Use YouTube's interactive tools to increase audience participation

Recently, we've seen a surge in the number of non-profit organizations using YouTube's social features, like annotations, to drive interest and interaction with their causes. Last week, noting the knifing crimes in the United Kingdom, droptheweapons.org released this interesting annotations-based video about the ramifications of carrying or using a knife:



Similarly, a few months back, the Ad Council launched a creative campaign called "Two-Sided Stories," which leveraged YouTube annotations to guide citizens through choose-your-own-adventure scenarios about the importance of online privacy. See an example here:



Judging by the number of views these videos have received, these organizations are strategically tapping in to a growing trend. A more interactive approach might be the best way to go when trying to raise the volume on important issues, especially when you're targeting a teenage demographic. Want to use annotations in your next video? Learn how here.

Posted by Ramya Raghavan, YouTube Non-Profits and Activism Team