The ways of text-based blogging are slowly becoming ancient and the era of video blogging is upon us.  Video content is easy to create and online video websites, such as YouTube, make it simple to upload and share content.  But, like most social media practices, it’s not always that easy.  There are a lot of things that can (and should) be done to maximize the views, comments, and “share factor” of your videos.  So, what are they?

1.  Create a channel.

YouTube channels allow a user to have a dedicated place to upload their videos and to easily share them with others.  When someone accesses your channel, instead of just seeing one video, they will be able to see all of the videos you have uploaded in an easy-to-use format.  A YouTube channel is a great way to organize your content and distribute it in a simple manner.

2.  Keep the same format.

When you’re editing your video, make sure to keep the same general format as other videos.  If you have a title appear in your first video, have a title in your other videos.  If you always have credits at the end, keep the credits constant.  Viewers don’t like change when it comes to the organizational qualities of videos.  They want to be able to recognize your content within the first 10 or 20 seconds of your clip.  (You want this too!)  If you change how your videos are edited, you’ll be throwing off your viewers.

3.  Respond to comments.

It’s highly probable that video watchers will comment on your content.  When they do, make sure that you respond to engage them in conversation.  Remember, as humans, we crave conversation and connection.  If you can provide those two things to someone video YouTube, they’ll think you’re the greatest – and they’ll keep coming back for more.  It’s about creating communities, not about individuals.

The only instance you wouldn’t want to respond back to someone is if they’re comment is rude or inappropriate.  If this is the case, be sure to flag their comment as spam or report them to the YouTube police.

4.  Tag appropriately.

When you upload a video, you have the ability to tag, or label, your content with keywords.  As you tag your content, you want to ensure you’re tagging accurately with terms that people might search.  If you’re video is about dogs, don’t tag “dog eats a dead rabbit in the park.”  Chances are that very few people will be searching solely for that.  Instead, tag with “dogs” and “dog eating.”  The more general, the better.  Also, if you have a YouTube channel, make sure to tag your channel name in case people search for your content that way.

5.  Encourage contact.

Most people take a hands-off approach when it comes to their YouTube accounts.  No comments, no messages, just content.  That’s fine and dandy but it won’t get you anywhere.  If you’d like to continue building a community, encourage your viewers to contact you with suggestions, questions, or compliments.  When viewers see that someone is encouraging contact, they will be more likely to leave it.  Be sure to check you account often if you’re encouraging contact because you don’t want to only log in once a month and have 80 new messages you need to handle.

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by bop

In the first two parts of this series, we discussed growing your tribe through knowing and believing.  If you don’t know yourself, your potential tribe, and the goals of the tribe, you won’t have a solid foundation for a productive and active community of followers.  Believing in yourself and in your tribe is essential – without belief, no one will trust you or become a part of your tribe.

The next step to growing your tribe is to build a community.  A community is not just a band of believers or people with a common trait; it is an inspired group of people willing to spread your message without hesitation.  One you have built your community, your tribe will take shape and will begin to grow.

There are three action steps for building your community – establish a medium of interaction, connect, and get out of the way.

Your Medium of Interaction

Before you can establish your tribe, you need to decide the primary method of communication between tribe members.  If you do not have a predetermined method of communication, your tribe will not be able to function as a community.

With the advancement of technology, it’s fairly easy to say that you’ll use the Internet as your medium of interaction.  Before you slate the Internet as your definite source of communication, ask yourself the following questions:

• What aspect of the Internet will my tribe use?  Social networking websites?  Blogs?  Forums?  Email distribution lists?
• Is the Internet really the best form of communication for my tribe?  Is my tribe localized enough to meet in person?  Would conference calls be sufficient for tribe members?

Connect

Connecting is one of the most rewarding aspects about being part of a tribe.  Connection allows for the tribe to freely interact with one another and serve as a role model for people interested in your tribe or becoming a part of another tribe.  Connect with your tribe.  Allow for members to connect with one another.  It’s a staple of your movement.

