Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Video: Are you the next star in video-sharing?


In today’s day and age, if you’re not searching, watching, learning, discovering, or uploading video, you are not up to date on some of the most popular social media outlets in the world. Being a part of video sharing websites means that you are aware of one of the most successful ways of communication available currently. In fact, most people who know how to use a computer know how to access video-sharing sites.

If you were to ask a roomful of students to define what YouTube is, the entire class could explain it on the spot. If you followed up that question by asking, “Can anyone tell me what QuickTime is?” you would, most likely, get a group of raised eyebrows from the students and a less than mediocre answer.

Why is this?

QuickTime is a computer’s audio and video file standard format that was once the biggest innovation in the video world. Though still used on computers now, QuickTime has been replaced by video sharing websites. Today, YouTube is one of the most popular video sharing websites in the world. Not only does YouTube provide the option for people to create a social media portfolio in a quick and easy way, but it’s also free, helps with SEO, and gives extensive media exposure.

Still not convinced that participation in video sharing outlets is important or relates to you? Here are just some of the many ways in which creating video can benefit you or your company:

1. Filming, editing, and uploading is free and easy to do (use a camera on a cellphone, a computer’s built in camera, or a digital camera)

2. Video content is a way to gain free exposure through social media. Brands constantly use sites like YouTube as a social media marketing strategy. Now, you can share videos to other social media outlets in just a few clicks of your mouse.

3. Gives brands and companies a way to interact with consumers on a more personal communicative level.

4. Comments/conversations from people is a way to see people’s opinions and gives a brand the opportunity to provide customer service.

5. There’s a possibility of a great return economically for your investment of time through advertising and by being approached by brands (see #7). Yet, this only applies if you publish engaging content. through advertising.

6. Tagging videos can help with SEO…muy importante people!

7. If you’re popular on YouTube, it is almost guaranteed that you will collaborate with companies. This means that you’ll make money, and they’ll gain a greater audience, which, in turn, results in lucrative benefits.

Now that you understand why video is so important in social media, think about these questions:

1) If YouTube is the present-day, accessible, go-to video outlet, what do you think is next for the video industry?

2) What strategies can video sharing sites use to further the integration of social media with video content?

                        

4 comments:

  1. As you can see YouTube has been used for the exposure of people's creativity, branding, promoting awareness and other forms of entertainment. The video industry will die or will find ways to expand and collaborate with YouTube. Many people will continue using YouTube to share their talents, news, brand and market themselves. What YouTube has to offer? Connecting your videos with other social media devices allowing you to increase your SEO and develop a better brand. Let’s look at Justin Beiber for an example, as a young boy he parents exposed his talents for the world to see and with that he became a celebrity. Beiber’s story is one of many and this has instilled hope in every person who has shared their talents. People have ambitions and somewhere in the world someone is watching them. It can be an employee, sports recruiter, and or a celebrity. The video industry will rely on these YouTube videos for their own exposure and will collaborate with YouTube to further develop their brand.

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  2. Hi Kara!

    Great article. Interestingly, all my girls (ages 9, 11 & 12yo) know about QuickTime. But, given their exposure to their father an engineer and being internet marketers/professional bloggers like me, I know they're a rare bread. ;-)

    To answer your questions:

    1. I really want to see more integration of live streaming on youtube. While I'm not gaining any profit from my choice to give one of my prime ad space to my site, this week, I decided give the livestream of Mecca where Muslims pray towards and make their lifetime's pilgrimage on my main religious site - Nothing is more important to me than this one place on Earth.

    Using that as an example, when youtube allowed longer video playtime, things drastically changed for the industry and we should all anticipate so many more incredible things for people to capitalize there -- be it in brand awareness and publicity or creating their own webshows and prolific channels.

    2. Ironically, we just discussed this topic this past Friday. Talking about how live Google+ Hangouts can be shared, then uploaded and kept for future viewing. Like having live streaming vlogs that creates its own line of shows on one's channel. The idea is fascinating, and innovators to jump in now and explore the possibilities really have a leg up in the competition!

    My girls and I are really interested in integrating youtube more into our online publicity plan this year; so I know I'm only getting started with ideas!

    Take care Kara and keep blogging!

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  3. Another thing to keep in mind is that more people watch video on Facebook then they do on YouTube.

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    1. That's good for Facebook. I feel Facebook needs to make some changes to keep the No. 1 website of most visit and on which American spent the most time. For some reasons, I feel the next big thing will be launched soon (not necessarily from Facebook).

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