MomCrunch
Do Mom Bloggers Hate Watching Vlogs?
Today on Facebook, one of the top mom bloggers Dawn Meehan informally surveyed her loyal followers to ask if they like watching video blog posts or not.
Dawn asked…
Question:
Do you guys like video blogs or do you just prefer to read blog entries?
For those of you who do like vlogs, how often do you like to see them – once a week, once a month, etc.?
I read through her responses, counted them up and broke them roughly into the following groups. At the time I read the thread, I counted…
Prefer reading posts and NO video posts: 31 people (67%)
Occasional video posts are good: 8 people (17%)
Love Vlogs: 4 people (9%)
Hate Vlogs: 3 people (7%)Total: 46 people commented
Dawn replied that she was surprised by the responses. She’d expected the feedback to be split with half liking video blog posts and half not liking them.
While I did expect the numbers to lean towards blog readers preferring to read posts rather than watch, I didn’t realize it would be so heavily skewed in that direction.
Janice and I have found that it is tougher to get views on a video post and over the last year we haven’t invested as much time in vlogging. But we’re always debating whether or not we should do more video posts.
This feedback from Dawn’s readers has me thinking perhaps the mom blogging audience just doesn’t enjoy the vlog format.
Are you surprised by the responses?
Do YOU like watching video blog posts?
Do you record video posts and publish vlog entries on your blog?
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30 Comments
Ticia commented on Aug 11 11 at 10:03 amI’m not really that surprised. I think it goes hand in hand with most people not liking music that pops up on blogs. It’s faster to read a blog than listen to the vlog, and usually speaking we want to scan through it and continue on.
I occasionally post videos as part of my post, but in general I try to keep them under a minute and not something you must read to understand the post. Otherwise people just don’t pay attention to it.
christieo commented on Aug 11 11 at 10:24 amI’m not really that surprised! I am glad you did the poll, I just started doing more vlogs myself and I was wondering the same!
Mikki commented on Aug 11 11 at 10:41 amInteresting. I just recently started doing more vlogs and seem to get a good response.
I try to make them short and sweet so not as to bore people..Thanks for posting this! Food for thought..
Andrea/Confessions of a Daydream Believer commented on Aug 11 11 at 10:42 amI am not a fan of the vlogging, I can’t really put my finger on why but it’s just something I haven’t enjoyed. I have watched a few in the past but I think reading the blogs and feeling the emotions put into them is more “connected” then watching it.
Jayme (Random Blogette) commented on Aug 11 11 at 10:58 amI am surprised by the response. My readers seem to love when I do vlogs. I like watching them because it gives you a real sense of who the blogger is.
Patricia commented on Aug 11 11 at 11:19 amI don’t like vlogs. They don’t allow skimming, so too many times you spend 5 minutes watching something that seems to be just a vanity production. I only watch vlogs when video enhances the information, like a how-to video. But if it is just a blog post on video, it is usually rambling. Writing it down forces it to be better organized.
Shandra commented on Aug 11 11 at 11:39 amI only like vlogs if they show me something I couldn’t have read. “Talking heads” don’t appeal to me at all; a tour of something might. Having one is nice to give a feel for the blogger, but after that – there has to be a reason or I don’t watch it. It takes too long and is sort of intrusive – often I’m listening to music while reading blogs anyway.
Just my 2 cents. :)
MariaS Handmade Love commented on Aug 11 11 at 11:58 amI am not surprised. I don’t like vlogs and I don’t watch vlogs…and I know a lot of my friends feel the same way. I agree 100% with what Jayme said above. :)
Cat Davis commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:03 pmI tend not to watch vlogs unless it’s from someone I know is great at them. Too many are “home video” quality … shaking camera, camera jumping all over the place, more “ummm” than words. You get the idea.
Emily E commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:22 pmI’m in the hating vlogs category. It takes me 30 seconds to read an written blog post. I can also quickly scan and see whether it is of interest to me. It takes several minutes to view a vlog (plus download time) and I just don’t have that kind of time. Also, most of the time people don’t include enough information in writing to let me know whether it would be worth my time to watch. Sorry- no time for that. Plus written entries can be easily printed out if it has relevant or helpful information. Finally, I do most of my blog reading at work or on my phone and neither of those is conducive to vlog watching.
Bottom line- if it’s a vlog- I’m not watching it. Next Item please.
Loralee commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:25 pmI am not a fan of vlogs. I really, really want to like them, but I usually just click off when I see one. I get asked/told all the time that I should do them but honetsly…nah. Not for me, I don’t think.
CanCan commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:26 pmI’m trying to leave my vlogs on the youtube channel and see how that goes.
Leigh Ann commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:27 pmVlogs have to be different. People like to read a post because they like to skim. We all do it. But you can’t necessarily skim through a vlog. So the vlog has to be interesting — more than just you sitting there talking to a camera. Use editing techniques, transitions, or write out a funny “script.” The vlogs I like to watch have all of these elements. Plus, editing keeps you from having to do one long take over and over again. The ones I don’t necessarily like to watch are ones where someone is just talking.
Evin Cooper commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:33 pmI get about 30 minutes a day to use sound on my computer, and I use that for my TV shows… the rest of the time I’m in the room with a sleeping kid or a working Daddy or I’m reading a blog post while the kiddo plays video games… so I get a little cranky at vlogs.
se7en commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:33 pmFor myself I am often listening with half an ear to short people while I am going through my daily feeds and to be honest it is often impossible to hear vlogs… (hear not so subtle background noise). Later at night when I am working and hubs is watching tv alongside me, it irritates him to have someone chatting away from my laptop. And so there just isn’t a time when I would look and listen to blogs. It is also quicker for me to read the information I need than have to linger and listen… just saying!!!
