Learning from Intel for YouTube Best Practices

YouTube is undoubtedly a popular social media channel for users who like to share and comment on videos. The question many businesses have, however, is how to use YouTube to help market their brand.

Lets take a look at how one major brand is using YouTube- and using it well. Intel has created their main consumer YouTube channel as “ChannelIntel”. When users arrive at Intel’s page, they are met with a custom, clean design that speak’s wonders of YouTube’s capabilities for brands. The use of this design helps separate it from user profiles.

Upon arriving on the home page, users can view featured videos, the most recent videos, the most viewed videos, and user generated videos. This gives the page great functionality, as users can quickly see new and popular videos.

Besides using clean and functional design, Intel understands that content is what makes social media. This is proven with the multiple sections Intel’s “Explore” offers section. Users can choose to see videos about Intel, find out about events, see Intel’s B2B product offerings, and experience products consumers can purchase. There is also a support section with tutorials, downloads, and customer help.

The majority of Intel’s most viewed videos provide users content and are not solely videos about Intel. This is a key idea businesses need to understand when implementing YouTube  in their social media strategies. Social media users are looking for content that is relevant to them.

Intel’s YouTube page has generated over 30 million video views, thirty three thousand video subscribers, and they have uploaded more than 3,300 videos. Undoubtedly, YouTube users are finding their page relevant and actually want to be notified of new videos posted by Intel. So what can we learn from them?

1. Content is king. Show your products in action. Highlight users of your products. Get testimonials that are believable. Make related videos and place your product or branding in them. For example, if you’re a grocery store, create a mini-series following a local family who just happen to shop at your store. If you’re a local restaurant, highlight holidays or interview people who have lived in the area all of their lives and have them talk about your town while being filmed at your restaurant.

2. Be smart with design. Make your YouTube channel different from the rest. Add sections. Connect its design with your brand image. If you don’t have access to designers and aren’t design-oriented yourself, there are a lot of great YouTube layouts available for users- just Google them.

3. Have a clear strategy. Don’t just make a YouTube channel for the heck of it. Are your users there? Are your competitors using it? Do you even have video assets?

4. Promote your page. Send out an email to your contacts. Post a link on your website. Include a link in your email signature. Do anything to get users interacting with your videos.

5. Keep it fresh. Like any social media outlet, users can see how often you post. If you don’t post often, they won’t come to your page and they won’t watch your videos.

6. Evaluate. 0 video views? You’re doing something wrong. Re-evaluate your strategy often to ensure you’re making the most of your time.

So, with that, I hope you’ll venture into the YouTube space and start brainstorming some ideas on how to use this great social media outlet.

-Bryan Nagy