Chapter 5. The Most Visceral Form of Social Media
This book is part of the "New Rules of Social Media" series, and it is impossible to explore online video comprehensively without acknowledging its significant social currency. In this chapter, you will learn:
How online video remains a social medium despite the increase of professional content.
Why those viewing online video as a distribution channel often fail.
How online video offers marketers a more visceral, natural, and sustainable opportunity than some of the popular and fleeting social-media sites.
Discovering Community: The Backbone of Online Video
Many marketers consider online video as another distribution for promotional messaging, or see it as a chance to go viral. However, at the core of today's online video is a vibrant community of people. Consider the following:
For years, YouTube viewers have formed their own grassroots meet-ups across the globe. Some are formal events attended by hundreds and thousands of people, while others are just a few dozen people meeting spontaneously.
The regular viewers of YouTube interact virtually and in person, and most of the top 100 most-subscribed people are at most two degrees of separation from one another (I can almost always find someone who personally knows another video creator).
Numerous YouTube personalities have started romantic relationships with their fellow creators. I can think of two high-profile marriages that would not have occurred without this medium.
As an introvert, I ...
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