What’s Up With All These Online Instructional Videos?

Posted by Matt on September 30th, 2007

With instructional video site Graspr’s launch at DEMOfall07, everyone seems to think Internet users want to be taught something. Now don’t get me wrong, I like to get my learning on like everyone else, but the sheer amount of sites trying to host instructional videos is ridiculous. We already have 5min, eHow, Sclipo, SuTree, Expert Village, Instructables, and VideoJug. And none of these sites seems to offer anything innovative in terms of video hosting. They’re all basically YouTube clones slapped with an instructional video theme.

I guess nothing’s wrong with second place.

This seems to be just further proof of the video craze currently on the webosphere. Everyone’s trying to be #2 behind YouTube for video and I don’t blame them. With YouTube’s big buyout, if anyone can even get just 5% of the market, thats at least a $80 million dollar company. But why did Graspr enter a space that was already so crowded? I seem to think web users would rather relax and watch Paris Hilton get grilled than learn how to cross stitch. Maybe I’m just not into instructional videos, but what do you think? Is there really a chance for any of these instructional video sites to stand the test of time?

Tags: DEMO, Video Social Networks