Youtube: Putting a face to your words

YouTube gives anyone the ability to put sounds, visuals, video, movement, and a voice to what everyone encounters online -- just words!  Sometimes you might encounter a picture here and there online, but the picture is still and does involve any visual movement for the user.  YouTube allows the user to encounter movement, sound, and a voice.  This brings more interest to the user and possibly more involvement from the user.

With YouTube you:

• SEE who is giving you the information in an interview, instead of by a small bio at the beginning or end of the article. 
• SEE what the environment is doing in result of the hurricane. 
• SEE who the opinions are coming from
• SEE where current donations are going after being donated
• SEE what the organization hopes to accomplish
• SEE how a non-profit works
• SEE what the risks factors are of a fast spreading condition/disease/illnesses
• SEE how YOU can help out!

And so much more!

YouTube is essentially the news channel for health organizations.  There is a constantly feed for users to see.  In order for a health organization to be successful, as stated in the CDC social media guidelines article, there should be consistency among the video postings.  The CDC article makes very good claims that could be used for any organization who is utilizing YouTube, not only health organizations. 

As stated in the article, the video posted should:

1. Clearly Define Objective: What are we trying to say?
2. Know Your Target Audience: Who are we talking to?
3. Clear Content: Get straight the the point.
4. Promotion: How is the audience going to see the video?
5. Evaluate: How successful was our video?

The Alzheimer's Association has had their own channel on YouTube since the middle of 2007.  The channel currenly has 930 subscribers andnearly 800,000 video views.  With over five years of experience on YouTube this association embodies the check list mentioned above very well.  The bio of the Alzheimer's Association is short and to the point:

   

"The Alzheimers Association is the leading voluntary health organization in

Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimers disease through

the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and

 to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health."

 

This short bio give the user clear content of the videos they will be provided and what they want from the viewers. 

 

The target audience are obviously first those who are diagnosed with the disease.  But are not limited to those who have family members/friends with the disease, and those who are interested in eliminating this disease.  The videos are promoted through YouTube; on their channel, on Twitter, and and their Facebook page.  Throughout the YouTube videos they are cross promoting Twitter with t-shirt having the hashtag #ENDALZ on the front.

 

I see consistency with the two current videos on the ALZ YouTube channel, but looking further back they do not.  They use the YouTube channel as a great promoter of events that are coming up and speeches that occurred at different events.  They seem to slip up on anything other than these events. 

 

I would suggest using their YouTube channel to increases awareness, possible prevention, and so forth.  I would also suggest making the videos shorter, not losing the viewers attention with five to ten minute videos.  Such videos would improve their consistency in between important events they often promote currently.

One last suggestion would be how someone could contribute to the cause.  Yes, the videos are consistent in asking for your help/donation, but it doesn't tell you how.  Maybe a link should be added to the channel in different ways to contribute to the cause.