When my nephew was getting married in Las Vegas, there was a picture of him and my sister watching a YouTube video on how to tie a tie. It was fun to see them hovering over someone’s phone with Sam’s untied tie, watching the video a couple times, SUCCESS! Thanks to my other sister (aka the Paparazzi) for capturing the moments.
I have brushed up on a few skills by watching YouTube learning videos. I also recommend businesses to use YouTube in their internet marketing campaigns. The internet is a very giving place. Sharing and being a part of something makes the internet very valuable and social. Hence the name social networks or social media.
So here are a few ideas for using YouTube Videos:
YouTube in the classroom. Watch a video to start a discussion about the topic the class will be studying. Of course, watch the video first to make sure it’s age appropriate.
Listen to Music on YouTube. There are many apps that will allow you to listen to music on YouTube. Or simply go to YouTube, type in your favorite band, click the top track and the rest will play randomly. Free legal music on your computer!
Watch Music Videos. In addition to free music, many bands add their music videos to YouTube. Another fun way to listen to music.
Sports Highlights. I remember everyone talking about Michael Jordan’s flying shot in the Bull’s hey-day. I can watch this over and over on YouTube. Did you miss an Olympic highlight? Watch it on YouTube.
Be a Better Athlete. Do you want tips on being a better shot from the foul line? How about a better golf swing? YouTube is your best bet for instructional videos.
10 Minute Fitness. If you wanted to do a quick workout in your office during lunch, why not search for a good yoga video. My search for “yoga for relaxation” fetched 1,040,000 results.
How to Videos. Whether it’s learning to tie a tie, training your dog, or updating your WordPress website, YouTube is your resource for instructional videos.
Need some Inspiration? How about watching Tony Robbins, Joyce Meyer or TEDxTalks. All of them have a YouTube channel with many free videos. You will feel better. Trust me!
Show off your Talent. Justin Bieber got started on YouTube. Does he really have talent? No, but he knows how to use social media to his advantage. Show off your talents and get discovered, or at least get attention. Create the “How To” videos we desperately need. All you need is a digital camera or phone to record your videos. YouTube is free so have fun! Enabling ads on your video can get you a little extra cash too.
Time Waster. Everyone needs a little downtime. YouTube can definitely help you with that. Go to YouTube.com and type in “Cat in a Shark Suit” or “Ultimate Dog Tease” to have a nice smile.
The internet is not a scary place. It can be fun and informative. We no longer have to walk the two miles to the library to find out what we need to know, fact check or get some downtime. It’s right at our fingertips.