Digital access isn’t a luxury anymore. It’s a utility. We wake up, grab the phone, and we’re already “online.” In this post I try to break down what’s changed in how audiences use technology, why it matters, and the practical moves you can make today. Phones first. Vertical video. And a quick look at where smart glasses and VR will push discoverability next.
From “go to the internet” to “live on the internet”The internet started as a research network, then the Web made it usable, broadband made it fast, and smartphones put it in our pockets. The big shift: we don’t “visit” the internet. We live on it. That has consequences for how people find you and what they expect when they do.
Access keeps growing, but it’s not equalMost of the world is online and speeds keep getting better. But millions are still on slow connections or limited data. Design for both ends of that reality.

• Keep pages light and fast.
• Always include captions.
• Make downloads optional.
• Use CTAs that work even on patchy Wi-Fi.

The phone is the main screenNot the only screen. The default screen. Your creative has to feel native in the hand.

• Plan for vertical from the start.
• Lead with the point in the first three seconds.
• Design text that’s readable without pinching.
• Assume sound off. Caption everything.

Search still matters, but the “front door” movedPeople still Google. But younger audiences “search” inside YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. They watch first, then decide. Voice and AI chat are creeping into early discovery too.

• Publish for where people type and where they scroll.
• Structure content so it works as both: an answer and a clip.
• Treat recommendations as a channel. Optimize thumbnails, titles, hooks, and watch-time.

Buying online is a habit nowEcommerce pulled forward years of adoption and never snapped back.

• Favor “everyday conversion” over “one big sales day.”
• Use short product videos and social proof where they’re already watching.
• Reduce friction. One click to basket. Clear returns.

Video is the internet’s default languageIf your story works on mute, fits vertical, and delivers value fast, you win more attention.

• Hook in three seconds. Pay off in 15. Earn the next 30.
• Use chapters and on-screen text for scanning.
• Make the next step obvious: watch the full piece, join the list, grab the demo.

Three forces driving behavior right now

• Time online stays high. Attention is jumpy. Make it snackable and serial.
• Mobile speeds are up. Richer formats load instantly. Think shoppable video and AR try-ons.
• Mobile users dominate. Build for the thumb. Buttons big. Forms short. Links friendly to in-app browsers.

What’s next for discoverability: glasses and VRSmart glasses won’t replace the phone overnight. They will change context.

• Glasses. Visual search in the world. Live subtitles. Navigation and overlays. Hands-free capture that feeds short video automatically.
• VR and spatial screens. Not mainstream all day, but perfect for immersive product demos, virtual screenings, and room-scale experiences that click straight to purchase.

The rule won’t change: be where the eyes are.
Five takeaways you can use today

1. Mobile first. Design for a small screen and a moving hand.
2. Vertical video always. Shoot native vertical. Caption everything.
3. Multi-door discovery. Publish for search and for scroll.
4. Respect constraints. Fast loads. Offline-friendly. Clear CTAs.
5. Test the future. Pilot AR captions, visual search hooks, and “made-for-glasses” micro shots.

If you make content, do this next

• Take one existing horizontal video and re-edit it as true vertical with a new hook.
• Add on-screen text that lands the value by second three.
• Ship a 30–45 second product or project explainer that ends with a single, specific CTA.
• Check your site on a slow connection. If it hurts, fix that first.

​Have a look at my video presentation here and explore the presentation slides here

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Filmmaking is my lane. Selling the film and the filmmaker as a brand is the job we can't ignore. I’ve been digging into marketing as part of a course I'm doing, and Amazon is a useful case study. They are elite at the 7 Ps of marketing. We can’t copy their spend, but we can certainly copy their system.
Below is a practical breakdown of each P with concrete film examples you can implement this week. No fluff. Use it, iterate, repeat. The film referred to is in development.
1) Product: make the film a product ecosystem, not a file.
 How Amazon does it: constant iteration, versions, bundles, rich product pages.
Your indie play:

• Core product: the feature. Treat it like a season, not a one-off.
• Versions: festival cut, VOD cut with director commentary, airplane cut for language, 4-part YouTube mini-series cut.
• Attachables: soundtrack EP, poster pack, BTS micro-doc, script PDF, classroom discussion guide, LUTs used in the grade.
• Page-level packaging: dedicated landing page with logline, trailer, stills, 3 quotes, 3 awards, watch buttons above the fold, one clear CTA.

Example:
Release Blackmore, a 15-minute BTS short and a folklore PDF alongside the VOD. Bundle them as a Deluxe Edition at a higher price.
2) Price: ladder the value so every fan can say yes.
How Amazon does it: dynamic pricing, bundles, subscriptions, deals that feel timely.
Your indie play:

• Price ladder:
  • €3.99 rental, €9.99 purchase
  • €19 Deluxe Edition (film + commentary + BTS)
  • €39 Collector Bundle (Deluxe + poster + soundtrack)
  • €99 Classroom License (film + guide + discussion rights)
• Timed incentives: opening weekend price, payday Friday price, anniversary price.
• Bundles: “Folk Horror Pack” that includes your short plus the feature.
• Group deals: club or classroom licenses with simple terms.

Example:
Launch week: rental €2.99, jumps to €3.99 on day 8. Send one “last day” email. Convert price pressure into action without feeling cheap.
3) Place: meet your audience where they already watch
How Amazon does it: omnichannel, own the shelf, control the checkout.
Your indie play:

• Owned channel first: your site checkout or Gumroad. Keep the data.
• Then aggregators and AVOD: Prime Video via a distributor, Tubi, Plex, Vimeo On Demand, YouTube rentals where viable.
• Physical and community: club halls, libraries, college film societies, boutique cinemas, pop-up screenings.
• Smart linking: QR on posters to a single landing page with geo-targeted watch buttons.

