What, no cat videos? A science communication guide to working on YouTube

2. • Founded in 1799 for ‘the diffusion of knowledge’ to the general public • Famous scientists – Davy, Faraday etc • CHRISTMAS LECTURES – first science on TV • Videos: science communication for a digital age The Royal Institution “Encouraging people to think further about the wonders and applications of science”

3. 1. Why make videos? 2. What does success look like to you? 3. View counts are not the only metric 4. The three minute video myth 5. Find your voice 6. And be consistent 7. Be organised 8. Collaborate 9. Converse 10. The impact question Our top-10 YouTube guide

4. • Online video traffic will be 55% of consumer Internet traffic by 2016 • YouTube now has over 1 billion users • And it’s growing – 50% up year on year • YouTube can help connect your videos to whole new audiences. 1. Why video? And why YouTube?

5. • With a potentially vast online audience, your videos have potential to: • Get people talking • Reach new countries • Get seen by lots of people • Increase visitor numbers • Raise brand awareness • So, how will you know when you’re doing well? 2. What will success look like to you?

6. Match metrics to objectives: • Subscribers • Comments • Devices (mobile, PC, tablet) • Demographics • Age • Male/Female • Country • Minutes watched 3. View counts are not the only metric

7. • Shorter is not always better • YouTube’s main engagement metric is minutes watched • Engagement is key to unlocking the YouTube algorithm. The algorithm controls: • Search placement • Related videos • Suggested videos 4. The three-minute video myth

8. Over 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube each minute. Make yours stand out by: • Being authentic • Making videos with a target audience in mind • Being yourself 5. Find your own voice

9. There are many ways to be consistent. Pick the ones that work for you: • Consistent presenter(s) • Defined video format(s) • Consistent release schedule • Consistent visual style 6. And be consistent

10. Viewers will like: • Regular video releases • Organised playlists • Clear and consistent titles • Great thumbnails YouTube’s algorithm also uses: • Tags • Keywords in titles and descriptions • Closed caption files (subtitles) 7. Be organised

11. Collaboration will help your channel grow and bring new inspiration: • Work with other YouTubers • Respond to other YouTube videos • Think about guest stars for your videos • Collaborate with like minded organisations 8. Collaborate

12. Talking to your audience encourages visitors to return: • Have a comments policy which supports your own objectives • Listen to your audience, in comments and social media • Make more videos in response to what your viewers are saying 9. The conversation

13. • With YouTube it’s easy to measure your reach • Some metrics help measure engagement • But how do you measure impact? • What difference are our videos making to our audience? • Are they learning? • How are we affecting their lives? 10. The impact question

14. • For all scientists/engineers to recognise that public engagement is a core component of their work, not an added extra or ‘hobby’ • Recognition that good public engagement needs continuous investment to flourish. It can’t be done properly as a ‘one-off’ activity or on a ‘next to nothing’ budget • Recognition that public engagement isn't some boring sausage factory that supplies industry with labour. It's a long-term process that incorporates wider cultural perspectives and values, as well sheer enjoyment for many Three recommendations to improve engagement

Editor's Notes

TO INSERT THE COVER IMAGE: Insert your image into the slide Right click on it and choose ‘Send to back’. Make sure the image fills the whole grey window. Choose a suitable image for the space.
Most people watching at least a third of an hour-long video Related videos – on the RHS as you are watching Suggested videos – after you’ve watched
Tags are key words you enter when you upload your video. They are visible only to the algorithm. E.g. physics, quantum, name of presenter, science Search matches tags precisely, so you need to include common mis-spellings More accurate you are, the more likely the user will find what they are looking for and watch it Closed captions are what YouTube adds. It will make up its own unless you upload your own or a transcript
All time 10s, YouTube for Geek Week, Veritassium We need to respond to more YouTube videos – a question of resources E.g. Collaborations with universities
Some YouTubers have turned off comments altogether – because some people can be abusive or boring When is a comment not acceptable? Do you have a duty to protect the people appearing in your videos? youTube recommends that you make more videos in respnose to what your viewers are saying. Reference the consciousness one
Images should be in cut-off corners shapes Insert image into document Select it, click the Picture Tools tab and click on Picture Shape. Select the cut-off corners shape. Use the crop tool to resize. Don’t skew images. MAKE SURE ALL IMAGES ARE PROPERLY CREDITED

What, no cat videos? A science communication guide to working on YouTube

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Editor's Notes