As online content continues to become more diverse, the consumption of video in particular has grown. You only have to look at Disney+ acquiring one million subscribers before the streaming-on-demand service even went live. And if your filters allow, you might have heard about the adult website PornHub starting to offer lifetime memberships for $299.
But why is video streaming so important for online engagement? And how can affiliates create a more interactive user experience by utilising it? That’s what we’ll go over in this blog post.
Why video streaming is so important now
A lot of the reasons why video has become important can be explained by society’s growing desires for content-on-demand. Consumers want instant gratification, which is why sites like PornHub are so popular. This is fuelled further by the fact that so many people access the internet via mobile devices. For the many individuals with busy lifestyles, convenience is a priority.
The above is evident when you look at historical changes in how long people focus for. Between 2000 and 2018, average attention spans dropped from 12 seconds to eight (cited from Digital Information World). For context, a goldfish’s lasts for nine seconds. And since video can be accessed wherever, whenever and in little time, it’s not surprising that more people have turned to this channel.
How can affiliates incorporate video into their online content plans?
If you’re going to use video, then the most important component is still the same as with all other content forms: VALUE. One could argue that the before-mentioned attention span changes are our senses evolving to focus only on what’s important. The case for this presented in a blog post on Entrepreneur.
Regarding potential content ideas, you could consider starting a weekly show. This could be a short, but entertaining round-up of what’s happened over the past seven days. It could work whether you’re an affiliate in sports, casino or something else. This would be more interactive than written summaries, while also being easier to digest.
Alternatively, you might prefer to discuss one important topic but in more depth. Again, this could be a weekly show where you get other experts to talk with you. Depending on what’s included, you could release these once every two or four weeks instead. Programmes like Match of the Day are still popular because we enjoy listening to people with authority on things we’re interested in. So, by adopting this approach, you’ll give your audience something that they’ll be excited to consume.
Final thoughts
Video streaming can be great for engaging and growing your online audiences, as long as you know what you’re trying to produce and the reasons for it. More and more information is being spewed onto the internet every day. And while some is relevant to us as individuals, a lot of it isn’t. As a result, our brains are starting to realise what’s worth consuming and what should be ignored. If you think of unique ways to stand out and have a robust creation strategy, you could find that you have a dynamic new way to appeal to those you want to.
Are you looking to adapt for the world of visual on your social media channels too? Check out our blog post about moving away from words on Facebook.
