Since the very beginning of time, people have strived to reach eternal youth. My conclusion is simple: WATCH VIDEOS and don't SMOKE!
But who is young and who is not? There is a simple way to identify the age of a user, by the kind of content searched online, meaning if it's texts, images or videos. If you are younger than 25, you will search videos more than regular written traditional content and pictures. Searching videos on Google or on other search engines is the priority for young audience. Their attention span is shorter, and unless there are moving images, audio and catchy content, they won't commit to read an article or a blog.
The Google video section is the young audience's Research and Development starting point. Unless it is on video, especially when it's professionally produced and edited, why should they bother finding the content relevant?
YouTube is owned and operated by Google. It's in Google interest to push its brand. But YouTube has 99.99% user generated and NON PROFESSIONAL content. Consequently, YouTube diminishes the value of a video search. Vimeo has the same “user generated and non monitored policies”. At Film Annex, it's a very different matter, as all content is monitored and posted online only when deemed professional, meaning only when the videos have titles and ending credits, stable camera work, and professional audio and editing.
Lets' get more technical:
Based on my personal involvement with Afghanistan, I have been blogging about specific terms for the last few months, and gained substantial positioning in the traditional search of terms like: “Building Schools in Afghanistan” and “Afghanistan Educational System”. But if you search the video section, you will see Film Annex dominates on even broader search terms as Afghanistan Education and Afghanistan Economy.
Just like in Judo and other combat sports, it's always wise to drag your opponents on your best field of operation and confront them where you have supremacy and control of the game. This is where Film Annex imposes its supremacy in the search of “Professional Videos”.
Our relationship with the younger audience in search of quality professional content is consolidated to a point that Film Annex is now an educational platform for the students or young entrepreneurs who are seeking new and “reliable” information beyond the traditional sites like CNN or The New York Times, that Film Annex already beats in terms of traffic as you can see on Quantcast Top Sites list.
At the end of the day, getting involved with the Educational system of Afghanistan has the same parameters as getting involved with the Educational System of the USA or Europe. The need of information is universal. If it works for Afghanistan. it can work for the USA and vice versa.
In my opinion, based on my 20 years of entrepreneurial experience in the USA and Europe, professional videos like the ones you can find on the Afghan Business Incubator open a wealth of knowledge and information on new products and regions where to invest and flourish new business ventures. The audience below 25 years old is the present. Audience below 11 years old is the near future, and audience below 5 is the future. Being able to grab their attention and educate them at the same time is the key to success. This is why, without any coaching or direction, my 6-year old child can find and enjoy Charlie Chaplin's classic films and interact with older people about their content and meaning. He is also my guide on what can be searched and on the best developmental tools. This is also why we picked Afghanistan, where a 8-year old boy can be the head of a household and share vital information with Western peacekeepers and the Military to preserve mutual security.
I realize that using me or my partners as the corporate voice of Film Annex is not the appropriate mean of communication. It's time to give space to the young audience and put them in charge of the communication of the message, starting from interviews and videos about their activities and opinions on what is presented to them.
Traditional CEOs and high management interviews are a thing of the past. Their goal is to reach viewers and possible investors. Why not put the viewers and investors in charge and interview them on the topics? This is why Film Annex invests substantial time and money in building schools in Afghanistan with Internet classrooms and gives tools like digital cameras and state of the art computer equipment to an audience up to 17 years old, so that they can establish and their online digital presence. This is the real valuable endorsement to new educational and entrepreneurial projects in Afghanistan, Central Asia and the rest of the world. This explains why Film Annex's team in New York City and Afghanistan has an average age of 25 years old, and why, when I train in Judo, I would rather get thrown by a 20-year old competitor than confront and beat a 40-year old.
Learning from the youth is the key of success. WATCH VIDEOS and don't SMOKE!
