Look, I’ve been in marketing for… well, let’s just say a while. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned working with local businesses here in Melbourne, it’s this:
**People don’t read anymore. They watch.**
Yeah I know, bit harsh. But stick with me here.
## The Reality Check You Didn’t Ask For
Last week I was grabbing coffee at my local cafe (shoutout to the flat white gods) and watched this happen: Guy walks in, sees a poster about their new menu. Glances for maybe 2 seconds. Nothing.
Then his mate shows him a 15-second video of the same menu items on Instagram. Suddenly he’s ordering three things he “has to try”.
**That’s the power we’re talking about.**
## Why Video Works (When Everything Else Feels Like Shouting Into The Void)
Here’s what I’ve noticed after working with hundreds of Melbourne businesses:
### 1. **Videos Build Trust Stupid Fast**
When someone sees you, hears you, watches you in action… boom. Trust.
It’s like the difference between reading someone’s dating profile vs meeting them for coffee. One’s just words. The other? That’s real connection.
### 2. **Our Brains Are Literally Wired For This**
Ok quick science lesson (I’ll keep it short, promise):
– We process visuals 60,000x faster than text
– 90% of information transmitted to our brain is visual
– People remember 95% of a message when it’s in video vs 10% when reading
Basically, our brains are lazy and videos do all the heavy lifting.
### 3. **Mobile Changed Everything**
Everyone’s scrolling. On the tram, in bed, probably right now while reading this (no judgment).
And what stops the scroll?
Not your carefully crafted 500-word blog post. Sorry.
It’s that video that starts playing automatically.
## Real Talk: What Actually Works
Forget the fancy production stuff for a sec. Here’s what moves the needle:
**Show, Don’t Tell**
– Don’t say you’re trustworthy. Show your team actually helping someone
– Don’t list your features. Show them in action
– Don’t claim you’re different. Prove it visually
**Keep It Human**
– Perfect is boring
– Mistakes make you relatable
– Personality beats polish every time
**Think “Snackable”**
– 15-30 seconds for social
– 1-2 minutes for your website
– 3-5 minutes max for deeper dives
Anything longer? You better be REALLY entertaining.
## The Secret Nobody Talks About
Here’s something weird:
Bad video often outperforms good text.
I’m not saying make crappy videos. But I AM saying that authentic, slightly rough around the edges video content connects better than the most perfectly written copy.
Why? Because it feels real. And real sells.
## What This Means For Your Business
Stop thinking “we need video because everyone has video”.
Start thinking “video lets us actually show who we are”.
Big difference.
Your customers want to:
– See your workspace
– Meet your team
– Watch you solve problems
– Feel what it’s like to work with you
**Video does all that in seconds. Text? Good luck.**
## The Bottom Line (Because I Know You’re Skimming)
Video isn’t just another marketing tool. It’s becoming THE marketing tool.
Not because it’s trendy. But because it works.
It’s how humans actually want to consume information in 2024. Fighting that is like trying to sell cassette tapes at a music festival.
## Your Move
Look, you can keep doing what you’re doing. Maybe it’s working ok.
Or you can accept that the game has changed. That your competitors are probably already using video. That your customers expect it.
The choice is yours.
But if I were betting? I’d bet on the business that shows up, not just tells up.
That’s just how I see it.
—
*Bryce has been helping Melbourne businesses figure out this whole “digital thing” since before Instagram existed. When he’s not writing or consulting, you’ll find him arguing about coffee temperatures at various cafes around Ballarat.*
