It’s well known that YouTube is a powerful and cost effective way to engage with your audience and convert them into sales, witness the famous Dollar Shave Club ad. By posting your videos to Youtube, your sales messages can reach an audience of thousands or even millions. So isn’t YouTube basically a form of free advertising?
To answer this question, let’s consider the pros and cons…
Is Youtube free?
- It doesn’t cost any money to set up a YouTube account
- All you need are lots of great ideas for videos that will keep your audience hooked. If you can come up with engaging content, your audience will want to share it with their friends
- You can film Youtube videos with the majority of smart phones. Some models such as the iphone can even film in HD format
- Most video formats are accepted. Just upload directly from your phone
- It’s the worlds second largest search engine so if you have the right keywords in your video title and description, thousands or even million of potential customers can find you
- You can share Youtube videos pretty much anywhere. Your website, your blog, social media channels, thus ensuring maximum visibility
Except that….
- Whilst you can film simple movies such as interviews with a smartphone, the filming features will be limited compared to a conventional HD camera. If you are filming outdoors or on the move, a smartphone is really going to limit you.
- Even if you stick to a smartphone, you will need to invest in good quality lighting when filming indoors. Otherwise your subject will appear dark and obscured by shadows. Not terribly flattering!
- You also need to think about sound. Without the use of a proper mic, the subject can sound distant and echoey
- Background environment is essential. A cluttered office or home environment will distract viewers and detract from the quality of your movie. You may need to hire a boardroom or office for a few hours for your movie to have the right effect.
- A video editing professional will understand how best to use music, overlaid visuals and where it would be most appropriate to cut the movie. You can of course do all this yourself with standard PC software, but the professionalism of your movie, or lack of it will affect how your business i perceived.
So having seen all the evidence, do you think Youtube is free? You can certainly create engaging videos and reach a very large audience without having to pay a penny. But without the right equipment or the help of a video professional, your movie may not result a favourable reputation for your company.
