Me, Vloggers and Nalts' psychoanalysis!

What's our word for today? Engage. Don't just use new media, engage through new media. Shall I keep spelling it out? OK...don't just post videos on YouTube, engage with your audience (or the community) on YouTube.

Now there's more than one way to cook and egg and there's more than one way to engage. But for today we'll focus on that great little feature on YouTube - the comments.

One of the quickest ways to see if a video is really engaging is to see how many comments it generates. The quickest way to see whether the video owner wants to engage is to see if they acknowledge their viewers comments.

Now there are constraints of time; not every YouTuber can, or wants to, dedicate hours engaging online. But there's no excuse for those who never respond to comments left on their videos.

So here's an engaging little video, with plenty of comments on comments.




And here's me saying pretty much what I've said in this blog - just incase you weren't paying attention!

Nalts is NOT this stupid!

Another fine video from Kevin Nalts. After yesterday's comments of advertising I thought this on old marketing versus online marketing raises some important questions. It places its finger perfectly on some of the sticking points people have when adapting between the two.

I take my hat off to his ability to do this kind of thing. It's nice to see him without a hat for once too!

YouTube University...only on YouTube!

I've just seen this from fallofautumndistro...



Need I say more? Only that I probably charge less than he does!

Seriously, while this is brilliant parody it never ceases to amaze me how many people struggle to understand the intricacies of YouTube. No one knows it all - although Nalts seems to have it pretty figured out and Renetto will tell you all the problems that need fixing! But the thing I've noticed is, almost without exception, people on YouTube are prepared to talk. They'll discuss the site, give you tips and predictions for where online video is going. So if you're feeling in need of some education just ask!

Nalts gives us stupid video moments

This from Nalts. It's WillVideoforFood.com’s Top 10 Stupidest Moments of Online Video in 2007. Nalts is currently one of my favourite all-rounders on YouTube: comedy, community and the occasional serious video. He's better than Renetto because he posts more frequently; he is, perhaps, slightly more sane!

So why post his list?

My question is how do you score? How many of these 10 come as news to you, how many did you watch unfold. 10/10 would possibly make you a viral video genius - like Nalts himself!

I make a less-than-impressive 7/10.

1. Chris Crocker becomes a viral sensation after this weeping video defending Britney Spears.

2. YouAre.tv gives up, and embarrasses itself while trying to hype its own auction (with a paltry 2,000 visitors per day) on eBay.

3. Sneeeer: Techcrunch publishes “The Secret Strategies Behind Many Viral Videos,” which leads to a dramatic backlash among online-video enthusiasts, bloggers and the video community.

4. Oprah makes her debut on YouTube by taking over the homepage with online-video clichés (dog on skateboard, cats doing tricks), then creating a YouTube channel that looks more like a network PR site.

5. JewTube launches in the summer, and Google later challenges the name (based on copyright infringement of YouTube). Lesson: Niche sites are smart. But build your own brand.

6. The Daily Reel dies after morphing from “Entertainment Weekly for online video” to a video podcast series to a video-hosting site to a video-enthusiast community site to a site thats’ now frozen in time like some parts of New Orleans years after Katrina.

7. ZeFrank killed his popular online-video show in March, just as his fame was developing.

8. The New York Times calls YouTube “celebrities” hot property.

9. Experts project that television advertising budgets will pour online.

10.Viacom demands YouTube remove all of its content and tries to build an “old media consortium” to compete with YouTube (Viacom, News Corp and NBC ).


And what about Renetto? Well, today he posted this video about the YouTube Partner Program - in a bra!

I love online video!

Online video = YouTube!

It's really is that simple. Yes, there are other sites and services out there but nothing matches YouTube for audience. The fact it's linked to Google makes it almost incomprehensible as to why you'd host your video anywhere else. Perhaps I should point out I've not made a penny for online video - yet - but I think the community element of YouTube is a fascinating development in human interaction.

My 101st YouTube video was this: YouTube 101



This is the Unofficial YouTube Anthem from the self-proclaimed 'King of YouTube' Paul 'Renetto' Robinett.



Kevin 'Nalts' Nalty is the self-appointed 'viral-video genius'. His break came with a video titled 'Farting in Public'! But this is something sensible from him.