How To Build A Vlogging Network
Rumor has it that PodTech is going out of business. PodTech is the video network that does interviews and makes marginally interesting web programming in hopes to sell some ads around it.
I know it’s a rumor and I know that most Valley rumors are about as believable as a Facebook IPO, but that’s not really important. What we should be looking at is how this could have happened, and what we can learn from it.
Here are a few notes to keep in mind if you too have dreams of creating a Video Podcasting network.
Video Is Inefficient
When deciding on what kind of programming to add to your network, remember that the only point of video is to convey emotion, enable storytelling and emphasize points that text cannot. There should be a reason you choose to use video. If you can’t put a finger on it, chances are good that the show won’t be compelling.
People Buy Personality
Our attention spans have been reduced to that of the common gold fish. The only way you can possibly hope to convince people to watch your web show is if you have a host that people want to watch, or a story that people can get behind. All the best video blogs (Ze Frank, Rocketboom) had very clever people who were capable of holding user attention.
More Is Not Always Better
The Web is not television. If I am looking for 10,000 different choices I will go to YouTube. Keep your content tight. Unless it’s live, no one really wants to sit through a three hour conference block. Most people would rather read the transcript. Having 50 Interviews of micro-celebrities followed by B list comedians capped off by a painfully stilted product review is also not the best way to retain mindshare.
Could This Be On Tech TV?
It’s a good test to run on any new program idea. If you don’t think that your latest “hit” could have made it on Tech TV, chances are good that not enough people will care about it to make it worth producing. Not every idea makes a good vlog, learn to understand your market.
Keep It Short
If your program is more than about 5 minutes long, it better be good. In fact, it better be so good that it makes up for the fact that I could have probably read a half-dozen blog posts and scanned a half-dozen more in the time I took to watch it. Keep your content short, it’s a lot better to leave them wanting more than to bore them to tears.
What Will It Cost
The biggest problem with video is that the margins are really bad and you are relying on the same kinds of advertisers that you would if you were making a text blog. If you are spending a lot of money, and you are going after very similar CPMs you better make certain that your vlog does orders of magnitude better than a comparable blog. How do you do this? Scale slowly.
Get one or two big programs out in the field and build from there. Focus your resources on creating quality. Once you have a base, it is a lot easier to get them to flip through some of your fodder.
UPDATE: According to Robert, PodTech’s doors are staying open. Good for them!
Web 2.0 Roundup
I wish all the folks at PodTech the best, and maybe this is just a nasty Valley rumor but that does not make any of these points any less relevant. If you are thinking about making your own vlog or maybe even starting a whole network of them, keep in mind that if you are going to use video as a medium you should have a very good reason to do so.
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