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Joined 03-30-17, id: 9006497, Profile Updated: 03-30-17

Saying that online video is popular is a gross understatement. With 6 billion hours of viewing YouTube per month, and an average of 40 minutes of viewing per session per person, YouTube is the undisputed king of online video. All forms of online video; documentaries, news, promotional videos, educational videos and entertainment video are evolving.

As the average attention span continues to shorten thanks to bite-size media appropriate for Facebook, Twitter and Reddit, how videos are being produced is developing to keep pace with consumer viewing behavior.

Why Online Video Works So Well

Complex ideas work extremely well with online video – would TED’s “ideas worth spreading” educational videos be such a success if the same content were merely published in a magazine article? Of course not, there is already great content being published in print, but it rarely gets shared or goes as ‘viral’ as much as some TED videos have. The video medium has a real ability to ‘hook’ viewers and engage emotionally. A video producer’s task as a storyteller is to communicate ideas – and the value of the ideas – in an easily digestible, efficient manner that makes an impact.

There are five main classes of video; they range from entertainment to compelling a person to act. Professional organizations, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes are adapting how they use video. It wasn’t long ago that video that was online was merely low-resolution entertainment or news clips. But as video is the best idea-conveying medium, its popularity continues to grow proportionally to its easy accessibility and high quality.

The 5 Types of Video Production

Video doesn’t simply tell a message; instead video displays the meaning – video is the ultimate show and tell. Successful video cuts through technology, all the while conveying messages as a form of entertainment, around the world, twenty-four hours around the clock. Here are the top five types of videos, along with explanations and examples:

1. Educational Videos

Educational videos are excellent examples of teaching and learning concepts. As video uses the primary senses of sight and sound, using video in education allows concepts to be taught more easily and be retained better than reading off a page! This is thanks to the models of ‘multi-modal learning’ and ‘dual-coding theory’, which have shown that communicating with visuals and sound simultaneously will greatly increase comprehension and retention of new ideas.

And with the ability to show a concept though the use of editing shot of an in the field demonstration allows the viewer to truly understand the concepts being shown and discussed.

Educational videos go beyond merely informing the viewer – these videos go deeper into the ‘why’ such and such is important, in addition to just the ‘what’. As an example, an educational video on learning how to SCUBA dive will explain the reason why you must not hold your breath as you ascend to the surface, rather than just stating ‘don’t hold you breath’ without explanation. This ‘why’ is critical, as it delivers real understanding for the audience. The beauty of educational videos is how they can easily share complex ideas – and ‘educate’ learners properly, with comprehension even often able to bypass language barriers.

Examples of Educational Videos


Remote Online Classroom Instruction
Online Courses with Video Lessons (MooC)
How-To Training Videos
Student ‘Show and Tell’ Videos
Webinar Informational Videos
Video Lesson Series
Animated Explainer Videos

2. Promotional Videos

Promotional videos have become exceptionally popular with the convenience of fast wireless Internet, powerful mobile devices and businesses realizing that they can afford and use video with their marketing. These style of videos have adapted quickly to the habits of the modern viewer; short length videos, relevant information, engaging style and available where the viewer will be interested in viewing, and then ideally sharing the video with their social networks!

Guide How to Make a Promotional VideoA critical distinction is that promotional videos are not advertisements like we would see on TV commercial breaks. With a promotional video, the choice to watch is with the viewer. The person is interested to see if the video will offer a solution to their problem and presses play. The promotional videos marketing therefore to suggest value up front. And if it doesn’t, the viewer can choose to stop viewing at any time, unlike TV or online video ads, which intrusively play without the viewer having control.

Promotional videos differ from instructional and educational videos in that they’re targeting a very specific viewer and speaking to their needs, then presenting a solution and concluding with a ‘call to action’, asking the viewer to take action. With the art of persuasion and rapport, similar to an experienced salesperson, a viewer will ideally feel that the video offered value – and it’s their choice if they respond to the call to action. Taking action: a social like or share, or a purchase, are all common goals for promotional video marketers.

Examples of Promotional Videos:


Talking-head Videos
Corporate Videos
Testimonial Videos
Presentation Videos
Explainer Videos
Human Resources Videos
Unboxing Videos
Product Demonstration Videos
Real Estate Tour Videos
Event Videos
Presentation Videos
Keynote Slideshow Presentation Videos
Advertising Videos
Comparison Videos
Giveaway Videos
Product Review Videos
Announcement Videos
Destination Videos

3. Informational Videos

These are the most simplistic types of videos – cut and dry information delivered as succinctly as possible. Think of a news host delivering current news, with a quick story sound bite and moving on to the next story in rapid succession. These videos give the ‘what’ on a topic, but don’t go much deeper, so the ‘why’ is often left largely unexplored (as good educational or promotional video would show).

Journalism is a good example of purely informational video. News and information videos give you the sounds and sights of the news events as if you were right there on location. No need to imagine what might be going on… You can see it and hear it for yourself. With all smartphones having a HD or 4K camera with video capabilities, news gathering is now in the hands of common people. Instead of a Television station with a producer and camera operator and interviewer, a single person can record and upload or stream live-video from most anywhere, anytime.

Examples of Informational Videos:


Television Newscasts
Interview Question