Quick: when you hear the word “website,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Google? Facebook? Twitter?
How about YouTube?
According to Technorati, YouTube is the online site consumers use most, beating out other popular social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and yes, Google+ (maybe that part isn’t as surprising). Nearly 80% of the participants in Technorati’s study reported that they use YouTube, and the video site was also named the fourth most trusted source of information on the web.

Are you surprised? We were – at first. If nothing else, the study at least proves that having a YouTube presence is key if you’re hoping to reach online consumers. However, having a YouTube presence is a bit more complicated than being on a social network like Facebook or Twitter, where it’s easy to share links and photos with the simple click of a mouse. If you’re not producing videos, what’s the point of being on YouTube?
That’s precisely what certain brand managers may need to start evaluating: should brands be working videos into their budgets? Depending on your brand, the answer to that question should probably be “yes.”
Think about it – even brands that don’t quite exist in a physical form yet (i.e. potential products seeking out funding on crowdfunding platforms like Christie Street and Kickstarter) often create videos to better explain their purpose. People love videos – it eliminates the need to read AND gives you a visual rendering of what you can expect. It’s no wonder YouTube is one of the most used sites by consumers; it’s the closest we can get to seeing the real thing.
 
There is a lesson to be learned here: if your brand wants to reach online consumers, its online presence needs to extend beyond Facebook and Twitter. YouTube gives brands the ability to demonstrate what they represent with visual cues, sound and more. As the saying goes, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Cue YouTube.