According to Comscore the average length of online video is 2.7 minutes.

Does that mean that all of our video needs to be less than three minutes?

I don’t think so. But perhaps we need to consider the editing process as something that continues beyond the computer software.

Chunks

The concept of chunking content for the web is something that is well known. Mindy McAdams has a great round up of the concept here. She says:

A chunk can be defined as a text that fully conveys a single idea. It can be a story, or an anecdote. It might be a definition.

But chunking content doesn’t just apply to text.

Full of meaty content

If you shoot an interview that is 10 minutes long, don’t hack just hack it down to 2.7 minutes. (Although a short version is a great idea). Hack it up in to 2.7 minute blocks and display it in a way that takes advantage of all of the unique aspects of the medium.

Take a look at this interview with Brazilian writer Paul Coelho at the Glasgow Herald. See how the interview is broken down in to sections. Each section has its own page with a text overview of the interview. Great Chunking.

Thanks to comscore we now have a guide what length those chunks should be.

Hack it up.

Chunking your video takes planning. You need to structure your interviews to give you clear chunks and you have to get your story telling in to shape to be able to break up your content and sustain a linear thread. But it may just be worth it.

Ask not what you can do to make shorter video ask what chunks can do for you.