Paint-by-Numbers: YouTube

Part of a series

This week, a social media platform few authors use: YouTube.

The Hubspot report we’ve been discussing in this series found that people use YouTube for what they call Discovering and Taking Action. You’re not using YouTube. I know this because you are an author. If I’m wrong, please please share links to your videos in the comments. Here at Ausoma we love author videos.

Discovering

Video is a perfect format for sharing information and knowledge, whether it’s the latest happening or an instructive how-to. They’re here for fun, but (surprisingly) they’re hoping it’s educational fun.

Taking Action

Viewers want to feel like insiders, part of a tribe. They want to make a personal connection, see a friendly and intelligent face they can call a friend, even if it’s only online.

What to Do

  • Use video. It is the most undervalued and underused platform in the writing and publishing industry.
  • Teach. Share something practical, a single tip or full instructions for something you’re good at.
  • Be yourself. Relax. The camera is your friend. Talk to it the way you would talk to the person across the table at the coffee shop.

What NOT to Do

  • Don’t post cat videos. Honest. Emotional content, silliness or fun simply for the sake of fun, appears to add no value to branding, creates no follower loyalty, leads to no word-of-mouth sharing.
  • Don’t ask users to share your content. The study showed that brand advocacy, word-of-mouth, was virtually nonexistent on YouTube.

Examples

An Ausoma video, and one for one of my mysteries. A video supporting your nonfiction book can be just as informative or creative, if that’s appropriate for your audience.

Next week, the platform Hubspot’s report didn’t include.

What do you think?