06 Tools BandPage and Spotify 07-08 Campaigns Drake/Lil Wayne, astronomyy, Steve Aoki, Deutsche Grammophon 09-12 Behind The Campaign Paul McCartney AUGUST 27 2014 sandboxMUSIC MARKETING FOR THE DIGITAL ERA ISSUE 115 THE OTHER YOUTUBE what music can learn from gaming, fashion, food, comedy and more COVERFEATURE here can be little doubt that music and YouTube are a winning mix: all Tthree of the most watched videos on the platform are music promos, led by Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ with 2.1bn views, and YouTube has arguably become the biggest platform for global music consumption. But if you examine YouTube using slightly different criteria then a new picture emerges, with the world’s biggest musical stars lagging behind chirpy 20-something Swedes (PewDiePie), wide- eyed Chilean comedians (HolaSoyGerman) and bacon-obsessed Canadian cooks (Epic Meal Time) in terms of subscriber numbers to their channels. In fact, there are no musicians among YouTube’s top five channels by subscribers, with Rihanna’s Vevo channel coming in at #6 with 14.3m – under half of PewDiePie’s 29.4m. With this in mind, we looked at five leading YouTube channels from worlds other than music to see how they have achieved their success and what musicians can learn from them, all with added comments from Patrick Walker, chief commercial officer of Rightster, the UK B2B video network and MCN. PewDiePie (gaming) – THE OTHER YOUTUBE: youtube.com/user/ what music can learn from gaming, fashion, food, comedy and more PewDiePie PewDiePie (aka 24-year-old Swede, Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg) is nothing less than Individual music videos might dominate on YouTube but when it comes to channels it limps far an online sensation, having held the title behind others, particularly those set up and run by digital natives. Here we look at the biggest of most-subscribed-to YouTube channel YouTube channels across gaming, comedy, food and fashion to understand what they do, how almost uninterrupted for a year. So how does he do it? “Little Kids + they do it and where the music business can learn valuable lessons for its future Immaturity + Stupid Jokes + Screaming 2 | sandbox | ISSUE 115 | 27.08.14 COVERFEATURE such, but there are thousands of YouTube HolaSoyGerman (comedy) singing stars who are. – youtube.com/user/ HolaSoyGerman TOP TIP: produce more and longer videos for YouTube. While PewDiePie may not be particularly well known within the music industry, SEE ALSO: Captain Sparklez – most people have at least heard of him. youtube.com/user/CaptainSparklez The same probably cannot be said for Chilean YouTube comedian Germán Walker’S ADVICE FOR MUSICIANS ON Garmendia, whose HolaSoyGerman YOUTUBE #1: “[YouTube creators should] (“Hello, I’m Germán”) YouTube channel be consistent. Pick a day every week to regularly charts among the platform’s upload your video. This doesn’t have to be a top three. new music video each week but could be a It is a trajectory that has not been behind-the-scenes snapshot or interview. without controversy: Garmendia has been It doesn’t have to be once a week, either; accused of using bots to drive YouTube it could be once every other week, or twice shares, likes and views (something he a week. Artists just need to ensure they denies) after a link to a bot website was for no reason = Popularity,” according to Musicians aren’t all going to start maintain consistency so their subscribers shown briefly in one of his early videos. one Reddit user, which is harsh but might producing Let’s Play videos, of course know when to engage with the channel.” Bots or not, though, HolaSoyGerman have a grain of truth to it. PewDiePie’s (even if it would make sense for artists humour might grate on older ears but it is with youthful, video-game-friendly tailor-made for a young gaming audience. fanbases). But producing more and longer More importantly, the type of content videos – informal backstage clips, for PewDiePie produces – Let’s Play videos example, or tour diaries – would have a (essentially video playthroughs with similarly beneficial effect on viewing time. commentary) – has contributed greatly Perhaps the key to PewDiePie’s to his success by appealing to YouTube’s success, however, is his skill in nurturing algorithms as well as actual gamers. a genuine community around his Compared to a flashy music promo, YouTube channel – the Bro Army. Let’s Play videos can be produced quickly, The Swede has done this by with PewDiePie typically posting at consistently engaging with his fans, least one a day. His videos are around speaking directly to them in videos, giving 10 minutes in length and their episodic them a “Brofist” at the end of each clip, nature