Lizzie Cree
Head of Operations and chief horticulturist of the Liveminds desktop garden. I’m happiest rummaging round a car boot sale or charity shop looking for the next 50p bargain. I have a degree in Geography which has resulted in an inordinate collection of maps & globes, oh and a few colouring pencils...
Video allows you to be there ‘in the moment’ with your participants as never before. But how do you ensure that you get the most from the video content they create and share? Keeping videos ‘short and sweet’ is the single most important thing. Here’s why:
Centre stage
Some participants may relish the opportunity to get in front of the camera, others may feel anxious about their screen debut. Suggesting a 30 second time limit on videos makes participants feel comfortable knowing what is expected of them.
Maximum Impact
Putting a time limit on videos requires participants to consider their response before they make it. This results in richer, more focused and powerful content… not lots of umms, aahs and awkward silences.
Lights, Camera, Upload
Uploading video to the internet takes time and the larger the file, the longer it will take. On average, a minute long video filmed on an iPhone 4 can take up to half an hour to upload on a standard broadband connection. Keeping videos to around 30 seconds significantly reduces the time it takes to upload, limiting the chance for uploads to fail due to internet drop outs and allows participants to continue with their day.
Screen Time
Your online research project has finished and its time to analyse. You’ve sat down to watch back all the video insights you’ve captured but don’t forget the popcorn…let’s say you’ve got 30 participants in a week long project and you’ve asked for a video a day:
- 30 second videos would take you the same time to watch as Toy Story.
- 1 minute videos would take longer than the director’s cut of the Lord of the Rings.
- 3 minutes and you’ve now got the equivalent of the entire Godfather trilogy to wade through.
Your consultancy time is money. Requesting short clips ensures that you don’t get bogged down for hours (or days) in video analysis.
On the big screen
It’s time to report back to your client, so why not illustrate your conclusions with a short compilation of your participants experiences? Keeping video clips short ensures this is simple for you to put together and keeps your audience engaged and entertained.
Videos in your online qual research are the small packages good things come in! Keep them short and you will gain concise, well thought out responses that give colour and context to any research project. For maximum impact, combine them into a ‘Video Story’ to create compelling and engaging presentations for your clients.
Please do get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about our simple, flexible and truly mobile qualitative research platform.
