Last updated on June 14th, 2024
Dane Golden was on the Engage VidAction Podcast with Ben Amos, Episode 100.
Ben Amos:
Okay, so first up, we’re heading over to an interview with Dane Golden from VidAction.tv. Now Dane is a YouTube marketing and video SEO expert. And he helps businesses and people drive conversion via YouTube and Facebook video using a content marketing approach. Now I can’t wait for you to hear Dane’s story, so here we go.
Ben Amos:
Hey Dane, welcome to the show. Awesome to have you to celebrate episode 100 with our listeners today.
Dane Golden:
Perfect 100 with Ben. Glad to be here.
Ben Amos:
Yeah, it’s awesome. It’s been fun bringing this Podcast. And now we’re at episode 100. And as I said to you, the reason why I wanted to bring people like you on the show is not to talk about me, but to talk about you. So Dane, for our listeners, and you’re one of them, tell yourself about what you do. And tell all the other listeners at the same time. What do you do in the world of video, Dane?
Dane Golden:
We’re VidAction.tv. And VidAction.tv focuses on Video Marketing Value simply put. We just want to help brands, marketers, business owners get more value out of their video marketing efforts, and everything that that entails.
Ben Amos:
Awesome. What types of businesses or people are you working with at VidAction.tv?
Dane Golden:
Well, over time it may be a SAS platform. It may be a retail business or a retail industry. We’ve worked with people that have thousands of … hundreds of stores. Could be a variety of businesses.
Ben Amos:
Okay. And Dane, you say that you add value, or you help them add value with their video. So let’s switch that up and say where do you see that most brands or businesses with their videos are not currently getting enough value?
Dane Golden:
Yeah. I think that when they don’t get enough value, often it’s talking about themselves.
Ben Amos:
Yeah.
Dane Golden:
Instead of about what the viewer wants to do. And I think of the viewer as a single person, not an audience, not viewers, but one viewer. We did a study a couple of years ago with TubeBuddy about the word, “you.” Simply the word, “you.” Because you get more views if you said the word, “you,” in the first five seconds, ten seconds, thirty seconds. And we found you get a lot more views, and that’s, I think, what most brands, businesses, they’re talking about themselves, their services, the great things they’re doing. But content and marketing, which we consider to be blogs, they’ve been doing this for a while. This finding out what somebody’s searching for and what problem they want to solve, that may or may not be about the service they’re offering.
Dane Golden:
And so I think that this content marketing approach, particularly on YouTube, but also on what I call the feed-based social videos, which is everything not YouTube. That you-focused video is what people are missing.
Ben Amos:
Yeah, that’s so important now. It’s like the brands, the businesses, they’re not the heroes of the story. The customer is. And that’s really interesting to know that the … just using the word “you,” in those opening sentences of a video increases engagement. And so if you’re working with a brand or business that isn’t taking that mentality, what’s one of the first things that you do to help them understand the value in doing that?
Dane Golden:
It depends on the type of customer. So, with some customers, numbers help. And just showing them graphs and data. And show what we’ve all seen in YouTube. This double black-diamond ski slope of people abandoning the video in just the first few seconds, and just everyone had left and you may have a view count, because maybe you put a ton of paid media behind it. But no one cares. You can have huge view count, with nobody cares. And so we found if you say the word, “you,” once in the first five seconds, of 30,000 … We did a sample of 30,000 videos. You get 66% more views as a median, 66%.
Dane Golden:
So if you made 100,000 dollars from your channel, you would make 166,000 dollars instead. You say it twice in the first five seconds, you get a 97% increase. So if I said the word … If I said the phrase, “Today I’m going to show you how to fix your car.” I count the word, “you and your” together as both as “you.” So that’s one of the things that we show them just right from the start.
Dane Golden:
But we concentrate on YouTube analytics and showing them what’s working and what’s not. What’s driving subscribers. What’s driving audience retention. We’re really big on audience retention, getting that number up. And over time, keeping things consistent with thumbnails and titles and following the best practices, which you cover on this show.
Ben Amos:
Yeah, it’s so important that story, that metrics that the data tells. That not only looking at the data but like you’re doing there, unpacking the story that it tells, right? And taking that understanding and applying it to what you’re actually doing. Not just looking at the data and patting yourself on the back, but actually analyzing that data, working out the story. That’s so cool, so important.
Ben Amos:
You also have your own YouTube channel. So, shout out where we can follow you on YouTube as well, Dane. And what you talk about. What sort of content do you create?
Dane Golden:
We get geeky. We get geeky with Video Marketing Value. So, it could be an analytics or a study or a trick that most people don’t realize. Or a collab with another brand focused … marketing focused creator. And it’s just simply called VidAction.tv, which is also the website. But the URL is youtube.com/@VidActionTV.
Ben Amos:
Awesome. Cool. So, we’ll have the links to that in the show notes, but you’re also been a listener to this Podcast for a while. Hence, why you’re joining us on episode 100, so I’d love for you to maybe give me a bit of feedback on what’s really … Why do you keep listening and maybe what’s been a standout episode? Can you remember any guests I’ve brought on that’s really been interesting to you?
Dane Golden:
I think I was just listening a couple days ago, this taping, what great creator were you interviewing just a few days ago?
Ben Amos:
Gideon Shalwick.
Dane Golden:
Yes. And Gideon is someone I know well. And by the way, about Gideon, as he’s taking a step back from Veeroll to work on Splasheo, which is a fantastic product, and everyone should try it. I’ve actually taken on part of his role at Veeroll. So I’m actually now the ex officio marketing director there as well, which I should definitely mention.
Dane Golden:
And what Veeroll is, it’s a targeting tool for YouTube. And it’s also a make-your-own video for YouTube. So it’s how to make a quick paid ad that’s simple but effective, and how to target it too. So, those guys are all my buds. As you know, the video marketing world, as big as it is, it’s also small in that … And you know one other thing I think, Ben? Is that the reason people are so great in the video marketing world, is to succeed, you have to share.
Ben Amos:
Yeah.
Dane Golden:
So you get a lot of people who love to share and help each other.
Ben Amos:
Yeah absolutely, I couldn’t agree more. And that’s why I do this Podcast as well. Not only to share what I’m talking about. But more importantly for me, to tap into people who are sharing what their passionate and experienced about. And then hopefully to bring that to the listeners of this show. So I’m going to lean on you now Dane. And I’m going to invite you back on the show as well. Because I think we could go a lot deeper than what we do right now in episode 100. Are you up for that?
Dane Golden:
I’m up for anything. You just call me. Let’s talk.
Ben Amos:
Let’s do it. Hey Dane, thanks for joining me for episode 100. We’re going to let you go now. But it’s been awesome to celebrate with you today. And thanks for continuing to listen to the show. You’re awesome.
Dane Golden:
Thanks very much Ben. I appreciate it.