About This Knol
After languishing in online video for nine months, Kevin Nalts was advised by doctors that his viral‐video career would be dead within weeks. But he persevered, and now reveals some easy‐to‐apply techniques that can help you become popular on YouTube. In this fun-filled Knol version of his free eBook, the video creator and marketer shares proven methods to develop a global audience via YouTube.
The techniques are built on experience, and will help you avoid some of the many pitfalls, and help keep you from violating ʺunwritten rulesʺ of the YouTube community. They also will save you from wasting time with ineffective approaches.
This Knol offers basic – but sometimes counter intuitive – advice on how to become a more welcome participant of YouTube, build friends, develop a loyal following, promote yourself (or other causes), and have a blast along the way. To download this as pdf so the hyperlinks work, click here:
http://willvideoforfood.com/2008/01/04/how-to-become-popular-on-youtube-without-any-talent-active-version/
Should You Read This Knol?
If youʹre asking yourself the following questions, this Knol may be for you:
• How do I gain YouTube popularity without cheating or appearing desperate?
• What works and what might create a backlash?
• What can I do to get my videos more views without spending an inordinate amount of time promoting them to people?
• How can I help make my videos ʺviralʺ (get them passed along)?
• How can I use my YouTube fame to promote myself, friends, advertising sponsors or worthy causes?
Table of Contents
I. Foreword
II. Do You Really Want to Be a YouTube Star?
III. Understanding The Core of YouTube
IV. How To Make Videos That Donʹt Suck
V. Tips for Getting Your Videos Seen
VI. Avoid These Tricks
VII. YouTube and Profit
VIII. Big Finish
IX. Additional Resources
I. Foreward and Disclaimer
I hope you realize that the title of this Knol was meant as self‐deprecating humor and not a warranty. When making videos for online entertainment you have to have some talent. Contrary to conventional wisdom, however, talent is not the only ingredient for success. Admittedly, there are people far more talented than I on YouTube who deserve my incredible audience. The stumbling block often is that they do not know how to attract an audience and are relegated to endless obscurity, lost in a sea of garbage. Unfortunately, when this happens these talented people start to think that maybe they aren’t so talented. They begin to lose interest when all they really needed were a few basic marketing tools.
Here is an important take‐away (you might want to highlight this point).
YouTube fame (f) is a function of your talent (t) multiplied by your marketing (m).
f = t times m.
If youʹre “9 out of 10 “in talent and this book takes you to a “5 out of 10” in marketing yourself, then youʹve achieved a healthy 45, congratulations! However, if youʹre lacking in talent (say a 2 out of 10) then this Knol may not help. Sorry.
I will touch briefly on how to make your videos not suck, but let me say this, I’ve seen some really, really talentless people on You Tube. I shudder to think that one of them is turning to this book for salvation. Not to be Simon Cowles or the like, but if your friends and family find your videos lame you may want to think about taking up pottery or basket weaving.
Still reading? Great! If you take nothing else with you from this book, please remember this: The act of ʺuploadingʺ is only one tiny step on your Great You Tube Adventure, and if you stop there, youʹre not going to get very far.
Glossary of Terms
Iʹm going to be using some terms in this book that are worth defining.
• Collab Videos: Making a collaboration video with someone else on YouTube. This is an important way to introduce yourself to the YouTube community. Itʹs time consuming but fun. Pipistrello taught me this.
• Subscribers: You know how your magazines magically show up in your mailbox? Hard core YouTubers wake up each day and check their ʺsubscriptions.ʺ If theyʹve subscribed to you, theyʹll know each time you post a new videos. You want quality not just quantity of subscribers because theyʹre the ones who will rate your videos. If they like what they see, your video will get ʺhonoredʺ and appear on some of the ʺmost viewedʺ or ʺmost discussedʺ lists, which brings you a secondary audience.
• Honors: These are a temporary status a video garners if itʹs the most viewed, most discussed or highest rated within a certain time period. A video receiving these honors will, temporarily, be placed on lists and be more likely to surface on a YouTube search.
• Partner: YouTube shares advertising revenue with ʺpartners.ʺ To learn more, see YouTubeʹs partner page. If youʹre thinking youʹre going to retire on YouTube partner income youʹre in for a shock. But itʹs still nice to receive income based on the advertising that appears around your videos.
II. Do You Really Want to Be a YouTube Star?
Letʹs evaluate YouTube ʺfameʺ for a moment, and make sure you really want what youʹre apparently after. I find most people in pursuit of YouTube ʺweblebrityʺ status are looking for one of four things:
1) Theyʹre a performer looking for a stage.
2) Theyʹre looking to sell a product or service.
3) Theyʹre trying to fill a self‐esteem void with positive feedback, ratings and views (therapy is cheaper in the long run).
4) Theyʹre hoping to connect with similar people and share experiences.
Iʹm going to start by tempering your desire. You see, if you enter YouTube with desperation for fame, people are going to find you really annoying. Youʹll give off a scent like those people selling Amway at neighborhood picnics. You might even annoy people more than I do.
YouTube popularity is not all itʹs cracked up to be. Youʹll find yourself spending inordinate amounts of time on YouTube, youʹll lose a great deal of your privacy, and youʹll get insulted in ways youʹve never imagined (someone once commented on a video that he wants to defecate in my mouth- yum).
Each day youʹll feel guilty because youʹre ignoring someoneʹs cry for help ‐‐ watch my video, mention my sick friend, be in my ʺcollaborationʺ video, tell me what you think of my sonʹs video. Sometimes e‐mail will feel like a portal to hell – with desperate and thirsty souls screaming for just a drop of water.
In some ways YouTube fame brings all of the negative side of real stardom without the money and perks. Youʹll almost certainly become addicted, and sometimes will fail to differentiate – between your own view of yourself and the opinions of your viewers. The first time you get featured or have a video that goes viral will create a mad rush of adrenaline followed by a sugar crash.
But, enough psychobabble. I just wanted to make sure you realize there are some downsides. Now letʹs explore the fun things youʹre going to experience if you have some talent and deploy the techniques youʹre going to learn here.
There are some fantastic things about having an established audience for your videos. First, youʹll meet some terrific people. I started online video in December 2005 with naïve hopes of supplementing my income. I certainly wasnʹt in pursuit of meeting virtual friends. Iʹm busy enough with my day job and my family, and Iʹm proficient enough at neglecting my ʺfleshʺ (non‐virtual) friends – much less forgetting the birthdays of my virtual ones. But Iʹve met some really amazingly creative and interesting people on YouTube. Some are passing relationships where we e‐mail or mention each other in an occasional video. And others Iʹve met in person to shoot videos, grab a drink, or huddle together at various YouTube gatherings that make Star Trek conventions look cool.
Iʹve been brought to tears by videos by my friends, and gained new perspectives from individuals – from all over the planet – with which Iʹd otherwise have no contact. And Iʹve laughed until I could barely breathe. Lately Iʹve leveraged my YouTube experiences to help marketers benefit from online video, and thatʹs been helpful in eliminating the mound of debt weʹve accumulated along the way. But most gratifying is the joy of interacting with other creators, and getting instant feedback whenever I experiment with a new approach. Where I used to burden dinner guests with my videos, I now can post a video, go upstairs and shower, and return to find hundreds of comments that tell me if the idea sank or sailed.
III. Understanding The Core of YouTube
Did you know YouTube is more than a search engine for videos? Itʹs actually a lively community, and until you understand and respect that community, youʹre not likely to be widely seen. Certainly, there are exceptions ‐‐ I call them ʺone hit wonders.ʺ Sometimes a video is so darned remarkable that it goes viral on its own merit. But please donʹt bet on that, because you have a greater chance of getting killed by a llama. Many of the most popular videos on YouTube never help the creator generate a regular following.
If youʹre new to YouTube, you may want to imagine yourself walking into the high school cafeteria. Whatʹs your body language saying?
• Sit with me because Iʹm afraid to sit alone.
• I came to eat, so stay away or Iʹll eat you.
• Hi. Iʹm a cheerleader. Want to sit with me and be popular?
• Whereʹs the table for the people who hate everyone else here?
Because YouTube is a visceral medium with two‐way interaction, you canʹt simply post your video and return a few days later to see if youʹre the next Numa Numa kid. People are going to talk back to you eventually. If you listen and respond, they might stick around and watch more. They may even tell their friends about you. But if youʹre posting to YouTube like youʹre sending out mass holiday letters, your community ʺreputationʺ will be poor.
There is a core group of YouTubers that hang out on Stickam (a live video site) each night and interact with each other. You can learn a lot from this group, and theyʹll influence your YouTube reputation. If I had more time and didnʹt derive social anxiety from live video, Iʹd be on Stickam ʺhanging outʺ with these people regularly.
As with any community, there are countless unwritten rules. To ʺfit inʺ youʹll have to watch a lot of videos and get a sense for these yourself. But Iʹll give you the quick guide. I outline some of these in a video called ʺYouTube Etiquette.ʺ Nobody wants to admit this, but thereʹs a subtle social ladder based on how many subscribers you have. Itʹs rather repulsive, and I try not to look at the numbers. I find that a creatorʹs ego can unjustly enlarge as their subscribers grow, and I often prefer to ʺhangʺ with the less popular, more interesting people. But this social ladder is important.
