Since video accounts for 55% of mobile data usage, and with 92% of mobile viewers sharing video – we designed a video blog to be watched… on your phone! So, if you’re able to, pull up this post and watch the above video on your cell piece.
If not, we will cover a lot of the same info in the text down here too. Phew!
People can watch video in the kitchen, elevator, or on their train ride into work. While it’s great that people can take video anywhere, it also means more distractions for you to compete with. That’s why you can’t start slow and need to grab viewers’ attention right away before they go play Candy Crush instead.
Also, more distractions usually means more noise pollution for those watching – so we suggest using closed captions. Side Note: Closed captions are also great for Facebook videos since their NewsFeed auto-play doesn’t have sound until users click for it.
Something else to consider is whether your video player is optimized for mobile. Wistia, YouTube, Vidyard and a few other hosts auto-adjust for phone viewing, but make sure to try it out first, just to be safe.
Keep in mind, graphics and text can be difficult to see on a phone, so they should be as large as possible but not so much that they become distracting. As for annotations, they probably won’t show up at all so don’t rely on those click-throughs (but it’s still a good idea to include them anyways).
Also, when uploading your video, select a mobile-friendly thumbnail. One that is enticing, even as a tiny image in a phone’s browser. There isn’t a lot of real estate there, so find a bold yet simple image to help it stand out.
Lastly, keep your video short, because whether it’s an incoming text, a low battery warning, or the coffee’s ready – mobile viewers are quick to exit, so brevity is best.
What are some of your favorite business videos that have been designed for mobile viewing? Let us know in the comments below!