Why YouTube Beats Twitter and Facebook for Marketing
I’m so tired of the hype around Twitter and Facebook for marketing, and I recently wrote a satire of the whole social-media racket. Here’s why I like YouTube better for marketers and advertisers, and I’ll end with an example.
- It’s the second largest search engine
- You get an assload of data on the video’s performance (see “more” below).
- People notice ads because they’re in a passive viewing state, rather than a dialogue with friends
- The messages are more visceral in video (versus text)
- You’ve got a chance at being seen- organically and via paid media
- You can control your message
Meanwhile, Facebook and Twitter are quite popular, but where does a brand play? Do people really want to “friend” a brand? Maybe if it’s one they already love, but that’s not a good customer acquisition play… just a retention complement.
Twitter is good for content providers, stars, and bloggers… but there’s not a good advertising play. The spam I get saying “earn 87.00 per tweet” is nonsense. I’d unfollow someone that was whoring regularly, and 140 characters is too limited for most brand messaging. More importantly, your “tweet” has a shelf life of about 10 minutes, and there’s nobody that can tell you how many people even SAW your tweet. Then it’s virtually gone. YouTube videos have a residual value because people can continue to find them, and the view counter speaks for itself.
Should you advertise on Facebook? I guess, but I don’t know of many brands getting a great engagement rate on Facebook ads… maybe a bit more targeted, but ads are as ignored as most banners on websites. And what brand or company has valuable information it can dole out via Facebook messages intravenously?
The bottom line is that Facebook and Twitter are conversations between people, and advertising is an interruption. YouTube is somewhere you go regularly to graze, and a visceral ad will catch your attention if the video is boring. Promotion within a video (sponsorship) are much better because they’re contextually relevant, entertaining and there’s an implied endorsement. And, as you’ll see if you hit “more” below, there’s a wealth of data on its performance.
Let’s “bring this home” with an example. On a per-impression basis, these two promotions probably cost the advertiser about the same…
- First we have a random ad I discovered on one of my infrequent visits to Facebook.
- Next we have my most-recent sponsored video on YouTube (it’s at about 50,000 views and is one of the most popular videos of the day). It’s a sponsored promotion for Fox Broadcasting’s “Glee,” that I did via Hitviews. Click “more” below to see the data associated with it.
Which one would compel you?
Nice article. I agree. Being a facebook fan of a company / product is pretty pointless and I routinely block advertisers who try to follow me on twitter.
I twitter while taking a dump.
@2
Is it my imagination, or is there very little that you DON’T DO while taking a dump? It’s like you live in a water closet or something.
@3: I sincerely believe that Nutcheese spends 3/4 of her life sitting on the john.
@5 While we’re talking about poop, I missed today’s. It’s very upsetting.
I had to crap all day, but was at school and can’t poop in a public restroom. I finally made it home and pooped. I feel much better now.
@5 You poop everyday? I used to do that, but it’s a waste of time. Now I poop about twice a week.
I weighed myself before and after I took a dump today. I’m now about 2.2 pounds lighter, but you probably didn’t need to know that did you?
I always wonder why advertisers follow me on twitter. Are they seriously going to read my tweets? Do they think I’ll follow them out of courtesy?
@7 You should poop every day if not 2 times a day! You need to eat more fiber. A 2.2 pound poop has got to rip your asshole! OUCH!!!
@8 A surprising number of people will automatically follow anybody who follows them. If you look at the spammer profiles you’ll notice that the number of people they are following is often pretty similar but usually slightly less than the number of followers they have.
@9 Forget fiber. I’ll poop on my own schedule. I don’t feel like spending 3/4 of my life on the john. The only downside is that I have to use the plunger a lot.
OK. I’m done talking about BM now. One NutCheese is enough.
How can you push the poop out your asshole when it can’t even fit down the toilet??? You might want to try digging it out with a spoon. Make sure to wash it before you use it to eat though.
BTW… if you actually eat fiber you wont be spending much time on the toilet pushing like you do now.
I bet your farts stink…. like rotten compacted poop.
We used to put a paper match stick up our dog’s butt. Works like a charm. Seriously. The sulfur just did it. Oh- not lit.
Stick a match up your butt and see if it makes you poop today.
Wow. You are so passionate about pooping NutCheese, so I’ll humor you.
Let me set some things straight. I don’t have any trouble pooping (in fact, if I want, I can be in and out of the bathroom quicker than it takes most girls to pee), I just prefer not to poop every day (I could if I wanted though). Also, as I said, I already pooped today, so I’m scheduling my next appointment for Sunday afternoon.
Enough about pooping already and don’t judge me just because I have different BM rituals than you.
@11
It’s called being “anal retentive”
I usually only look at this blog while I’m shitting. I’m shitting right now. Second time today. I held my shit in once for a whole week at summer camp. They toilets were right out in the open. I need privacy for pooping.
Was your dog constipated? How did you know? How would you think to put a match up there? I once worked at a vet clinic. My job was to walk dogs and give animals medicine–and clean up shit. LOTS of shit. You’ve never seen anything as disgusting as a dog with the Parvo virus. Nasty, foul smelling, runny shit. Constantly. And they nearly always die. Sad. Herschel Walker once came into the clinic. And then there was the lady that had a pet alligator.
Guess it’s time to wipe. Think I have a case of mud-butt tonite.
There was another kid named Carl that worked there doing the same job I did. He was a “roper”. Always wore boot cut jeans and a cowboy hat. I remember one time we were just sitting watching this dog in a cage obsessively licking his nuts. After a minute, Carl says in his drawl, “boy, I wish I could do that.”
What a funny poop conversation, I guess you just never know where things will go in the comments.
To the brands who don`t yet have a video, or a series of videos promoting your products or services, you guys are missing out. Video is the way of the future for the Internet. Invest in it, and let`s all collaborate to grow the medium together.
I find this entire conversation to be very shitty….
@5 Kevin have you tried Activia?? Take the challenge and make a video about it, “product placement” it worked for me and I used to need a daily dose of metamucil even with a fiber rich diet, not anymore one serving of Activia per day and I am regular!
seriously
NutCheese must be loving this conversation.
Seriously, how can you only poop once or twice a week? I would explode! I only poop once a day, which is less than NutCheese, but pretty standard, I think. Pooping out a 2.2 lb. poop all at once is ridiculous! How do you walk with that much poop up your ass?
I am afraid to walk behind anyone carrying 2 pounds of poop in their trunk.
Dang! You guys are giving me a lot of crap.
You know what’s great about this conversation is that this post is the one advertisers/marketers have been linking to on Twitter recently. I hope you don’t mind one of your more prominent posts being polluted like this, Kevin.
Giving you a lot of crap? Umm… no. The lots of crap in plugged up in your rectum!
BTW… the comments aren’t polluted on this post. The comments are finally starting to get back to normal and away from the ass kissing lately.