According to AdAge, it appears YouTube is planning an experimental paid subscriptions model for a small group of channels. This launch could happen as early as April. The initial costs are estimated to range between $1 and $5 per month with the option for channels to also show ads.
The idea of monetizing YouTube videos is controversial. Some say, how could you charge your viewer base after they have been a loyal following for so long? But, as a channel, if you can produce videos that are of enough value that your viewer base is happy to pay a fee – is there really anything wrong with that? I believe this could be a huge opportunity for channels if it becomes available for all. It will also entice channel owners to produce videos of even better quality overall.
If paid subscriptions rolls out to all channel owners, do you see your business using this pay for content method?
Like this post? Connect with Erika Barbosa on Google+.
By now, we all know the Internet marketing mantra that “Content is King” and we also know that visually engaging content reigns as the attention-grabbing younger sibling, especially since YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. Creating visually engaging content that goes viral is basically a marketer’s dream.
Gotye's music video went viral with countless parodies
Since we can’t always count on that winning combination of wit, entertainment, creativity and, yes, a little bit of luck, to make every video a viral sensation, marketers must rely on other techniques to spread the word. Of course, having a video strategy as part of your social media plan is important for the foundation of your campaign, but let’s focus on the video itself for the purpose of this discussion.
Choose your (key)words carefully – only pick your top one or two keywords that make the most sense within the context of the video. Include your company name and “dot com” in the keyword box.
Give it a title – make sure the title lets YouTube as well as your intended audience know exactly what the video is about. You definitely want to include your chosen keyword in the title and even the word “video” because people searching outside of YouTube tend to use that term as part of their search.
Add a description – again, you want to include your keyword(s) in the description and a hyperlink to your website or landing page with a call to action.
Transcribe your video – adding a transcript of the video for captioning helps YouTube determine the video’s keyword relevancy and allows Google to index the text. This is why “carefully” was included with “choose your keywords” in number 1.
Syndication – although YouTube is the most popular consumer video channel right now, other video services like Vimeo and MetaCafe can play an important role in helping your video get found. You don’t have to re-create your titles & descriptions, but you do have to change up your wording to avoid duplicate content. Plus, you can do other things while your videos are loading, so it doesn’t take that much time.
Once your videos are properly optimized for SEO, you should put your social media plan into action. Your video must still be promoted and the link should be posted on your website and all of your social media channels, but now it has a greater chance of being found by people who are not necessarily in your network. And that can’t hurt.
Social media is set to play a big role in the 2012 Summer Olympicsthis year, with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube leading the charge. During the last Summer Olympics in 2008, the most popular social media sites of today were just getting their feet wet, and the number of Internet users has increased from 23% to about one-third of the world’s total population, according to Mashable.
Olympic rings on display in Cardiff, Wales
A recent Mashable article made an interesting comparison of the status of each of the three top sites in 2008 to where they currently are in terms of users, functionality and growth. Some of the other top social media networks like Google + and Pinterest were not even around during the last Olympics. And while many people will surely be sharing tweets and videos throughout the summer games, some fraudsters will also be trying to get in on the action.
Phishing and ticketing scams have already been reported and social media users are urged not to click on any links in alerts that seemingly come from these sites. Instead, go directly to the site by typing the URL into your browser, and those lucky enough to score tickets to the Olympics can visit the “Ticket Checker” on the official London2012.com website to verify their authenticity.
How do you plan to use social media during the 2012 Summer Olympics? What events are you most looking forward to watching?
YouTube quietly turned 7 years old on May 20th. The social video sharing site was started by three former PayPal employees who simply wanted an easier way to share video clips with each other. Less than two years later, the company was acquired by Google for $1.65 billion. Today, it flaunts the fact that 72 hours of video are uploaded every minute.
This is truly a platform that is “for the people, by the people.” All kinds of videos can be seen on YouTube – both professional and homemade – including music videos, life events, political debates and even country revolutions. YouTube’s birthday video seen here shows the true impact of the service all over the world.
YouTube is also a powerful marketing tool for companies small and large. Media corporations offer television shows and copyrighted material, of course, and companies of all sizes use the platform to host commercials, infomercials, product demos, testimonials and the like. It’s a cost-efficient vehicle to connect and engage with your audience visually. YouTube also offers metrics, which can help with strategy and tracking. For more information on using YouTube Insight, read this post by The Social Media Examiner on “8 Ways to Track YouTube Video Performance.”
Just a few days before the website’s anniversary, it announced that the MerchStore, which had previously been available only to musicians, is now available to all YouTube partners. They’ve even teamed up with CafePress to help with all your merch needs, from t-shirts to just about anything you can stick a logo on.
