My daughter is 11 years old and she loves watching videos on YouTube. It’s entertaining, engaging and in some cases, beneficial for her own education. It’s easily accessible, she can watch it at any time at any place. Of course, what and how much she watches does need to be moderated, but overall, I’m amazed at how absorbed she becomes. It’s not just her, it’s all her friends. It appears that it is one of the most effective communication tools for engaging with the youth of today.
What is it about YouTube that attracts her and so many thousands of others? YouTube has been one of the internet’s exponential phenomenon’s and I believe the reason is simple. The combination of an approachable human face, a dynamic video and a relevant message creates a more authentic experience for the audience. I believe it is this authenticity that engages people.
YouTubers are more than just entertainers, they are also savvy business people who are masters at branding and marketing. I asked myself, what can we learn from successful YouTubers? And how can we apply this knowledge to videos we create inside the workplace? We know that demographics are shifting and millennials will soon make up the majority of our workforces. We should be adapting the way we communicate to ensure that we continue to engage, motivate and stay aligned with our young talent.
The reality is that almost all senior positions among our clients are filled by older generations (I hate to say it, but myself included), which is understandable given that we have the experience. So I wonder, could we become YouTube stars? Could we build a more authentic, human connection with our workforce with a fresh new communication approach?
Picture this: An employee receives a message on his smartphone on their way to work. It’s a 1 minute video from his CEO, a motivational morning coffee chat. The CEO shares her ambitions for the day. She highlights one company value that she hopes to hold up in her meetings. She ends with a short mantra. Quick, short and engaging. 1200 hits. 840 likes.
Shall we give it a try?
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