Duration in Video Jukeboxes

Ahem. The attentive reader may have noticed that we have just discussed media durations and video jukeboxes. But not media durations in video jukeboxes.

Well, attentive reader, this one’s for you.

Video jukeboxes are interactive stations where visitors choose and play short video segments. Because there are multiple clips, there are some nuances related to length and count. Let’s get right into it.

1. Duration of Each Clip:

> Minimum: 20-30 seconds (less feels incomplete)
> Ideal: 45-90 seconds
> Maximum: 2 minutes (longer risks abandonment)
> Clips don’t have to be the same length, but same-ish.

2. Total Number of Clips:

> Minimum: 3-4 clips (less is gratuituous)
> Ideal: 6-10 clips
> Maximum: 12-15 clips (past that, it’s decision fatigue)

3. If I Have Fewer Clips, Can They Be Longer?

> Nope. Fewer clips don’t justify longer durations.
> Visitors regulate time by clip length, not by clip count
> Clips over 2 minutes undermine the jukebox concept

Here’s the thing:

Like any media we’ve talked about this week, there is a “just right” to video jukeboxes. Between too long and too short. Between too many and too few.

Aim for the “just right” sweet spots and you’ll be headed in the right direction.

Warmly,
Jonathan

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MtM Word of the Day:
Decision fatigue. The cognitive exhaustion that occurs when visitors face too many choices, whether too many ticket packages, or too many things to try at an interactive station. This may lead them to hesitate, skip, or disengage. (Toothpaste aisles are notorious for this.)

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