Baby-Stepping Into The Realm of Vlogs

Since we're discussing vlogs in class this week, I figured I'd get a little background information regarding the past, present, and future of these things we've dubbed vlogs. In this article dating back to March 2005, author Michael Rogers (a.k.a. "The Practical Futurist") writes:

Most broadly, the rise of vlogs is going to provide an interesting study about the differences between text and video. Text offers organized, abstract idea compression, a fundamentally different communication mode than video. A text blog can be scanned quickly for items of interest, for example, while a video needs to be watched. Some vloggers claim vlogs can be scanned using the forward button in the Quicktime player, but that’s not exactly the same thing. Video needs to be watched — and you thought you were wasting time on blogs now.

Although I haven't had the chance to watch a huge number of vlogs, I can already tell that the biggest hardship bloggers - I'm sorry, vloggers - are going to have to overcome to increase the viewership of their vlogs revolves around one word: accessibility.

Frankly, if a blog does not catch my attention within thrity seconds of me logging on...sorry, but the survey says...X. I don't think I'm alone on this one. In fact, most people that have initially logged on to read this post probably haven't even made it this far. If you have...thank you, please hold out for at least another thirty-seconds so I can finish my thought.

The vlogs I have logged onto required me to download, save, live in fear of a virus, etc... In other words, not a good first impression. I think Roger's is right in saying that a clear difference between the "successfulness" of blogs versus vlogs is the viewer’s ability to scan to find subjects of interest. It's annoying as it is to read a blog that is shrouded in links directing you here, there, everywhere, let alone being forced to save (sometimes) and sit through something that in the end may never hit on any real points of interest.