Tongal's Video For Social Series
YouTube is building a better rabbit-hole. No need to ask Alice.
Tongal has all the scoop for you...
In our previous entry, we made it clear that Facebook is looking to become the big(ger) kid on the block for online video. FB’s targeting capabilities, the traffic and eyeball-time they command, and their own internal focus on video makes it clear they want to establish the kind of domination that would make a Bond villain blush.
But as a savvy digital-marketer, you know you can’t win buying or holding just one stock. And you also know that YouTube is, without a doubt, a blue-chipper in your video marketing portfolio. In fact, despite Facebook's ominous saber-rattling, this insightful article by Jeff Davis of Molio suggests that YouTube is still your best venue for paid video, due at least in part to their TrueView In-Stream ads. Because they only charge for a full view (30 seconds), Davis advises keeping YouTube at #1 on your video-platform hit parade.
We’re going to show you our “Top Ten Brand Channels on YouTube’ at the conclusion of this post – and we’re going to talk about why these channels are so good. But first, we want to talk a little bit more about YouTube’s enduring strengths – and also about what they’re doing to make them even stronger.
The “You” Stands for: Young
We're not going to try to overload you with YouTube usage or hours of video uploaded-per-second stats here – we’ve been bludgeoned with it. If you’re saying “yes sir, may I have another” – here’s a good place to go for the official stuff.
Creatively speaking however, it’s good to bear in mind that the younger the target you’re addressing, the more likely they are to be deep YouTubers. That is, more likely to have an account; to have several YouTube subscriptions; to be sharing (and making) videos themselves, and there’s a really good chance they’re using YouTube as their primary online hang-out.
Generally, as your target-age skews older – the more purpose-driven (and episodic) their usage of YouTube will be. Using a broad brush: while the 15 year old son in Anytown, USA may spend the whole morning bouncing between YouTube vids and texting his pals; his Mom may only dial in for a quick search to look for a how-to on painting a window sash without using tape... or maybe for tips on how to get a teenager to stop watching videos and go outside, for once.
YouTube Is Investing To Make Everyone “YouTube Savvy”
One of the strategic changes that YouTube has been making is working with their own internal code – yep, they call it “InnerTube” -- to make Mom’s painting detour last as long as Junior’s everyday meandering.
Of course, they’re doing this because YouTube makes more dough when Mom puts down her coffee and gets lost in the whole subject of house-painting…and decoration…and then maybe real estate. You get the picture. This article in Fast Company details extensively how YouTube has approached the challenge, first by improving their platform for Mobile, but also by leveraging Google AI to make the site even stickier. (It calls itself “GoogleBrain” -- so you probably should too.) The overall effort is geared to make everyone – Mom, Junior, Dad, Gramps -- probably even Baby -- more likely to find their way into more YouTube rabbit-holes, and stay there forever – or at least until the UPS guy rings the bell with the stuff they ordered.
A Better Rabbit-Hole: Key Components of Great YouTube Channels
This is by no means an exhaustive list (no more than our Top Ten is), but it’s a great checklist to start with. When you evaluate, or plan your YouTube presence, think about:
Great Video / Exclusives: Whether it’s ALOL (actual LOL) funny stuff, heart stopping action, eye-dazzling visuals, or “A-Ha!” producing how-to’s, the core of every great YouTube Channel is great videos. It’s also always a good idea to have great stuff on your YouTube Channel that you can’t get anywhere else.
Always On: One easy way to think of YouTube is to think about it the way millennials do – for them, it’s TV. So you just can’t afford to be in reruns all year long. Take a look at those crazy upload and viewing stats. YouTube is a shark that needs to feed. All of our top-ten candidates know this and have created a large volume of videos (compared with their competitors).
Solid Structure: YouTube’s structure is relatively basic, and flexible, but the best channels make use of it to establish an organizational logic that makes it easy for users to find their way:
“You”: User generated and/or focused content is an elementary component of the YouTube DNA. You can get the You-Factor, and superb video quality from a company like Tongal – because top-flight filmmakers in our community work from your customers’ coolest ideas to create videos. (A few companies that have done just that are featured in our list.) The “You” factor is also about targeting – and listening. Some of the best YouTube channels are like lively conversations. However you get it -- the “You” factor should be a key component in your YouTube strategy. And you can bet: if you leave You out…somebody else won’t.
