Towards the end of 2011 and in the beginning of 2012, we at IFB were amped on video content. We posted our own video content once a week and encouraged the community to embrace the medium as well. We had an experienced photographer and videographer on staff which made things easier, but for many in the blogging community, that’s just not an option.
There’s a number of established bloggers who regularly use video on their sites (Wendy’s Lookbook, I Spy DIY) but for most of us – it’s just not really catching on. It’s a highly creative medium and excellent branding opportunity that allows you to showcase so many facets of your personality and your style. Not to mention if you gain a large following, you can make money!
Why isn’t video more popular amongst fashion and personal style bloggers? What would have to change to get more bloggers using it? We’ve laid out a few thoughts on it below, and would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Why aren’t more fashion bloggers using video?
It’s time-consuming.
There is a significant difference in the amount of time needed for an outfit post photo shoot and a video shoot. The retakes, the different angles, the set-up, the do-overs – it all adds up. Even with an experienced videographer (and perhaps even more so), shooting high-quality video is a serious investment of your time and effort.
Shooting good video is harder than taking a great photo.
By nature, video is just more complicated than still photography. You have sound, movement, different shots coming together – not to mention the same elements of framing, light and scenery that play into still photography as well.
Editing isn’t easy.
Editing video is more complicated and again, more time consuming than editing still photographs. The tools are more intricate and achieving great results is more difficult.
Audiences don’t always care.
For all that effort, there’s not always a guaranteed return on investment with video. If you’ve already trained your readers to expect photos and written content, it can be hard to transition them to something new. It’s also more of an effort for them to consume video content. If you’re at the office, for example, watching a video takes time and requires headphones, compared to just scrolling through content.
What needs to happen to get more fashion bloggers using video?
We can’t say for sure exactly what it would take to get more of the fashion blogging community using video (we aren’t mind readers, after all), but it seems safe to say it wouldn’t be easy. In the end it comes down to putting in the work, and many of us don’t have the time – and perhaps the confidence either. No one ever said getting in front of the camera (especially video) was easy.
- Editing tools could become easier to use
- Audiences have to express a greater interest in the medium to encourage bloggers
- Bloggers must be willing to dedicate time to creating and editing content
I tried my hand at doing a couple of haul videos, but eventually the novelty wore off. You’re right in saying that videos are much more time-consuming to create.
Also, text and images are easier to consume and share. If I’m at work on the computer, or commuting and surfing on my phone or tablet, I can quickly scroll through a blog post and its images, maybe pin an image on my Pinterest board to share with others if I like it. I can skim or read slowly and set my own pace. By contrast, watching a video forces me to go at the pace someone else set for me. What’s more, I can’t listen to the audio discreetly unless I have headphones.