Whether you use YouTube for business or pleasure, one thing is for sure – it has impacted our lives in the modern world in immeasurable ways. What ways have you used YouTube to market or promote your business? Tell us your story in the comments section.
YouTube has announced that as of March 7th, all Channels will be automatically converted to the new YouTube Channel design. With this couple of months lead time, it’s a good idea to start upgrading your Channel now while you still have time. This new change allows you to select one of four templates as well as customizations to further engage your viewers.
YouTube’s blog post advises, “…you can opt in by clicking the blue “Try the new design” button on the top of your Channel page. You may also switch back to the old Channels design repeatedly before March 7 by clicking the “Switch Back” button in the appearance tab of the Edit Channel menu on your new Channel.”
I’m still not fully convinced on the new layout as it feels so “busy”. Although, I do find that YouTube has woven in the social integration nicely.
Additional YouTube resources can be found in the Help Center.
What are your thoughts on the new YouTube Channel design?
In an effort to better understand your viewing audience, YouTube has upgraded its reporting capabilities with the launch of YouTube Analytics. Supplementary to this new feature, you can also reference the YouTube Creator Playbook. It further explains this new reporting platform as well as provides tips, best practices, and strategies for building your YouTube audience. Using both will aid in discovering how to make more compelling videos while lending value to your community.
• A Quick Overview: A new overview provides all of the information that you care about quickly, while also enabling you to easily access more detailed information. • More Detailed Reports: Analytics now includes more detailed statistics so that you can have a more precise understanding of your content and audiences. • Audience Builders: Discover which videos are driving the most views and subscriptions. • Audience Retention: See how far viewers are watching through your video in the new audience retention report.
YouTube receives 800 million unique user visits each month. Are you analyzing the visits you receive to best engage your Channel viewers?
A few weeks ago I was at a friend's house for homemade pizza night and stumbled upon the band - Dispatch. Heard of 'em? Well, neither had I. As it turns out, we were enjoying their Madison Square Garden show on the flat screen while we created our personal pizza masterpieces. "Who is this?" I asked. "Oh! This is Dispatch. I have been dying to go to a show. This one sold out in 30 minutes on MySpace. They're great!" my friend smiled.
I had never heard of this band but the fact that they sold out Madison Square Gardens via MySpace was impressive to me, plus I really liked the music. I did a little online research and I am now officially a fan. I am not only impressed that they were able to sell out the show online. I am impressed by the band itself. I don't believe that all you need is a strong marketing program to create a viable online business. Their accessibility isn't the ONLY ingredient that makes Dispatch so good... or so successful. It's the incredible content. The musicianship. The songs. And the whole band itself. Add in the charitable giving and you have a recipe for some authentic fan building. Start with a good product. Period.
Here are just some of the things I found interesting about the way the band communicates with their rabid fan base.
1) Gained exposure without a label back when Limewire and and Napster were going strong (Although I hear Napster's founders are launching a video chat service). People loved the music and wanted to share. Good content is king...still. 2) Their farewell concert in 2004 was the largest independent music event ever. Over 100,000 people showed up to see the Last Dispatch. It started as a free event and they expected about 20-30,000 people.
3) In 2007, they performed a benefit concert in Madison Square Garden called Dispatch: Zimbabwe and sold tickets exclusively via MySpace. Show sold out in 30 minutes. They added a second show which sold out in less than 24 hours. They then scheduled a third show and sold tickets on Ticketmaster which also sold out. 4) Sold performance footage on MySpace and SNOCAP. 5) Video streamed the concert for a week on MySpace 6) In 2009, they played an acoustic show at the Kennedy Center and sold out within 10 minutes.
Lately the band has been considering a comeback. How do we know? An icon on their website "Dispatch 2011" followed by a tweet in November 2010 containing a QR code to a Google Places location at Red Rocks Amplitheater in Colorado. Then a QR code a week pointing to more Google Places map locations in Chicago, Atlanta and other US cities. Then at midnight Jan 1, 2011 the band confirmed a reunion tour this June in all the cities previously tweeted. All that plus a video on YouTube to promote the tour.
Ah, it's probably too late for me to get tickets but what an incredible story!
The royal family has been accused of being fairly out of touch with modern day society but it seems this new generation of monarchs is catching on. For the first time ever, a royal wedding is utilizing a number of online channels to give "the people" full-access to the ceremony. Check out a few ways you can get a glimpse from the comfort of your laptop:
YouTube Live Stream Over 2 billion people worldwide are expected to watch Prince William marry his college sweetheart Kate Middleton at www.youtube.com/theroyalchannel. The feed will come from the BBC minus the broadcaster commentary but with a new social media twist - a live blogging stream via Twitter. YouTube will even offer a video "Wedding Book" where you can upload your own video well wishes for the happy couple.
