The value of YouTube (Research Paper Sample)

The value of YouTube
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Abstract
For this paper, the research questions are (i) Why is YouTube so popular? (ii) What is the YouTube business value? Major claim: YouTube has considerable social benefits. It provides people with opportunities for education, entertainment, as well as studying. It is used in journalism, is used by businesses for advertising, and it helps in crowdsourcing and fundraising. Even as mass retail and radio promotion demonstrated to being difficult, independent content creators have been able to build thousands of grassroots followings using very little effort or cost on YouTube. YouTube advertising has the potential of growing a business. YouTube can be used extensively in the teaching and learning experience.
Keywords: YouTube, social impacts, benefits of YouTube, educational benefits
The value of YouTube
1.0 Introduction
This research explores the value of YouTube including the benefits of using YouTube on a personal level and the value of using YouTube in business. In essence, this research investigates the popularity of YouTube. YouTube is basically a website that people can use in uploading their videos and sharing them in a social media. Major claim: YouTube has considerable social benefits. It provides people with opportunities for education, entertainment, as well as studying. It is used in journalism, is used by businesses for advertising, and it helps in crowdsourcing and fundraising.
The research questions are as follows:
Why is YouTube so popular?
What is the YouTube business value?
2.0 Background and Significance
YouTube was developed by Jewad Karim, Steve Chen, and Chad Hurley in the year 2005. These three all met whilst working at PayPal, Chad as designer and Karim and Chen as engineers. In the year 2006, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion and it operates as a subsidiary of Google. At present, YouTube is still operating autonomously from Google in order to keep the community which has been with YouTube from the beginning. Chad and Steve are the Chief Technology Officer and the CEO of YouTube respectively (Margolis, 2009).

3.0 The Social Impact on YouTube
YouTube allows people to upload, view, and share videos. Most of the YouTube content is uploaded by individuals. Nonetheless, media companies such as Hulu, the BBC, CBS, and other organizations provide some of their materials through YouTube. Videos on YouTube that are seen as containing potentially offensive content are only available to registered users who affirm themselves to be 18 years or older (Gahan, 2014). Some people post videos merely to entertain, some post videos to debate critical viewpoints, some to express their creativity, and others provide education.
Any organization or anybody with internet access can actually upload videos on YouTube. These videos can be seen almost instantaneously by wide audiences. YouTube, as the largest video platform globally, has had impact in several fields, and some specific YouTube videos have directly shaped world events. Both large production companies and private individuals have utilized YouTube in growing audiences (Greenbreg, 2008). It is worth mentioning that even as mass retail and radio promotion demonstrated to being difficult, independent content creators have been able to build thousands of grassroots followings using very little effort or cost on YouTube.
4.0 Personal Benefit from using YouTube
I first started to use YouTube before joining college. I used YouTube for watching funny video clips for entertainment. I also viewed tutoring videos that were helpful for my studying. In addition, I have also watched some movie trailers on YouTube as the advertisement for movies. Because of this, I am very attracted to it. Videos of YouTube could be uploaded by almost anybody and video content could range from vlogs, to animation, to instructional videos about makeup, artwork, cooking, as well as an assortment of other specialties. When YouTube was initially launched in the year 2005, it was commonly utilized by individuals who wanted to share information on a particular talent or hobby but as it gained significant audiences, bigger companies noted its potential and then signed on (Duval, 2010). There are a lot of funny and frivolous videos on YouTube. Nonetheless, there is also a wealth of truly educational and helpful material available on YouTube.
5.0 Discussion
5.1 How YouTube benefits businesses
YouTube is very beneficial for businesses. It is worth mentioning that YouTube is not just a place for watching music trailers and movie trailers; it could as well be an ideal place for a business owner to advertise his/her business. YouTube advertising has the potential of growing a business. To advertise on YouTube, a business owner can begin by first starting a YouTube channel and then upload some quality videos which promote the business. In essence, these videos could be testimonials from existing customers or videos that show how to use one of the company’s services or products. The business person can share these videos with his existing fan base as well as social media pages in order to collect some comments and feedback. This will help the business owner in understanding what his/her audiences want and expect from videos and would give the business owner some insight into how to optimize his or her adverts (Larmand, 2010).
Secondly, YouTube can help a business in solving customers’ problems. Businesses can utilize YouTube in providing solutions for their customers. For instance, they can post videos that show how a customer can install their product, or screen capture tutorials that demonstrate how to use their software (Margolis, 2009). In addition, YouTube can be an effective way of helping to troubleshoot a common problem with the company’s product or addressing a frequently asked question regarding a company’s product. In essence, it is better to be proactive about this by recognizing an issue or a problem and demonstrating to customers the way they can deal with it, instead of letting the market do it for the business owner and in the process criticize the product. A company can also use YouTube in demonstrating products. YouTube basically allows a business to demonstrate its products in action and this is especially valuable for business organizations that have limited physical distribution channels, such as online retailers that sell via the internet. Some of the businesses which utilize YouTube to allow their clients to view their products in action before buying them include theme parks, toy manufacturers, as well as theatre companies (Greenbreg, 2008).
Creating community: businesses which are part of a community or which have a following may utilize YouTube as a tool for sharing and engaging with customers. Cases in point include specialty bicycle retailers as well as running shops which share produce launches, video blogs, event footage, as well as customer footage via footage (Greenbreg, 2008). Showing the brand personality of the company: YouTube presents a good opportunity for a company to add movement and color to the business image. For instance, a business owner who supplies coffee may post footage of coffee tasting events in addition to video tutorials. The coffee supplier can also share video recording from the farmer of the coffee as well as interviews with the persons who choose the varieties of coffee that they use (Duval, 2010). Demonstrating expertise: YouTube can also be used by business persons in building their repute as an expert in a given subject matter. This may include uploading short video clips or video lessons, and linking to video clips of other experts which relate to their area of interest. Leveraging events or promotions: in addition, YouTube provides business people with the ability of revisiting successful events by showing video recordings of those events to people who were not present there or those who want to remember what took place (Gahan, 2014).
5.2 Educational benefit of YouTube
If utilized appropriately, a video could be an effective educational tool that helps to motivate the students. YouTube is being used by teachers in various parts of the world in teaching students and providing instructional videos. In addition, YouTube is also serving an online space in which learners can show their own work. Gahan (2014) stated that the implementation of YouTube video into classes, especially into math and science classes, has actually contributed to much greater flexibility in instruction. It is worth mentioning that not only can educators display accurate graphs and charts, but they can also utilize videos in showing students how mitosis really works or feature an educator from one of YouTube’s education channels (Greenbreg, 2008). ...