In the past year and a half, video has taken on a whole new meaning. It is no longer something you watch to pass the time, but a medium that allows human connection. For Blogchatter, video means July and a month-long video blogging fiesta called Lights Camera Chatter. For 2021, we invited YouTubers and bloggers to explore their video blogging journey with us – and to also impart some knowledge on how one could begin dabbling into video too.

Our survey for July was on video and as the month comes to a close, here are the insights that we gleaned out of them:

#1: Content is king, content type is not

For the question if our community prefers reading over videos, a resounding 82% said that it depends on the type of content/topic they’re consuming.

So we would like to reiterate, especially for those in the back, nothing can beat content.

If you’re looking for tips on content creation, check this.

#2: 46% people are looking for something specific when it comes to video content

Once again we see, for our community, content is more important than the form in which it is presented. We also have 36% people who click on a video because they find it interesting.

So for all you budding vloggers out there, focus on creating a title that will capture attention.

#3: 42% bloggers don’t make videos

We asked if our community follows a video + text approach and were quite surprised to find that 42% said no. Does that mean that most of us are just dreamy writers who prefer the written word over showing their face? Maybe!

Here’s an excellent video of how 2 bloggers have included the video + text approach in their content creation cycle.

#4: I’m shy, say 45%

As a creator, what about video is the most challenging for you…we were not surprised to see that 45% are shy of coming on camera. We are writers and dreamers after all.

49% said that consistency was a challenge for them. It just goes to show that dreaming of becoming a writer and actually becoming one are two different things. In any form of content creation, we have seen through our previous survey results as well, consistency is always a challenge.

#5: Most videos are consumed on YouTube

While YouTube is the reigning champion with 68% when it comes to where do most of our community members consume content, Instagram is a close second at 49%.

Learn more about how Instagram is changing, with its entertainment first policy, here.

#6: Finally an answer to ‘how long should a video be’

45% said that if it's a subject that they’re interested in, length doesn't matter! Moral of the story is, subject matter is king – video or text – long or short doesn’t matter. They will discover you if they’re looking for you. So focus on searchability, creating good, relevant and valuable content and your junta will find you – like Liam Neeson.

#7: Not everyone is on the video bandwagon

For anyone thinking that the written word is dead, think again. While 72% said that yes video enhances text, 28% said that video could ruin certain content experiences.

The key takeaway here is, not every topic deserves to be a video. Some work better as text, some as audio and others as video. Each platform has its USPs and as content creators, we should define that for ourselves.