Online Video: A Great "Channel" for Reaching An Audience
Recently, I learned that some friends of mine decided to “cut the cord” and cancel their cable TV. Theirrationale was that everything they could want to watch – with the exception, perhaps, of livesporting events – was readily available online.
Right after I heard this I read a recent Reuters story about how YouTube is now streaming a mammoth 4 billion online videos per day. That’s a lot of eyeballs viewing the Web’s premier source of online videos.
Much of this may be attributed to the growing popularity of YouTube Channels. YouTube Channels feature unique content, much of which has been created by well-known providers who have dabbled in other mediums in the past, including television. More and more producers are signing up to offer YouTube channels, enticed by the lure of all of those potential viewers (not to mention the ability to reach people not only by their computers, but via smartphones and TV’s as well).
It’s not just YouTube, of course. Netflix, Hulu, network TV websites, iTunes and more – all of these services have changed the way people consume video content.
For companies – even ones that may not be considered “photogenic” – this means that having some form of video content online should no longer be considered a “nice to have.” YouTube, Vimeo or similar sites should be considered viable “channels” through which to reach customers. And it doesn’t need to be expensive; sometimes the most unprofessional, off-the-cuff videos are the ones that get the most hits and succeed virally.
I must admit, when I first heard my friends were getting rid of cable, I thought they were a bit crazy. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I spend most of my time watching video on-demand. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I actually even saw a TV commercial in real-time.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this. And I think the YouTube statistics bear that out. If you want to reach someone like me, using an online video site may very well be one of the best ways to do so.
Image credit: greencandy8888
- Pete Larmey