The Printing Press, Part 2

A communications equipment company put out a press release last month that claimed YouTube represented "nearly 10% of all traffic on the internet."

The methodology that supported this claim was quickly challenged by some outlets, but while 10% of all internet traffic might be somewhat of an overstatement I do believe the implications of the claim cannot be ignored. With nothing more than the anecdotal evidence that almost everyone I know is familiar with the guy who did the "Evolution of Dance" video, I feel comfortable with the assertion that web-based broadcasting tools allow anyone with a compelling message to break into the national consciousness.

What that means for corporations is that messages no longer have to be crafted on Madison Avenue and traditional broadcast outlets are not the only the only means to disseminate those messages.

In short, for a few thousand dollars, organizations can use an audio or video web broadcast to cut out the middleman and communicate their message directly to the people they want to receive it. All this is needed is a well-crafted message, a target audience, and the means to make that audience aware of the broadcast - as simple as an email blast.

Keep in mind, I have nothing against Madison Avenue; creativity and production value are vital to any successful message. And I have no connection to YouTube. I mention them for two related reasons: 1) I have a fascination with their tag line: Broadcast Yourself; and 2) Since I am in the business of webcasting, I have a great deal of personal and professional interest in seeing home grown content reach a wide audience.

I compared the democratic effects of web broadcasting to the printing press in an earlier blog entry (interesting fodder for a July 4th discussion). This comparison will resonate for any organization that has a compelling story to tell, an understanding of their target audience, and the means to make the audience aware of the broadcast. It works for pharmaceutical companies coordinating clinical trials; it works for higher learning institutions recruiting students; it works for publishers who want to deliver new distribution channels and well-qualified leads to their advertisers; it works for in-house training across far-flung enterprises. It works.

And the ROI is excellent because if you have power point you have all the tools necessary to craft the message; you can reach a worldwide audience via the internet; you can track who actually viewed the webcast; and your costs are very low compared to other methods.

In short, the applications are limited only by our imaginations, and we have only scratched the surface of the potential for this medium.