posted by Bradley J Anderson View Post

        I hate when I hear that, because that's not true. Just because I don't like someone's sales process has nothing to do with whether I'm a 'target market'. In order for that to make sense, then what you are saying is, "This person's target market is people that like to watch repetitive videos while listening to the voice of an over-excited narrator."

        I don't like to watch (or hear) that kind of crap, either, and rarely will for more than a few seconds. I've bought several excellent products from this guy (I would be willing to bet it's the same guy, too), and he really is a great guy with a lot of knowledge, but the fact is his ad videos SUCK and that's why I never watch them, and I think most people probably feel the same way about it.

        Did you ever think that maybe if he would tone it down and give us just the FACTS, instead, he might make even more sales because half the people didn't shut down the video 10 seconds in?

        As a matter of fact, I don't even watch any of his videos anymore because I already know what to expect, so how many sales has he lost from me because of this?

        I've bought several of his products already, so obviously I am a part of his target market. My point is it usually has nothing to do with being a 'target market', it has to do with bad choices. Now if his target market is people that like to watch cheesy, repetitive videos, then he has the market cornered.
        Being able to benefit from the product doesn't make you part of the target market.

        Men would benefit from Dove soap and like to eat Kit Kats.

        Women eat Yorkie bars and drive Porsches.

        That doesn't mean they are in the target market and the sales process used to sell them is aimed at the demographic they are targeting.

        So yes, his target market is people that like watching boring repetitive videos.

        Unless, as has been pointed out, it's the losing part of a test of course
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    • Profile picture of the author Black Hat Cat
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Andy Fletcher View Post

      The other is that you are not part of his target market and thus the sales process isn't designed to appeal to you.
      Ahh yes, the infamous "you're not the target market" canard, lol. I was wondering how many posts it would take for someone to pull that one out.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Peters Benn
        I guess it either has to be he has an awful conversion rate, or your views are not typical and this technique is getting him the best results.
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        • Profile picture of the author Eran Roseman
          I use a wonderful software called Enounce MySpeed. It makes the video run faster without loosing quality and help me save a lot of time. It is like speed reading for video
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  • Profile picture of the author fcuk89
    Good discussion here. I learnt a lot, seeing that target audience is essential even thought it's a 20 minute video.

    could it perhaps it's more targeted to novice audience which is why the length of the video needed to guide them step by step?
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  • Profile picture of the author gosocialsa
    Well it seems he has achieved his goal. By people complaining about it it creates awareness and perhaps even more leads. They clever that way.
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  • Profile picture of the author rhinocl
    If I made a WSO for extracting text from videos and sending it to a file would anyone buy it?
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    cheap search engine optimization
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  • Profile picture of the author omk
    Wow, that would seem to be excessive and a waste.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zeus66
    You can't possibly please everyone when you use one type and format of ad. It's going to please/annoy/ and work/not work on any number of subsets of people - inside and outside of your target market. This discussion ignores the vast diversity of individual differences. At best, any kind of video ad you make - regardless of how it's presented - will please a majority of people you hope to please. Expecting anything even approaching 100% is silly. Sit 10 people you think you know really well down and go through a very thorough questionnaire about their likes and dislikes on a wide range of topics and I guarantee you will come away totally shocked by at least one or two answers that every single person you quizzed gave you. Even people you think you know intimately. We're a scattershot species.
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  • Profile picture of the author spearce000
    Originally Posted by DavidO View Post

    I know, threads like this come up on a regular basis... but the needless use of video just keeps getting worse. I've just got one that really takes the cake...

    It's a 20 minute video consisting of nothing more than very large graphical text, the exact same text being read (in an overexcited voice) by the narrator. The technique is sometimes used well when the video text just highlights a more extensive narration. But this one is word for word.

    I could read each frame in 0.5 seconds and then had to wait a further 10 seconds for the narrator to get over his excitement and move on to the next frame.

    Despite a very interesting topic, I didn't last more than a couple minutes. I'm simply not going to spend 20 valuable minutes watching a video that contains one minute of text.

    Worst of all, the creator of the video is not an amateur but a very well-known marketer who should know better.
    Coming from a video background myself, I'd be temped to agree with you were it not for one simple fact: These kinds of videos obviously work, or nobody would bother using them. Maybe they don't work for you, but you're a marketer and see things differently from most buyers.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    David,

    You might see it as useless but the person on the other side of that video does not see it that way at all.

    If it makes sense to him or her, then that is what's important.
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    • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
      Marketer A: I hate...

      long sales copy
      video sales pages
      autoresponder messages addressing me by name when I know it's an AR.
      CPA offers
      Continuity programs

      (blah, blah, blah, ad infinitum)

      Marketer B:

      What you hate is about as relevant as my socks to being a successful
      Internet marketer. If the tactic produces a profit for the person using it,
      as long as it is ethical and not illegal, then it has served its purpose.

      Yeah, I'm sick and tired of these threads.

      Flame away.
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  • Profile picture of the author IMVibe
    Videos . . . LONG videos seem to be the trend these days with introducing products to the niche audiences. I saw one the other day that was just ridiculous. The man spent at least 10 minutes of the 30 minutes berating, insulting, and just being plain rude. I know, I know . . . there was a method to his madness, but come on, that was just too much. I hope that kind of "Hammer Marketing" goes away soon.
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  • Profile picture of the author NicoleBeckett
    Aside from a webinar or some kind of instructional video, I can't even fathom what would be important enough to justify a 20 minute video.

    Even if you're smack dab in the middle of this person's target market, there is only so long that people will sit and watch something (and that's setting aside the fact that this video sounds beyond boring). Watch your local newscast tonight... the top story of the day will be cut into a 1:30 story (maybe 2:00 if you account for the live shots and anchor intros). Could the reporter tell the same story in 5:00, or even 10:00 if it's important enough? Sure. But people won't sit there and listen for that long. It's no different with video on the web.
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  • Profile picture of the author blueberries
    Well is the content good ? If so, focus on the content and don't worry about the format or just get a refund.
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  • Profile picture of the author geegel
    To put it straight, what you think and say about a particular sales page isn't worth very much. What matters is what you do.

    If this particular approach yields a better conversion rate than a long sales letter, I'd say your personal distaste doesn't and shouldn't enter the equation. It's the numbers that do the talking.

    Best regards,
    George Cozma
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  • Profile picture of the author Naeem Sikandar
    david who are you talking about..name the person so that we also go and watch the video
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    • Profile picture of the author Michael Mayo
      Originally Posted by Naeem Sikandar View Post

      david who are you talking about..name the person so that we also go and watch the video
      Naeem, I'm sure you just don't know but, before asking someone to break the
      forum rules you might want to read http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ing-forum.html .
      Specifically, Rule #1

      Just saying,
      Have a Great Day!
      Michael
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  • Profile picture of the author Rose Anderson
    Why not provide a video and a PDF transcript? Then the people who prefer to read (like myself) have the option to do so. Is there a reason not to provide it in both formats?

    Rose
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