YouTube, the irreplaceable time waster. It sucks you in with amazing videos of cats doing ridiculous things, a kid getting into crazy shenanigans with his skateboard and people with their own shows that receive more views than Jimmy Falon’s nightly show. This is the first of a series of posts about using YouTube to its fullest. In the world of Motorsports, general business or just someone wanting to create a name for themselves, there are many ways to utilize the site. In these next few posts you will gain a better understanding of how to use it to you and your company’s benefit. What most people forget is that YouTube can make you a bright shiny STAR — people like the hilarious Philip DeFranco, the annoying Fred (who actually has done movies and guest appearances on TV) and the Shaytards all get paid by YouTube to make their shows. YouTube is much more than it seems and is the second most-searched site after Google. Keep all these things in mind as you read this post.
You’re probably wondering, “What does this have to do with me?” Let’s be honest, motorsports is one of the most entertaining sports there is. The riders/drivers are more than just someone who can win — they are the whole package. If you win, great — but these days that’s not enough. You also need to have a big personality and be great in front of a camera. As with anything, practice makes perfect, and that’s how you came to be the amazing athlete that you are, correct? That principle applies to more than just honing your driving skill, and YouTube is the perfect place to hone your skill of being in front of the camera. This is where your brand comes into play — yes, your brand. Throughout your motorsports career, your brand must be consistent. This is why developing a brand that defines you is so very important. For example: If your brand portrays you as a very outgoing, hardcore kind of person, then you don’t want to be timid on camera. You want to practice until you’re comfortable in front of the camera and are able to be yourself. Be your brand.
Consider Ken Block with his Monster Energy, DC Shoes Ford Festiva. He is a fantastic example because of his wildly popular Gymkhana videos that have taken the Internet by storm! The videos (#2-#4) have been viewed a total of 64,425,160 times. That’s almost 65 million views! People who aren’t even a fan of motorsports know these videos. He is a perfect example of taking a brand and using YouTube to make it even more successful. If you aren’t aware, Block is the owner of DC Shoes and uses the videos for clever and sometimes blatant product placement. Below is his latest version. If you aren’t familiar with Block, just notice how he uses the video to showcase his new products and how he is playing to the cameras with his driving techniques.
Now, it’s very clear that these videos are professionally shot and edited. You can see the marks on the pavement as evidence that this was definitely rehearsed and was not done in one take. I don’t expect anyone out there to be able to do a video of this caliber unless you have a ton of cash lying around. You can, however, take a page or two out of Block’s book and use it to your advantage. Start by grabbing a nice handheld camera, or, if your phone has a good camera, it will work, too. Obviously, the handhelds and your phone will only work for footage of you outside the car. The other shots in these videos are obviously using a camera mounted to the car such as a GoPro. When you start your YouTube adventure, you want to make sure you share it with your friends and fans by posting it on your website and social media outlets.
Be sure to check out my next post where we will delve deeper into what to work on when you first start your YouTube channel.
Cheers!