For example, I get a lot of requests to collaborate with people that have no videos or subscribers, and it is a lot easier to ignore them than someone who has talent and a following. I know some famous YouTubers that simply wonʹt collaborate with someone who obviously doesnʹt watch their videos. If you try to do a ʺcollaborationʺ video with HappySlip before you know her – and have developed your own following – sheʹs likely to ignore you (she ignores me most of the time too, but thatʹs survival when youʹre blasted with 100 e‐mails a day).
So initially interact with people who have as many subscribers as you, and find your own ʺpodʺ within YouTube. There are countless subcultures built around people and their friends, and this group stays with you like your freshman roommates (or the stink of garlic).
Some YouTubers leverage their talent (in music or graphic design) to create custom material that popular YouTubers can use. This makes us far more interested in helping these creators find their way to the top.
IV. How To Make Videos That Donʹt Suck
This chapter sounds arrogant, and itʹs somewhat hypocritical. Because I make so many videos, many of them suck. If anyone should have the ʺmagic recipeʺ for a decent online video, it should be me. But Iʹm still learning each day, and thatʹs part of what makes it so fun to create videos. People often ask me why I donʹt focus on creating fewer quality videos instead of posting routinely. There are two reasons for that. First, if I stop creating for more than a few days, I generally donʹt feel like posting anymore. Second, I have no Earthly idea which of my video ideas will resonate and which will become popular. There are a lot of factors involved, so I play the odds with volume and frequency.
That said, there are a number of things Iʹd advise to help you make better videos. Technically, the barriers to entry are extremely low (access to the web, a computer, and an inexpensive camera). But here are some tips to making your videos interesting and more likely to be shared and, therefore, become ʺviral.ʺ
A. Stick To Your Brand
I know that my videos would be more popular if I made them more edgy and sexy. But itʹs not consistent with my style, and so I forgo that upside. Itʹs not sustainable to create content that doesnʹt reflect your personality, and it will confuse your audience. Find a unique style and stay with it. That doesnʹt mean you shouldnʹt experiment. Some of the best YouTube creators have a very specific and ʺownableʺ style: What The Buck does daily celebrity gossip. Smosh does sketch comedy. HappySlip does clever comedies about her family, and expresses her musical talent.
These creators arenʹt just talented, they know their audience and consistently provide for them. Some, of course, participate more extensively with the YouTube community, and others have their eyes toward larger media opportunities. To see other popular YouTubers, visit the ʺmost subscribed of all timeʺ YouTube section and get a feel for whatʹs popular. Just resist the temptation to imitate these styles too closely. Find your own niche.
I tend to prefer variety in my videos – from simple vlogs (talking to the camera) and real family moments to sketch comedy and ʺcandid cameraʺ style videos. Iʹve even done suspense/thriller style, but usually with a comedic element. When ʺFarting in Publicʺ was featured, I picked up thousands of new subscribers, and some of those people stuck around, while others left disappointed that all of my videos werenʹt in the same candid style.
B. Short, Fast and Big Finish
There are no hard rules of online video, but popular videos tend to be short, fast‐paced and offer a ʺbig finish.ʺ People generally want two or three minutes, and 90 seconds is maybe ideal. That said, the historically most popular video ever on YouTube, (Evolution of Dance) is six minutes long.
It takes me much longer to edit a video into 30‐90 seconds, but itʹs almost always better that way. When youʹre editing, you sometimes canʹt resist keeping some of your favorite moments. But when I return to the video weeks later, I become infuriated by my undisciplined editing. Trust me, the viewers will never miss the gag that took a video from 3 to 5 minutes, and youʹll find your views are inversely related to the length of your video. If you must tell the story in more than 3‐5 minutes, consider breaking it into a 3‐part series.
I sometimes forget about the power of the ʺbig finish,ʺ but itʹs the magical moment. Certainly itʹs as important as captivating them in the first 20 seconds. If people lose interest, they wonʹt forward the video on. However, if thereʹs a great ending weʹll forgive some of the dips in the middle. Weʹll also rate it higher and share it with others. Surprise us at the end, or at least return to a previous gag so the story doesnʹt taper away. Google Butt Crack is an example. I try to close my videos with my URL, then return to one final gag.
Thereʹs nothing I enjoy more about video production than finalizing the editing, and adding music. It also helps to have someone watch your video with you, and note when they look bored. Iʹve chopped my videos down by watching my wifeʹs blank stare when I make her watch them. Youʹll get a quick sense of what you can lose. Sometimes the best part of the video is what you decide to leave out.
C. Topicality Drives Views
Topical celebrity humor brought Michael Buckley, host of ʺWhat the Buck Showʺ from obscurity to top YouTuber status within months. Comedian Mark Day is one of a few comedians who have translated their timely wit into videos people watch. And Ben Relles, founder of Barely Political, discovered the magical mix of timely political content, attractive women, and music videos (Ben reminded me recently that many of the top videos are musicals). He produced ʺObama Girl,ʺ one of the most popular videos of 2007. He also parodied an SNL short (ʺDick in a Boxʺ) with ʺBox in a Box,ʺ which has been viewed more than 5 million times.
Typically a major news event will spawn countless parodies, and timing is everything. Chris Crockerʹs ʺLeave Britney Aloneʺ was well timed, and spawned a barrage of parodies. Good luck finding that video without its URL.
D. Respect Basic Production Guidelines
Want to know a secret? Many top creators have lousy equipment. For instance, this GooTube Conspiracy trailer was shot on a low‐end camera using a very antiquated computer processor. A mediocre video can become much more appealing if the creator worries less about fancy equipment, and puts time into the lighting, camera shots, editing and sound.
Many people gravitate to online video because theyʹre tired of overproduced television and film. So youʹre allowed to have a wobbly camera and some rough editing. But there are some basic tips, and countless websites, that can help you improve your production (see ʺLose 10 Pounds in 20 Minutesʺ).
• Light your subject softly with lights on two sides (not ceiling lights that produce a shadow). Natural light (overcast) produces the best quality.
• When possible, use an external microphone and avoid public places with ambient sound or horrible acoustics. Most YouTube creators use the mic on the camera, which is usually poor. And thereʹs nothing that screams ʺamateurʺ louder than the echo of an empty room.
• Edit tight so most shots last fewer than five seconds. The best movies have rapid‐fire editing, and short‐form entertainment needs it too.
E. Package Your Video
Your video is more than just the video. Your thumbnail, description, title and even keyword tags are part of the package. If these elements arenʹt consistent with your video idea, it wonʹt have the same impact.
Some creators work hard for a powerful ʺthumbnail,ʺ which is the image that represents the video. YouTube initially draws this image from the exact center frame of the video (so a 2:00 minute video will use the image thatʹs at exactly 1:00). Brotherhood2.0 has a nice tool for calculating this image, and the other two possible thumbnails based on the duration of the video. Ideally your center frame is strong because changing to one of the other two is brutally slow and unpredictable. If you use a still image, youʹll want to have some movement (a pan) because a static image may be interpreted as manipulation.
This picture is vital, and I spend time in editing to ensure that itʹs a representative image. Some YouTubers have been penalized by using a photo of an attractive woman in this thumbnail, which certainly works in the short term. But many of the curiosity clicks will result in frustrated viewers that were expecting something else, and give you a false sense of the videoʹs popularity.
Titles play another significant role in the decision of a subscriber to watch your video. For example, the video I posted recently features Spencer, the boy from my most popular video (ʺFarting in Publicʺ) beating up his friends with a 4‐foot inflatable ball. The title, ʺSpencer Has Big Balls,ʺ should rouse some curiosity.
V. Tips for Getting Your Videos Seen
If youʹre a scanner, here comes the important part. I like lists because they simplify things, and lead to action. So let me jump right into some of the techniques that have helped me on YouTube. Iʹd also encourage you to watch a few of my videos and read blog posts Iʹve done on this subject:
• YouTube Etiquette: This is meant to be humorous, but it has some serious tips about posting, watching, interacting, collaborating, and meeting other YouTubers.
• How to Promote Your Video: This is playfully titled ʺHow to Cheat on YouTube,ʺ but it has some decent basic tips like engaging titles, attractive thumbnails, compelling content, short videos and a ʺbig finish.ʺ More importantly, it touches on the subject of quality not just quantity of subscribers. I speak about frequency of posting; my unofficial tagline is ʺNalts posts a video every time you poop.ʺ I also warn about the ineffectiveness of some techniques, like tag whoring and desperate ʺwatch meʺ requests. It outlines the power of making collaboration videos or those that invite responses, such as contests.
A. Collaborate With Other YouTubers Thereʹs probably nothing you can do on YouTube that has more impact than collaborating. I spent nine months uploading my videos, only to find 20‐50 people had viewed each. Quite by accident, I began interacting with people and collaborating with other YouTube creators. That is when things began to change. Collaborations are a fun experience, and also introduce you to the audience of the person with whom you collaborate. For example, when popular YouTuber, Renetto, shaved my head, I got some exposure to his rabid fans. When I stalked HappySlipʹs NYC apartment, she was kind enough to post my video on her blog, and suddenly some of her subscribers subscribed to me. If you collaborate with someone whose content is similar to yours, the audience is more likely to subscribe and, more importantly, keep watching your videos.
I just launched a new online‐video show, titled ʺBubblegum Tree Show,ʺ to feature 50 of the most interesting online‐video creators in 2008. People enjoy seeing their online‐video ʺweblebritiesʺ out of context, and this show will be fun to produce, but also a nice way to meet creators and find new audiences.
