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50 P a r t I Marketing Your Business Online with YouTube
Why Educational Videos Work
Why do people log onto YouTube? A fair number are bored and want to be enter-
tained, of course. Others want to get more information about something. But a large
number of viewers turn to YouTube to learn how to do something—that is, to be
educated about the topic at hand.
What does an educational video look like? Put simply, it’s a how-to video—a video
that shows the viewer “how to” do something. This typically takes the form of step-
by-step instructions: Step 1, do this, Step 2, do that, Step 3, do something else. It’s a
very hands-on experience.
Why does someone watch a how-to video on YouTube? To learn how to do that
something, of course. Maybe a person is looking to put together some sort of craft
or project and needs instruction. Maybe a person has an item that needs repair or
maintenance, and wants to learn how to do that. Maybe a person has just purchased
a new product and has no idea how to put it together or get it to work. You see how
it is—educational videos help people do the things they want or need to do.
So your customers get real value out of learning how to get something done. What
you get out of it is the authority that comes with presenting that information. When
a person learns how to do something from watching your video, he now thinks of
you as the authority on that topic. When it comes to purchasing the tools or sup-
plies necessary to complete that project (or a related project), he thinks of you and
buys what you’re selling. Or, if he’s watching your video to learn how to use your
product, he feels that he made a good purchasing decision; it reinforces the decision
he made, and helps him get more value or enjoyment out of your product.
What Kinds of How-To Videos Should You Produce?
Although most how-to videos follow the same basic format (do this first, do this
second, do this third), there are a few different types of instructional videos you can
choose to produce. The first type is more product-focused, and the second is more
generic.
Product Instruction Videos
The first type of how-to video shows customers how to install, configure, or use
your products. This can be a good approach, especially if you have an item that’s
somehow difficult to use.
For example, if you sell aquarium supplies, you might produce a video showing
people how to install one of your products. This is what you see in Figure 4.1,
where the folks from Fluval (www.youtube.com/user/fluvalblog/) show how to
