YouTube has 2.6 billion monthly active users, making it the third most popular online destination. Business Insider says “YouTube has become the undisputed king of online video.”
While you’ve probably used the platform before—maybe to watch cute pet videos or learn about a new topic—you might not have realized how much overlap YouTube has with your own benefits communications. We’ve drawn lessons from YouTube that you can leverage to make your benefits better known and used.
4 lessons from YouTube
1. Videos are captivating
YouTube is a video-focused platform, and it’s not just for entertainment. Many of the videos are informational and educational. 51% of its users say they use the platform to learn new skills and 54% say they use it to make purchasing decisions.
Since 81% of U.S. adults use YouTube, it’s clear that most people prefer learning through videos. We expect the preference for videos to increase as more digital natives enter adulthood. Younger people use YouTube at higher rates—95% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 – 29 use the platform.
Leveraging videos to explain benefits
While we’re not saying hop on YouTube, we are saying that videos are great for helping employees understand their benefits. Videos will only grow increasingly important as more Gen Z employees enter the workforce.
“Video is great for explaining complex topics,” says Jon Stuckey, director of creative technology and innovation with Benz Communications. Videos should go a step further by helping employees understand how to take action—such as how to choose a benefits package.
2. Searchable, on-demand, and mobile-accessible platforms are key
Before search engines, it was hard to find the right information. YouTube is easily searchable, helping users find what they need quickly. The videos are on-demand, ready for users whenever they want. They can access YouTube videos at any time, from anywhere.
A benefits messaging platform should function similarly
Similarly to YouTube, the best benefits messaging platforms are searchable, on-demand, and mobile-accessible. This drives engagement with benefits content, especially among younger employees.
“Employees very much prefer on-demand communications,” says Brian Gezella, CEO of LearnYour Benefits. “You’ll only get their attention when they’re ready to give it to you. Even more so now due to work from home.”
3. Video recommendations drive engagement
YouTube recommends more video content. 81% of YouTube users say they occasionally watch the videos suggested by the platform’s recommendation algorithm, and 15% say they do so regularly.
Content recommendations help people find the information they need, without even searching for it. They are the key to boosting media consumption and user engagement.
Content recommendations guide the benefits journey
Benefits messaging platforms should function similarly to YouTube by providing content recommendations. These act as a roadmap to guide employees on their benefits journey. This significantly cuts down the time employees spend searching for benefits information, and decreases the likelihood of them asking HR team members for help.
4. Authenticity is key
Finally, YouTube is successful because its user-generated videos are authentic. Especially in recent years, consumers have grown to prefer authentic creators. The preference towards genuineness in media is heightened among Gen Z.
Avoiding the corporate voice in benefits messaging
YouTube shows us that people prefer authentic communications. “Be personal and human. Use an approachable, conversational, even casual tone,” writes Alison Davis, CEO of Davis & Company.
Along with a casual tone, avoid loading your videos with hard-to-understand benefits jargon. Any employee should be able to understand their benefits after your communications, regardless of their level of prior knowledge.
Help employees find the benefits information they need
By drawing lessons from YouTube, LearnYour Benefits drives employee engagement throughout the benefits journey. It’s a platform that functions similarly to YouTube, but it was created specifically to help employees learn about their benefits.
LearnYour Benefits is:
– Video-focused
– Searchable
– On-demand
– Mobile accessible
The platform provides content recommendations to guide employees throughout their benefits education journey. You can either upload your own authentic benefits videos, or we can help you create them.
Schedule a 20-minute demo with us today.
