About a year and a half ago I was having some problems with my knee, due to some extremely poor training for a half marathon. I went to the running store and explained my plight to the kind sales girl. She recommended that I tape it, and handed me a box that the “experts” use all the time. I enthusiastically took it home and removed it from the packaging.
Inside I found strangely cut strips that had zero correlation to what I saw in the pictures on the how-to diagrams. After several extremely unsuccessful attempts to decode the application instructions I turned to YouTube. One and a half minutes later I had been trained and was headed out the door (What the video couldn’t anticipate – and what I hadn’t realized – is that my knees apparently sweat while I run, and the tape lasted for all of the first quarter mile of my run. Obviously not their problem.).
More and more often consumers are turning to YouTube for information. It’s fast, it’s convenient, and it allows us to learn through pictures, which our brains have an easier time understanding. In the case of the athletic tape I had already made the purchase, but the video – which had been produced by the makers of the tape – turned me from a frustrated customer into someone who appreciated and used the product.
YouTube is now the second largest search engine, behind Google. Whether it’s used for forming a pre-purchase consideration set, looking at tutorials, or educating the consumer, anyone with a product or service to sell is missing a major opportunity if not participating in this sphere.
Not only does YouTube allow you to educate and promote, but it moves your brand onto a level that Average Joe is comfortable with. On YouTube the consumer can explore anonymously, learn what others are saying, and be empowered to take the next steps – which ultimately lead them to the consumption, appreciation or promotion of your good or service.
Everyone needs to be utilizing this fantastic social media tool. So, if you think your company or brand doesn’t have a place on YouTube, we’ll take it on as a personal challenge. Try us. I dare you.