Ten YouTube Brand Sites We Love
We thought the best way for you to dig in with YouTube – both structure and content-wise -- is to look at some of the best brand channels out there. Here are ten of our favorite YouTube channels, and why we chose them for your review:
1. GoPro -- Here we have the holy trinity of eye and gut-grabbing video, a beautifully arrayed and organized abundance of videos, and a built-in YOU factor. That’s how you get 3 million plus subscribers. ProTip: Consider making one of your channels or Playlists a GoPro channel. Hey, even if you do tax returns, it’s probably the best bet for creating some real excitement. (See Red Bull for an example of this.) (1,112 Videos, 3 Million subscribers)
2. LEGO: One of our all-time favorites. LEGO’s YouTube channel has an abundance of Tongal-created material, even has a video introducing their entire YouTube channel. They even ran a project with us asking their fans what they should put on their YouTube channel. Beautifully organized, and consistently branded through and through. LEGO’s investment in video, and YouTube specifically, has everything to do with their becoming the biggest toy company in the world. (4903 Videos, 750,000 subscribers)
3. Chubbies Shorts: Smaller brand, built on YouTube. Funny and irreverent material, their “Shit Cargos Say” video is typically brilliant and snarky. (152 videos, 6,000 subscribers)
4. All Things Hair (Unilever): A stunning interface that allows users to look for hair-care tips that fit them. “My Hair Is” – offers selections for color, curl-level, and length; “Make My Hair” includes selections like: “a statement,” “an up do,” “conditioned,” “curlier,” etc. Unliever also partnered with known hair-expert YouTubers to bring exclusive content from trusted beauty-pros. (85,000 subscribers)
5. Pepsi: With the Jeff Gordon test-drive video you have a blockbuster that has drawn more than 45 million views. They've also made a heavy investment in music and celebrities, and, via their “Creator’s League,” in original content. All of this hi-octane material is nicely rounded out with “You” stuff via event-capture and "people on the street.” (553 videos, 730,000 subscribers.)
6. Pampers & Johnson’s Baby: Two great mom & baby brands with superb how-to video material that helps moms & dads through the years where advice-seeking and care-giving is what it’s all about. These sites are as reassuring, gentle, and thorough as mom herself. Bonus: incredibly cute babies. We’re proud to have played a role in helping w some really great Johnson’s Baby videos – including this one. (Pampers: 283 videos, 25,000 subscribers; Johnsons’ Baby: 13 videos, 23,000 subscribers)
7. State Farm: Insurance companies spend a mint on broadcast ads, but the big mutual from good ol’ Bloomington, Illinois has a great array of supporting material. Hans & Franz and Aaron Rogers are joined by agent-materials, “Next Door” stories, and Teen Driver Safety materials. (729 Videos, 18K subscribers) And while we're talking insurance: Allstate's YouTube channel is also noteworthy -- they make great use of their hit "Mayhem" stuff. Bonus: check out Mayhem's Latino counterpart, Mala Suerte.
8. Gillette: Here’s how they put it: “Gillette's YouTube channel is about delivering content to help you look, feel and be your best.” With everything from dating tips, to body grooming, to (where else?) “pube management” Gilllette’s where the modern man goes when things get hairy. Did they tap into something? Well, “Manscaping: Shaving Down There” has 6MM views and counting… Tongal is happy to have helped Gillette with several of their how-to videos. They wanted to take over this space – and we jumped in to help them do it fast. (600 videos, 45,000 subscribers)
9. RedBull: You knew this was coming…but hey, how could we leave it out? This is the YouTube channel to hit when you’re slowing your RedBull intake, and you’re done riding, surfing, hang-gliding, skateboarding down the side of a building, or jumping off of a space ship to work off the jitters. God bless Red Bull and their massive investment in becoming a lifestyle / media brand – but we wish they’d pour a few nickels into making their stuff taste a little less like a 5lb bag of Sweet&Low. (5000 videos, 4.2 MM subscribers)
10. Late Show With David Letterman: Yeah, it was a show, and now, it’s a (huge) piece of American History. But Dave’s “brand” was unique from the outset, and he never wavered. Nobody thought of it as a brand back then, but now we’re all a little smarter (and yeah, a little bit crazy) about that stuff. Call us sentimental, but take a little stroll through the treasure trove of material here and reflect on the tremendous value of having to show up and entertain every day. It’s the pure-magic of doing the work that makes you good at it. And nobody’s ever been better at that than Dave and his crew. The Tongal cultural desk offers up this “deep cut” that isn’t on the Letterman site – Bill Hicks infamous “banned” stand-up routine. This is the video of Dave inviting Bill’s mom on the show, and playing it after all -- Hicks begins at 11:38.
