wordpress core does not support the autoplay and preload attributes for html 5 video/audio media.
I don’t know for sure but I suspect that autoplay was deliberately left unsupported as it is a really dreadful idea to autoplay any media as it causes all kinds of problems for users in numerous situations.
Dear Esmi,
Thanks a lot for your support. Appreciated.
I understand my question is kind of stupid but please answer me : Why dreadful ? (from the standpoint of the user being able to stop it instantly for example)
And when this position is such from WordPress (fine with me) does this means I would have to hack my wp install to enable that ? If yes just from your opinion do you think this is a lot of work ?
Thanks for your help.
Why dreadful ?
Scenario 1: The user is in a quiet office at work and navigates to your site’s home page that contains autoplay video or audio. Cue loud music or other sound. Cue very annoyed visitor who may now be in trouble.
Scenario 2: The user is in a library. see Scenario 1. 🙂
Scenario 3: This is actually the most serious one as this user is visually-impaired and uses screen reader software to “read” the page audibly. Once they hit your page and the video/audio autoplays, they are no longer able to hear the output of their own software. This leaves them unable to stop the autoplay or navigate the site in any way.
So autoplaying any media is very bad from a web accessibility pov & WordPress core is designed to be as accessible as possible. Depending upon the country you are in, it may also put the site on the wrong side of any anti-discrimination laws as it could make the site impossible to use for some disabled people.
Does that make more sense now?
does this means I would have to hack my wp install to enable that
If it’s something you really, really, want, then I’d suggest that a plugin might be the best way forward as opposed to hacking WordPress core. But do please consider the issues I’ve explained above carefully before proceeding.
If yes just from your opinion do you think this is a lot of work ?
A plugin, in theory, shouldn’t take much work at all. There are quite a few video plugins (for example) out there already. One or these may provide all of the functionality that you need. Or it may just need tweaking a little to suit.
Can I ask exactly what media you are considering autoplaying? And, yes, my intent is to try and talk you out of this. 😉
Dear Esmi,
Thansk a lot indeed.
Hey I love scolding it presses on me for a new challenge of what I believe is true to make me change past decision which are found wrong.
1) I am totally aware of such plugins (ie the mediaelement one which support autostart and was the one wp used to impletement html 5 media player)
2) I appreciate your feedback on the user viewpoints. I had not considered such a cases.
3) I understand you want to talk me out of it. I appreciate you telling me. I would comply (but I won’t :p) not just because I am cheeky or nasty.
It is actually because the video is 1 or 2 minutes short and is the only thing I want to show on the page (the text is the script).
This said I understand it is better to use a plugin. Unfortunate.
I am doing this but do keep you feedback in mind for reconsideration.
Thanks a lot for your great help and understanding.
It is actually because the video is 1 or 2 minutes short and is the only thing I want to show on the page (the text is the script).
A couple of points…
Google cannot index the “text” of a video. Similarly, those who are deaf will not be able hear the audio track. So, ideally, you need to either incorporate captioning in your video or provide an audio transcript. That will give you better SEO as well as widening your potential audience.
Then let’s look at this from a different angle. What do people do when they hit a new site or page? Heck – what do you do in that situation? Try analysing your own browsing behaviour.
My bet is that the first thing that you do is quickly scan the page visually looking for cues that tell you that you are in the right kind of place to answer your question etc. This “scanning” usually takes around 2 – 4 seconds. If what you see confirms that you are the right place, you settle down for some slightly more in-depth reading. If it doesn’t you may leave the page or decided to read another page that you’ve simultaneously opened in another browser tab.
Either way, you’re unlikely to want to watch 1-2 mins of video before settling or leaving. Most people need some sort of visual confirmation within 5 seconds.
So wouldn’t it make sense to have just a couple of sentences promoting the video before the video itself to satisfy this need? Again, it makes for much better SEO. And once there, it sorta removes the need to autoplay the video. Now your video’s focus has switched from playing to everyone to playing for those who are at least a little bit interested.
That’s more bang for your video buck.
Have I convinced you yet? 😉
Dear Esmi,
I appreciate your help.
I do.
I do not want yet this becomes a contradictory arguing either.
I meant a script as you mean audio script – which is a text below the video. Like a page post (but is the script of the video) so those who want to read the words can do it and so google gets the content (seo purpose here.) So this is what I have on my page.
(the caption is great but honest to god is a little piece of techniques I did not yet get to master (next one on the list actually as I translate the earlier mentioned script)
Now the whole deal is marketing here.
Realize one thing : I am not trying to stick anyone guy in front of the video. That is not my purpose in making the video autostart.
My marketing is : I have that video to show you. Nothing else (you can read the script too it is there for your convenience). I want to show you the video. I do not ask you if you want or like to see it. I assume you are here for it so I show it to you.
Just one point: Selling point not a visitor servicing point (I target an audience I do not try to accommodate EVERYBODY) – Yes I want to serve the person who come for what I have to show him. There is a control factor I am adding to make it more direct not to overwhelm.
I have one thing to sell and I have as you say 2/4 seconds 😉
It is not a blog to make any kind of “passbyer” happy.
Again I am not trying to justify what I do only describing it.
(At last: the video will sell to the one watching it more and better but at least as good as) than the 2 lines above it selling him the idea to watch it – again the idea is: asking him is loosing him – showing it to him without asking is not getting a worse result then asking him about something he does not know about in the first place.) How can he knows it is right or good to see – if he does not know what it is.
I treat the video like the text – he has got to read it to like it or not. For the video he has got to see it to like it or not.
I am here to show him that video not to sell the decorum nor the idea that it is good to watch. I do not know if it is good to watch for him – MAYBE NOT – only him knows but then he HAS to see it do find out.
Thanks for reading 🙂