B. Pursue Quality Subscribers (Not Quantity) This time last year I had about 200 hundred people subscribed to my videos and now I have more than 25,000. Of course many of these people subscribed and donʹt check their subscriber page, or perhaps lost interest in YouTube. But among these subscribers are people who share my sense of humor. Only a small portion of people who frequent YouTube actually subscribe to videos and check them routinely. This core audience is vital, however, because they are the ones that will watch your videos, give you feedback, and rate you favorably. Iʹm able to post a video, and have it appear in YouTubeʹs ʺmost highly rated videos of the dayʺ because I have a group of subscribers that generally like my stuff (donʹt ask why). Then, when other YouTube ʺbrowsersʺ search for the highest rated videos of the day, theyʹre finding my videos – thanks to my subscribers.
There are a few of us whose videos frequently make the ʺmost watchedʺ and ʺmost discussedʺ pages, and many of us arenʹt very talented. But our subscribers like us, and that propels us to ʺhonors,ʺ which give us access to a secondary audience. My videos almost always get ʺhonorsʺ because I have a quality base of subscribers. But if I suddenly inherited all of the subscribers of Smosh (which features young sketch comedians), Iʹd probably get destroyed. Some of them would like me, but many of them would not be amused by an old, balding guy who drinks out of a coffee mug bearing his YouTube name. So itʹs quality, not just quantity, you want.
C. Be Patient Creators who posted on YouTube early on (in 2005) have a powerful advantage over the rest of us. Their early arrival helped them develop a regular fan base when the pickings were slim. Renetto and MrSafety are good examples. Theyʹre almost as talentless as me (I say in jest), but they have established an audience that really enjoys their content. Itʹs very hard for a newcomer to rank initially. Please remember itʹs a marathon not a race, so save energy and pace yourself.
D. Interact The YouTube audience is watching less television and becoming enthralled with online video because itʹs mostly real and amateur. Weʹre all tired of scripted television, or worse yet, the faux reality television. We want to see real people who are accessible and authentic, and with whom we can connect. This means you should try to read and reply to as many comments on each video as possible, and not just your own. This is easy at first, but becomes overwhelming as time goes on. Still, my favorite part of YouTube is the discussion that takes place on
the video within the first 24 hours. I almost never check comments from old videos, but I tend to jump online to my most recent video and read and reply to interesting comments. If you ever want to catch the attention of a YouTuber, try commenting on their most recent video. The more popular they are the less likely they read YouTube messages or e‐mail.
E. Watch Other Peopleʹs Videos
I read once that a new blogger spends time on his own blog. An old blogger spends time on other peopleʹs blogs. The same is true for online video, and yet Iʹm pretty bad at this. I tend to subscribe to anyone, and as a result my subscription page is bloated with garbage. So I donʹt visit it with great frequency, and sometimes miss that my favorite creators have posted a new video.
Nevertheless, do as I say… not as I do. Watch videos. Loads of them. There are several reasons for this:
• First, people like to see your name on the comment section of their video. It makes them feel appreciated, especially if you have a lot of subscribers and still take the time to watch their videos.
• Watching videos gives you greater insight into what works and doesnʹt, and will keep you topical on YouTube trends.
• Itʹs hard to connect with people if you donʹt watch their videos. And itʹs awfully embarrassing when you meet a prominent YouTuber and ask a question that reveals you havenʹt watched their videos.
Take this from someone who knows. Iʹm almost afraid to talk to prominent YouTubers because Iʹll invariably ask a question that reveals I donʹt watch their videos. I can almost count down to when theyʹre going to say, ʺyou donʹt watch my videos, do you?ʺ I had one famous YouTuber get so annoyed he sat me down and showed me some of his videos. They get less angry when I tell them Iʹve watched them all but canʹt remember anything for more than 5 minutes. Then I call them MrSafety if theyʹre a guy, and Brookers if theyʹre a girl. That usually calms them down.
I vowed to myself when I meet people I would never assume they have watched even one of my videos. Join me at the next YouTube gathering, and you could ask me if I have any children. I wouldnʹt hold it against you.
F. Go Beyond YouTube
Remember that YouTube is the most popular video site, but only one place where YouTube videos are seen. When you post your video you may want to market it on niche sites, blogs, and discussion groups. I tend to avoid this because itʹs time consuming and often a violation of the community around that particular topic. For instance, when I did a video about my obsession with NBCʹs ʺThe Office,ʺ I resisted the temptation to send the link to those blogging about the show. Unless you devote the time to personalizing your note (a sample format below) and familiarizing yourself with their blog, then youʹre probably going to look like a spammer. Hereʹs an example of an e‐mail Iʹm happy to get:
Dear Kevin: Iʹve been reading WillVideoForFood.com for quite some time, and particularly enjoyed your recent post on (insert topic). I work for a company that does (insert company), and I would imagine this would be of some interest to your readers. Do you agree? Could I send you information for the possibility of being mentioned in a future post? Now contrast that with a random comment (including a link) on my blog from a promoter or public relations flack. Or worse, a form letter from a company thatʹs simply interested in pushing its message. These feel like junk mail – at best youʹll get some moderate uptake and at worst youʹll get smarmy comments from their readers.
There are countless social media vehicles that can help you promote your videos (MySpace, Friendster, FaceBook, Digg, StumbleUpon). I find these overwhelming and not nearly as productive as my other techniques, but other YouTubers swear by the power of these. A helpful resource on this subject is CharlesTrippyʹs ʺViral Video Fever.ʺ
Marketing your videos to blogs and social media sites has helped many popular creators. If youʹre making a video that spoofs Hillary Clinton, look no further than bloggers who have trashed her. Some chose to send their video URL anonymously, and others are forthright and personalize the message.
G. Merge Public Relations and Social Media
There are currently countless interactive agencies and public relations firms, but very few have merged these competencies to promote effectively via social media. This will be an evolving discipline, and a few companies are emerging with this valuable expertise. In the meanwhile, some of the most popular creators are partnering with public‐relations experts to promote their video content. One of my favorites is Paul Kontonis from For Your Imagination. Paulʹs online video network has a variety of shows, which helps him amortize the cost of promotion. Heʹs taught me about how to get seen beyond YouTube, and has a knack for getting his videos seen via blogs and other social media venues.
VI. Avoid These Tricks
There are ways to artificially drive the views and ratings of your videos, and ʺtricksʺ you can use to spam your videos to others. Ultimately these wonʹt help much because youʹll lose credibility and annoy people. Itʹs cheap, tacky and – at best ‐‐ may give you a short‐term boost, but itʹs just not worth the effort. Here are some other mistakes Iʹve seen people make as they try to popularize their videos. Save yourself some time and humiliation by avoiding these:
A. Blatant Self Promotion
I often get accused of blatant self promotion because YouTube began as a community site for open dialogue, and Iʹm a marketer. So I canʹt resist a logo, a token hat, and a Nalts logo mug that sneaks into frame with all the subtlety of a migraine. Perhaps subconsciously some of my self‐promotional behavior is driven by a desperate attempt to gain popularity to fortify my self worth. In fairness, a lot of what I do is meant as self‐deprecating humor. Itʹs also fun to annoy people.
But self promotion can go terribly wrong. I wish I could show you some of the desperate e‐mails I get asking me to gratuitously mention someone else so they can get ʺfamous.ʺ I get many requests to be in collaboration videos when the creator has no audience of his own, or any idea of what they are trying to do ‐‐ other than to borrow some fame. Itʹs awkward and embarrassing. Most of the popular YouTubers are insecure people with no experience in fame, so many of us are inconsistent about what collaborations we join. Nonetheless, fame desperation is a general turnoff, and something to avoid at all costs.
B. Spamming
Unless thereʹs a reason to send someone a video, itʹs best to let them finds it on their own. For instance, I rarely send someone a link to my recent video unless theyʹre mentioned or in it. Itʹs good for the ego to watch a video in which you make a cameo or youʹre referenced. However, I stopped reading my YouTube mail because 90% of the messages were:
• What type of equipment do you use? (Never mind that I explained that on my profile page).
• Will you watch my video and tell me what you think? (No specific reason‐ just a desire to be seen by a popular stranger?).
• You are so incredibly sexy (okay‐ thatʹs not one Iʹve received before, but I wanted to make sure youʹre still awake).
There are other forms of spamming videos through social networks and ʺfriendsʺ lists, and candidly, I donʹt even understand most of these. LisaNova, one of the most popular YouTubers, faced severe backlash for spamming people with her videos (see example of parody). She made a public apology on the subject, as well as a parody that has more than 2 million views. The bottom line is that your videos should go viral based on the content and some promotion, but not through lazy and automated ways that will annoy people.
Stay away from any promotional tool thatʹs done by a ʺbotʺ (automated tool).
C. Keyword Bloating
Many people have a naïve belief that if they bloat their ʺkeywordsʺ with terms like funny, humor, comedy and even other YouTuberʹs names, it will propel the video to the top of a related search. Indeed, this myth is not without some basis of truth. Keywords not only help people find the video, but they can propel it to the top of Google and ensure it appears beside related content on YouTube.
When I was first featured on YouTube I noticed that people were posting their videos as replies, and mimicking my video keywords. This is misleading and annoying, and will eventually penalize a videoʹs performance. Remember‐ YouTube is now owned by the master of defying search engine manipulation. A better approach is to use relevant keywords in hopes that your video appears beside related videos. Itʹs not a bad idea to misspell either. For example, sellers of Heelys shoes are spending massive advertising budgets to have their sites appear on the common misspelling, ʺHealies.ʺ Meanwhile, my video (called ʺPoor Manʹs Healiesʺ) is one of the top results… because I canʹt spell.
