We consume media, generally, for one of five reasons:
- Education: I want to learn something.
- Inspiration: I need motivation, ideas, or a new way to look at things.
- Entertainment: I want something fun, no other purpose.
- Connection: I want to hear what others think, and share my views, making connections with others.
- Distraction, Procrastination: I am using media to avoid doing something else.
Generally, there is an overarching singular purpose from the creator of the media and a single purpose from the consumer. When those purposes align, the media experience can be better, but our perceptions also change with our purpose.
If you watch a tutorial when you want to learn something, the purposes align. You might watch a long tutorial meant for education, but what you really want is inspiration, and then the experience is more frustrating than positive. But you also might watch a tutorial because it’s unintentionally rather funny and entertaining.
There is tons of overlap. Overlap is usually desirable. Educational content is usually more engaging and meaningful if also entertaining and inspirational. Entertaining content can also be educational.
We consume media in different lengths. Short-form content takes a few minutes: medium-form takes a half-hour or so, and long-form content takes many hours. Here’s a chart detailing activities for the purpose and length they take:
| Purpose | Short | Medium | Long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education | Discussions, Q&A | Videos, Articles | Books, Courses |
| Entertainment | Puzzles, Apps | TV, Movies | Books, Video games |
| Inspiration | Social media posts | Videos, Blogs | Travel |
| Connection | Text, Discussion | Call, Talk | Visit |
Considering the purpose when creating and consuming media can help us have more positive experiences. If you are seeking learning experiences, but primarily watching inspirational or entertainment, you aren’t going to learn as much. Similarly, if you already know how to do something, inspirational and entertainment-based content can be more meaningful to consume.
When you create content, keeping the purpose in mind can have a positive impact on the output of what you create. The form and content you use align and will be more useful to the consumer when it has a clear purpose.
Responsive Gardens 