A basic rule in social media is to offer something for nothing up front. That is what entices visitors to visit and then revisit your websites and blogs. One of the best ways to do this is through a “How-To” video.

KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid

A key to making a “How-To” video is to keep is simple, very simple. It may require narration, it may not. But, you need to put in some kind of sound in the content, even if it is just background music.

Show Your Business on YouTube

Make sure you are promoting your business in the video content, when you’re making your video. Show your business name and contact information. That could be via a shirt worn by a video subject, a sign displayed in the video background, or a number of other methods.

Here is an example of a “How-To” video that shows you how to hang a door:

Another way to provide a how-to video is to go find one that has already been created on YouTube and post it on your site. The primary disadvantage to this is that the video does not contain your company information. However, it does give viewers a reason to make another trip to your website if they think they will learn something from the visit. And you should have your contact information posted on your website.

What are some good “How-To” videos you have seen on YouTube?

Toyota is promoting their Sienna SE on YouTube with a series of videos. As I am writing this article there are over 30 videos on the site. The primary one has been viewed over 8 million times. The video has generated 1787 comments. And the comments range from “Can I get a swagga wagon sign for my sienna?” to “Terrible”.

Cross Culture

The primary video is 2 minutes and 36 seconds. It features what looks like a conservative white family doing a rap video. And if you look at the comments and follow the links to the viewers making the comments you will develop an image of what a wide range of people these videos are reaching.

The video has a hint of risque flavor to it. An that makes it notable. As I noted above, one of the viewers responded to the video by sending a message that said “Terrible”. But I must admire companies that will work outside the conservative box. And YouTube allows them to do exactly that. People view YouTube videos because they want to, not because they are on a TV show they are currently watching.

Click here to see the video and tell us what you think about it. What are some of your favorite YouTube “outside the box” videos?

I’m Not A Video Expert

I have a little knowledge of how to create a video. In fact I only have one that I created posted on this site (Click here for Starnes ring cleaning video). Everything else is from YouTube postings created by other people. And what did it cost me? Nothing!

Sources Of Videos

A way I find many of my videos is simply to search for them on YouTube. You can do the same thing. If you’re selling golf equipment then you need something on your website that will interest golfers. What would they like? How about some tips on how to improve their golf swing?

I just did a search on YouTube for “golf swing tips” and I checked out a couple of videos. I found one that interested me, so I’ve posted it here.

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It’s easy to do. Just look for the <embed> button below the video. Click it. A box of code will display on the left. Copy the code and paste it in the code section of your blog or website.

Monitor The Videos You’ve Posted

When you link a video to your blog, or other Social Media, you put yourself at the mercy of the person who controls that video on YouTube. If they remove it, then your link will go to a blank presentation. So you need to monitor the videos you have posted on a regular basis. Go to your blog and check each video. Once you see that it starts, you know it hasn’t been removed. And it may pay to watch the video in it’s entirety, just to make sure the content is still desirable.

YouTube videos are easy to create and easy to post. They are perfect for small businesses. The first question many of my customers come up with is what to post on YouTube.

Provide Advice To Your Customers

One of the best things to put on YouTube is a video that shows your customers a service you provide. When a viewer sees the detail that goes into the service you provide, they often see details that they were not aware of. This increases the level of your expertise in the eyes of the customer.

Look at this example we did for Starnes Jewelers:

This video was created with a Flip video camera and was taken in less than an hours time. Then edited with some basic video software.

What’s keeping you from creating a video?

Contact us at businessandsocialmedia.com if we can help you with your social media marketing.

‘Tis the Season

Look what can happen! The element of surprise, an abundance of smiles and a positive message. I have just watched a wonderful video. And as I am writing this post about it I am watching comments come in on YouTube at a rate of roughly one every three or four minutes.

Alphabet Photography On YouTube

Alphabet Photography has posted 21 videos on YouTube. Most have been viewed less than a thousand times. One that was posted on November 6, 2010 has 5,018 views. Is it a clip of several different videos and promotions that the company has done for itself. And, frankly, it is a little boring and I am suspicious as to how it has received that many views in less than a month.

A Different Path With An Element Of Risk

Someone came up with the idea to create a video for the season that was not a direct promotion of the business. It does not promote their products or company any more than in credits at the end of the video. It promotes the holiday season. It promotes Christianity. And that adds a risky element in this day and age. I say “more power to them!”

This will be a good video to keep your eye on through the holiday season. It was created on November 13th and posted on November 17th. As of November 28th it has over 2.7 million views.

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What do you think will happen to their business as a result of this viral video?

