What is silent video and why use it?
When you think of silent video it might bring to mind Laurel and Hardy – but that’s not quite what we have in mind!
Silent video has a long history, the first videos had sound accompanying it. See the Horse In Motion (1878) or Roundhay Garden Scene (1888).
So I guess the question is, have we gone full circle? Definitely not, audio still is and always will be a very important part of video. However, it’s inevitable that a lot of content that’s viewed today is on mute. So as creators, brands and businesses we need to take this into account both in the content we create and where we place it.
To boil it down; time and place.
If you’re in a public place or have company most reasonable people don’t want to blast sound out of their device.
And, on platforms where videos autoplay, such as Twitter and Instagram, the default is to play with the audio muted.
Here are some things you can do optimise your content to work as a silent video
- Use text to reinforce key points
- Caption (subtitle) if your video includes a voice over, interviews of a piece to camera
- Make use of strong visuals that communicate tell a story in themselves
There are additional benefits too. For example, accessibility.
Inclusivity is, quite rightly, a priority for most businesses and organisations and video should be no different.
Creating content that works as well as silent as with audio can be more accessible for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as for non-native speakers who may have difficulty understanding spoken language in the video.
Are silent videos becoming more popular in general? It depends on the specific context and platform. However, on some platforms it should be a strong consideration.
On the other hand, silent videos are not as popular in the entertainment industry, as they don’t have the same level of emotional impact as videos with sound and dialogue.
Overall the popularity of silent videos depends on the context and the audience.
Silent videos can be an effective tool for learning, especially for people who have different learning modalities.
Creating a video that combines visual elements from video footage, text on screen, and audio can be beneficial for several reasons:
It can appeal to a wider range of learners, as it provides visual and textual information. This can help increase the chances that they will retain the information being presented.
It can provide a more comprehensive and immersive learning experience. The combination of visual footage, text, and audio can help to convey the information in a more dynamic and engaging way than any one medium alone.
It can make the video more engaging, as it can create a more dynamic and interesting viewing experience by alternating between different forms of media.
It can be more efficient for the viewer, as it can be easier for the viewer to understand and remember the information if it is presented in multiple ways.
It’s important to note that not all videos need to include all three elements, it depends on the context and purpose of the video, but including different forms of media can enhance the overall effectiveness of the video.
In summary, should you give up on audio and make all your videos silent? No, but maybe consider making your content work better with the sound off.
Keep an eye on our blog page as we’ll be sharing more tips and exploring the best ways to optimise your video across different platforms and for different audiences.
We’d love to talk to you about how silent video could work for your business. If that’s of interest let’s have a chat today!