Expectations On The Multimedia Web

A couple of weeks ago I had an epiphany.

I was scrolling through the hundreds of headlines I have to scan every day and noticed an interview with an Internet marketing luminary on a current topic that I knew I must read. The blub beneath the headline said it was a telephone interview.

I clicked on the headline, got to the web page, noticed the Q & A format, noticed the interview was long, and then immediately began looking for the play button so I could listen to it instead of having to read it. To my great annoyance, I coudn’t find a play button and I had to go on to other things, interview unread, because I simply did not have the time to devote to so much text.

The blogger who conducted the interview had said it was a telephone interview. So, in this digital age, why was there not an audio file to accompany the Q & A? I mean, c’mon. He had to transcribe the thing so I can’t imagine he didn’t record it. What gives?

I realized that my annoyance and frustration with the lack of audio was due to two factors: 1) the ubiquity now of broadband audio and video has conditioned me to expect it, and 2) I have only so much time in ; I wanted to multitask yet the site didn’t allow me to do that.

For years I’ve been using the phrase the "Impatience Economy" with clients to illustrate the need to deliver quickly to your audience. If you don’t, they’ll leave and you’ll lose them.

And it seems their impatience is growing greater with each passing year.

The e-Strategy Academy covers all aspects of digital marketing including search optimization & marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, video marketing, mobile marketing & public relations.

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