YouTube was launched in 2005 on Valentine’s Day. The original concept has evolved over the years, and today YouTube is the go-to source for all things related to video. Here’s how brands are using YouTube.

• Strategy: YouTube works great with long-form content, which doesn’t necessarily mean exuberant production. The depth, theme and originality of the content should be of high quality and relevant to the brand.

• Publishing: In addition to being a video platform, YouTube works well as a content library source. All platform-relevant content should go on YouTube after primary testing for quality and optimization.

• Monetization: Channels with 1,000 subscribers, 4,000 hours of watch time in 12 months, and an AdSense account are eligible for YouTube monetization which, if done correctly, can ease the pressure of a company’s marketing budget.

• Audience: YouTube is world’s second most visited website, with 1.7 billion unique visitors per month and 19 minutes of average viewing time. It is the global highway for social media with 99 percent of YouTube visitors also active on other platforms. It is a gold mine for unearthing target audiences for your digital marketing plans.

(This is the seventh of 10 Digital Digest articles, provided courtesy of the MPE Caribbean Report, which offers travel and tourism news weekly. It is published by US-based integrated marketing agency Marketplace Excellence, which has an office in Richmond Hill, Ont. www.marketplaceexcellence.com)