Twitter Feed For the first time ever, YouTube will offer a live Twitter feed alongside their video stream. Staff at Clarence House and St James's Palace will provide live commentary with historical information, interesting links, additional photographs and video footage. Follow them @ClarenceHouse and use the hashtag#rw2011 to send your personalized wedding wishes. Flickr Related wedding photos to be uploaded to the social sharing site as the day progresses. Watch the photo stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/britishmonarchy
Facebook Become a fan at www.facebook.com/TheBritishMonarchy where you can even sign up to say "I'm Attending" this virtual extravaganza! Web Announcements Official updates to be posted at www.officialroyalwedding2011.org. throughout the day.
And as if that isn't enough, I haven't even BEGUN to tell you about the video spoofs...
Yesterday Mashable.com released an amazing list of hundreds of social media resources from 2010. These resources include everything from YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Geo-location etc. For those of you who may not be familiar with Mashable.com, we highly recommend you check it out on a regular basis as it is a top social and digital media news source.
Below are my top ten resources from the list in no particular order (have to include a top ten list for my last blog post of the year!):
Mary Meeker gave a great presentation at Web 2.0, here’s a few summary points and the link to the presentation:
- There are 1.8 Billion Global Internet Users 384 MM in China, 240 MM in the US - 670 MM 3G Mobile Internet Subscribers Worldwide Top market is US with 136.6 MM 48% 3G penetration, followed by Japan with 106.3 MM and 96% 3G penetration - Facebook 620MM users, Tencent in China 637 MM active IM users - Smartphones to pass PC Shipments in 2012 (to almost 500 Million units shipped) - Global Internet Ad Revenue up to $54 Billion in 2009 - Facebook Fan Pages with most ‘Likes’ Texas Hold’em Poker (Zygna) 27.2 Million fans, Facebook 25.2 Million, YouTube 19.6 Million, Starbucks 16.9 Million, Coca-Cola 16.7 Million - Twitter has 102 Million users, Oprah now has 4.5MM Twitter followers, Britney Spears 6.3 Million, Ashton Kutcher has 6.1 Million still most popular - Social Networks passed Portals for most online Display ad Units with 27% share (but a low $.55 CPM) - Online now accounts for ~ 5% of all retail sales - 35 Hours of YouTube Content is added every minute! - Apple has a $290B market valuation, guess the name of #4 with $41B (Tencent – China) - A final piece of good news – 92% Plan to celebrate a Major winter holiday (Christmas, Channukah, Kwanzaa)
YouTube is continuously growing and evolving with the popularity of online videos. What’s your brand’s video and YouTube strategy? Video should absolutely be a part of your social media strategy as many would argue video is the way of the future.
Last summer YouTube announced it extended its video time limits from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. YouTube is now announcing its users are uploading over 35 hours of video per minute. Yes, per minute. That is up from their announcement last March of 24 hours of video uploaded per hour.
Establishing a YouTube Channel for your brand and filming videos does not have to be an expensive production either. With such a large user base on YouTube, are you harnessing its power for your brand?
Just like Burger King had it's subservient chicken, Tipp-Ex has developed an interactive YouTube video allowing the user to select the bears fate. This video asks you if you want to shoot to bear or not, and then using the Tipp-EX, erases the video headline allowing you to input your own text of what should happen. Go through and have some fun. See what the hunter will do for you!
YouTube recently increased the video upload limit from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. They decided to add the extra 5 minutes due to the improvement of the Content ID system, which allows movie studios, music labels and other global partners to manage their content on YouTube. This means, there are going to be less videos of show and music clips that are copyrighted. I think the Content ID system will definitely clean out a lot of the videos that are polluting YouTube and make room for those who create original videos.
In addition, YouTube is taking full advantage of the 15 minute increase with a campaign called “15 Minutes of Fame.” Record a 15 minute video and tag it with “yt15minutes,” by August 4, and the video may gain their 15 minutes of fame by being featured on the YouTube homepage. Personally, I find creating a 15 minute video a challenge, but if you create a video about a topic you enjoy, I’m sure it won’t be much of a problem!
YouTube has released its beta service “Leanback” to enable its users to truly sit back, relax and enjoy the show. Leanback is designed to serve a personalized feed of your videos in full screen – without interruptions. Unlike your typical YouTube experience where you select a new video to watch every few minutes from your browser, YouTube’s Leanback is intended to be watched on large monitors but primarily televisions with HD capabilities.
How does it determine which videos to play? The videos are served based on your YouTube account preferences such as videos you subscribe to and videos you have watched. You can also further personalize Leanback by linking your Facebook account to it. This will enable you to be served videos your friends are watching. So you can really think of the service as almost a personalized television channel.