D. Abusing ʺVideo Responsesʺ
YouTube allows you to reply to another video, and unfortunately this is a functionality thatʹs often abused. Many people tack their videos onto popular videos, knowing that bored people will click them out of curiosity. Some video creators police this by not allowing people to post replies without their approval (they do this by selecting a YouTube option that moderates videos instead of permitting them automatically). I donʹt have time to groom the video replies, so I sometimes let anything get posted. However I become very annoyed by people posting videos that have no relationship to mine, and will occasionally ʺblockʺ them, thus preventing them from interacting with me. On the other hand, a relevant video response that riffs off the original video in a fun or surprising way can win you lots of affection from the original creatorʹs subscription base.
E. Ask Someone to Help Get You Featured
YouTube editors have one of the most powerful jobs in modern media, and they can literally turn obscure talent into overnight fame by simply featuring a video. Naturally, when youʹve been around YouTube for a while, you occasionally interact with these editors. I rarely send them a video to feature. Donʹt ask someone to do this for you even if you know them fairly well. Selectively send someone a video link and let them to decide to forward it on their own.
Iʹve been featured twice on YouTubeʹs homepage. Once a YouTube community manager (BigJoeSmith) brought me to the homepage with Viral Video Genius, but the video was only moderately well received. The second time was my ʺbreak outʺ video, and it was called ʺFarting in Public.ʺ There are three critical things to remember about the homepage feature:
1. Donʹt bank on it. Your odds are very low, and if you consistently produce appealing content it may happen without you trying.
2. The homepage of any site attracts ʺhaters,ʺ so youʹll be lambasted with negative comments if you land on the homepage. Newly featured creators are usually shocked by this, but itʹs sadly inevitable.
3. Not every video featured results in people subscribing to that creator. Many viewers will visit the profile page of the featured creator, but then decide thereʹs not enough there to subscribe. Look at the profile page of popular creators and imitate some of the things they do.
VII. YouTube and Profit
As I mentioned, I am working on a book devoted specifically to the topic of marketing via video and monetizing creation, and itʹs tentatively titled The Prophet of Online Video (download a free 2‐page synopsis of the book here). Itʹs worth noting that my blog, WillVideoForFood, is designed for creators, marketers and agencies. Hereʹs a recent article I wrote for Advertising Age (a leading trade publication for marketers and agencies). Since itʹs archived now on the site, you can see the full article here: ʺTen Things a Marketer Should Know About Online Video.ʺ
Coincidentally, my Advertising Age article ran days after a controversial TechCrunch article that revealed ʺsecretʺ strategies behind clandestine marketing approaches. ʺI have run clandestine marketing campaigns meant to ensure that promotional videos become truly viral,ʺ said TechCrunch contributor Dan Ackerman Greenberg. We were characterized by one blogger as Glenda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West. I was flattered in a way, but would secretly prefer an army of flying monkeys to a white dress and a bubble.
Again, I started in online video with the hope of entertaining people and supplementing my income, and initially I made a few thousand dollars through sites (like Revver and Metacafe, which share advertising revenue). I found this to be very slow and conservative money. YouTube offers a Partners Program, and unfortunately Iʹm not allowed to disclose my earnings… but rest assured I wonʹt soon be retiring to live on advertising revenue generated by my videos. If making money is your goal, there are far, far more productive uses of your time.
For example, find a topic you like that has a high Google cost‐per‐click (litigation, mortgage, diet, digital cameras), and start a blog about, then sprinkle Google Adsense ads all about. But donʹt post videos expecting quick money. If I divided the revenue Iʹve made from online video by the time Iʹve invested, my payback would be less than minimum wage.
As marketers plunge deeper into online video, itʹs possible that advertising premiums (which are shared with some creators) will become significant. In the meantime, Iʹve found custom sponsored videos to be far more profitable for myself and my sponsors. Iʹm careful not to make these over promotional, and I turn down more clients than I accept. But itʹs fun to make a video for a large brand, and help them engage with the online community with far more relevance than an online advertisement.
I especially like being able to merge my day job (marketing) with my night job (online video), and I currently make between $3,000 and $10,000 for these. Before you get too excited, recognize that my marketing experience and fixed audience is part of what I offer, and the going rate for a simple sponsored video appears to be around $2,000. If you have a day job and keep your costs down, this is possible. But a small production house will charge more, and Iʹve seen agencies charge hundreds of thousands of dollars for a few ʺviralʺ videos that are generally over produced and under promoted.
If you are seeking YouTube popularity to market yourself or your own products, Iʹd recommend putting that goal aside until you develop a following. The community will welcome you more if they donʹt see you as a walking advertisement. There are subtle ways to profit from your talents without looking like a commercial whore (thatʹs my job, okay?), whether youʹre a musician, painter or voice‐over professional. For instance, Iʹve done several collaborations with Brett Slater (slatersgarage.com), and he uses his increasing online popularity to promote his services – without appearing overly self promoting.
Another good example is Vals Art Diary, where you can watch the artist paint each week and bid on her art via a silent auction.
If youʹre an artist, you might find someone you like on YouTube and offer them a free song, logo, painting, etc. Theyʹll typically mention you in a video, and that can help you expand your audience.
VIII. Big Finish
If you began this book to propel yourself to fame, I hope youʹve realized that there are effective strategies and some hidden pitfalls. More importantly, I hope you realize that there is tremendous gratification that comes along the way.
I hope youʹll focus on the fun journey and not just on the destination of fame. Youʹll be criticized like never before, but youʹll also get wonderful feedback and meet fantastic people. And occasionally you find out youʹve made someone elseʹs life better, or at least a bit more interesting.
There are other important video sites, but Iʹve focused mostly on YouTube because itʹs the ʺlow hanging fruit,ʺ and currently where the vast majority of videos are seen. If you can crack the YouTube code, you can always explore other sites. The audiences among these various online‐video sites overlap less than youʹd think. I use TubeMogul to upload my videos to a dozen sites, but few get anywhere near the views I get on YouTube.
Iʹd really appreciate your feedback about this Knol, as youʹre reading a first draft. Did it meet your expectations? Were you hoping for the magic bullet and feel let down? Let me know.
Please send me an e‐mail at kevinnalts@gmail.com with the subject heading "Knol Feedbackʺ so I can revise this. Thanks for reading, and as the public relations folks at YouTube say, ʺKeep Tubing.ʺ
IX. Additional Resources
• Inside Online Video by Mike Abundo: Often the first to report on new trends and site features.
• OnlineVideoWatch (a great source).
• ReelPop by Steve Bryant, a columnist and editor living in New York, NY.
• Cinematech by Scott Kirsner, who wrote “The Future of Online Video.” CinemaTech focuses on how new technologies are changing cinema.
• Usertainment Blog, written by a veteran technology‐business journalist.
• NewTeeVee‐ an ʺEntertainment Tonightʺ of online video.
• The Daily Reel has had good coverage on the space (not lately).
• Fred Graver Blog, written by the guy that once helped ABC/Disney to explore “Telefusion.”
• Mashable, a site for social networking news.
• Web Video Doctor, for tips and tricks to help make better web videos.
• ViralBlog, collaborative team of bloggers haunt the globe for great virals. Kevin Nalts (WillVideoForFood, LLC), January 2008. Page 32
• System Video Blog by Ken McCarthy
• StreamingMedia Blog is a bit “techie” for me, but has some nice info.
• Xlntads is a website that connects marketers, advertisers and amateurs, and has a nice relatively new blog written by Mark Schoneveld.
• WebVideoZone is a terrific resource (includes “members onlyʺ content).
• Less of a blog, but this “Online Video Industry Index” has a nice links.
• NewsVideographer for journalists looking to leverage online video.
• ReelSEO‐ how to optimize your videos for SEO.
• Gadget News: Lots of topics, including online video.
• Ronamok, by Ron the New Media Evangelist
• Hot Air, by a new media conservative named Michelle Malkin.
• Web Video Report: The bizzzness of online video
• Politics YouTube In Review: I contribute occasionally to this one.
• MathewWingram: The intersection between web and media.
• PandemicLabs: Viral video and social media.
• Camcorder Info: More than you’d expect from a camcorder site.
• Viral Video Wannabe: FallofAutumnDistro is one of YouTube’s more clever self marketers, and also helped me clean this book up.
• Web Jungle: Advertising, digital marketing & web culture.
• Viral Video Fever: The Charles Trippy DVD collection that will give you a comprehensive video tutorial of this space (and Iʹm in it, okay?) Kevin Nalts (WillVideoForFood, LLC), January 2008. Page 33
My Shameless Plugs
• WillVideoForFood.com: My blog. Go RSS it immediately.
• Nalts on YouTube: My videos. Go subscribe.
• KevinNalts.com: My lame attempt at a personal site.
• Hire Nalts: Information about my services for brands.
• The BubbleGum Tree Show: A new channel featuring viral video weblebrities. Only 10 subscribers as of this writing. Thanks to Gage for the design, Sean for the theme song, and Trevor for the animation!
• Contact me: kevinnalts@gmail.com (but Iʹm not great at checking it so please be persistent).
