It's time to get back into the BlogHer Food '13 speaker interviews. This week I am talking with the panelists from our session, The Business Case for Video. Video is a popular and growing medium that is speeding along growth of both blog and business. So i asked these smart ladies:
Can you give our attendees one reason -- either little known or MUST KNOW NOW -- why they should be incorporating video into their food blogs?
BlogHer's Editor-in-Chief, Stacy Morrison will be moderating this session. She's a big proponent of video, rallying behind BlogHer TV with gusto. Her response might inspire you to break out the camera.
Everyone needs to get into the video game, and no, you don't have to be a Hollywood producer to do it. Here's why: video views are literally exploding on the web, reaching 40 billion views in 2012, accounting for a whopping 16 percent of all pageviews. One expert is betting that the exponential growth is just getting started, and wagers that video views will double again this year, to reach 80 million views. Another reason to care about video? Video is a key driver of mobile views, which are on a supersonic upward tick as well. And where the pageviews are is where the advertisers' dollars go. It's all growth in video and mobile spending. Also, video is a literal talking business card, an introduction to you and your blog that can float free from your blog, connecting you to new audiences across the web -- even in BlogHer's own BlogHer TV!
You can get to know more about Stacy here on BlogHer.com and also via her Twitter.
Catherine McCord of Weelicious is a mom, a blogger, an author and a video guru. She encourages you to get into video to clue your readers into you and your personality.
You probably already know that videos can be a rich revenue source and add to the over all value of your site, but If there was one reason you were going to incorporate video into your blog it would be to let your readers get to really know you. Sitting behind a computer in our kitchens doesn't fully allow viewers to see your true personality and unique qualities.
By producing simple cooking videos, your viewers get a sneak peek into your kitchen, life and style which will enrich the overall viewer experience. You want people to get to know you and the reasons you're so passionate about cooking. With a few easy tips you can be making videos in no time!
You can get to know more about who Catherine is via Weelicious.com, Weelicious on Facebook, or via Twitter.
Hetal Jannu of Show Me the Curry points out that video can really help your viewers.
Have you ever read a recipe and imagined this mouthwatering dish, only to discover that the outcome neither looks like nor tastes like what you or the author had in mind? People always say "a picture is worth a thousand words," but for a cooking blog, videos are priceless. To your viewers, watching a recipe video is like watching and learning from their mom or from a friend. Videos offer a visual medium to connect with your audience while allowing you to provide useful tips and techniques that may not always be clear in a written recipe.
One of the most frequent feedback we receive for our blog, ShowMeTheCurry.com, is how easy we make a really complicated recipe look. Offering a visual gives your audience more confidence and a feeling of "I can do that, too!" Let's face it, there are thousands of cooking blogs out there and videos are rapidly changing the way we learn. Set your cooking blog apart from the rest. Videos are the way of the future.
You can get to know Hetal more via her site and Show Me the Curry's Facebook page.
Stacy, Catherine and Hetal will be speaking together on The Business Case for Video panel at 10:00 AM on Day One of the conference, Friday, June 7, 2013. Here's what you can expect from the session:
Video is a top traffic driver, and just about every blogger can benefit by adding it to their arsenal. Get a real look at traffic trends, monetization trends, and audience retention from women in media who are leading the charge in online video creation, distribution, and monetization. Learn about your opportunities in editorial (and sponsored) video creation.
In short, if you have questions or are curious about whether or how video might benefit your blog or your business, this panel is for you!
If you have not yet registered for BlogHer Food '13 in Austin, you can do so now. We'd love to see you in June!
Family/Moms & Events Section Editor Jenna Hatfield (@FireMom) blogs at Stop, Drop and Blog.