What makes YouTube different from every other platform, and why creators drive real purchase intent.
Out of all of the social media platforms available today, I personally spend the most time on YouTube. YouTube has evolved into a platform that competes with cable television and streaming services from a video focused social network. The company is owned by Google and is not marketed normally compared to most other platforms. It has been around since 2005, so it has become a household name for an entertainment option. SEO is also a driving factor for its audience since it is the first option when googling a video related topic, not to mention the video tab on Google being majority YouTube links. Over the years, I personally have found certain content creators that I watch regularly because of the niche that they are in, which is usually comedy or gaming related. This is what makes YouTube different from other platforms. The content creators that are on the platform can range from actual entertainers to those who started their careers on the platform and put out consistent content on their own as if they are working for a big television network. This makes the connection to the audience much more personalized because of how relatable these real people are.
With that being said, the company has become sort of a landing point for many companies and creators. Posting their main content in full on YouTube with snippets or clips on other platforms to draw in more attention from the target audience. I can say that I have responded positively to the marketing implications of YouTube. I, as a gamer, watch many likeminded people review, discuss, or play games and YouTube has become one of the top video game streaming platforms in past couple years. Mainstreaming that type of content has made me use the platform more than ever because of the collaborations and partnerships with people I already knew from the platform was very influential. If someone I watch has an ad on their video or done in the video, there is a higher chance that I click on it because of the relationship built with the creator.