Is It Just Me?
Is It Just Me?
With everyone and their dog using video promotion, I can't help wondering.
Am I the only one who prefers text?
Is it an age thing?
Is it a preference of older citizens like me?
I do know why it is, though.
It's because the speed at which I can take in knowledge from text is totally under my control.
I can scan or read at my own rate. I can skip the irrelevant bits, scan the headings and reread the information that deserves a second look.
But if I'm watching a video, the speed is determined by the presenter and the knowledge is imparted at perhaps one-tenth of the speed at which I could read it.
You can jump ahead, but that risks missing important stuff.
You can rewind and replay, but nowhere near as fast as rereading.
And so much of it is full of guff.
Here's your typical webinar:
- Admin Guff. "Type a 1 in the chat box if you can hear me."
- Opening Guff. "Here's why you should listen to me. Not to boast, but here's me standing outside my Malibu home with my wife and two lovely daughter and (more importantly) my brand-new Porsche 911."
- Enthusiastic Guff. "Type Hell Yeah in the chat box if you want to make a million dollars a day with almost no work while sitting in front of your laptop in your pajamas."
- Slightly Useful Guff. "You need a targeted email list to make money."
- The Problem Guff. "It's really difficult to build a list and write the emails. Most people fail."
- The Solution Guff. "Have I got a deal for you. My new software, a first-to-market solution that my team has spent 12 months and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop, automates the whole process."
- Anticipation Guff. The next 10-15 minutes are taken up with the revelation of one bonus after another, along with their "real-world" value. They will typically add up to a "total value" of around $20,000.
- The Bargain Reveal Guff. Now that you've been exposed to the "real value". you're supposed to be pleasantly surprised that you can get the lot for "only" $1,497.
- The False Scarcity Guff. But if you're one of the first 20 "fast action takers", you can get it for only $997.
The funny thing is, if you copy the purchase URL and paste it into your browser tomorrow, you'll find that it's still available at the bargain price of $997.
But they work.
Because people get caught up in the emotion.
Doesn't happen with text. Maybe that's another reason I prefer it.
In fact, when something catches my eye on MSN and I click on it, I immediately click away from it if it's a video. But if they are smart enough to catch the exit intent and post a "Prefer to read? Click here for the text version." then I certainly will.
So to get back to my original question.
Is it just me?
Recent Comments
115
I understand where you're coming from. I like to read, and I like a good short video that's to the point. Don't waste my life-time with all the fluff and guff. I actually have other things to do. If your video is too long or doesn't deliver what you promised, I'm done. Thanks for sharing.
It depends what it is. I like both.
As for crafts, I like video because I like to see how they make it.
If it's a long video that doesn't have controls, I rather have text so I can skip all the nonsense and go to the end to see how much the product they spend a hour talking about actually is! That's what I want to know! How much??? Lol
Jena
The videos w/o controls bother me too and I’ll usually turn them off quick if not interested. Some webinars spend soooo much time w the fluff, adding value…after value…after value……before getting to the cost
That’s why I like being a part of WA. I’m new in the game so it’s nice to meet others w similar experiences.
Like you, Phil! You were one of the first people to try and help me in the live chat when my WA review got messed up. Remember? 🤦♀️ My first post. If anybody can mess something up 🙋♀️ that would be me! 😁🤣 Thanks Phil! 🥰
🤣🤣🤣
Or if you came here, you can travel back in time! 🤪🤣 Who said time travel wasn't possible?! 😁
To Florida? Tempting. I've never been there, only to New York, Washington DC and Virginia. Plus LAX, of course.
I read that on your profile. I've worked or lived in 3 states here, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales. Currently on the Sunshine Coast (paradise) in Queensland.
I will have to join your tribe here Phil and say that generally I prefer text, but.....
As many others have mentioned, short little videos without any guff that get straight to the point and show us how to actually do things on screen are really going up in my estimation!! :-)
I prefer text; however, I like short videos, especially for learning tasks like those you find with crafts. I am a big crafter, and when trying to learn a new crochet stitch, I prefer a video, but I like to have the printed version to follow along. I learn more from the printed text than from watching a long-winded video, which I find boring enough that I have been known to doze off in the middle.
Nancy
Reading through the replys, I think we are all different and learn differently.
I prefer reading for the reasons you stated. The hype is easier to see through.
That is just my reaction, but I also like the brief vlogs we are seeing on WA.
So for me, a combination of text and a short video is a good thing.
Enjoyed reading your post as well as the responses.
Sami
Totally agree, Sami. The best two adjectives to put in front of "video" are "short" and "content-dense".
Dear @ phil1944, you make a valid point about text
While emojis and so forth make for highly abbreviated messages (they work for me in a hurry), sustained text is still the preferred option (think: disclaimers; product disclosures; petitions to members of parliament etc.).
It boils down to two things in the end: audience and context.
Cheers.
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WOW Phil that's a great conversation! Since I know how successful you are I'm going with "You're worth listening to!"
I do like videos but they're not on my website (except one of introduction) I post them on TikTok for my real estate adventurers...now there's another one I'm learning, WOW that's a big learning curve!
Happy Monday Phil, I appreciate your insights :)
Thank you so much, Amanda. Always nice to hear from you.