The power of video content explained by YouTube creator Grant Hinds

Grant Hinds

Photographer: Dirk Pieters

What was it that first attracted you to online video production?

Hinds: The freedom to produce any content that I feel works. It's very different to television because in television the audience is forced to consume what you give them, versus digital where the audience has a very strong say in what content gets made. At the end of the day that only makes whatever you produce better.

How important is it for brands to make use of video content in their marketing strategies? What impact could it potentially have?

Hinds: Oh, it's very important! More people are consuming digital video than ever before, and that trend is not going away. In fact, at its current growth rate we should see digital video outnumber local television very soon, and if you're not in that space as a brand you're going to be on the back foot when it comes to learning how people consume digital video and you won't have an online footprint. Remember, digital video stays around, television disappears the minute you turn your head away.

In your opinion, what is the most important thing that brands should bear in mind when it comes to using video content?

Hinds: One of the most important things that a brand should keep in mind is that the audience decides what they want to watch. On television and in magazines brands billboard themselves in order to make people aware of their existence, but on YouTube it's important for brands to collaborate not only with the channels that they align themselves with, but also with that channel’s audience. If you're not on their side, they won't be interested in you and can switch you off very easily.

YouTube allows creators to enable Google to run ads on their channels, and earn revenue from this advertising – Are you for or against enabling ads to run on your channel, and why?

Hinds: I'm definitely not against brands running ads on my channel. The revenue share is in favour of the creator, so it can be a very powerful passive revenue stream for creators who don't align with brands directly. Content costs money to make, whether it's the gear that you buy to shoot a video or the fact that you might need someone to help you edit, those are all things that need to be financed.

Your channel is clearly driven by your passion for gaming and technology – How do you stay up to date with new technology and what your audience wants to see?

Hinds: I'm glad that you see that! I love games and I love technology, and I think that passion helps me stay in touch with what's happening passively because it's a genuine interest of mine. It's also a field of interest that requires you to have some sort of intuition naturally which is very helpful. I love reading up on different sites daily, listening to podcasts and just watching other YouTube channels.

As a YouTube Creator, what do you look for in a collaborator?

Hinds: One of the things I look for before I start collaborating with someone is if they match the same tonality of my channel and hold similar interests. That could be as broad as keeping the same friendship circle to being as passionate as myself when it comes to video games.

What’s your take on VR content and how would this type of content influence your video marketing strategy?

Hinds: VR is a very exciting new industry and I think it's going to affect a lot more for me and my personal space than it would a lot of other people. This is because not only do I create YouTube videos that can be served in 3D, but I also cover video games that can be created in 3D. Now this might sound like quite a challenge for lot of people - something that they would not be interested in at all - and might seem very dull, but it allows me to create groundbreaking new content that not very many people have done before.

Growth in watch time on YouTube has accelerated over recent years. What factors, would you say, are influencing this growth in demand for video content?

Hinds: There are a lot of factors in play here, probably the most important one is smartphone accessibility. The more people with smartphones, the more people that are watching YouTube. You need a smartphone, you don't need a television. Also it's empowering as a viewer to decide what you want to watch and when you want to watch it. Competing mediums can't play in that space and as viewers, we're demanding it as standard.

How often do you record/upload content to your channel? Why?

Hinds: I'm trying to upload on a daily basis because the demand in the Gaming YouTube world is very high. This is not prescriptive for how other channels must run their content, but gaming is a unique beast in this brand new world of digital video!

What brands have you partnered with?

Hinds: I’ve partnered, and continue to partner with many brands: Gigabyte, Loot.co.za, Ster-Kinekor and Megarom to name a few. These are all amazing clients and I urge people to support the amazing work that they’re doing!

What advice do you have for brands that are looking to partner with YouTube creators?

Hinds: When looking for a YouTube partner, you have to consider many different things. Firstly, you need to consider whether that YouTuber speaks in your brand’s tone of voice. Secondly, it's important to consider that particular YouTuber’s audience; these are the people that you want to be speaking to. Once you’ve identified who you want to work with and are excited to speak to their audience, it's important to listen to the creator of the content so that they can articulate your brand constructively to their audience. If the YouTuber has any sense they will know that pleasing their audience and pleasing you as a brand are equally as important, and in many ways exactly the same thing. A happy audience that is happy with the collaborating brand means a better return on investment and more sales.

What’s the coolest video you’ve made?

Hinds: That's a hard question! Nearly every week I feel that I have upped the game a little bit and produced my best video, so I strive to make better content than in the one before. It's sort of like skateboarding, you never do the best heelflip and think that that's going to be your last one ever. You go out the next day and you try and beat it.

Who are some of your favourite YouTube creators?

Hinds: I have a lot of YouTubers that I really admire. I love PewDiePie for his excellent approach to making content and pushing the genre forward, I love Caspar Lee for all he’s taught me about online voice and communication. I love Ali A, Joe Sugg and Vikkstar for what they taught me about being disciplined with the content and I love Casey Neistat for teaching me to elevate the quality of content and constantly innovate!

Check out Grant's YouTube channel to watch some of his great work.