Video Variety is Key to YouTube Success

We Are Family: Greater Than AIDS (photo courtesy: GTA website)

Sharing your videos on YouTubeExit Disclaimer. We Are Family is a campaign that highlights the importance of social support for people living with HIV. The videos profile a diverse group of individuals living with HIV and the people who support them. “In today’s crowded media world, videos can help break through the noise. They provide a dynamic way to tell stories and give a real window into the lives of people living with HIV,” says Tina Hoff, Senior Vice President, Media Partnerships & Health Communications, Kaiser Family Foundation.

Building an audience on You Tube requires sharing a broad range of video content. But that doesn't mean you need to generate a large volume of content. Instead, providing relevance and value for your viewers is the key.

Here are some examples of video types and how they can add value for your viewers:

• Showcase your products or services: Use short “explainer” videos, webinars, and video presentations to introduce your clients or customers to your products or services.

• Demonstrate your expertise: Build authority for your organization by sharing expertise via short videos with advice and tips. For example, offer a series in which people who “look like” your targeted audience explain why knowing their HIV status is a key part of their personal healthcare routines. Check out this brief video from Harlem United encouraging people to be tested for HIVExit Disclaimer.

• Give a behind-the-scenes look at your offices and staff: This is a great way to help your audience connect on a human level with your staff, and it also shows them how hard you work on their behalf. Think of the engaging and moving videos about backstage preparations of major events, such as a display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.Exit Disclaimer

• Create video tutorials to help your viewers: A video "how-to" can be helpful for people who may struggle to understand complicated text. Video tutorials also let you offer support and assistance in the YouTube comments for users who have questions or difficulties. Check out this step-by-step guideExit Disclaimer to demonstrate how to use the HIV Testing Sites and Care Services Locator.

Additional tips to create consistency for your viewers:

• Feature your organization's logo on your YouTube page and in your original videos: This will ensure your fans and followers are clear about the source of the valuable video content they like and share.

• Make sure your videos present a unified look and message that ties them together.

• Include your organization’s URL and social media handles: Ideally mentioned in more than one place helps anyone interested find you online more easily.

We hope these tips will help your reach your outreach goals through You Tube. Check out Greater Than AIDS' "We are FamilyExit Disclaimer video.