February 22, 2013
The video above belongs to a fellow, Derek Halpern, whose blog I recently discovered. In the very first post of his that I read, he compares text and video. He argues that video allows a person or organization to paint a fuller portrait of themselves. I’m biased, of course, but I would tend to agree. To quote him:
The Power of Video (Hint: It’s All About Body Language)
Your writing might show off your personality, but it’s just not the same, and I suppose it makes sense. Text-based content is a very one-dimensional medium. Video on the other hand is a triple threat. Not only can people hear you, they can read whatever it is you’re writing…but most importantly, people SEE your body language.
He goes on to mention that you can be yourself on camera and people will be more forgiving of your flaws (he stumbles over a word in his video, laughs at himself, and then moves on), which you can’t do with text. A typo in a text communication makes you look sloppy.
I think both of these are powerful points. We sometimes work with clients who feel that they must take a conservative approach to being on camera (i.e. no body language or energy), and they get anxious about not being “perfect.” The result is often flat. But for those who get on camera, show some energy, smile a bit, maybe even flub up once or twice, there’s a much greater chance they will capture the attention of, and connect with, their audience.