Is YouTube Social Media? Reasons Why It Counts

When you hear the word social media many of the famous platforms pop up in your mind like, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. The reason being it allows individuals and businesses to share content, build communities, and connect with each other. But these days one more platform called YouTube comes under the category of social media platform. 

Yes, YouTube is also a social media platform where marketers or businesses can promote their products or services and achieve their desired goals. According to the report of the Pew Research Survey conducted in the year 2021, YouTube these days is the most popular social media site globally. That means, almost 81% of Americans use YouTube followed by Facebook. On top of that, YouTube has become the most popular search engine globally. So, let’s find out more about YouTube marketing services. 

Through this post, we are going to explore “Is YouTube social media”? So, let’s get started and get all your queries answered.

What Is Social Media?

Social media are famous online platforms and applications that can be downloaded both on smartphones and desktops. It allows businesses or individuals to craft, share, and interact with targeted audiences in virtual communities. 
Social media platforms are used both by individuals and businesses to get in touch with their potential audience and with friends, family, and various other communities. These platforms have enormous traction globally as they are easily accessible via every device like, smartphones, desktop, laptop, and tablets.

Characteristics Of Social Media Platforms

Here are some of the best characteristics of social media platforms. They are: –

✅ User-generated content

Social media works on free user-generated content. In short, the content in the form of videos that is posted on social media platforms like, YouTube, Twitter, and many more is crafted by the users itself. However, the best part is this content can be in many forms like videos, photos, texts, etc.

✅ Offers latest notifications

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc offer the latest updates about events, activities, news, and many more things to the user. 

✅ Networking

It also allows businesses or users to connect with the target audience on the same platform who share their interests.

✅ Viral Content

The content that is posted on social media often goes viral and spreads on all platforms and beyond. However, this viral content gets significant attention which results in increased online visibility and engagement.

✅ Global Reach

Social media platforms have a global presence while connecting people from different parts of the world to others. However, this global reach allows businesses for cross-cultural interactions and exposure to varied perspectives.

✅ Interactivity

Social media platforms encourage interaction between users. Users can comment, like, share, and repost content, allowing for engagement and conversations.

What Category YouTube Falls As A Social Media Platform?

Most businesses and individuals want to know in which category YouTube falls. Keeping this question in mind let’s talk about types of social media.

There are mainly four types of social media platforms. They are: –

1. Networking sites

There are varied social media platforms that fall under the networking category. All these platforms that are under the networking category focus on helping people that try to build connections with one another. Regards to this one such social media platform is LinkedIn.

2. Social discussion sites

Some of the best examples of social discussion sites are Reddit and Quora where people can have deeper and engaging conversions.

3. Video-sharing sites

This is another social media platform type that mainly focuses on promoting video content to others. One such platform which is quite famous among people and businesses is TikTok.

4. Communicative sites

Social media sites come in the category of communicative websites where people can message each other and share their feelings, and content in a highly professional way. Twitter, Facebook, etc are the best communication sites. 

Among many social media platforms, each of them fits under one or the other category. However, if you talk about YouTube it falls under the video-sharing site category. 

Is YouTube Social Media? What Makes YouTube an Exceptional Social Media Platform?

YouTube social media video packages are one of the best and most astounding video-sharing platforms globally. It has over 2 billion active users which shows it has become an essential part of people’s and businesses’ life. On this platform, users can share and watch any type of video.

Some of the primary features that make YouTube a social media platform are: –

👉 Like and dislikes

Viewers can express their opinion on videos by using the like and dislike buttons. This feedback mechanism helps creators understand audience preferences and gauge the reception of their content.

👉Subscriptions

Users or potential audiences can subscribe to channels to receive updates whenever new videos are uploaded. However, subscribing to a channel enables users to build a network of content creators they enjoy and stay connected with their favorite channels.

👉Comment videos

Social media YouTube also allows potential audiences of businesses to leave a comment on the video they watch. Apart from that, it also allows the user or business to engage in discussions, ask questions, and offer feedback on particular videos of YouTube. However, this delivers many advantages to businesses as they come to know about the opinion of their target audience by which you can improve your products or services.

👉Notifications

Social media YouTube also offers notification features that keep their subscribers updated on new videos, live streams, and comments. On top of that, users can also choose to get an email notification, opt for browser notifications and also push notifications on mobile phones.

👉Community posts

YouTube is also equipped with a community post feature that allows all the creators like businesses to share polls, GIFs, and images in their community tab. Here subscribers can comment and engage themselves with varied community posts that deliver the feel of traditional social media platforms.

