Online content is essential to the survival of social networking sites, according to one expert. Rachel Hawkes, co-founder and editor of the Social Media Portal, believes online video content has transformed the way we view the internet.
Video is also increasingly used for online charities and fundraising efforts, such as the youth support website SpunOut.ie. Ms Hawkes said: ‘Video is crucial for social networking sites – [those] that don’t embrace the growing demand and popularity of video will surely suffer.’ ‘If the old adage of ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ is true, then what does a moving picture equate too?’
Statistics from comScore show that social networking platform Facebook – which implements video on a number of levels – is the sixth most trafficked website in the world.
Charity sites such as redcross.org.uk also utilise extensive video content and interactive elements to further their cause. Volunteering charity CSV has called on students who just received their A-level results to consider spending their gap year in the UK working with homeless people.