YouTube Calls on Users to Build Help Center

A weekend post on the YouTube Blog is calling for users to make "informative, creative" videos to embed in the YouTube Help Center.

Categories that users can make videos for include:

- Captions / Subtitles definition
– Editing my video
– Make a playlist
– How to upload
– Customizing channels
– Contact lists
– Transferring from camera to computer
– Add/Change Profile Picture
– Viewing Higher Quality Videos
– Video annotations definition

The YouTube team offers some tips for acceptable videos, which include: a 1-2 minute timeframe, creativity, originality, staying on topic, and keeping within the terms of use and community guidelines of YouTube.

It is pretty fitting that YouTube would go to its users for something like this given the site’s name – YouTube. It’s an interesting demonstration of the philosophy that made the site a hit to begin with (ok, the copyright infringing videos probably helped too). It’s also a good way to potentially keep what could easily become boring subject matter, fun and helpful at the same time.

Once a user has created their video, they can go to this page and upload the video and await approval. They will be taking submissions until October 10th. Unfortunately, there is no mention of any prizes.

There are 2 Comments. Add Yours.

Diamonds
September 16, 2008 at 2:45 pm

They’re basically passing on the workload, there’s just too much work here where they can’t handle themselves.
John
September 16, 2008 at 7:30 pm

Personally, i think it’s a great idea. Many people new to You Tube don’t know all of the wonderful features that they can take advantage of. Who better to teach them than their peers in experience.

I use You Tube lot’s for my clients real estate slideshows. Although not all have annotations, I was really impressed while testing their functionality.

From an Impressed Tuber