👉YouTube Shorts

YouTube started its short feature in the year 2021 May to take the reels of TikTok and Instagram. These short reels allow users to make short-form videos within 60 seconds while adding music, effects, and also stickers. 

👉YouTube Analytics

YouTube offers detailed analytics for video makers, allowing them to track the performance of their videos, monitor audience demographics, view engagement metrics, and gain insights into their channel’s growth.

👉Delivers Free user-generated content

If you look at YouTube as user-generated content then no doubt it is a social media platform. That means, YouTube allows users to create personal profiles where they can showcase their uploaded videos, playlists, and subscriptions. Users can customize their profiles by adding channel art, profile pictures, and descriptions.

👉Has the ability to run ads

Yes, YouTube is a social media platform as it allows individuals and businesses to advertise like any other platform. In simple words, YouTube ads are run via Google’s Ad platform which allows users to reach people. However, the best part of these ads is they can be run in the beginning, the middle, or on the sidebars of the YouTube page. 

Also Read: The Best Time to Post on YouTube – An Ultimate Guide to Know

How Businesses Can Master YouTube Social Media Platform?

If you as a business owner want to take full advantage of the social media platform called YouTube then have a look at the below points. We are going to offer some quick tips which will deliver positive results: –

✅Always make videos that your audience wants to see

If you want success from your YouTube business channel then ensure to create content that your target audience wants to see or know. According to the latest report, content creators upload around 500 hours of content on this platform every minute. 

But success goes to those who create content keeping their audience in mind. In simple words, study your business and target audience while taking any decision. Moreover, find out what type of information will be useful for your audience and what your target audience wants to know.

So, first take all the above points into consideration and then plan your YouTube video. However, if you do so, the audience will take an interest, watch videos, comment, and interact with your business.

✅ Don’t forget to optimize the videos

YouTube is one of the best social media platforms that offer fair chances to personalize and optimize your business videos. Doing this step masterfully will help your videos to look professional and will perform excellently in searches. 

✅Create attractive and clickable titles

Titles of YouTube videos also play an essential role in making your efforts successful. That means, before people click on any of the videos they will see the title, and if they find it helpful and what they are looking for then only your YouTube videos will be watched.

So, for best results make sure you craft click-worthy titles. On top of that, remember it should be descriptive and deliver a message about what they can expect from the video.

✅Encourage and respond to the comments quickly

While making YouTube videos to help your potential audience with their questions, ensure to ask questions that will encourage them to leave a comment. This step will make a healthy relationship between you and your audience.

Furthermore, don’t forget to reply to the comments thoughtfully as it will increase trust, indicate you are the best service provider and many more.

✅Craft eye-catching thumbnails

Apart from the title, the video thumbnail is another vital element as it serves as a preview of what your target audience is expecting from the video. Regarding this you have two options: one is a custom thumbnail and the other is to choose a moment in the video.

For best results, it is best to go with a custom thumbnail as it will engage users practically.

Bonus Material: YouTube Marketing Strategy | Guide and Best Practices for 2023

FAQs

Q: Is YouTube a social media platform?

A: Yes, YouTube is regarded as a social media platform. The reason is it primarily focuses on video sharing on various levels by incorporating social features such as likes, comments, shares, and subscriptions, allowing users to interact with each other.

Q: Can YouTube be used for businesses for marketing purposes?

A: Yes, many businesses and individual sellers take the help of the YouTube social media platform to promote their products or services. However, by creating engaging video content and optimizing it for YouTube search, businesses can reach a wide targeted audience, boost brand awareness, and many more. 

Q: Which 3 social media platforms tops the list as most popular?

A: If you talk about the top 3 social media platforms Facebook tops the list followed by YouTube and WhatsApp. 

Q: Is YouTube free to use?

A: Yes, YouTube is free to use. But its premium subscription is also available which is called YouTube Premium which delivers many advanced features like ad-free viewing, access to YouTube originals, and many more things.

Conclusion 

Does YouTube count as social media? Yes. But remember mastering YouTube as a social media platform for your business requires time, consistency, and a deep understanding of your target audience. Continuously refine your strategy, experiment with different video formats, and stay updated with the latest YouTube trends and best practices to maximize your success on the platform.

For more details and information about YouTube videos, you can contact one of the prominent digital marketing agencies IndeedSEO. We have a certified team of YouTube specialists who are experts in crafting successful YouTube video campaigns. Depending upon the business the skilled and experienced staff will select the appropriate video advertisement formats for the firm and create a video that will enhance the business reach.