#sandboxproject

The Sandbox Project (SBP) is a national charity with a mandate to bring together leading researchers, government bodies, charities, and thought leaders in the healthcare industry to improve child and youth healthcare in Canada in the coming years. It is a small government affiliated charity that works to research, educate and implement change in children and youth health care in Canada within the next decade. Founded by Dr. Leitch, SBP fostered their digital presence to be a resource and spread awareness to make Canada the healthiest place on earth. Our goal is to foster SBP’s social media presence to bring awareness to the need for improved child and youth healthcare policies within Canada.  After analyzing the competition as well as their existing practices, it is in their best interest to adjust their social media strategy by incorporating a few more social media platforms.  When developing strategy, the type of organization and their goals play a huge influence in the selection. There are tons of social media platforms one can adopt however; only few have the ability to transform their digital presence.  First we must understand the need by assessing the client in question.

The organization’s corporate community provides support that amplifies their impact. They’ve done much to affect the industry but now the organization must reach the general population in order to make change on the community at an individual level. This is the point where an organization utilizes tools like social media to spread awareness and build an audience. Many of the big names in social media are often utilized – like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. But few recognize YouTube as a social media platform with great power. YouTube is a video sharing website designed for people to “connect, inform and inspire others across the globe.” YouTube acts as  a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small.  It is a great platform for the Sandbox Project and other charities seeking to share information and implement change through education. Most importantly, YouTube is a tool that is great for building audiences.

 YouTube offers a genuine interaction and builds a relationship with your audience.

One of the best ways to create a relationship with your audience in the digital sphere is to put a face to the name.  Users want to feel connected to the material, especially since users are choosy about what they share on their own feeds.  Whether you’re the founder, or simply the head of PR, it is important that audiences feel like they are getting to know a person and not simply a brand. As the producer of the material, the organization must ensure they produce content and not ads. Think about the why and how of shares. According to research, comments and likes are better indicators of engagement than views. Also, use YouTube as a tool to push people to your website. Always include a link to the website in the beginning of the video description and in the “about” section. Parallel content releases on the website with YouTube. The platform is ideal and often yields more successful results when producers collaborate with the YouTube community. Collaborating with already established creators will broaden the reach, and audience attracting new subscriptions.

 Remember,

Everyone starts at zero, SO, remember to engage with the followers you have while trying to gain exposure. Utilize paid views because this optimizes the search engine optimization (SEO). Leverage YouTube videos for SEO. YouTube is the second largest search engine next to Google. Embed YouTube content in other textual areas of your websites like blogs. Use programs like Google Adwords starting with something geared towards the YouTube community (i.e. how-to videos). Remember that the first 5 seconds of a video are key for engagement. One of the most difficult aspects of the platform is how long it takes to engage viewers and build and audience.  Always call to action and give incentive for participation. It will be useful to cross promote the content and the channel on the other platforms.

 Leverage the new One-Channel Responsive design.

Since its establishment, the technical environment of YouTube has evolved giving users more creative freedom with their content. For the users who are creating, the growing YouTube community has raised the standard of content produced. Viewers are attracted to more aesthetically pleasing pages. The most successful channels have produced a standard in design of channel pages and content quality. This means new users should remember the following: ensure consistent branding across all platforms. For the channel, create a quality header that represents your organization; create a channel trailer for non-subscribers and customize work with an icon.  In regards to content quality, the basic videography and photography principles will apply. Quality audio and video, creative presentation and a sense of professionalism is consistent across all successful channels.  

 Don’t Forget -

Measurement is key! Use built in analytics to track views and engagement.  It will give you more specific patterns that will guide your interpretation of the behavior of your viewership.  FYI, the usage on smartphones and desktops are similar almost 24/7.

YouTube harnesses the power to engage users with branded content. Brands are seeing more and more success when they get involved with the content produced to communicate brand messages. Overall it is a great asset, often overlooked but it just may be the key Sandbox Project needs to elevate their digital presence.

 Resources

 https://www.youtube.com/yt/about/

https://blog.udemy.com/youtube-for-business/

https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-social-media/youtube-pinterest