Is Video the Future of the Web? Yes

"Welcome to Chess Sets R Us, the US leaders inProfessional videos used selectively could be the way
chess with a low price guarantee and the widestto embark on the video course. A studio? It may go
range in North America. I'm Dave. How are you today?that way and a two tier web result from it, where, like
Before I show you into the store - may I just point outthe literal Mall, only highly professional stores survive.
our special offers for this month? Press Escape forWhat may emerge are easy ways to produce videos
the main store anytime, where my colleague Brian willthat are highly polished professionally produced
show you our categories. Press Escape twice tocomponents. But amateur productions need to be
browse without guidance. Now, onto those specialavoided and are an obvious danger to the survival of
offers...a web site in the video future. There is also a danger
Is this the future of the web? Very possibly. Google'sof rushing in and spamming the search engines with
acquisition of YouTube in late 2006 shocked manykeyphrase rich tags to return the video content highly,
webmasters into thinking Video. Some for the first timewhich may also be counter productive.
went to YouTube to see what all the fuss was aboutOptimising?
- and found a microcosm of search itself - search forThe search engines will have to find a better way to
something like you would a search engine and findsearch video to return appropriate SERPs. This could
hundreds of results, and... yes... all video. It's still early inbe done through tags associated with the video if the
the life cycle - so like the early days of the web withSE's are not to actually get into the video code itself.
brochureware and static content, these early videosContextual text could provide the clue the search
are homespun amateur productions that don't restmasters need to make decisions. An early indication of
easy on the eye or ears. This will change with thethis in late 2006 is the tool by Google to have people
widespread adoption in economically strong countriestag images as they find across the web - all this is
of broadband technology and it's technicalusable technology for returning appropriate results to
improvement even across broad geographical areas.searchers.
Even so - the pioneers get the bows and arrows,How to Prepare?
settlers get the land - too early an adoption could beDon't rush to make your site a video site - no-one
counter productive. It might start just as small videosreally knows the exact shape of the future. But to get
as extra options options on websites, but as videosome videos uploaded to YouTube or similar sites
technology becomes more intelligent more can be(MySpace, etc) will prepare you for what changes will
done, such as clicking items appearing, areas of thebe wise in the future. Keeping up with technology is
screen, etc.possible for non-techies when it's done as-it-comes.
The dangers?Who knows how many web studios will exist in the
You could rush in too quickly before your audience ismid term future.
ready. The dominance of video on a site may just be"Thankyou for visiting Chess-Sets R Us. Your
too subject to a young, hip audience and put off thepurchase with us today means you'll have a 10%
traditional customer base you need. The video qualityreduction on your next order. Chess makes a great
needs to be high - not related to the typical quality ofgift. We appreciate your custom...
most video components of YouTube of late 2006.