

With Video, Hearing is Believing

Do videos need to be heard to break through? The newest data sounds like they do.


With mobile connectivity and data transmission speeds growing faster and becoming less expensive (the 5G is behind the corner), video consumption through mobile devices has increased exponentially.

It is no coincidence that Facebook is betting on the video format, introducing new features such as the autoplay, 360 degrees video, live streaming, and Ad Breaks. Even Instagram, once renowned for its “pictures only” policy, surrendered to the power of video, giving up its original identity.

It seems that videos are intensively watched, especially through smartphones. In fact, more the half of Facebook users access the world’s leading social networks exclusively or primarily through mobile devices.

As we know, when we use such devices, the context does not always allow us to enjoy video content with the audio on. When videos show up in our news feed or are sent to us from a friend, or when we visit a website that displays one, often we watch videos with the audio deactivated. This is especially true if the audio is not perceived to be necessary for the comprehension of the message. As far as Facebook, the numbers are striking: 85% of videos on Facebook are watched, but not heard.

In the face of these data, and with social media news feeds flooded by videos, marketing and communication professionals are starting to see video content as something that can be dissociated from its respective audio part, with the latter relegated to the role of “optional content.” This separation, unimaginable in the pre-mobile era, raises the issue of the effectiveness of a mute video. Are we sure that the sole visual component of a video is sufficient to drive home the message? 

Google research has investigated this dilemma in detail. Using YouTube videos as the data sample, the research tested the effectiveness of a YouTube commercial – in terms of brand awareness – if watched with visual or audio components. The outcome of the research is significant: In absence of either images or sounds, videos lose a substantial part of their effectiveness. In particular, the brand awareness of those users who watched the video with the audio on is much greater than that of those who have just seen or heard the single components.


 Research on brand impact by Google TrueView,


In short, it seems that audio plays a fundamental role for the effectiveness of digital video. After all, apart from the figures, video is the format that more than anything else is able to reproduce our real perception of the world. Whether it is to inform, educate, persuade, or arouse emotions, a mute video will always have a major competitive disadvantage over the customer experience enhanced with a voice and music soundtrack.

To marketing professionals, the production of quality content for video can be a tricky challenge. This is especially true for the audio, soundtracks and localization of content, which can often dramatically increase development time and overall costs.

A simple, affordable and effective solution for the creation and deployment of interactive video experiences with compelling audio is Doxee Personalized VideoThis solution uses a personalized text-to-speech engine that takes static and variable copy and automatically generates a highly personalized and relevant voice track. By combining this personal talk track with customer-specific images, graphics and text within the video, a convincing, memorable customer experience is attained. With this approach, companies can acquire new customers and retain existing ones – with the effectiveness that only an audible and visible video can guarantee.

Find out how Doxee solutions can help you to achieve your company’s goals.



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