After languishing in online video for nine months, Kevin Nalts was advised by doctors that his viral‐video career would be dead within weeks. But he persevered, and now reveals some easy‐to‐apply techniques that can help you become popular on YouTube. In this fun-filled Knol version of his free eBook, the video creator and marketer shares proven methods to develop a global audience via YouTube.
The techniques are built on experience, and will help you avoid some of the many pitfalls, and help keep you from violating ʺunwritten rulesʺ of the YouTube community. They also will save you from wasting time with ineffective approaches.
This Knol offers basic – but sometimes counter intuitive – advice on how to become a more welcome participant of YouTube, build friends, develop a loyal following, promote yourself (or other causes), and have a blast along the way. To download this as pdf so the hyperlinks work, click here:
http://willvideoforfood.com/2008/01/04/how-to-become-popular-on-youtube-without-any-talent-active-version/
Should You Read This Knol?
If youʹre asking yourself the following questions, this Knol may be for you:
• How do I gain YouTube popularity without cheating or appearing desperate?
• What works and what might create a backlash?
• What can I do to get my videos more views without spending an inordinate amount of time promoting them to people?
• How can I help make my videos ʺviralʺ (get them passed along)?
• How can I use my YouTube fame to promote myself, friends, advertising sponsors or worthy causes?
Table of Contents
I. Foreword
II. Do You Really Want to Be a YouTube Star?
III. Understanding The Core of YouTube
IV. How To Make Videos That Donʹt Suck
V. Tips for Getting Your Videos Seen
VI. Avoid These Tricks
VII. YouTube and Profit
VIII. Big Finish
IX. Additional Resources
I. Foreward and Disclaimer
I hope you realize that the title of this Knol was meant as self‐deprecating humor and not a warranty. When making videos for online entertainment you have to have some talent. Contrary to conventional wisdom, however, talent is not the only ingredient for success. Admittedly, there are people far more talented than I on YouTube who deserve my incredible audience. The stumbling block often is that they do not know how to attract an audience and are relegated to endless obscurity, lost in a sea of garbage. Unfortunately, when this happens these talented people start to think that maybe they aren’t so talented. They begin to lose interest when all they really needed were a few basic marketing tools.
Here is an important take‐away (you might want to highlight this point).
YouTube fame (f) is a function of your talent (t) multiplied by your marketing (m).
f = t times m.
If youʹre “9 out of 10 “in talent and this book takes you to a “5 out of 10” in marketing yourself, then youʹve achieved a healthy 45, congratulations! However, if youʹre lacking in talent (say a 2 out of 10) then this Knol may not help. Sorry.
I will touch briefly on how to make your videos not suck, but let me say this, I’ve seen some really, really talentless people on You Tube. I shudder to think that one of them is turning to this book for salvation. Not to be Simon Cowles or the like, but if your friends and family find your videos lame you may want to think about taking up pottery or basket weaving.
Still reading? Great! If you take nothing else with you from this book, please remember this: The act of ʺuploadingʺ is only one tiny step on your Great You Tube Adventure, and if you stop there, youʹre not going to get very far.
Glossary of Terms
Iʹm going to be using some terms in this book that are worth defining.
• Collab Videos: Making a collaboration video with someone else on YouTube. This is an important way to introduce yourself to the YouTube community. Itʹs time consuming but fun. Pipistrello taught me this.
• Subscribers: You know how your magazines magically show up in your mailbox? Hard core YouTubers wake up each day and check their ʺsubscriptions.ʺ If theyʹve subscribed to you, theyʹll know each time you post a new videos. You want quality not just quantity of subscribers because theyʹre the ones who will rate your videos. If they like what they see, your video will get ʺhonoredʺ and appear on some of the ʺmost viewedʺ or ʺmost discussedʺ lists, which brings you a secondary audience.
• Honors: These are a temporary status a video garners if itʹs the most viewed, most discussed or highest rated within a certain time period. A video receiving these honors will, temporarily, be placed on lists and be more likely to surface on a YouTube search.
• Partner: YouTube shares advertising revenue with ʺpartners.ʺ To learn more, see YouTubeʹs partner page. If youʹre thinking youʹre going to retire on YouTube partner income youʹre in for a shock. But itʹs still nice to receive income based on the advertising that appears around your videos.
II. Do You Really Want to Be a YouTube Star?
Letʹs evaluate YouTube ʺfameʺ for a moment, and make sure you really want what youʹre apparently after. I find most people in pursuit of YouTube ʺweblebrityʺ status are looking for one of four things:
1) Theyʹre a performer looking for a stage.
2) Theyʹre looking to sell a product or service.
3) Theyʹre trying to fill a self‐esteem void with positive feedback, ratings and views (therapy is cheaper in the long run).
4) Theyʹre hoping to connect with similar people and share experiences.
Iʹm going to start by tempering your desire. You see, if you enter YouTube with desperation for fame, people are going to find you really annoying. Youʹll give off a scent like those people selling Amway at neighborhood picnics. You might even annoy people more than I do.
YouTube popularity is not all itʹs cracked up to be. Youʹll find yourself spending inordinate amounts of time on YouTube, youʹll lose a great deal of your privacy, and youʹll get insulted in ways youʹve never imagined (someone once commented on a video that he wants to defecate in my mouth- yum).
Each day youʹll feel guilty because youʹre ignoring someoneʹs cry for help ‐‐ watch my video, mention my sick friend, be in my ʺcollaborationʺ video, tell me what you think of my sonʹs video. Sometimes e‐mail will feel like a portal to hell – with desperate and thirsty souls screaming for just a drop of water.
In some ways YouTube fame brings all of the negative side of real stardom without the money and perks. Youʹll almost certainly become addicted, and sometimes will fail to differentiate – between your own view of yourself and the opinions of your viewers. The first time you get featured or have a video that goes viral will create a mad rush of adrenaline followed by a sugar crash.
But, enough psychobabble. I just wanted to make sure you realize there are some downsides. Now letʹs explore the fun things youʹre going to experience if you have some talent and deploy the techniques youʹre going to learn here.
There are some fantastic things about having an established audience for your videos. First, youʹll meet some terrific people. I started online video in December 2005 with naïve hopes of supplementing my income. I certainly wasnʹt in pursuit of meeting virtual friends. Iʹm busy enough with my day job and my family, and Iʹm proficient enough at neglecting my ʺfleshʺ (non‐virtual) friends – much less forgetting the birthdays of my virtual ones. But Iʹve met some really amazingly creative and interesting people on YouTube. Some are passing relationships where we e‐mail or mention each other in an occasional video. And others Iʹve met in person to shoot videos, grab a drink, or huddle together at various YouTube gatherings that make Star Trek conventions look cool.
Iʹve been brought to tears by videos by my friends, and gained new perspectives from individuals – from all over the planet – with which Iʹd otherwise have no contact. And Iʹve laughed until I could barely breathe. Lately Iʹve leveraged my YouTube experiences to help marketers benefit from online video, and thatʹs been helpful in eliminating the mound of debt weʹve accumulated along the way. But most gratifying is the joy of interacting with other creators, and getting instant feedback whenever I experiment with a new approach. Where I used to burden dinner guests with my videos, I now can post a video, go upstairs and shower, and return to find hundreds of comments that tell me if the idea sank or sailed.
III. Understanding The Core of YouTube
Did you know YouTube is more than a search engine for videos? Itʹs actually a lively community, and until you understand and respect that community, youʹre not likely to be widely seen. Certainly, there are exceptions ‐‐ I call them ʺone hit wonders.ʺ Sometimes a video is so darned remarkable that it goes viral on its own merit. But please donʹt bet on that, because you have a greater chance of getting killed by a llama. Many of the most popular videos on YouTube never help the creator generate a regular following.
If youʹre new to YouTube, you may want to imagine yourself walking into the high school cafeteria. Whatʹs your body language saying?
• Sit with me because Iʹm afraid to sit alone.
• I came to eat, so stay away or Iʹll eat you.
• Hi. Iʹm a cheerleader. Want to sit with me and be popular?
• Whereʹs the table for the people who hate everyone else here?
Because YouTube is a visceral medium with two‐way interaction, you canʹt simply post your video and return a few days later to see if youʹre the next Numa Numa kid. People are going to talk back to you eventually. If you listen and respond, they might stick around and watch more. They may even tell their friends about you. But if youʹre posting to YouTube like youʹre sending out mass holiday letters, your community ʺreputationʺ will be poor.
There is a core group of YouTubers that hang out on Stickam (a live video site) each night and interact with each other. You can learn a lot from this group, and theyʹll influence your YouTube reputation. If I had more time and didnʹt derive social anxiety from live video, Iʹd be on Stickam ʺhanging outʺ with these people regularly.
As with any community, there are countless unwritten rules. To ʺfit inʺ youʹll have to watch a lot of videos and get a sense for these yourself. But Iʹll give you the quick guide. I outline some of these in a video called ʺYouTube Etiquette.ʺ Nobody wants to admit this, but thereʹs a subtle social ladder based on how many subscribers you have. Itʹs rather repulsive, and I try not to look at the numbers. I find that a creatorʹs ego can unjustly enlarge as their subscribers grow, and I often prefer to ʺhangʺ with the less popular, more interesting people. But this social ladder is important.
For example, I get a lot of requests to collaborate with people that have no videos or subscribers, and it is a lot easier to ignore them than someone who has talent and a following. I know some famous YouTubers that simply wonʹt collaborate with someone who obviously doesnʹt watch their videos. If you try to do a ʺcollaborationʺ video with HappySlip before you know her – and have developed your own following – sheʹs likely to ignore you (she ignores me most of the time too, but thatʹs survival when youʹre blasted with 100 e‐mails a day).
