This guest post is by Daley Epstein, a contributing writer for SmartBrief.
When it comes to online videos, YouTube repeatedly comes out on top. The site’s numbers increased from 67.3 million daily viewers in December 2009 to 88.6 million daily viewers in December 2010. There’s got to be some way for your business to take advantage of that. But how? Qian Tang, a Ph.D. student at the University of Texas in Austin, educated listeners at during the South by Southwest Interactive Festival on all the different ways companies and individuals can incorporate YouTube into their work.
- The power of viral content is phenomenal. If your channel has 6,000 subscribers, and each subscriber has six subscribers of their own who “favorite” or “like” your videos, then your video suddenly has 36,000 hits.
- YouTube can be your platform for a talent show. If you have skills, talents, expertise in any area, go and post a video! Justin Bieber is the proof — your career can take off through a single YouTube video.
- YouTube is a revolutionary labor market. Looking to be hired or searching for employees? Either way, post a video on YouTube and watch it garner responses. YouTube is an incredible, free way to show your skills and say “Hire me” or “Looking for a job? Check us out.”
- YouTube offers a chance to monetize your views. YouTube’s individual video partnership program enables revenue sharing — albeit by invitation only.
- YouTube can help you build a loyal following. It’s a great marketing tool, because it can introduce your brand to a new demographic of devotees and then you give you the tools to turn them into brand evangelists.
- Get attention for your videos with Twitter. Post on Twitter whenever you upload a new video, getting direct attention from followers. And if those followers retweet your video, you can gather indirect attention as well.
- YouTube is a dual network. There’s both the network of content and the network of comments — and the link between the two is full of possibilities.
What should you be doing to ensure your company takes advantage of all of YouTube’s benefits?