encourages binge watching, reading out fan mail and meeting fans at according to Game Theory, which in turn gaming events. means longer viewing sessions. Musicians do all this and more for their And this – the length of viewing followers. But few mainstream musicians session – is very important for YouTube think of their YouTube fanbase as a distinct in assessing which video channels to group of people, let alone do specific things promote, helping to bump PewDiePie for them. Maybe they should: PewDiePie onto YouTube’s front page. may not be after a music audience, as 3 | sandbox | ISSUE 115 | 27.08.14 COVERFEATURE has become incredibly popular in a short SEE ALSO: Werevertumorro – youtube. learn from Phan’s success on YouTube, period of time and is considered the com/user/werevertumorro which she puts down to treating her biggest YouTube star in Latin America. channel like a brand. “How will people This Spanish-speaking audience is the key Walker’S ADVICE FOR MUSICIANS identify you?” Phan asked fashionista.com. to his success: while some of Garmendia’s ON YOUTUBE #2: “Build a community “The reason so many people get lost is videos do feature English subtitles, he within your followers and be a part of because they’re trying to do what everyone makes few concessions to non-Spanish it. Respond to comments, like other else is doing. You’ve got to do things that speakers. This may alienate a large videos, collaborate with followers to are different for you to stand out.” potential audience but keeps his humour maximise engagement across all possible What does this mean for musicians relevant to the 414m people who speak channels.” and labels? Don’t just treat your Spanish as their first language. He sticks YouTube channel like an add-on; think with what he knows, in other words, Michelle Phan (how to / of it as being its own brand which needs rather than branching out but risking make up) – youtube.com/ nurturing in its own way. Music videos dilution of his brand. user/MichellePhan are great, of course. But everyone is The other key to Garmendia’s vast doing them. What makes your YouTube in YouTube and Google search through the YouTube audience is that he understands The 27-year-old Michelle Phan , aka channel you? What can you do to correct use of metadata (definitions, names, the platform and has remained dedicated “the undisputed godmother of YouTube make it different? How can you build etc.). Artists should use tools available to to it, rather than seeing it as a jump-off beauty vloggers” according to fashionista. your YouTube brand and stand out from curate their channel; this could be through point to a TV career. com, recently crossed the music industry the crowd? playlists or ensuring your channel is well “On YouTube the most important thing radar when dance label Ultra sued her for organised.” isn’t professionalism, it is transparency,” allegedly including several of its artists’ TOP TIP: treat your YouTube channel like its he told El País in 2013. “On TV we see a songs in her videos without a licence. own brand. Epic Meal Time (food / man dressed in an expensive suit, with It is a decision you feel Ultra may comedy) – youtube.com/ very neat hair and a deep voice, people come to regret, particularly given Phan’s SEE ALSO: Bethany Mota – youtube.com/ user/EpicMealTime you never meet in the street.” incredible popularity online, which user/Macbarbie07 He added, “YouTube is different: has translated into 6.8m followers on Epic Meal Time is the kind of food show nobody tells me what I can and can’t do. YouTube and her being treated like Walker’S ADVICE FOR MUSICIANS ON best watched on an empty stomach, If tomorrow I want to talk about my dog, royalty by her fanbase. YOUTUBE #3: “Get your channel in shape. particularly given the Frankenstein’s I’ll do it. If I want to appear in front of the What’s more, the music industry could It is important that artists are discoverable monster-esque recipes they cook (fast camera and do nothing for five minutes, food lasagne, anyone?). This “adventurous” I’ll do that too.” attitude to food certainly hasn’t harmed their This should serve as a lesson to fortunes, though: the Canadian crew have musicians and labels: YouTube is its own 6.5m followers on YouTube and do a brisk distinct platform and should be treated line in promotional T-shirts. as such. TV-ready promo videos have The key to their success is twofold. Firstly, enjoyed great success online; but why not their mixture of cooking and comedy appeals create some YouTube-specific content? to several audiences – foodies, comedy fans And while you’re at it, remember there’s and admirers of the extreme, giving them a a whole world out there that doesn’t unique voice on YouTube.