So initially interact with people who have as many subscribers as you, and find your own ʺpodʺ within YouTube. There are countless subcultures built around people and their friends, and this group stays with you like your freshman roommates (or the stink of garlic).
Some YouTubers leverage their talent (in music or graphic design) to create custom material that popular YouTubers can use. This makes us far more interested in helping these creators find their way to the top.
IV. How To Make Videos That Donʹt Suck
This chapter sounds arrogant, and itʹs somewhat hypocritical. Because I make so many videos, many of them suck. If anyone should have the ʺmagic recipeʺ for a decent online video, it should be me. But Iʹm still learning each day, and thatʹs part of what makes it so fun to create videos. People often ask me why I donʹt focus on creating fewer quality videos instead of posting routinely. There are two reasons for that. First, if I stop creating for more than a few days, I generally donʹt feel like posting anymore. Second, I have no Earthly idea which of my video ideas will resonate and which will become popular. There are a lot of factors involved, so I play the odds with volume and frequency.
That said, there are a number of things Iʹd advise to help you make better videos. Technically, the barriers to entry are extremely low (access to the web, a computer, and an inexpensive camera). But here are some tips to making your videos interesting and more likely to be shared and, therefore, become ʺviral.ʺ
A. Stick To Your Brand
I know that my videos would be more popular if I made them more edgy and sexy. But itʹs not consistent with my style, and so I forgo that upside. Itʹs not sustainable to create content that doesnʹt reflect your personality, and it will confuse your audience. Find a unique style and stay with it. That doesnʹt mean you shouldnʹt experiment. Some of the best YouTube creators have a very specific and ʺownableʺ style: What The Buck does daily celebrity gossip. Smosh does sketch comedy. HappySlip does clever comedies about her family, and expresses her musical talent.
These creators arenʹt just talented, they know their audience and consistently provide for them. Some, of course, participate more extensively with the YouTube community, and others have their eyes toward larger media opportunities. To see other popular YouTubers, visit the ʺmost subscribed of all timeʺ YouTube section and get a feel for whatʹs popular. Just resist the temptation to imitate these styles too closely. Find your own niche.
I tend to prefer variety in my videos – from simple vlogs (talking to the camera) and real family moments to sketch comedy and ʺcandid cameraʺ style videos. Iʹve even done suspense/thriller style, but usually with a comedic element. When ʺFarting in Publicʺ was featured, I picked up thousands of new subscribers, and some of those people stuck around, while others left disappointed that all of my videos werenʹt in the same candid style.
B. Short, Fast and Big Finish
There are no hard rules of online video, but popular videos tend to be short, fast‐paced and offer a ʺbig finish.ʺ People generally want two or three minutes, and 90 seconds is maybe ideal. That said, the historically most popular video ever on YouTube, (Evolution of Dance) is six minutes long.
It takes me much longer to edit a video into 30‐90 seconds, but itʹs almost always better that way. When youʹre editing, you sometimes canʹt resist keeping some of your favorite moments. But when I return to the video weeks later, I become infuriated by my undisciplined editing. Trust me, the viewers will never miss the gag that took a video from 3 to 5 minutes, and youʹll find your views are inversely related to the length of your video. If you must tell the story in more than 3‐5 minutes, consider breaking it into a 3‐part series.
I sometimes forget about the power of the ʺbig finish,ʺ but itʹs the magical moment. Certainly itʹs as important as captivating them in the first 20 seconds. If people lose interest, they wonʹt forward the video on. However, if thereʹs a great ending weʹll forgive some of the dips in the middle. Weʹll also rate it higher and share it with others. Surprise us at the end, or at least return to a previous gag so the story doesnʹt taper away. Google Butt Crack is an example. I try to close my videos with my URL, then return to one final gag.
Thereʹs nothing I enjoy more about video production than finalizing the editing, and adding music. It also helps to have someone watch your video with you, and note when they look bored. Iʹve chopped my videos down by watching my wifeʹs blank stare when I make her watch them. Youʹll get a quick sense of what you can lose. Sometimes the best part of the video is what you decide to leave out.
C. Topicality Drives Views
Topical celebrity humor brought Michael Buckley, host of ʺWhat the Buck Showʺ from obscurity to top YouTuber status within months. Comedian Mark Day is one of a few comedians who have translated their timely wit into videos people watch. And Ben Relles, founder of Barely Political, discovered the magical mix of timely political content, attractive women, and music videos (Ben reminded me recently that many of the top videos are musicals). He produced ʺObama Girl,ʺ one of the most popular videos of 2007. He also parodied an SNL short (ʺDick in a Boxʺ) with ʺBox in a Box,ʺ which has been viewed more than 5 million times.
Typically a major news event will spawn countless parodies, and timing is everything. Chris Crockerʹs ʺLeave Britney Aloneʺ was well timed, and spawned a barrage of parodies. Good luck finding that video without its URL.
D. Respect Basic Production Guidelines
Want to know a secret? Many top creators have lousy equipment. For instance, this GooTube Conspiracy trailer was shot on a low‐end camera using a very antiquated computer processor. A mediocre video can become much more appealing if the creator worries less about fancy equipment, and puts time into the lighting, camera shots, editing and sound.
Many people gravitate to online video because theyʹre tired of overproduced television and film. So youʹre allowed to have a wobbly camera and some rough editing. But there are some basic tips, and countless websites, that can help you improve your production (see ʺLose 10 Pounds in 20 Minutesʺ).
• Light your subject softly with lights on two sides (not ceiling lights that produce a shadow). Natural light (overcast) produces the best quality.
• When possible, use an external microphone and avoid public places with ambient sound or horrible acoustics. Most YouTube creators use the mic on the camera, which is usually poor. And thereʹs nothing that screams ʺamateurʺ louder than the echo of an empty room.
• Edit tight so most shots last fewer than five seconds. The best movies have rapid‐fire editing, and short‐form entertainment needs it too.
E. Package Your Video
Your video is more than just the video. Your thumbnail, description, title and even keyword tags are part of the package. If these elements arenʹt consistent with your video idea, it wonʹt have the same impact.
Some creators work hard for a powerful ʺthumbnail,ʺ which is the image that represents the video. YouTube initially draws this image from the exact center frame of the video (so a 2:00 minute video will use the image thatʹs at exactly 1:00). Brotherhood2.0 has a nice tool for calculating this image, and the other two possible thumbnails based on the duration of the video. Ideally your center frame is strong because changing to one of the other two is brutally slow and unpredictable. If you use a still image, youʹll want to have some movement (a pan) because a static image may be interpreted as manipulation.
This picture is vital, and I spend time in editing to ensure that itʹs a representative image. Some YouTubers have been penalized by using a photo of an attractive woman in this thumbnail, which certainly works in the short term. But many of the curiosity clicks will result in frustrated viewers that were expecting something else, and give you a false sense of the videoʹs popularity.
Titles play another significant role in the decision of a subscriber to watch your video. For example, the video I posted recently features Spencer, the boy from my most popular video (ʺFarting in Publicʺ) beating up his friends with a 4‐foot inflatable ball. The title, ʺSpencer Has Big Balls,ʺ should rouse some curiosity.
V. Tips for Getting Your Videos Seen
If youʹre a scanner, here comes the important part. I like lists because they simplify things, and lead to action. So let me jump right into some of the techniques that have helped me on YouTube. Iʹd also encourage you to watch a few of my videos and read blog posts Iʹve done on this subject:
• YouTube Etiquette: This is meant to be humorous, but it has some serious tips about posting, watching, interacting, collaborating, and meeting other YouTubers.
• How to Promote Your Video: This is playfully titled ʺHow to Cheat on YouTube,ʺ but it has some decent basic tips like engaging titles, attractive thumbnails, compelling content, short videos and a ʺbig finish.ʺ More importantly, it touches on the subject of quality not just quantity of subscribers. I speak about frequency of posting; my unofficial tagline is ʺNalts posts a video every time you poop.ʺ I also warn about the ineffectiveness of some techniques, like tag whoring and desperate ʺwatch meʺ requests. It outlines the power of making collaboration videos or those that invite responses, such as contests.
A. Collaborate With Other YouTubers Thereʹs probably nothing you can do on YouTube that has more impact than collaborating. I spent nine months uploading my videos, only to find 20‐50 people had viewed each. Quite by accident, I began interacting with people and collaborating with other YouTube creators. That is when things began to change. Collaborations are a fun experience, and also introduce you to the audience of the person with whom you collaborate. For example, when popular YouTuber, Renetto, shaved my head, I got some exposure to his rabid fans. When I stalked HappySlipʹs NYC apartment, she was kind enough to post my video on her blog, and suddenly some of her subscribers subscribed to me. If you collaborate with someone whose content is similar to yours, the audience is more likely to subscribe and, more importantly, keep watching your videos.
I just launched a new online‐video show, titled ʺBubblegum Tree Show,ʺ to feature 50 of the most interesting online‐video creators in 2008. People enjoy seeing their online‐video ʺweblebritiesʺ out of context, and this show will be fun to produce, but also a nice way to meet creators and find new audiences.
