Learn, shoot & share: blazing new trails for video creators and YouTube fans.
E. KANDILARI, M. LOGKARI, M. SINOU, H. BAKAS, Z. SKENTOS
There is no doubt that video has become one of the most popular digital activities in the world. Numbers don’t lie. Video rules. And YouTube rules too. According to Hootsuite’s 2020 report, YouTube has now more than 2bn. logged-in monthly users. Moreover, PEW Research Center’s study reveals that 73% of adults in the U.S. use YouTube. That’s more than Facebook (69%) and it’s almost twice as much as Instagram (37%). And, as Statista reports, the younger the audience is, the more they watch: 81% of 15–25 year-olds in the U.S. use YouTube.
But it’s not only those who watch videos. It’s also those who make and upload videos. According to Statista, αs of May 2019, more than 500 hours of video were uploaded to YouTube every minute. This equates to approximately 30,000 hours of newly uploaded content per hour’. That’s genuinely impressive. And so is the phenomenon of youtubers and vloggers. Since ‘video killed the radio star’, YouTube became the vehicle of choice, for a new breed of video stars and wannabes, who engage regularly with smaller or bigger audiences, presenting — or aspiring to present — their ‘truth’ to the masses. Although not a profession per se, a lot of people consider the creation of a show at YouTube, as an attractive way to become famous and make a good living. As a matter of fact, in some cases, reality exceeds even the most optimistic expectations. According to Forbes, the top-10 most popular vloggers & youtubers earn more than $10 m. a year each. On top of the relevant list we find the 8-year old Ryan, with more than 17m. followers. Through his unboxing videos, Ryan managed to earn $22 m. in 2018!
Even though motivation for making and uploading new videos can differ — personal or artistic expression, money, fame or other — it’s obvious that a new generation of video creators is on the rise. Watching a lot of videos ourselves, and reading many articles about YouTube, we noticed that, quite often, both people who watch videos on YouTube and video creators are in pain. The former would like to be able and meet with their favorite vloggers, and many of them want to learn the secrets of creating their own, successful show on YouTube. The latter would like to improve their knowledge and skills, so that they can create better, more engaging videos and shows.
Searching online for ways to address such challenges, we soon realized that relevant content, offered in a structured way, is scarce. In order to improve their video-related skills, interested users rely mainly on tutorial videos (often of low quality), coming from many different sources. There are very few platforms offering online, relevant courses or other content, with Skill Share being the most successful one. One more case, the Tubers, based in Exeter, UK, is a video-related training hub, but it focuses on in-person workshops rather than online courses. Finally, another thing we understood through this quest, is that fans have no easy way to get in touch with their favorite youtubers. As a group of post graduate students at Panteion University in Athens, working on a project for the ‘Entrepreneurship in Media’ course, we decided to further research these users’ pains, in order to come up with an idea for a startup that would be able to offer a desirable, feasible and viable solution to the above mentioned challenges.
We set off our research by interviewing, face to face, 5 persons from different backgrounds: Two YouTube die-hard (high school students, a girl and a boy, 13 & 17 years old respectively), two parents of kids aged 12–18 years old (a father & a mother at their late-40’s) and one male adult, vlogger wannabe, 23 years old. This is what we found:
Teens are spending several hours online, mainly through their mobile phone. Beyond using social apps like Instagram, they particularly like to watch videos on YouTube.
They share opinions & comments with other fans and tend to be sentimentally bonded to specific vloggers and influencers. The older teen that we interviewed wants to learn more about making better videos but doesn’t want to waste time on browsing several sources of video production-related content. The younger teen argued that there’s not a real need for a systematic training on video production but would definitely like to get relevant tips on video if her favorite you-tubers would produce some. Even more, she would love to take part at a meet & greet session with some of her idols. Both teenagers would like to be able and host their own show on YouTube in the future.
Parents are also spending a lot of time online. They believe that teens are more digital savvy than them and that digital literacy and skills are useful for their children’s future. On the negative side, they are deeply concerned about safety issues and worry a lot about the excessive time their children spend online. Parents also want to boost their children’s self-confidence and to motivate them to be creative and independent.
Finally, the adult that we interviewed, spends more than 4 hours a day online, checking social media and watching a lot of videos. He wants to start his own YouTube show and make a living out of it. So, he wants to learn more, from the pros. Not only about video production, but also about ways to promote his show and engage with a bigger audience. He also needs advice on getting the proper equipment and necessary apps at a low cost.
Beyond the 3 categories of potential B2C customers mentioned above (teens 12–17 years old, parents & young adults 18–30 years old), it is essential that further research is done regarding the opportunities linked to the needs of B2B customers, such as advertisers, media publishers, ad creators, ad agencies and vloggers & you tubers.
Our initial research — both online and through the interviews — led us to the conclusion that a new digital platform that will cover basic needs of video lovers, would be most welcomed by YouTube fans and youtubers alike. So, this is how our “School of Tubers” was born.
School of Tubers is a virtual school for video shooters and happy vloggers offering a seamless experience on both the digital and the physical world. Its mission is to help a new generation of video creators to express, share & shine. School of Tubers is promoting creativity and digital literacy. It is adding value by helping youtubers create cool videos and shows in an easy, safe & fun way.
Key activities include video tutorials, tubers-friendly events, workshops and B2B content creation. The activities are divided in two sections: one for teenagers (“School Tubers”) and one for adults (“Pro Tubers”):
· School Of Tubers TV: The school’s channel on YouTube. It offers a series of short video courses / tutorials for making better videos and shows. Courses include camera handling, lighting, video, audio and video editing, live streaming, safety and more. Students develop digital skills, learn about internet safety and are entertained.
· SchoolOfTubers.com: The school’s web site, offering information on school activities, fun exams for obtaining a tubers’ diploma and exclusive content and privileges for members.
· Tube Shop: The school’s online store at www.SchoolOfTubers.com, offering merchandising, selected equipment and online experts’ suggestions.
· Tube Fest: Concerts, lectures, games, videos and meet & greets. Teens have the opportunity to have fun and get to know their favorite vloggers.
· Holiday Camps: Hands-on training in workshops during school holidays.
· School Tube Lab: Hands-on training in workshops organized within schools.
· Tubers App: Mobile courses, information on the world of vloggers, entertainment, games and contests.
· Pro Tubers Workshops: Hands-on education for adults, in video & show production, and digital marketing techniques.
· B2B Tubers: Creating videos & thematic shows for advertisers, ad agencies, publishers, media etc.
Key partners include a media group that can both promote the platform and undertake the production of the tutorial videos inhouse, an events company, a safety-related institute, an educational institution and, ideally, YouTube itself.
Attracting, converting and retaining customers will be done mainly through digital channels — especially through collaborations with popular online influencers / vloggers / youtubers and through paid and organic activities at the top 3 popular social media platforms — YouTube & Instagram for teens and Facebook & Instagram for parents.
B2B solutions will be promoted through industry press, LinkedIn and marketing-related events. Key recourses include experts on coding, IT, video production, marketing and customer relationships. Key revenue streams include memberships, sponsorships, events, workshops, e-shop sales, gift cards, revenue from the creation of B2B content, and YouTube revenue share. Due to its educational nature, we will also elaborate on numerous funding opportunities that are available.
The School of Tubers is ready to open new horizons for video creators. Further research is due, to be followed by a beta version of the platform. Until then, our call to action is crispy clear: Learn, Shoot & Share.
ΜΕΕΤ ΤΗΕ ΤΕAM
Evakadillari, Magda Logkari, Mariasi, harry bakas, Zisis Skentos.
