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In case you haven't heard yet, YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world (#1 of course being Google). This free video platform is utilized by everyone from Lady Gaga to Pope Benedict XVI to reach their constituencies.
If you are considering using YouTube it can be overwhelming in regards to where to start. YouTube has evolved so much since its creation that many of the assumptions about the platform are no longer true. Here are some myth busters worth knowing and links worth exploring if you are considering including social media video as a way to communicate.
MYTH:
YouTube video quality is poor.
FACT:
Although many of the user-generated videos are not high production value, YouTube has upgraded their streaming to include HD video. Top brands such as Subaru, Cirque de Soleil and Harvard University all have vibrant high production quality YouTube channels.
MYTH:
It's just teenagers and interns on YouTube.
FACT:
YouTube exceeds 2 billion views a day, nearly double the prime-time of all three major US broadcast networks combines. They can't all be teenagers and interns! "People between the ages of 35 and 49, were the fastest growing demographic in time spent viewing per viewer, increasing 29 per cent during the past six months." - YouTube press release
MYTH:
YouTube is for entertainment not a business tool.
FACT: Branding, clear calls to action and creative ways of linking to your home website are all important parts of your web video strategy. YouTube videos can be used for product surveys, promotional contests, instructional videos, company profiles, and speaking directly to your customers.