Is Video Content Better Than Print? - Razor Video Brochures

Is Video content better than Print?

Is Video content better than Print?
February 20, 2019 Brendan Farrugia
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The appeal of video content is growing which explains why Instagram has recently extended its video content from 15 to 60 seconds. According to Instagram, during the last six months the time users spent watching videos has jumped by more than 40 per cent.

So, the question facing marketers around the globe is ‘does the rise of video content mean the end of print?’

The facts are watching a film, and reading an article demand very different cognitive functions, and it’s increasingly important for marketers to differentiate when to use each of the mediums.

Video usage is growing

  • According to a recent study by Usurv, Consumers are 39 percent more likely to share content if it’s delivered via video, and 36 percent more likely to comment and 56 percent more likely to give that video a coveted “like.”
  • Nielsen claims 64 percent of marketers expect video to dominate their strategies in the near future as the average consumer with an Internet connection watches roughly 206 videos per month.
  • Our brains process videos 60,000 times faster than text.
  • Video is a better tool for emotive or seductive content because compared with reading, watching a video is a passive experience that demands an automatic viewing response and little energy from the viewer.
  • If a potential customer unexpectedly stumbles across content, they are more likely to play video than read print content.
  • It is easier for the viewer to build empathy and an emotional connection through video content, which encourages the viewer to feel. 

Print has a unique purpose

  • The brain process of reading requires the reader to be actively involved as it requires a longer attention span and deeper cognitive efforts.
  • According to a recent article in Psychology Today titled ‘Video vs. Text: The Brain Perspective’ it states “Reading is active. When we read an article, we don’t just look at the words in front of us, we create thoughts about that content, activating our mental structures. Reading requires the production of “inner voice,” which dials up our attention span… Reading is active. When we read an article, we don’t just look at the words in front of us, we create thoughts about that content, activating our mental structures. Reading requires the production of “inner voice,” which dials up our attention span. That means that careful reading is not an automatic process, but rather occurs when we actively process what we are reading.
  • Research also shows if customers are seeking specific information they are more likely to seek print content.
  • Print content encourages us to think.

The verdict

Customers are creatures of habit, so if they are familiar with receiving their content in words, they may come to expect this method.

There are many factors at play when we choose video content over text or vice versa and this may include the intention of the customer and whether they are seeking information or entertainment, their state of mind, time of day, location, personality and education levels.

There will always be a place for video and print content. The beauty of razor’s video brochures is both mediums can be accommodated with films and minimal text or booklet video brochures.

 
Further information

Brendan Farrugia
Managing Director
1300 194 747