strategic use of youtube in science centers

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Strategic Use of YouTube

Exploring the Internet

Marketing Tool to

Enhance COSI’s Mission

ASTC – October 13, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/cosiscience

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Tell’em what you’re gonna tell’em

• Channel View & Stats

• 4 reasons why COSI has a YouTube Channel

• Challenges & Maintenance

• Plans for the Future

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Channel View & StatsNov. 7, 2006

Join Date

As of 10-9-07

33 Videos

26 Subscribers

41,416 Video Views

1,476 Channel Views

$0 Cost except my free time

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1. Enhance Own Website

• Saves COSI Time & Money– Video player already built

• Scalable & familiar design• Flash-based plug-in

– Functional in other systems• Blogs, wiki’s, mashups

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Sample Video of COSI Program

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Enhances Exhibit Content

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Exhibit Preview Video

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Movie Trailer

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1. Enhance Own Website

• Saves server hard drive space– Hosted on YouTube’s server

• Relieves network bandwidth

• Catalogues video details

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2. Expand Internet Marketing

• Embedding increases visibility– Encourages placement on other

sites/blogs

• Simple click stats – Show number of views

– Show where video is embedded

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You Can See Where the Video Is

19,141 total views

1,592 views from COSI movie page showing trailer

113 from foreign movie review site

47 from Pacific Science Center

25 from COSI’s Press Room

5 from Dutch Dinosaur News Blog

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2. Expand Internet Marketing

• COSI URL listed on every video

• Title, Keywords, Categories– Consistent use of same words

– Topic link to video content

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Marketing Video Inside YouTube

COSI URL

Keywords

Category

Always use:

COSI, science, center, Columbus, Ohio

Links to other videos with same keywords

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3. Connect with COSI Visitors

• Visitors post videos of their experiences at COSI– Centralizing them by

“favoriting” on COSI’s Channel

• COSI Fans post videos of COSI in other places

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Favorited Videos – All COSI Related

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Video Response from COSI Fan

COSI made an appearance at the Columbus Zoo performing a weather demonstration

COSI Fan responded to recent video post with his own video of COSI’s presentation

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3. Connect with COSI Visitors

• Comments allow for dialogue and questions

• Comments stimulate interactions and motivations to visit physical COSI

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Comments on COSI Pendulum Video

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Admin View of Comments

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4. Connect with Peer Organizations

• We’re here!– YouTube’s messaging system

• Groups are created– ASTC Group

• Local organizations

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COSI Subscribed on PacSci

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Challenges & Maintenance

• Change in cultural mindset

• Shooting/uploading new video

• Monitoring spam

• Keywords connect video to other inappropriate videos– e.g. Bob the Builder

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Challenges & Maintenance

• Video Piracy– www.savetube.com ~ in beta

– http://vixy.net ~ in beta

• Continue educational and promotional feel of current plan

• YouTube tool inclusion in larger plan

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Plans for the Future

• Fit into COSI Community– Part of a larger initiative

– Part of formal marketing plan

• New Non-Profit Program– youtube.com/nonprofits

– non-profit designation, promotion, capacity, donation options

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Future - Feature COSI Videos

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Plans for the Future

• Science Demos to YT audience

• Additional YouTube channels– Focuses distribution – player tool

– COSI On Wheels

– Behind-the-scenes

• Keep Experimenting

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Tell’em what you told’em

Four Strategic Reasons– Enhance own website

– Expand Internet Marketing

– Connect with COSI Visitors

– Connect with Peer Organizations

ASTC – October 13, 2007

http://www.youtube.com/cosiscience