About 18 months ago my son posted his first YouTube video. It was a neat little 2 minute “how to” video for Minecraft. Yesterday I realised that it has had more views than all of my blog posts in the last 18 months.
That’s a little sobering don’t you think?
Now there are differences in audience, platform, broadcast, need, focus, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera… As adults we think we can explain away why you can’t compare a Minecraft video with a professional blog. Yet I don’t think that’s good enough. I think there’s something to think about here rather than easily dismiss.
Firstly, in the broad leadership/talent/OD space I work within I can’t think of anyone that is creating and sharing regular video content openly. I do see things happening in the broader L&D and related technology spaces. Yet these I think are largely interviews and/or “moments” at a conference. I can’t think of a single video I’ve seen or have found my broad network sharing in the leadership/talent/OD space. Yet YouTube is clearly a significant and valuable channel to share very useful and relevant content for the workplace.
Why is there this difference?
Secondly, I see lots of writing in the leadership/talent/OD space that shares thinking or the latest “Top 10 things” you have to know, do, don’t do, laugh at, will cause you to fail, etc. If you read this blog then you know that I regularly share my thinking about the work that I do, what I see, what I believe and what I practice. I follow lots of serious professionals in this space who do similar. Lots of writing and very little video.
Why is that?
Thirdly, I have a fairly active Vine channel where I share snippets of dogs and country walks. I enjoy it for what it is but it is very much focussed on my social pursuits not my work. I know a few people who have used it or tinkered with it and I appreciate the window it opens into their lives. However, interest and I suspect the format hasn’t combined to create anything in the work space.
Why does it feel tricky to shift that social sharing to the professional sharing space?
Finally, I think although a lot of the work that myself and peers talk about and share exists in the conversation , there remains a lot of “how to” learning that could be shared if we chose to. I don’t mean pontification via video but practical this is how you (or how I) go about doing such and such. Maybe it’s the free model that gets in the way or the open delivery of YouTube video. Perhaps and yet there are so many arguments to counter those unknowns of YouTube video creation.
What is really getting in the way here?
My Challenge
I’m dreadfully conscious this isn’t a video. I’m now dreadfully conscious that I need to do something about this. I’m not particularly clear what that is yet.
So help me out a little please with answers on a Vine. No. Seriously.
If you have something to say or to share relating to what I’ve shared above would you please do so via Vine or if you’d rather another video sharing format. Please just post your link below in the comments or if you share with me on Twitter or Vine I’ll share here everything that’s been created.
If a question would help you craft your video then look no further than the title of this blog!
Hi David! Love the question. Made a video to respond with my initial thoughts…..
Bev
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A neat piece of spoken word from @sukhpabial shared on Twitter https://t.co/wgEgsOupPW
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A neat little Vine from @SimonHeath1 https://twitter.com/SimonHeath1/status/656369627958767616
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I think some of us do use other mediums but certainly many of my generation are reluctant to perhaps work straight to camera and if you run your own business then like Bev (above in comments) I don’t think filming it from my kitchen is what I would choose to offer. Having said that I shot my website video in my front room and in black and white to get round the production issues. That video though was an edit down of a lot of footage so perhaps time is an issue if we can’t do it simply in one take (which is how I write my blogs). http://youtu.be/Q5Bw1uphlXE
Bev is also a good example of sharing new content, her “Collaborate Live” series of recorded interviews was superb.I have also edited short films of conferences I’ve attended – http://youtu.be/Fwfpi-SFZEA
You have also been a champion of https://twitter.com/mental_blocks (www.thementalblocks.com) which whilst not vlogging is blogging in a more visual form. As you know this project has been shortlisted for the Mind Media Awards and two of the other projects up for the award are vlogs so there is a definite need / resonance for this sort of content.
For me I’m inspired by people like Bev and also Ian Pettigrew / Martin Couzins who make great podcasts. There are so many opportunities out there and bearing in mind that Mental Blocks is all made on a single iPad it should be easy to make more immediate content. In fact you’ve just given me a great idea…………..
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A nice bit of sharing using Periscope from @martincouzins
https://www.periscope.tv/w/aPZEqjEzMDM2ODI0fDFybUdQWlBPRW5ueE41NgfGu9hxsGtbdQ3V-IRmMGDQ4bzsbASUfMvB4xoRKw==
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An excellent video from @KingfisherCoach https://t.co/yfcHi6LqXK
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I was all set to post a vlog but:
The background noise on the train last night was too loud
I didn’t feel it was right to repeat it 3 times on the same train for the other passengers
I was out at a football match so didn’t have more time to prepare a video
I couldn’t get a wifi connection on the Tube to upload it
I could:
Watch the video responses on the train with my headphones
Reflect on the video responses while queuing on the Tube
Draft notes on the Tube and later at the football
Upload now, the first time I’m able
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A great piece in this vlog from @sarahmillerau https://t.co/eePfoOSaoA
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