B. Pursue Quality Subscribers (Not Quantity) This time last year I had about 200 hundred people subscribed to my videos and now I have more than 25,000. Of course many of these people subscribed and donʹt check their subscriber page, or perhaps lost interest in YouTube. But among these subscribers are people who share my sense of humor. Only a small portion of people who frequent YouTube actually subscribe to videos and check them routinely. This core audience is vital, however, because they are the ones that will watch your videos, give you feedback, and rate you favorably. Iʹm able to post a video, and have it appear in YouTubeʹs ʺmost highly rated videos of the dayʺ because I have a group of subscribers that generally like my stuff (donʹt ask why). Then, when other YouTube ʺbrowsersʺ search for the highest rated videos of the day, theyʹre finding my videos – thanks to my subscribers.
There are a few of us whose videos frequently make the ʺmost watchedʺ and ʺmost discussedʺ pages, and many of us arenʹt very talented. But our subscribers like us, and that propels us to ʺhonors,ʺ which give us access to a secondary audience. My videos almost always get ʺhonorsʺ because I have a quality base of subscribers. But if I suddenly inherited all of the subscribers of Smosh (which features young sketch comedians), Iʹd probably get destroyed. Some of them would like me, but many of them would not be amused by an old, balding guy who drinks out of a coffee mug bearing his YouTube name. So itʹs quality, not just quantity, you want.
C. Be Patient Creators who posted on YouTube early on (in 2005) have a powerful advantage over the rest of us. Their early arrival helped them develop a regular fan base when the pickings were slim. Renetto and MrSafety are good examples. Theyʹre almost as talentless as me (I say in jest), but they have established an audience that really enjoys their content. Itʹs very hard for a newcomer to rank initially. Please remember itʹs a marathon not a race, so save energy and pace yourself.
D. Interact The YouTube audience is watching less television and becoming enthralled with online video because itʹs mostly real and amateur. Weʹre all tired of scripted television, or worse yet, the faux reality television. We want to see real people who are accessible and authentic, and with whom we can connect. This means you should try to read and reply to as many comments on each video as possible, and not just your own. This is easy at first, but becomes overwhelming as time goes on. Still, my favorite part of YouTube is the discussion that takes place on
the video within the first 24 hours. I almost never check comments from old videos, but I tend to jump online to my most recent video and read and reply to interesting comments. If you ever want to catch the attention of a YouTuber, try commenting on their most recent video. The more popular they are the less likely they read YouTube messages or e‐mail.
E. Watch Other Peopleʹs Videos
I read once that a new blogger spends time on his own blog. An old blogger spends time on other peopleʹs blogs. The same is true for online video, and yet Iʹm pretty bad at this. I tend to subscribe to anyone, and as a result my subscription page is bloated with garbage. So I donʹt visit it with great frequency, and sometimes miss that my favorite creators have posted a new video.
Nevertheless, do as I say… not as I do. Watch videos. Loads of them. There are several reasons for this:
• First, people like to see your name on the comment section of their video. It makes them feel appreciated, especially if you have a lot of subscribers and still take the time to watch their videos.
• Watching videos gives you greater insight into what works and doesnʹt, and will keep you topical on YouTube trends.
• Itʹs hard to connect with people if you donʹt watch their videos. And itʹs awfully embarrassing when you meet a prominent YouTuber and ask a question that reveals you havenʹt watched their videos.
Take this from someone who knows. Iʹm almost afraid to talk to prominent YouTubers because Iʹll invariably ask a question that reveals I donʹt watch their videos. I can almost count down to when theyʹre going to say, ʺyou donʹt watch my videos, do you?ʺ I had one famous YouTuber get so annoyed he sat me down and showed me some of his videos. They get less angry when I tell them Iʹve watched them all but canʹt remember anything for more than 5 minutes. Then I call them MrSafety if theyʹre a guy, and Brookers if theyʹre a girl. That usually calms them down.
I vowed to myself when I meet people I would never assume they have watched even one of my videos. Join me at the next YouTube gathering, and you could ask me if I have any children. I wouldnʹt hold it against you.
F. Go Beyond YouTube
Remember that YouTube is the most popular video site, but only one place where YouTube videos are seen. When you post your video you may want to market it on niche sites, blogs, and discussion groups. I tend to avoid this because itʹs time consuming and often a violation of the community around that particular topic. For instance, when I did a video about my obsession with NBCʹs ʺThe Office,ʺ I resisted the temptation to send the link to those blogging about the show. Unless you devote the time to personalizing your note (a sample format below) and familiarizing yourself with their blog, then youʹre probably going to look like a spammer. Hereʹs an example of an e‐mail Iʹm happy to get:
Dear Kevin: Iʹve been reading WillVideoForFood.com for quite some time, and particularly enjoyed your recent post on (insert topic). I work for a company that does (insert company), and I would imagine this would be of some interest to your readers. Do you agree? Could I send you information for the possibility of being mentioned in a future post? Now contrast that with a random comment (including a link) on my blog from a promoter or public relations flack. Or worse, a form letter from a company thatʹs simply interested in pushing its message. These feel like junk mail – at best youʹll get some moderate uptake and at worst youʹll get smarmy comments from their readers.
There are countless social media vehicles that can help you promote your videos (MySpace, Friendster, FaceBook, Digg, StumbleUpon). I find these overwhelming and not nearly as productive as my other techniques, but other YouTubers swear by the power of these. A helpful resource on this subject is CharlesTrippyʹs ʺViral Video Fever.ʺ
Marketing your videos to blogs and social media sites has helped many popular creators. If youʹre making a video that spoofs Hillary Clinton, look no further than bloggers who have trashed her. Some chose to send their video URL anonymously, and others are forthright and personalize the message.
G. Merge Public Relations and Social Media
There are currently countless interactive agencies and public relations firms, but very few have merged these competencies to promote effectively via social media. This will be an evolving discipline, and a few companies are emerging with this valuable expertise. In the meanwhile, some of the most popular creators are partnering with public‐relations experts to promote their video content. One of my favorites is Paul Kontonis from For Your Imagination. Paulʹs online video network has a variety of shows, which helps him amortize the cost of promotion. Heʹs taught me about how to get seen beyond YouTube, and has a knack for getting his videos seen via blogs and other social media venues.
VI. Avoid These Tricks
There are ways to artificially drive the views and ratings of your videos, and ʺtricksʺ you can use to spam your videos to others. Ultimately these wonʹt help much because youʹll lose credibility and annoy people. Itʹs cheap, tacky and – at best ‐‐ may give you a short‐term boost, but itʹs just not worth the effort. Here are some other mistakes Iʹve seen people make as they try to popularize their videos. Save yourself some time and humiliation by avoiding these:
A. Blatant Self Promotion
I often get accused of blatant self promotion because YouTube began as a community site for open dialogue, and Iʹm a marketer. So I canʹt resist a logo, a token hat, and a Nalts logo mug that sneaks into frame with all the subtlety of a migraine. Perhaps subconsciously some of my self‐promotional behavior is driven by a desperate attempt to gain popularity to fortify my self worth. In fairness, a lot of what I do is meant as self‐deprecating humor. Itʹs also fun to annoy people.
But self promotion can go terribly wrong. I wish I could show you some of the desperate e‐mails I get asking me to gratuitously mention someone else so they can get ʺfamous.ʺ I get many requests to be in collaboration videos when the creator has no audience of his own, or any idea of what they are trying to do ‐‐ other than to borrow some fame. Itʹs awkward and embarrassing. Most of the popular YouTubers are insecure people with no experience in fame, so many of us are inconsistent about what collaborations we join. Nonetheless, fame desperation is a general turnoff, and something to avoid at all costs.
B. Spamming
Unless thereʹs a reason to send someone a video, itʹs best to let them finds it on their own. For instance, I rarely send someone a link to my recent video unless theyʹre mentioned or in it. Itʹs good for the ego to watch a video in which you make a cameo or youʹre referenced. However, I stopped reading my YouTube mail because 90% of the messages were:
• What type of equipment do you use? (Never mind that I explained that on my profile page).
• Will you watch my video and tell me what you think? (No specific reason‐ just a desire to be seen by a popular stranger?).
• You are so incredibly sexy (okay‐ thatʹs not one Iʹve received before, but I wanted to make sure youʹre still awake).
There are other forms of spamming videos through social networks and ʺfriendsʺ lists, and candidly, I donʹt even understand most of these. LisaNova, one of the most popular YouTubers, faced severe backlash for spamming people with her videos (see example of parody). She made a public apology on the subject, as well as a parody that has more than 2 million views. The bottom line is that your videos should go viral based on the content and some promotion, but not through lazy and automated ways that will annoy people.
Stay away from any promotional tool thatʹs done by a ʺbotʺ (automated tool).
C. Keyword Bloating
Many people have a naïve belief that if they bloat their ʺkeywordsʺ with terms like funny, humor, comedy and even other YouTuberʹs names, it will propel the video to the top of a related search. Indeed, this myth is not without some basis of truth. Keywords not only help people find the video, but they can propel it to the top of Google and ensure it appears beside related content on YouTube.
When I was first featured on YouTube I noticed that people were posting their videos as replies, and mimicking my video keywords. This is misleading and annoying, and will eventually penalize a videoʹs performance. Remember‐ YouTube is now owned by the master of defying search engine manipulation. A better approach is to use relevant keywords in hopes that your video appears beside related videos. Itʹs not a bad idea to misspell either. For example, sellers of Heelys shoes are spending massive advertising budgets to have their sites appear on the common misspelling, ʺHealies.ʺ Meanwhile, my video (called ʺPoor Manʹs Healiesʺ) is one of the top results… because I canʹt spell.
