Should Your Senior Center Start a YouTube Channel?

YouTube has become a powerful marketing tool. Some use it as a standalone business platform, and others use it to promote their organization. But there’s no denying how popular it’s become. YouTube’s impact report shows how far it has come since its launch in 2005. Today, it has 2.5 million users worldwide. And through its creator options, it added a whopping $3.5 billion to the U.S. economy in 2022 alone.

The platform’s ability to reach people is a big advantage for companies and agencies that utilize YouTube for marketing. Second only to Google, YouTube is the most used search engine. It receives more searches per month than Microsoft Bing, Yahoo, AOL, and Ask.com combined. That’s an impressive feat, and one that likely makes it worth your time to set up a channel for your organization.

But there are other reasons why leadership teams should consider incorporating YouTube into their marketing plans. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Benefits of a YouTube Channel to a Community Organization

• Social media penetration: YouTube is ranked the second-most- popular social network. The only platform that has more users than YouTube is Facebook. Yep, it’s even more popular than Instagram and WhatsApp.
• Broad audience: According to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center, 82% of adults say they use YouTube. They’re doing everything from laughing at funny cat videos to learning how to play the guitar or change the oil in their car.
• Mobile-friendly: In our fast-paced society, most of us rely on our smartphones when we need to jump on the internet. YouTube’s mobile-friendly design makes it easier for users to view videos on their smartphones or other devices.
• Daily views: It’s hard to forget this statistic once you’ve read it: In 2019, people watched one billion hours of YouTube videos every day. They cite how-to videos as the most popular.
• No fancy equipment needed: While you won’t have to look far to find slick, expensively produced videos on the platform, it’s not a requirement. Creators of simple but thoughtfully constructed videos can rank just as well. That makes YouTube a budget-friendly option for smaller organizations.
• Easy to share: Finally, YouTube makes it very easy to share video links or embed videos on your website. You can incorporate them into newsletters, social media posts, and even text messages.

Resources for Starting a YouTube Channel

If you are like most people, getting started is the challenge. Fortunately, there are a variety of online resources to make the process easier. Here are two to explore:

• How To Create A YouTube Channel! (2023 Beginner’s Guide): In under 15 minutes, this video clearly and concisely covers the basic steps for getting a channel rolling.
• Create a YouTube Channel: This resource was created by Google, the parent company for YouTube. Through a combination of videos and written instructions, it walks you through the start-up process.
  
  

Additional Solutions to Support Your Organization’s Growth

If you are looking for other avenues to grow your community organization, LPi can help. We offer print and digital newsletters, website building tools, design services for your organization’s website, logo, and brand design, a library of art and content for you to use in your organization’s communications called WeCreate, and advertising solutions!

Want more web inspiration for your nonprofit? Visit the "Web & Social Media" section of our blog!

Updated 4-23-2024