Creating an Online Media Empire 101 - Chapter 1 - The Host with the Most

Your first decision as a web publisher is to select an online media host that will allow you to create a strong and enduring brand.

There are several major internet based streaming media websites, and one of them, in particular, is quite large. So large, in fact, that it may cause you to wonder if there is a reason to use any other website.

Something to ponder: Large numbers of people posting videos equals an incredibly vast number of content providers looking for similar demographics. While it is great to have the most popular video on the most popular website, unless you have the right combination of content, packaging, and timing you will most likely have a hard time getting to the top of the heap.

Let's say you create a really great video about a girl with a clown infatuation. You think it is the funniest thing ever. Your mom agrees. It is so funny that even though you didn't do any market research at all you are certain it will be the next big thing.

Well, you may be right, but if you put it on that SUPER DUPER LARGE website with millions of other videos, chances are it will be lost in a sea of many other unnoticed videos and typically difficult to find videos.

Now, you may believe your biggest problem is the size of the website and the competition within your website’s genre. In many cases that can be a factor, but even if you release your video on a much smaller portal, it still could struggle if it has not been optimized to not only be found, but to be found by your ideal audience.

Another thing to consider is that while the smaller website may have less competition in your chosen genre, it will also have less viewer potential.

Kind of related Story of Extreme Silliness: When I first got started online there was only one large content streaming website that people talked about and there were very few individuals posting video gaming content. So few, that whenever I put a video online I would immediately get thousands of views. I did no research. I did no optimizing of the title or description. I would just put up a video and reap the rewards.

Eventually I had a channel with millions of views and thousands of followers. Whatever I released, good or bad, was watched and discussed. I was as happy as I could be, well, until I decided to delete the account.

Okay, I know what you are thinking: “Dude, you had thousands of followers and millions of views and you deleted the account? What? Are you okay? Did you lose your mind? What about the revenue you left of the table?”

Okay, no excuses, but back then there was no revenue sharing for me to get, and I have no idea what possessed me to delete the account. Okay, maybe that does sound a little bit like an excuse, and to this day I wish I would not have deleted the account, but being a silly doe eyed youth, I destroyed my golden goose and left streaming media behind.

For a while, anyway.

A couple years later I returned to streaming media. I used the exact same methods on that SUPER DUPER LARGE website and I got very few views. It was completely and totally soul crushing. So, I did what any other silly person would do: I pouted and took my videos elsewhere.

A couple days (long upload times) and a few videos later I was on top of the heap. “Yes,” I thought, “I am once again on top of the world.” And I was. Within a matter of days I had several of the top videos on the website, but I was averaging fewer than half the views I was getting on the Mega site.

I was also not getting many comments and the ones I did get were a bit negative. I was putting up some very vague titles and not putting anything into the description. I would love to say it was unintentional, but that would be a lie.

I thought that if I was overly vague more people would watch my videos and fall in love with my content. I didn’t know that people do like to be occasionally surprised, but usually they want to find exactly what they are seeking.

My vague and somewhat misleading video titles were getting me some views, but they were alienating my audience. Even then I was not getting nearly the views for my content as I hoped. I was doing worse on the smaller network despite being in a higher profile position.

Back on task: These days there are several large platforms. Some of them are geared toward specific markets and specific types of content. The key is to host your content on the platform that makes the most sense for you and the viewers you covet.

How do you know what works best for you? Proper Research.

Next time: Creating an Online Media Empire 101 - Chapter 2 - Research is heavenly. Content is Divine.