A Comprehensive Strategy for Pissing Off Loyal Visitors – In Other Words, This is Why You Shouldn’t Use Many Videos.
Arrogant bastard and super blogger John Chow recently did a post on Why Video is the Future of Blogging (it’s no-followed for ya, John) thus exposing himself as an idiot.
Now, you may think, John makes $30,000 a month, he knows blogging, so he must be right, but I think, John makes $30,000 a month, he’s got an ego bigger than China, so of course he thinks people want to see him talk about his daughter Sally.
Lately John has been posting a lot of videos of himself talking about something completely un-related to blogging, like traveling, China, or his daughter Sally, but even if he was talking about blogging, I still wouldn’t watch the videos.
Let me tell you why videos in blogs suck.
You guys are reading this right now and skipping sentences and paragraphs (or maybe even the entire article) that you don’t like. You know what to skip because you see the words on the page and you can see what paragraphs look interesting or if the article looks interesting as a whole.
With video, you can’t skip to the good parts, and you can’t even decide if the video looks good. You just see a screenshot and make a jump of faith. A few minutes in to the self-absorbed jackass prattling on about whatever, you decide, the first minute sucked, so the next five will probably suck, too. Does it take five minutes to read a blog post?
This is not to say all videos are bad. Here’s when to use videos.
Use a video of something related to make a point or entertain the reader. DON’T USE A VIDEO OF YOURSELF TALKING. That is what blog posts are for. You get a keyboard type out the same s%$t you speak, but a lot faster.
Use a video of the athlete you are writing about doing something funny or making a good play. Use a video of Will Leitch getting bitch slapped by Buzz Bissinger. Use a video to add to the post. That’s my point.
Now here are some more reasons John Chow’s post was retarded if you wish to read more Chow bashing.
He lists a bunch of reasons why people should use videos that make no sense like:
Now, you may think, John makes $30,000 a month, he knows blogging, so he must be right, but I think, John makes $30,000 a month, he’s got an ego bigger than China, so of course he thinks people want to see him talk about his daughter Sally.
Lately John has been posting a lot of videos of himself talking about something completely un-related to blogging, like traveling, China, or his daughter Sally, but even if he was talking about blogging, I still wouldn’t watch the videos.
Let me tell you why videos in blogs suck.
You guys are reading this right now and skipping sentences and paragraphs (or maybe even the entire article) that you don’t like. You know what to skip because you see the words on the page and you can see what paragraphs look interesting or if the article looks interesting as a whole.
With video, you can’t skip to the good parts, and you can’t even decide if the video looks good. You just see a screenshot and make a jump of faith. A few minutes in to the self-absorbed jackass prattling on about whatever, you decide, the first minute sucked, so the next five will probably suck, too. Does it take five minutes to read a blog post?
This is not to say all videos are bad. Here’s when to use videos.
Use a video of something related to make a point or entertain the reader. DON’T USE A VIDEO OF YOURSELF TALKING. That is what blog posts are for. You get a keyboard type out the same s%$t you speak, but a lot faster.
Use a video of the athlete you are writing about doing something funny or making a good play. Use a video of Will Leitch getting bitch slapped by Buzz Bissinger. Use a video to add to the post. That’s my point.
Now here are some more reasons John Chow’s post was retarded if you wish to read more Chow bashing.
He lists a bunch of reasons why people should use videos that make no sense like:
As a money making blogger, you have to keep an eye on the market to see where it’s headed. The next Internet isn’t on the desktop. If you stay there, you’ll be left behind.
What kind of a loser sits looking through websites on their phone at dinner or wherever the hell else they are? People have desktops and laptops because a phone can’t show a whole webpage on it, and because people don’t go out on a Friday night to search the internet. Also, IF the internet is headed that way, than the possibilities of making money are dramatically decreased, because no one can click ads on a small screen.
Low Cost of Entry
… If you have a digital camera (and who doesn’t?), chances are you can add videos right now.
If you want to waste time remembering to carry your camera with you everywhere, film yourself, edit the film, then upload it, I suppose it’s easy.
Having said that, keep in mind that the future of video on the Net is Hi-Def. If you’re in the market for a new digital camcorder and have some money to spend, you should consider getting the HD model.
No one cares about HD on YouTube… even less on an iPhone with a much smaller screen like you mentioned earlier.
Videos have their purpose: they should be used to enhance posts, but never use a video of yourself unless you want the publicity of being bashed on the Sports Dollar.
Time to join ClickBooth to help monetize your site, don't you think?
Videos have their purpose: they should be used to enhance posts, but never use a video of yourself unless you want the publicity of being bashed on the Sports Dollar.
Time to join ClickBooth to help monetize your site, don't you think?
1. If anyone really believes that in the near future the internet will be in HD, they are a moron.
2. Making videos, editing them, adding sound, graphics, and then uploading them takes at least 3 times as long as writing a post.
3. Like Mitchell said, I can skim a post and decide it it's worth reading. I can't skim a video.
4. Using video that is completely irrelevant to your blog's readers is a complete slap in the face, not to mention a waste of everyone's time.
5. If you want to post about your personal life on a daily basis (kids, family, vacations, etc.) then start a personal blog.
Videos have actually been a huge source of traffic for my Kobe Bryant blog bestplayerontheplanet.com! Kobe Videos are very popular in my particular niche. I don't think you can say video is good or bad generally. It just depends on the topic you are covering and your audience.
I do agree that video can be extremely useful...Mitchell is just pointing out his hatred of John Chow and the horrible way he uses it. :)
I agree with you for the most part, but I'd make an exception for "how to" videos. Of course for sports bloggers there wouldn't be many situations outside of highlight videos you'd want to use.