YouTube

YouTube was launched in February 2005, the first YouTube video was uploaded 23rd April 2005, this video can be viewed below, it is called 'Me at the Zoo' and is only 19 seconds long.

(Me at the zoo, 2005)

Today, 1,300,000,000 people use YouTube and 300 hours of video is uploaded every minute (Youtube Statistics - 2018 2018).  You tube is the second most visited site in the world, the first being Google and the third being Facebook (Alexa Top 500 Global Sites 2018).

Popular YouTube videos attract not millions but billions of views from around the globe, see the graph below for the most viewed YouTube videos of all time for 2018.

(Most viewed YouTube channel owners of all time as of March 2018 2018)

It is not just music videos that are viewed amongst users but a vast variety of videos from reviews and advice to entertainment videos such as videos that feature cute cats.  Adverts are also viewed and popular ads attract millions as seen by the graph below.

(Most viewed ads on YouTube 2017) 

9% of U.S small businesses use Youtube (Youtube Statistics - 2018 2018).  Creating a YouTube channel is relatively easy and with accessibility to a smartphone or movie making program uploading videos to the channel is simple.  It is free to hold a YouTube account and to post videos, businesses shouldn't ignore YouTube to promote their products and services through video marketing.

Below is a fantastic example of brilliant video marketing, the video went viral and was a huge success.  Three Mobile created a web- based app which allowed fans of the advert to recreate their own pony dance video featuring music from rock to boy band and allowing the pony and the video background be customised. The videos could then be shared across Facebook and Twitter using the #danceponydance. 

(Three - The Pony #DancePonyDance 2018)

Building a YouTube strategy around fun videos that cater to your audience’s interests is one of the best ways to capture viewers’ attention and focus it onto your products.  A video is a representation of your brand and identity, it is vital that videos do not create a negative impression.

In creating the perfect video, the following should be considered in order to avoid a marketing disaster:

• objective
• core message
• target audience
• creative approach

Your target audience call the shots on everything. Every decision you make about your video should be made for them  (What 7 Godawful Videos Teach Us About Corporate Video Production 2018). 

This advice definitely wasn't taken when the Microsoft Cortana advert was created.  The reviews to this advert have named it one of the worse adverts and it was particularly despised by it's target audience.  It’s bad enough that they seem to be suggesting that socialising with a computer is an entirely natural thing to do. But then one of them goes and takes it a step further by suggestively raising his eyebrow and asking Cortana what she’s wearing. It’s fascinatingly awkward to watch (You made me laugh, Cortana | School of Communication Arts 2018). A parody of the awkward Cortana advert can be seen below.

YouTube Channel Art of Competitors

 (Bobux, YouTube, 2018)

 (Clarks, YouTube, 2018)

 (Mothercare, YouTube, 2018)

As seen above, channel art is important.  The YouTube channel art needs to represent the brand and must be recognisable to the viewer.  Each of the competitors channel art above is clear, simple and features familiar icons and logos.  Below is a screenshot of channel art created for Mini Steps' YouTube channel. I have kept the background simple so that the images and the the brand's name stands out.  The channel icon is the same as the icon used on the Facebook business page, Instagram account and is the logo on the website. 

(Mini Steps,YouTube, 2018)

I studied the videos that are available to view on the Mothercare YouTube channel, I was suprised to see a great variety in the type of videos on offer.  There were educational videos, these demonstrate or explain things such as: how to buy the correct car seat or the right fit of maternity jeans.  There were also videos that introduce the new seasons 'Little Bird' clothing line. The different videos can be seen highlighted in yellow below, the Mothercare YouTube channel uses a less 'salesy' approach and instead has adopted more of a supporting role in providing advice to new parents.

