Film or Video

[Peter Rush]

Hi All - I'm working on a new website and want to get the SEO spot on. My previous website used the term 'video' as opposed to film but since that site was created about 8 years ago the style of my productions has changed and though not cinematic, certainly at the creative edge of documentary.

I think 'video' sounds a little like an uncle Bob production and 'wedding film' definitely sounds classier, but I'm pretty sure that brides search out 'wedding video' or 'wedding videographer' I doubt very much they would search for 'wedding film maker'

Thoughts?

[Adrian Tan]

Well, this is what Google Adwords is telling me when I enter in keywords to test popularity, but I don't know over what period, nor whether it's limiting my results by location:

wedding video: 18,100 hits
wedding videos: 18,100 hits
wedding videographer: 6,600 hits
wedding videographers: 1,600 hits
wedding filmmaker: 170 hits
wedding film maker: 20 hits
wedding film: 2,400 hits
wedding cinema: 720 hits
wedding cinematography: 2,400 hits

Actually, compare with this:

wedding photography: 74,000 hits
wedding photographer: 27,100 hits
wedding photographers: 27,100 hits
wedding photos: 40,500 hits
wedding photo: 14,800 hits

That's depressing, no? Or is it encouraging because there's less competition with video?

A photographer recently told me: instead of concentrating on the entire Sydney area (and going for search terms like "wedding photography Sydney"), he focuses on a smaller pond (like "wedding photography north shore"), and he feels this has netted him more traffic.

[Chris Harding]

Wedding film just tells the bride that you are classier than uncle bob and create a masterpiece for them and charge accordingly ... the terminology does sound more posh than wedding video which tends to suggest VHS tape but sheesh, if the brides still call it a wedding video and you want more traffic could you not have wedding video in the key words and then refer to the wedding film in the text?? or would Goggle pick up the text on the page too??

As long as you get the traffic does it REALLY matter what you call it ??

[Steve Burkett]

I'd stick with Wedding Video in the titles but use both Wedding film and Wedding Video in the text. I'm not sure if Google penalises you for over using a certain phrase anyway in your pages and since people do search for Wedding film, it would be useful to have reference to both.

I describe my product with either terms, but then both are misleading, as I'm not filming on film stock or video tape. Nowadays it's more Wedding Digital, but no one searches for that. I don't worry about 'Wedding Video' giving people the wrong idea - online they'll be quickly looking at my samples to determine quality. It's only in printed adverts where I consider the wording and would choose film over video, but that doesn't affect my google listing.

[Jeff Harper]

Your instincts are correct, Peter, go with what you know. Wedding video should be in your title and you should use other terms in your text.

Adrian has done the hardest part of the work for you. Thanks Adrian, well done.

[Robert Benda]

Use all the terms you want. You don't pick just one, or a few anymore.

Most if the SEO on your site will come from titles of pages (that also need to match up with); the content of the pages (both 'headlines' and regular text, but also descriptors of photos and videos on the page).

That means that, as you type your brilliant ad copy, you change up the word usage anyway.

I would headline with "wedding video", including calling my video page that. Then use wedding film in the text 1 or 2 times.

Other helpers include how other sites link to you, and the text they use and the subject they cover.

[Peter Rush]

Thanks Adrian - that has confirmed what I thought

Pete

[Ian Atkins]

I use "video," but have always hated that term. It sounds so amateur and old school. BUT it is the common language. Most people can't even pronounce "videographer." LOL. When I email the client, I change the dialogue to "wedding film" but I'm afraid we're stuck with this "video" label for a long while.

[Tim Paynter]

If they can't find you then you won't have to worry about them parsing the terms video and film. Stick with video in your titles. You can choose a series of key words in your web page, so film should be one of those, too. But video is where the hits are coming from, that brings traffic then distinguish yourself on your page.

[Robert Benda]

Originally Posted by Ian Atkins

I use "video," but have always hated that term. It sounds so amateur and old school. BUT it is the common language. Most people can't even pronounce "videographer." LOL. When I email the client, I change the dialogue to "wedding film" but I'm afraid we're stuck with this "video" label for a long while.

Ha. Heck, my spell check still gets angry every time I type "videographer."

[Peter Rush]

Just about every single bride pronounces it 'video-ographer' lol!

[Mark Whittle]

I think the stigma of the word video is only in our heads, not the public at large. To them it is not a big deal.

A video is just an electronic moving image, whether it is on TV, phone, computer, whatever. And that's what we do. Many of the couples coming up now may not have even seen a tape machine, so they don't necessarily associate the word video with a tape, and nor should we.

Also tape can be digital. Until recently the defacto standard format for episodic TV and many films was Sony SR tape, which is digital. After the tsunami in Japan the tape factory got trashed so a file based version of SR took over.

A "film" to me has connotations of a big budget, elaborate Hollywood production, same with "movie". Everyone has a different reaction to these words. Video just doesn't sound very sexy.

Although I don't like the term videographer I don't object to being called that, mostly because I can't think of a better title I'd be comfortable with. Film-maker? I know some wedding guys call themselves that, and if they're calling their product wedding films then that's fine. I wouldn't describe myself as a film-maker though. It sounds too snobby for me but, that's my perception, probably because of my TV/video background. The old video vs film issue will become extinct as the equipment merges. Almost everything is shot on electronic cameras now, and they create video files - what you call them is up to you.

Even when you go to the cinema now, you're actually watching a video aren't you? Doesn't sound right though does it? :)
As Don would say, "I don't care what you call me as long as you spell my name right on the check".

So yeah, call it a video, film, movie. It's all good. Whatever you like the sound of.

[Noa Put]

I"d use whatever term that would get potential clients to my website, even if that would be smartphonographer.

[Dave Partington]

Originally Posted by Mark Whittle

I think the stigma of the word video is only in our heads, not the public at large. To them it is not a big deal.

Was blockbuster a video rental or film rental store? (yeah - I know they all shut down!)

When people buy something to watch from the supermarket - do they buy a video or a film?

Going to the cinema is going to see a film. When they have a disc in hand it seems to become a video. There will always be exceptions of course.

Don't over analyse it and don't let pride make the decision for you. Be what ever the customer thinks they want to buy. It doesn't have to make you happy,it just has to make the customer happy.

At the end of the day, trips to the bank are what matter, not what you call the moving images that make up the product.

[Mark Whittle]

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

Was blockbuster a video rental or film rental store?

Depends where you're from. We call 'em movies.

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

Going to the cinema is going to see a film.

Again, we call it going to the movies.

Semantics. That's my point.

Originally Posted by Dave Partington

Don't over analyse it and don't let pride make the decision for you. Be what ever the customer thinks they want to buy. It doesn't have to make you happy,it just has to make the customer happy

Exactly. Well said.