You can access Leanback by visiting: http://www.youtube.com/leanback. I did try out the tool and so far I’m enjoying its simplicity. With Google TV launching later in the year, this feature brings the power of YouTube that much closer to the consumer. This also gives businesses another incentive to create compelling/viral videos which YouTube users will now not only want to share on their computer screens but also in their living rooms with family and friends.
Social media has changed our lives as well as the way we communicate and interact with others. Why not celebrate by meeting up with your "tweeps" and long lost Facebook pals?
Don't forget to share your pics and tweets with the world by using the hashtag (#smday) on Flickr, YouTube and Twitter!
Have you ever posted a video on YouTube to find it removed, blocked, or ads placed on top of the video due to music copyright violations? For the average user, dealing with copyright issues is cumbersome and confusing. But fret no more, tomorrow you will not have to worry about finding a trusted music resource any longer.
Rumblefish officially launches Friendly Music tomorrow, June 29th. The service will allow everyday (noncommercial purposes) YouTube users to find the perfect legal song with over 35,000 songs in their catalog from 35 countries, all for just $1.99 a song. Included in the price is the license, the full version of the song, along with having the ability to edit the song to your liking. Although you will not find songs from any of the four major record labels, the Company did state they are in hopes of having deals in place within the upcoming months with “name artists.”
In my opinion, this is a useful alternative for the YouTube user who needs to add a song and ensure their video will not be taken down. Friendly Music has hand-selected the songs they offer and also provides you with the ability to search my genre, mood, whether or not it contains vocals etc. The price is definitely worth it to me to avoid the complications of using a copyrighted song.
YouTube has grown rapidly since founded in February 2005. Every minute, 24 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube and it is currently the 2nd search engine in the world. In addition to providing movie rentals, YouTube Executive Hunter Walk, has now announced they will allow users to charge rental fees.
What does this mean for you? Potentially, YouTube may now allow you to monetize your uploaded videos. I find this model fascinating because rather than charging advertisers; the viewers will now be the ones to pay the price. Unfortunately, we don’t know who exactly will be eligible for this program or when; although Mashable did state, “this service is not available to all users, but only to the users who are members of the partnership program.”
I’m curious to see how this payment model will work. Can you think of any user videos you would be willing to “rent” on YouTube? Will this potentially force YouTube to allow longer videos to be uploaded? This could be an exciting opportunity to expand upon your business or perhaps just make some extra cash.
Like most tech geeks I had to get my hands on the new iPad today, launch day April 3, 2010.
When I first held the iPad it was a bit heavier than I expected. Even though I had heard it was heavier than a Kindle it looks so much like an iPhone it feels heavy when you first pick it up.
Apple always amazes with their marketing, which is exciting given that we have been thrilled by them so many times in the recent past. The lines at the store were well organized and the store itself had a nice new clean fresh look. These iPad signs (below) are remarkably simple, yet incredibly clean and communicative. Apple hired four new employees for this store to manage iPad demand, I was very excited to see our summer intern started his first day at the Apple Store! Congrats @Zobey
The 1st lesson for marketers - launch new products with a bang! Make it special. Make it exciting. Make it a big deal!
Lesson #2 - think through the executional details. How are you going to handle lines, calls to your customer service department, FAQ's on your website. Apple hired new employees and set up speacial bootcamp training well in advance of launch. The 'Genius' who handled our purchase was well versed in iPad and familiar with the options and gave us a great demo.
The 3rd lesson for Marketers - look at your site on the iPad. When I looked at Ten Golden Rules (below) I found out that our Flash intro did not show up - oh yeah I heard that iPad doesn't run Flash -doh! (Note to self - create an iPad friendly version of intro.)
If your site doesn't work perfectly check out this Apple page getting Sites Ready for iPad.
The 4th lesson for marketers is that a lot of people might use the iPad vertically. Most of us trying it in the store start out this way. Why? Well you hold an 8 1/2 x 11 page vertically. You hold an iPhone vertically. The screen is incredibly crisp and clear and our site read very clearly. But we design most websites for a vertical layout. This may change for iPad users.
The 5th Lesson for marketers - think of everything. Apple has learned their lessons the hard way. The early iPods scratched a lot, now they launch with a full slate of accessories. The store was well stocked with cases, Bluetooth keyboards, and stands that double as chargers. The ingenious case also can hold your iPad in two angled positions one for typing and one for watching movies.
Lesson #6 - Be prepared to tie in to big events. The iPad launch is a big event for marketers. YouTube recognized this and launched movie rentals about ten days ago. iTunes Store also features movies very prominently. What can you do with iPad? Can you develop a cool App to bring your product to your prospects? How can you make it easy or fun to do business with you?