Merry Christmas to everyone, and may Alphabet Photography be greatly rewarded for the wonderful benefit they have provided the world this great holiday season!

An Unknown Band Goes Viral

Singer-songwriter Dave Carroll of the “Sons of Maxwell” Canadian pop-folk band was frustrated with United Airlines after getting no response on a request to fix his damaged Taylor guitar. He turned that frustration into a YouTube video. His life will never be the same.

by Huck Huckabee

When traveling on United Airways at the airport in Chicago on March 31, 2008, Dave heard a woman in a window seat say, “My God, they’re throwing guitars out there.” Dave knew they were his bands guitars. When arriving at their final destination in Omaha, Dave opened his hard-shell case and found that his $3,500 Taylor guitar had been broken. The United Airlines Staff in Omaha refused to take responsibility.

A Dissatisfied Customer Turns To Social Media

Over a year later , Dave had made no headway in getting United to pay for his guitar. So he decided to write a song about it and puts it on YouTube. He posted it on July 6, 2009. In just four days the video had been viewed over 1 million times.

Within days, Dave was being interviewed by media companies like The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNN and FOX. The YouTube view went viral.

Taylor Guitars Sees An Opportunity

When Social Media opportunities present themselves two things can happen. They can be seized quickly or lost forever.

During the interviews Dave was talking over and over again about his wonderful Taylor guitar. Taylor Guitars was getting incredible exposure. Within days of the video being posted, Taylor Guitars posted their own YouTube video advising traveling musicians on how to pack their equipment. They saw an opportunity and they acted quickly. As a result, Taylor is now making a record number of guitars.

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Carlton Cases Acts

Carlton Cases makes durable cases for musical instruments. Within three days of the incident they had entered into a contract with Dave Carrol to introduce and market the Dave Carroll Traveler’s Edition Guitar Case. They did little more than take their current case and change the label on it.

The Exposure Continues

It’s been more than a year since the video was posted and it has been viewed over 9 million times. Song 2 and song 3 have been posted and have over 1.3 million views combined.

Here’s Dave’s original video:

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United Airline Does Nothing

While United Airlines was coming into this situation from a different angle, they question is whether or not they should have tried to respond to the the social media explosion. Should they have posted their own video? If they did how should they have approached it? What do you think?

YouTube Wants More of Your Time

Google, which owns YouTube, is trying to get the average user to take some of the five hours she spends watching TV and spend more of it watching YouTube. This mission is a little different from what Google does with their primary search engine.

“Google is all about giving you information quickly and then getting you to leave. YouTube wants to give you information that will make you want to stay” said Quentin Hardy, executive editor of Forbes.

Improving Their Search Tool

One way they are attempting to accomplish this goal is to improve their search engine. With 24 hours of content posted every minute, YouTube users have more videos to filter through before they find what they want. And many users are missing great content.

by Huck Huckabee

YouTube is launching their new feature called “Topics.” With this tool YouTube will hone in on comments from video viewers, sites that have linked to the video and other videos the viewers have visited in the past. The algorithm will be incredibly complicated but over time will develop into a tool that will make YouTube more efficient.

Businesses need to create content in their YouTube videos that will generate comments and links. This will improve their ranking in the YouTube search.

KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid!

Your YouTube videos need to entertain, educate or inform. Otherwise, no one will watch them.

Keep and eye television commercials when you watch them. What kind of backgrounds are in the video? What colors are used? How big is the subject? What kind of aduio accompanies the video?

I’ll bet you find that the videos with simple content is the easiest to remember. Keep that in mind when making your video. Here is a good example:

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Simple!

Old Spice And The Blender

The Old Spice videos have been the classic example of “viral” videos. They won an Emmy, doubled sales, and started a TV career for the star. BlendTec blenders has created videos that have led a marketing campaign that increased sales five fold. Two of their 102 videos are approaching 9 million hits each.

Will It Blend? – Old Spice

Today a video was posted featuring both products. I am writing this article at 10:30 pm and it has been viewed over 44,000 times already.

With this video BlendTec and Old Spice are cutting new trails. They are combining their products and marketing to both their audiences. While I’m sure there is some overlap in their markets, I am willing to bet that this video will set records.

Who Will Follow?

It will be interesting to see what other marketing campaigns combine their popularity and create joint videos. Who would be two companies that could create a joint video campaign comparable to this one?

YouTube has just increased their video time limit to 15 minutes from non-partners. The change is the result of some sophisticated copyright tools that give copyright holders more control over their content. But, we’ll let the legal minds worry about that one.

How will the additional 5 minutes help you?