The Significance of Video on the Web

By Dan Burdick  
   

       In today’s world, video is all around us. The ease with which people access the internet, and the prevalence of social media, have made mobile videos a major part of our everyday lives. At work, in the car, or even in remote locations, we now have access to high quality video. Now, it is important to understand how the prevalence and availability of video via the internet has changed the way we interact with and consume video.

       We have not always been able to consume and interact with video so easily or frequently. Prior to the internet and the rise of social media, people most often consumed video in their home or theaters, and usually with other people around to share in the enjoyment. Consumers today enjoy second screen viewing (phones, tablets, etc.), as well as a more personalized video-watching experience thanks to sites like YouTube and Netflix.

The internet has also changed the way marketing professionals target consumers with video ads. According to Chris Trimble, in the article Why Online Video is the Future of Content Marketing, "By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic…Video-on-demand traffic alone will have almost tripled." So how can media producers take advantage?
  
Interactive media producers face a swath of opportunities with respect to video production for web based delivery. The ease with which videos can now be produced, uploaded and distributed means it is easier than ever before to get people to watch your content online. This ease of access and production means good work can sometimes be lost in the enormous amount of digital content out there. For example, in the article, 2016 Video Marketing Trends: Insights & Predictions From 16 Experts, Greg Jarboe writes, "In November, Facebook announced that they are generating 8 billion video views per day. And according to Tubular Labs, 654.7 million videos have been uploaded by 66.7 million creators in the last 365 days to more than 30 video platforms. And these videos have 2.8 trillion (yes, that’s trillion with a “T”) views, or an average of 4,390 views per video."  There are many more people and things competing for the attention of people online and this means it can be harder to have a break through hit in terms of video views.

       At Blue Shell, we know how to make video advertisements work well across all digital mediums. There are many things to be aware of when creating videos for mobile consumption today. 

• Pull the viewer in with an engaging opening shot.
• Present clear ideas, including clear images. Remember mobile videos are often highly compressed and viewed on small screens. 
• Avoid distance and motion shots .
• Ensure quality lighting and audio.
• Edit to leave the viewer with a lesson or message to remember.

       The future of video on the web is always evolving but it looks like it is here to stay. At Blue Shell, we hope to shape the future of online videos by creating engaging, clear and creative stories to help further the businesses of our clients and spread brand awareness.

        The internet has completely changed the way we interact with video. With more opportunities and challenges than ever before, as a result of the rise of mobile video technology, interactive media producers must remain vigilant and be sure to craft their videos for consumption on all mobile platforms. Moving into the future, online video will only continue to grow and change, which means it is undoubtedly an exciting time to be a mobile video creator.  

Jarboe, Greg. "2016 Video Marketing Trends: Insights & Predictions From 16 Experts." Linkedex. Linkedex Ltd., Dec. 2015. Web. 30 July 2016.

Trimble, Chris. "Why Online Video Is the Future of Content Marketing." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 30 July 2015. Web. 30 July 2016.