Yesterday, Jeff Turner decided to make a personal attack on WellcomeMat, and me (Christian) on Active Rain, based on a blog post that Phil (co-founder of WellcomeMat) wrote. Here’s a short history:

-Christian Sterner, Jeff Turner, and Phil from Turnhere on on a panel about video at the Inman Connect event in SF.
-Jeff Turner decides that video is still a debatable medium, and attempts to sway the attendees into believing that slide shows are better than video using a “cheaper/easier” argument. His ROI statements are decently solid, but all new technology starts off more expensive, and becomes more affordable with competition.
-WellcomeMat team members wrongfully use a bad video to demonstrate how easy a video tour is to create.
-Jeff uses this video as his foundation about how slide shows are better than video

Here’s what I’ll say: congrats to Jeff for creating a bunch of product advocates out of his customers. It takes one look through the comments of his post to see that he has some serious fans. However, slide shows companies are not WellcomeMat’s competition. Maybe they’d like us to think that they are competition (I can’t speak for them), but WellcomeMat has far more lofty goals than to just supplement or beat out slide show/virtual tour companies as a listing enhancement. We consider video technology companies our competition, and no one else. If someone has to make the choice between a good video or virtual tour, we think the choice is plainly in favor of video. Should you use photos and video? You definitely should if you want more attention on the web.

WellcomeMat is a real estate and local business advertising platform. Can we help people enhance a listing…not a single doubt in my mind. But, WellcomeMat has only just begun to execute the most exciting plans for our business and there will be no doubt what my team, and company, are capable of when our work is completed (can someone please tell me when this is?). While I don’t appreciate being attacked by Jeff Turner, I don’t think his argument (or personal attack) matters. It is home sellers, and ultimately buyers/renters that decide which medium wins. I will end with a hypothetical situation:

Imagine the television has just been invented. Someone sets this TV down, connects the wires, and turns on a program. Web video is in precisely the same position: did radio and print guys try to downplay TV when it came out? Their future depended on it…of course they did!

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