Example:
Blackmore Pop-up screening at a community hall with a live Q&A, followed by a QR that unlocks a 48-hour rental at a discount for attendees’ friends.
4) Promotion: build tentpoles you own and run a flywheel
​How Amazon does it: event-led spikes, always-on content, live shopping, cultural moments.
Your indie play:

• Create your tentpole: pick two dates a year and name them. “Blackmore Night” in March, “Forest Watch” in October.
• Three-phase cadence:
  • Tease: announce the date, drop key art, share folklore trivia.
  • Drop: trailer, premiere, creator collabs, watch party.
  • Echo: behind-the-scenes, fan art, pull quotes, blooper reel.
• Live video that actually sells: Instagram Live or YouTube Premiere with a clear CTA in chat, pin the buy link.
• Creator collabs: micro-creators in horror, Irish folklore, hiking safety, or Irish myths. Give them clips with captions and a revenue share.
• Retail-media mindset: run small paid on high-intent placements only, retarget site visitors with a watch-now sequence for 7 days.

Example week:
Mon teaser, Wed cast clip, Fri live AMA with folklorist, Sat premiere watch party, Sun “how we did the sound” short. Pin the “Watch now” link everywhere.
5) People: turn cast, crew, and first fans into a street teamHow Amazon does it: customer obsession, reviews, creators, service that builds trust.
Your indie play:

• Street team: 20 early supporters get unique tracking links, priority credits, and a private Discord.
• Review engine: day 1 email asking for a rating on the platform they used and a one-line quote you can reuse.
• Community touchpoints: behind-the-scenes newsletter, Discord channels for locations, gear, folklore, soundtrack.
• Service standard: fast replies, refund without friction if someone bought the wrong SKU, thank-you notes to early reviewers.

Example:
DM every reviewer who posts within 72 hours, thank them personally, and offer a poster PDF. People remember being seen.
6) Process: make discovery and checkout idiot-proof
How Amazon does it: one-click, clear delivery, tight post-purchase flow.
Your indie play:

• Landing page flow: watch button, three watch options, no dead links, short trailer, social proof, FAQ at the bottom.
• Friction audit: remove extra clicks, avoid sending people to a generic Linktree.
• Automation: post-purchase email with bonus clip, request for review on day 3, refer-a-friend code on day 7.
• Data: GA4 events for trailer plays, clicks by platform, purchase completion. Weekly review, adjust creative, repeat.

Example:
Set a goal: 60 percent of landing-page visitors should reach a platform page, 5 to 10 percent should purchase or rent. If not, fix copy, thumbnails, or pricing.
7) Physical Evidence: show receipts that you are the real deal
​How Amazon does it: A+ pages, images, ratings, unboxing, consistent visual system.
Your indie play:

• One-sheet that sells: logline, 3 hooks, laurels, 2 quotes, hero still, watch buttons.
• Poster system: title lockup, font, color palette across all assets.
• Press kit: 12 stills, 2 trailers, 100-word synopsis, 300-word synopsis, bios, tech specs, clear contact.
• Social proof wall: festival laurels, audience screenshots, BTS photos, signed props.
• Local credibility: venues, councils, clubs that hosted you, partners who vouched.

Example:
Pin a “Start here” post on every platform with the hero still, 15-second trailer, three pull quotes, and the link. Make it easy for new eyeballs to trust you fast.
Quick builds you can finish this week

• Price ladder: set four SKUs and publish the Deluxe and Classroom versions.
• Landing page: hero still, 60–90 second trailer, three quotes, “Watch now” buttons, FAQ.
• Street team: recruit 20, give them unique links and a content pack.
• Two tentpole dates: add to your calendar and tease the first one immediately.
• Automation: post-purchase email, day 3 review request, day 7 refer-a-friend.

Metrics that matter

• Visitor to platform click-through: target 60 percent.
• Trailer play-through to purchase: target 5 to 10 percent on hot weeks.
• Email open rate on buyers: 55 percent plus.
• Review rate: 10 percent of purchasers within 14 days.
• Returning buyers: measure how many buy the Deluxe or gift codes later.

A 30-day promo calendar you can copyWeek 1, Awareness:
Mon key art, Tue logline clip, Wed folklore fact, Thu crew intro, Fri trailer, Sat creator duet, Sun email with behind-the-scenes stills.
Week 2, Consideration:
Mon cast quote cards, Tue soundtrack teaser, Wed review screenshot carousel, Thu Q&A Live, Fri scene breakdown, Sat location reel, Sun press kit drop to bloggers.
Week 3, Conversion:
Mon 48-hour rental discount, Tue testimonials, Wed creator watch-along, Thu classroom license pitch, Fri Deluxe Edition tease, Sat premiere watch party, Sun “last day” pricing post.
Week 4, Retention:
Mon BTS short, Tue fan art feature, Wed deleted scene, Thu refer-a-friend offer, Fri director commentary clip, Sat newsletter roundup, Sun date drop for next tentpole.
Bottom lineAmazon wins because it controls the stage, the audience, and the checkout. You can mirror that on a micro scale. Own your page, build your tentpoles, ship multiple versions, price with intent, recruit a street team, and make the path to “watch now” short and obvious. Repeat the loop until it becomes habit for your audience.