D. Abusing ʺVideo Responsesʺ
YouTube allows you to reply to another video, and unfortunately this is a functionality thatʹs often abused. Many people tack their videos onto popular videos, knowing that bored people will click them out of curiosity. Some video creators police this by not allowing people to post replies without their approval (they do this by selecting a YouTube option that moderates videos instead of permitting them automatically). I donʹt have time to groom the video replies, so I sometimes let anything get posted. However I become very annoyed by people posting videos that have no relationship to mine, and will occasionally ʺblockʺ them, thus preventing them from interacting with me. On the other hand, a relevant video response that riffs off the original video in a fun or surprising way can win you lots of affection from the original creatorʹs subscription base.
E. Ask Someone to Help Get You Featured
YouTube editors have one of the most powerful jobs in modern media, and they can literally turn obscure talent into overnight fame by simply featuring a video. Naturally, when youʹve been around YouTube for a while, you occasionally interact with these editors. I rarely send them a video to feature. Donʹt ask someone to do this for you even if you know them fairly well. Selectively send someone a video link and let them to decide to forward it on their own.
Iʹve been featured twice on YouTubeʹs homepage. Once a YouTube community manager (BigJoeSmith) brought me to the homepage with Viral Video Genius, but the video was only moderately well received. The second time was my ʺbreak outʺ video, and it was called ʺFarting in Public.ʺ There are three critical things to remember about the homepage feature:
1. Donʹt bank on it. Your odds are very low, and if you consistently produce appealing content it may happen without you trying.
2. The homepage of any site attracts ʺhaters,ʺ so youʹll be lambasted with negative comments if you land on the homepage. Newly featured creators are usually shocked by this, but itʹs sadly inevitable.
3. Not every video featured results in people subscribing to that creator. Many viewers will visit the profile page of the featured creator, but then decide thereʹs not enough there to subscribe. Look at the profile page of popular creators and imitate some of the things they do.
VII. YouTube and Profit
As I mentioned, I am working on a book devoted specifically to the topic of marketing via video and monetizing creation, and itʹs tentatively titled The Prophet of Online Video (download a free 2‐page synopsis of the book here). Itʹs worth noting that my blog, WillVideoForFood, is designed for creators, marketers and agencies. Hereʹs a recent article I wrote for Advertising Age (a leading trade publication for marketers and agencies). Since itʹs archived now on the site, you can see the full article here: ʺTen Things a Marketer Should Know About Online Video.ʺ
Coincidentally, my Advertising Age article ran days after a controversial TechCrunch article that revealed ʺsecretʺ strategies behind clandestine marketing approaches. ʺI have run clandestine marketing campaigns meant to ensure that promotional videos become truly viral,ʺ said TechCrunch contributor Dan Ackerman Greenberg. We were characterized by one blogger as Glenda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West. I was flattered in a way, but would secretly prefer an army of flying monkeys to a white dress and a bubble.
Again, I started in online video with the hope of entertaining people and supplementing my income, and initially I made a few thousand dollars through sites (like Revver and Metacafe, which share advertising revenue). I found this to be very slow and conservative money. YouTube offers a Partners Program, and unfortunately Iʹm not allowed to disclose my earnings… but rest assured I wonʹt soon be retiring to live on advertising revenue generated by my videos. If making money is your goal, there are far, far more productive uses of your time.
For example, find a topic you like that has a high Google cost‐per‐click (litigation, mortgage, diet, digital cameras), and start a blog about, then sprinkle Google Adsense ads all about. But donʹt post videos expecting quick money. If I divided the revenue Iʹve made from online video by the time Iʹve invested, my payback would be less than minimum wage.
As marketers plunge deeper into online video, itʹs possible that advertising premiums (which are shared with some creators) will become significant. In the meantime, Iʹve found custom sponsored videos to be far more profitable for myself and my sponsors. Iʹm careful not to make these over promotional, and I turn down more clients than I accept. But itʹs fun to make a video for a large brand, and help them engage with the online community with far more relevance than an online advertisement.
I especially like being able to merge my day job (marketing) with my night job (online video), and I currently make between $3,000 and $10,000 for these. Before you get too excited, recognize that my marketing experience and fixed audience is part of what I offer, and the going rate for a simple sponsored video appears to be around $2,000. If you have a day job and keep your costs down, this is possible. But a small production house will charge more, and Iʹve seen agencies charge hundreds of thousands of dollars for a few ʺviralʺ videos that are generally over produced and under promoted.
If you are seeking YouTube popularity to market yourself or your own products, Iʹd recommend putting that goal aside until you develop a following. The community will welcome you more if they donʹt see you as a walking advertisement. There are subtle ways to profit from your talents without looking like a commercial whore (thatʹs my job, okay?), whether youʹre a musician, painter or voice‐over professional. For instance, Iʹve done several collaborations with Brett Slater (slatersgarage.com), and he uses his increasing online popularity to promote his services – without appearing overly self promoting.
Another good example is Vals Art Diary, where you can watch the artist paint each week and bid on her art via a silent auction.
If youʹre an artist, you might find someone you like on YouTube and offer them a free song, logo, painting, etc. Theyʹll typically mention you in a video, and that can help you expand your audience.
VIII. Big Finish
If you began this book to propel yourself to fame, I hope youʹve realized that there are effective strategies and some hidden pitfalls. More importantly, I hope you realize that there is tremendous gratification that comes along the way.
I hope youʹll focus on the fun journey and not just on the destination of fame. Youʹll be criticized like never before, but youʹll also get wonderful feedback and meet fantastic people. And occasionally you find out youʹve made someone elseʹs life better, or at least a bit more interesting.
There are other important video sites, but Iʹve focused mostly on YouTube because itʹs the ʺlow hanging fruit,ʺ and currently where the vast majority of videos are seen. If you can crack the YouTube code, you can always explore other sites. The audiences among these various online‐video sites overlap less than youʹd think. I use TubeMogul to upload my videos to a dozen sites, but few get anywhere near the views I get on YouTube.
Iʹd really appreciate your feedback about this Knol, as youʹre reading a first draft. Did it meet your expectations? Were you hoping for the magic bullet and feel let down? Let me know.
Please send me an e‐mail at kevinnalts@gmail.com with the subject heading "Knol Feedbackʺ so I can revise this. Thanks for reading, and as the public relations folks at YouTube say, ʺKeep Tubing.ʺ
IX. Additional Resources
• Inside Online Video by Mike Abundo: Often the first to report on new trends and site features.
• OnlineVideoWatch (a great source).
• ReelPop by Steve Bryant, a columnist and editor living in New York, NY.
• Cinematech by Scott Kirsner, who wrote “The Future of Online Video.” CinemaTech focuses on how new technologies are changing cinema.
• Usertainment Blog, written by a veteran technology‐business journalist.
• NewTeeVee‐ an ʺEntertainment Tonightʺ of online video.
• The Daily Reel has had good coverage on the space (not lately).
• Fred Graver Blog, written by the guy that once helped ABC/Disney to explore “Telefusion.”
• Mashable, a site for social networking news.
• Web Video Doctor, for tips and tricks to help make better web videos.
• ViralBlog, collaborative team of bloggers haunt the globe for great virals. Kevin Nalts (WillVideoForFood, LLC), January 2008. Page 32
• System Video Blog by Ken McCarthy
• StreamingMedia Blog is a bit “techie” for me, but has some nice info.
• Xlntads is a website that connects marketers, advertisers and amateurs, and has a nice relatively new blog written by Mark Schoneveld.
• WebVideoZone is a terrific resource (includes “members onlyʺ content).
• Less of a blog, but this “Online Video Industry Index” has a nice links.
• NewsVideographer for journalists looking to leverage online video.
• ReelSEO‐ how to optimize your videos for SEO.
• Gadget News: Lots of topics, including online video.
• Ronamok, by Ron the New Media Evangelist
• Hot Air, by a new media conservative named Michelle Malkin.
• Web Video Report: The bizzzness of online video
• Politics YouTube In Review: I contribute occasionally to this one.
• MathewWingram: The intersection between web and media.
• PandemicLabs: Viral video and social media.
• Camcorder Info: More than you’d expect from a camcorder site.
• Viral Video Wannabe: FallofAutumnDistro is one of YouTube’s more clever self marketers, and also helped me clean this book up.
• Web Jungle: Advertising, digital marketing & web culture.
• Viral Video Fever: The Charles Trippy DVD collection that will give you a comprehensive video tutorial of this space (and Iʹm in it, okay?) Kevin Nalts (WillVideoForFood, LLC), January 2008. Page 33
My Shameless Plugs
• WillVideoForFood.com: My blog. Go RSS it immediately.
• Nalts on YouTube: My videos. Go subscribe.
• KevinNalts.com: My lame attempt at a personal site.
• Hire Nalts: Information about my services for brands.
• The BubbleGum Tree Show: A new channel featuring viral video weblebrities. Only 10 subscribers as of this writing. Thanks to Gage for the design, Sean for the theme song, and Trevor for the animation!
• Contact me: kevinnalts@gmail.com (but Iʹm not great at checking it so please be persistent).
Sam DuPlessis
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Seriously man you saved my life
I got some friends took a singing lesson or two, and changed my name to Alfred Yankovic! I became extremely white and nerdy and amish and fat and sergen-ish and ebay loving and rich!