Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Why video blogs (i.e. vlogs) & posts should provide transcripts

I came across this web site and completely agree that all video blogs & posts should provide a transcript for their talk.  The reason for me is simple.  Text is more accessible than video.  I can read text anywhere especially when I'm waiting for an airplane or on one.  Video is more hassle.  I need to don headphones so I don't disturb others around me.  And I have to pay attention which is difficult if I'm trying to watch a little in the concourse then pause and get on a plane and watch the rest an hour later.  If I'm trying to follow a train of thought (unlike a movie) then this format doesn't work (for me). 

Micro Persuasion: Why Text Remains King of the Web
My friend Robert Scoble has a problem. He produces terrific videos on technology companies for Fast Company. They're a little long sometimes, but they're almost always interesting.
So what's Scoble's problem? Well a lot. The videos don't generate a lot of in-bound links from bloggers, conversations on Twitter or mentions on aggregators like Techmeme. "None of my 1,000+ videos has ever made it to Techmeme," Scoble said.