The old cliche says “A picture is worth a thousand words,” meaning many different subtle ideas, details and expression can be communicated with simply one image. If that’s the case, what is a video worth? Video typically consists of 24 images per second and typically includes audio—music, sound effects or the spoken word.
There is a clear technical advantage to using video over a still image since there is much more that can be packed into a video. A video also typically contains many different shots with many different actions happening on the screen.
So video is the clear winner, right?
Well, I would argue that a certain level of care needs to be taken in order to communicate the message properly. In other words, video can certainly be much more impactful if all the junk is trimmed out of it. I like to think of video production as a way to communicate an idea or an emotion, which is usually tied to a story or a brand. This can be done with a still image if desired, but there are many more options and tools if it is accomplished with video, and I believe a video is much more effective. In fact, the data coming out in recent years supports that.
According to Brightcove, a cloud-based online video delivery platform, social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined.
It’s not as simple as grabbing your phone and pointing it at someone at the office, though. Brightcove also states that 62% of consumers are more likely to have a negative brand perception of a brand that published a poor quality video.
Video production gives the creators many more tools to work with in order to communicate the message. The subtle social interactions between two people, or the quiet music that crescendos into a spectacular chorus can have much more impact in expressing the right emotion or message. The audience is persuaded into a certain feeling not only by what they hear, but the actions and story unfolding on the screen, the growth and development of characters, or the masterfully composed images sequenced together just right.