YouTube has been a stratospheric success. Even though it was only founded 12 years ago, it’s already hard to imagine life without the site. The YouTubers, such as Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg, know this world better than anyone.
Now Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg are working to change the broadcast industry forever. Together with Dom Smales, the founder of Gleam – the agency which represents many of the world’s top YouTubers and influencers – the trio have created Raucous. Their first film partnership with BBC Worldwide broke pre-order sales records on Amazon. Now they are keen to drive new, younger audiences to broadcasters, who often lose out to YouTube.
We caught up with Gleam founder Dom Smales, and YouTube sensations Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg, to talk about the future of online video and their tips for creating an engaged audience.
Why did you decide to launch Raucous? Talk us through the concept…
Raucous is a new breed of production company which caters for 21st century audiences. Raucous also caters to future facing platforms – from evolved TV broadcasters to Streaming Video on Demand networks.
After successfully producing and distributing ‘Joe and Caspar Hit The Road’ in 2015, Raucous Productions has evolved to enhance its original development capabilities to supply the ever increasing demand from multiple platforms for fresh ideas for new, content hungry audiences.
Our audience are all top business decision-makers, investors and CEOs – what is your advice to them for utilising YouTube as a business tool?
YouTube is a global entertainment distribution channel and the success of the content on it is driven purely by the audience and their appetite and engagement with it. This lack of ‘gatekeeper’ gives rise to an ability for businesses and content creators to talk to a fully invested and engaged audience. This then makes a hugely efficient and sharable channel for both communication and entertainment.
Why should our audience invest in YouTubers and influencers’ businesses?
Consumers can be reached through YouTube in an efficient and highly engaged way. In the future, advertisers will connect with consumers through the authenticity of our content. Then broadcasters will connect with audiences through our talent’s personal relationships with them.
What are your hopes and plans for Raucous for 2017?
We hope that Raucous will continue to innovate with new and exciting programmes and ideas. We have a very promising slate for 2017 and we hope to announce multiple commissions across various platforms over the next 18 months.
YouTube entrepreneurialism is an emerging new industry – what are the struggles/hardships? And what are the joys?
Entrepreneurialism in any industry is hard. But for ‘Digital First Talent’ the main struggle is finding people to work with off platform who truly believe in your talents and relationship with your audience. Then, the other major challenge is the sheer work load involved in a 24/7 medium such as this.
Joys are always in the creativity and feedback that the audience give on a daily basis.
What are your tips on building a loyal and engaged following?
So our tips on building a loyal and engaged following on social media are:
- Stay authentic – people don’t want to see you copying someone else or putting on an act that just ‘isn’t you’.
- Be consistent – Audiences like to know that they are going to be entertained on a regular basis. This helps them get to know you and builds trust.
- Keep creative – new ideas are going to be the thing that helps you stand out in the beginning.
- Keep the production values as high as you can – the days of using your webcam to shoot your content are over.
- Be tenacious and diligent – successful channels take time. One of the biggest misconceptions is that its easy. Success will come after years of investment and practice.
Enjoy reading about Caspar Lee and Joe Sugg’s latest venture then? Read more about influencers we have spoken to here –
“SORTEDfood has become a movement of people”: The YouTube business that’s changing an industry
https://live-newstatesman-b2b.pantheonsite.io/bella-hadid-interview-influencer/
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