Get Out of the Way

Out of the three parts of building a community, you’d probably say that this step is the least necessary or the one that doesn’t matter.  Contrary to popular belief, stepping back from your tribe is a very important step in the community building process.

Imagine this: your boss assigns you to a new project.  She tells you to assemble a team of five co-workers and begin immediately.  You assemble your team and begin to work.  Although you’re keeping her informed and asking questions when necessary, she always comes to you and checks in on the status of the project.  She makes sure you’re using the right resources, typing the right information, and meeting deadlines.  You can’t get any work done without her being over your shoulder.

See what it’s like when you don’t step back from your tribe?  You smother your followers, restricting communication and lowering trust.  You actually slow progress when you don’t know when to back off.

This step isn’t a free pass to forget your tribe.  That isn’t the case at all.  There is a fine line between stepping back and walking away.  When you get out of the way of your tribe, you are entrusting them to take initiative and will help along the way if necessary.  Walking away signifies that you don’t want to lead your tribe any longer.

Stepping back builds the character of your tribe members and leads to a stronger community.  When you micromanage and constantly bombard your tribe, you hurt their movement.  As Godin states, “Deciding to lead, not manage, is the critical choice.” (pg. 52)

Building a community allows for you to meet the needs of your followers and enables them to grow inside and outside of the tribe.  Building a strong community will this show that you are a great leader and it will inspire you to continue expand your community.  Remember, the size of your community doesn’t matter; it is the connection that counts.

When building your community of followers, keep in mind what really matters: “Growing a tribe of committed, talented people who are spreading a message of empowerment, respect, and growth.” (pg. 26)

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Eric Alpin is the Associate Editor of Folk Media and works for a telecommunications company in Baltimore, Md. He is a social media enthusiast, blogger, writer, and student with a passion for leadership and self-development strategies and techniques. Find out more about Eric on Twitter.

*Photo by

Jesus Christ is like no other figure in human history. His life made its mark on every aspect of our modern lives. Today we celebrate his birthday.

Although there is NO way I could even begin to compare your social media strategies and efforts to the son of God,  I am going to draw a few simple parallels.

Think about them.

Start Small

You will most likely start your social media with humble beginnings. You might have started a blog with a few readers, your Twitter followers are most likely in the double digits and you don’t have anyone on your email list. But it is the act of starting that can change your business in big ways.

Jesus was born in a humble setting. He was literally born in a barn since there were no hotel rooms available in Bethlehem. He didn’t come into the world with pretense or formal announcement.

Build Community

As you begin to build your social media presence you will begin to understand the importance of community. It is your community (blog readers, Twitter followers, commenters, LinkedIn connections, etc) that will build your long-term value.

Jesus understood the importance of community. He spent almost every waking moment with his twelve disciples. He also spent time attending dinners with tax collectors and sinners. Jesus would hang out with the average simple folks. He knew that community was to the work he was doing.

Use Stories

Your social media comes to life when you tell stories. Tell stories in your blog posts. Tell stories in your videos. Link to stories in your Twitter and Facebook updates. Stories will connect with you audience like nothing else.

Jesus gave out the words of life through his stories. He spent his time teaching by telling simple stories to illustrate his spiritual points. He talked about the Good Samaritan and about the Kingdom of Heaven. His audiences were spellbound and interested because of his storytelling.

Give of yourself

As you embark on this journey of using social media for your business this year, consider finding ways to give of yourself without expecting anything in return. Comment on other blogs, help connect other professionals to each other on LinkedIn and take time to personally connect with people. Use these social media tools, not only for business, but also for friendship.

Jesus sets an example of giving of oneself like no other. By offering his life for us, he was able to be the link between a holy and perfect God and fallen flawed humans. For this I am personally thankful.

Merry Christmas.

~ Joel Mark Witt

*Photo By Patrick Q