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greenoak
02-02-2009, 05:30 AM
how would middle aged homeowners use utube or myspace? i can hardly believe that they even go there...
..but am i missing a marketplace? can you show me a business for adults who uses it well?
ann

Patrysha
02-02-2009, 09:14 AM
MySpace not so much...I hate that place and prefer FaceBook.

On YouTube...my husband likes to watch music videos, do it yourself videos, clips from old hockey games.

I tend to use it for tutorials, and the humor and inspirational clips that others have sent me via email or facebook and watching the animations and videos my sons and their friends put up there.

I've used it for putting up videos for some of my clients and am actually working on getting a series up for two of my clients this week.

greenoak
02-02-2009, 09:26 AM
thats kind of what i thought...mainly fun or hobbies..not buying their furniture...which is what i sell...

.. what angle are your clients going for?
ann

Patrysha
02-02-2009, 09:56 AM
For my clients they are traffic and awareness generators (much like articles are...they don't make the sale they start and build relationships) plus they help with search engine rankings.

KristineS
02-02-2009, 12:53 PM
Myspace I don't think you'll find a lot of middle aged people there. The company that owns the site tries to make it sound that way, but I'm guessing your audience might not be there much.

You Tube is a whole different animal. You could do furniture restoration how to videos, or videos on how to tell when something is an antique, or decorating or furniture care, or any number of things. Particularly in today's economy there are a lot of people looking for DIY advice. You could create a nice niche for yourself and get your name out there and you would be talking to a lot of your potential customers.

Home decor and DIY decorating are big topics. I bet you could create some really cool stuff.

Business Attorney
02-02-2009, 01:38 PM
I second (or third) what RadioGirl and KristineS said. I have never used MySpace but I have gone to YouTube many times. A few times I have gone directly to YouTube to look for something specific, but most of the time it is because a relevant video was among the search results in a Google search. For example, if I am looking for a "how to" guide and see a short video on the topic, I will often take a look at the video.

rezzy
02-02-2009, 02:49 PM
I also use it for product reviews. I allows me to see people actually using a product, which can help when its something I would like see during its use.

To be a more informed consumer. I think everyone watches youtube for any number of things. Some people even post their resumes up there.

jem
02-02-2009, 03:12 PM
Would agree with the comments on making a youtube video on DIY restoration, or how to spot a fake antique etc etc very powerful.

In terms of other social sites I would recommend facebook for your demographic

As of June last year the 35-54 yr old (middle aged I am guessing) is exploding at an annual rate of 172% growth (these are the last stats I could find after a quick look)

This echoes my personal experience. My next door neighbor (mother of 3, affluent suburban soccer mom) is an avid facebook user, similarly my wife and her social circle.

Would be willing to bet there are antique groups on facebook you could join (if not start your own!)...given you sell online that would open a new channel.

Also many other routes eg a squidoo "Antique" lens, some article marketing, join antique forums etc etc

Just my thoughts.
Simon

KristineS
02-02-2009, 03:57 PM
Facebook might be a good spot for you, Ann. I have a Facebook account and a lot of my friends and family, predominately female do too. I still think You Tube could probably generate more interest in what you're selling, but Facebook could help you network.

Dan Furman
02-02-2009, 04:25 PM
Look at it this way - YouTube is offering you the opportunity to make your own channel and put your own commercials on there. Why not use that (especially for your business, where the visual is so important.)

Most businesspeople look at these things (you tube, facebook, etc) and say "well, why should I be there? Who would look for me there?"

To me, in many cases, that's the wrong way to look at it. The focus need not be on people/strangers finding you - the whole other way to look at these things (youtube/facebook/even your own website) is as an extension to your own marketing.

Do you have an e-mail list? Why not make a few videos promoting your stuff and send the link to your e-mail list ("hey, check out our youtube channel!") Put a link on your website to your you tube channel ("click here to see videos of the new stuff!")

In other words, use the tools they offer to your advantage, and point people there.

greenoak
02-02-2009, 05:28 PM
thanks alot...i guess i need to really look at utube....and then see if anyone here would be able to do it....
the things you mentioned seem really logical... i have even looked on there once to see how to do something...ive ever really expored it except for music videos.........i could put my paint recipe on...
it looks clearer now.
an

dynocat
02-02-2009, 06:44 PM
I'm past middle age and just to give you an idea, here are a couple videos I found through searching on Google:

How to fillet a walleye pike - for my grandson who laughed at me when I said I'd find out on the internet :)

How to measure, cut and put up vinyl siding

How to replace a small section of carpet torn away (cats at work)

For our business, we are planning a few videos to show our products in action. All it takes is time and I'm not sure where that goes, but there's never enough of it. :)

I would think furniture care, repair and finishing or refinishing would be perfect on YouTube.

Good luck and have fun making videos.

Harold Mansfield
02-06-2009, 03:13 PM
I have to agree with the others Ann. The only way the you are going to get some real use from You Tube is to create something of value....a "How To", Design, Shopping Tips (Antiques), Fraud prevention (Buying fakes) , Garage Sale Jewels, Etc.

Just H
02-11-2009, 10:56 AM
Ann, I totally agree that you could find lots of good things to put on YouTube. I guess I'm in the same age group as most of the responders here - I don't use MySpace or Facebook but have gone to YouTube to see how to do some minor repairs, indoor projects and just general demonstrations.

I think anyone who knows how to use a videocamera and has a basic video editing program can produce one. I've noticed on some that lighting is very important to pay attention to (iVillage did one on re-grouting bathroom tile and the light was coming in the window so the whole screen was very dark and it looked SO poorly done) and making sure the sound is clear w/o a lot of background noise.

I use Vegas Movie Studio Platinum which was about $120 program if i remember right and offers a lot of editing options, ability to add text and captions, cut out bad parts and splice together. I know there are quite a few similar programs for about the same price so someone who's dabbled in this a fair amount would probably be able to come up with a decent video if you put together the content well and collaborate with them on the shots.

I'd also recommend keeping it to about 5 minutes or under if possible. I don't know the exact statistics on attention span for these and the content itself will direct on how long it needs to be but try to cut out the unneccessary stuff that will cause your watcher to lose interest. And always, make sure your website, geographic location (if you're wanting to bring people to the physical store) and contact info are visible and easy to utilize.