Jen E @ mommablogsalot commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:46 pmI am a bit surprised by the results, but by that I mean – I thought I was the only one who wasn’t into the vlog thing. As much as they are fun to make and I occasionally marvel at the videos out there or enjoy listening to them… occasionally. In general, having to turn on my speakers to listen when I could read is a downside. It’s much easier for me to read a blog than watch a vlog – especially when my computer decides it doesn’t want to play.
Jen Singer commented on Aug 11 11 at 12:49 pmVlogs need to be short, edited well and entertaining from the very first sentence. I think the problem many vloggers have is that they assume that the rules that apply to the written word don’t apply to the screen, as though their personalities are enough to keep people tuned in.
But it’s not a Skype call. It’s just a different medium for storytelling. Remember that, and your vlogs will be loved.
Courtney @ The Mommy Matters commented on Aug 11 11 at 1:26 pmI’m not too surprised by the results. I HATE vlogs. They can take too long to load, slow down sites, and seem impersonal. Which I know sounds crazy since you are essentially looking at a person on the screen, but people aren’t as open in Vlogs as they are with their written words.
daniellesmith commented on Aug 11 11 at 1:27 pmI fall into the ‘love vlogs’ category. I like the opportunity it provides to get to know the blogger, as well as understand their thoughts and opinions – it is far easier to misinterpret written ‘tone’ than spoken. Like many of the commenters above, I do agree that shorter is better, show and tell is a great avenue, if your lighting and sound is poor, people won’t watch and it is important to be engaging. And yes, editing is good :) In general, my vlogs tend to have as much traction as my written posts. I like the variety.
Lyn H commented on Aug 11 11 at 1:45 pmThe results don’t surprise me either. I don’t like Vlogs at all. I much prefer reading, I find I can take things in better then and have time to reflect, re-read etc.
Kimberly commented on Aug 11 11 at 3:53 pmI don’t trust Vlogs. I can read anything with my kids in the room. I won’t take the chance on inappropriate content being broadcast to my children. I never know what this person might say!
Robyn Mather commented on Aug 11 11 at 3:57 pmI would watch more vlogs if the speaker clearly articulated the value I was going to receive right from the beginning. Vlogs are such a new medium that I find there is a big learning curve in how to deliver the message. The written word allows for the reader to quickly scan for the golden nuggets when short on time so I can understand why a blogger would prefer reading to watching. Must keep it short (under 3 minutes) and to the point for me to listen all the way through. It’s all about time. Such a precious commodity.
Krystel@MomVlogger commented on Aug 11 11 at 6:33 pmWell being that my site is the MomVlogger I guess I would be one of the ones who loves Vlogging. I have a regular blog where I mainly write and post the occasional blog but for the most part on my MomVlogger site I prefer vlogging because truthfully I hate writing. It’s easier for me to say what I need to say and not sound so perfect. People get to see the real me IMO.
Daddy's in Charge? commented on Aug 11 11 at 6:38 pmI like watching video. I am a trained editor so I know what goes into it. The vlog better have some visual elements that make it necessary to do it otherwise just write it down. Appearing on camera for the sake of appearing on camera is stupid. Make it interesting and of good quality and I will watch it. I make one a week but I do it with Legos and I keep it short, no more than a minute. I know peoples attention spans are short.
Tonya commented on Aug 11 11 at 7:05 pmI’m not surprised most vlogs I’ve watched are so annoying to watch. The people try to talk slowly and make funny faces! I’ve only watched one full through :)
CoffeeJitters.Net commented on Aug 12 11 at 1:50 amI don’t like vlogs – I usually do my blog reading during a quiet time, and any kind of noise coming out of a website is distracting and irritating. At least the vlogs aren’t on auto-play. If I hear from others that a specific vlog is hilarious and worth a look, I’ll add it to a list of vlogs to check out someday when I have some free time.
Some of my favorite bloggers do vlogs, but to be honest, I usually skip those posts and just pay attention to the posts I can read.
Kimberly/Foodie City Mom commented on Aug 12 11 at 12:04 pmI am not surprised either. I am not a huge fan of vlogs overall. However, I like ones that give a “glimpse” into what is unique about the life of the blogger/vlogger.
Now that I’m writing more about food, I also like some food “how to” vlogs because some things are just easier to understand visually than by the written word…
Kia @ A View From Here commented on Aug 15 11 at 5:13 amI’m not a fan of vlogs – the odd one here and there is OK or if it’s a “how to” that is easier to show someone than trying to explain.
The reason I don’t really like vlogs is that you don’t know what the person is going to say – is it going to require censoring? Who else is going to hear it?
Also I can read a post (really read it) much quicker than I can view a vlog.
I read most blogs in a RSS reader and I can read through many blogs in the time it would take me to watch even a short vlog.
Jendi commented on Aug 15 11 at 1:20 pmI love vlogs! I have a whole site about vlogging and a mailing list of people interested in vlogging. I think it totally depends on your audience and your target market; as well as where you build your audience. YouTube is a social media site that you get out of what you put into it. It’s part of the beauty of the web – that you can build your niche in whatever type of content you and your audience prefer – written, audio, or video.
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