(Mothercare YouTube, 2018)

Jojo Maman Bebe have a variety of videos on their YouTube channel, some showcase the shop's products and others provide advice.  In the screenshot below, I have highlighted two videos.  The first video is an instructional video which shows viewers how to assemble a baby rocker chair.  Instructional videos are so helpful, they can give the instructor a much better way of explaining things using angled shots and close ups, it is far easier as a viewer to follow a video than follow instructions written on paper put together with a few still images. The second video highlighted gives the viewer the story of Jojo Maman Bebe brand, it is engaging and reaches out to viewers.

(Jojo Maman Bebe YouTube, 2018)

The first video that I created for Mini Steps can be viewed below, this video attempts to tell the Mini Steps story and provides an introduction to the brand. I created the video using Camtasia software. Here are a list of items that I wanted to feature in this first video:

• Introduce the brand- who we are and what we are selling.
• Brand awareness- logo, colours, backgrounds and fonts all needed to project the brand and it's childlike nature.
• Pleasant and appropriate images, video and background music.
• A mix of still images and video- the baby in the video is footage of my daughter taking her first steps.
• Appeal to the intended audience- parents of young children, both boys and girls so has to remain gender neutral.
• Humour- I wanted some humour and I didn't want the video to seem too corporate or 'salesy'
• Engaging- I want the audience to connect with the brand and our slogan that the 'first shoes are as special as those first mini steps'.
• It was important that the videos could be understood without volume- I used text overlay in my videos and text slides to help viewers understand the message of the video. 
• A minute long- not too short and not too long.
• Links to the website and social media- to connect with as many people that might use a variety of social media.

The second video that I created using Camtasia software was an instructional video.  Pictured below is a storyboard which depicts the design process from start to finish, this storyboard was created using Canva which is a free graphic-design tool website.

I wanted the video to be informative and simple to follow, I placed large clear images in the video complete with annotations to aid the viewer's understanding.

 (Canva.com, 2018)

The finished video can be viewed below.

The Mini Steps YouTube channel can be accessed by the following link.

The Mini Steps YouTube channel link appears in About section on the Facebook page and by pressing the social media icon on the Mini Steps website.

REFERENCES

Mothercare, YouTube. (2018). mothercare. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/user/mothercaretv [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018].

JoJo Maman Bebe,YouTube. (2018). JoJo Maman Bébé. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/user/JoJoMamanBebe [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018].

YouTube. (2018). Clarks. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/user/clarksshoes [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018].

YouTube. (2018). UK Mini Steps. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCU7fF4kavRrB-Gps2z__5Tg [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018].

Canva.com. (2018). Salmon and White Six-Panel Storyboard – Photo Collage by Grace McManus. [online] Available at: https://www.canva.com/design/DACumcGbzIQ/nRrN3xFjskalj-SMjubu5Q/edit [Accessed 10 Apr. 2018].

Me at the zoo (2005). [Online] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQXAC9IVRw [Accessed 11 April 2018].

Alexa Top 500 Global Sites (2018). [Online] Available from: https://www.alexa.com/topsites [Accessed 11 April 2018].

Youtube Statistics - 2018 (2018). [Online] Available from: https://fortunelords.com/youtube-statistics/ [Accessed 11 April 2018].

Most viewed YouTube channel owners of all time as of March 2018, v. (2018) All-time most viewed YouTube channel owners 2018 | Statistic. [Online] Available from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/373753/most-viewed-youtubers-all-time/ [Accessed 11 April 2018].

Most viewed ads on YouTube 2017 | Statistic. [Online] Available from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/373788/most-viewed-youtube-trailers/ [Accessed 11 April 2018].

 Three - The Pony #DancePonyDance (2018). [Online] Available from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekr05T9Iaio [Accessed 11 April 2018]

What 7 Godawful Videos Teach Us About Corporate Video Production (2018). [Online] Available from: https://www.skeletonproductions.com/insights/bad-corporate-video-production [Accessed 11 April 2018].

You made me laugh, Cortana | School of Communication Arts (2018). [Online] Available from: https://www.schoolcommunicationarts.com/you-made-me-laugh-cortana-by-adamtaylorsmith/ [Accessed 13 April 2018].