If you want your law firm's video to shine on YouTube, it almost goes without saying that you have to shoot in a high-definition (HD) encoding format. We say “almost” because there are still some attorneys out there who insist that old-fashioned formats are best, and see nothing wrong with shooting videos in the boxy, 4:3 format they grew up with on the TV. What's more, these lawyers claim, viewers watching that small YouTube box can't tell the difference between HD and non-HD. Guess what? They're wrong!
HD Is Now the Default Video and TV Format in the U.S.
The U.S. has long since reached the high-definition (HD) “tipping point.” On any cable system, practically every channel has its HD equivalent, and most subscribers only tune to HD channels when possible (because, naturally, most consumers today are equipped with HD TV sets). Even still, you can occasionally find channels that are available only in the pre-HD 4:3 aspect ratio (compared to HD's aspect ratio of 16:9).
What do these channels look like? Well, if you're one of the few people who still don't own an HD television, they look just fine. But if you're used to HD quality, non-HD channels look positively ancient—and the way many cable services are set up, they sound ancient, too, with low-amped, tinny audio. And yes, you can see the difference immediately if you watch an HD clip on your computer next to a non-HD clip!
The reasons it's important to shoot your law firm's video's in HD go beyond the way that video looks on the average user's computer screen. Now that HD is the “default” video format, it has been adapted for use on various mobile platforms, including iPads and iPhones, which aren't really equipped to properly display non-HD encoded videos. If you shoot your video in HD, you'll (only just) be staying up with the latest technology trends; if you don't, you've already pretty much conceded the game.
You Need to Hire a Video Company That's Comfortable with the HD Format
At Gearshift, we shoot all of our clients' videos in high-quality HD because we know this is the format that looks best on YouTube and on other platforms, such as traditional TV and iPads. Since you don't know where technology is heading, you at least need to keep up on the latest trends and avail yourself of the HD format. Questions? Call the video encoding experts at Gearshift for a free consultation at 877-477-7883!
