In my kids’ younger days I used to get so frustrated that they would spend hours on end just watching YouTube. I’ll admit now that they were so far ahead of the game in visual media than I ever was, but back then I just couldn’t understand how what I thought was just a bunch of music videos and gamer live plays could hold their attention so raptly. Now as an official member of the cable-cord-cutting digital revolution, and a fledgling video creator myself I’m tempted to take back every negative thing I have ever said about the time they spent on the platform, as YouTube is now a major part of my everyday life.
I understand better the two-way communication between content creators and fans. I love the structured on-demand nature of channels that operate similarly to episodic television shows. And more than anything, I love the free delivery of a wide variety of opinions and experience without the filter of media company regulations and sponsor bias in most cases. With all that being said, I’ve decided that on this fine Web Wednesday, I would share with you just five of my favorite YouTube channels and how they help me.
Savvy Sexy Social – Amy Schmittauer
Amy Schmittauer is a social media vlogger (video blogger) known for her “Vlog Like A Boss” series and book. Her channel teaches all of the ins and outs of using YouTube as a platform for selling your services and connecting with your community. Her delivery is simple and accessible, and every time I tune in I learn about a new tool that can help me be more productive as a blogger and digital marketer.If you have any interest in starting a blog or channel of your own, hers is a must-watch.
STAY IN TOUCH: http://savvysexysocial.com/subscribe
BLOG — http://savvysexysocial.com
INSTAGRAM — https://www.instagram.com/schmittastic/
TWITTER — https://twitter.com/schmittastic
FACEBOOK — https://www.facebook.com/savvysexysocial
Philip DeFranco
Philip DeFranco is what I call a “Legacy Tuber” as he’s been around for 11 YEARS, coming out with a new video 5 days a week covering the latest in pop culture and world news. The reason I like him over all the other dailies out there is that he presents and discusses all sides of a story, even when his own bias is clear and admitted. He encourages viewers to take all the carefully-presented research his team lays out to make up their own minds. It’s like a more engaging, younger version of NPR for people who can think for themselves.
FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/mqpRW7
TWITTER: http://Twitter.com/PhillyD
INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/phillydefranco/
REDDIT: https://www.reddit.com/r/DeFranco
Great Big Story
Now if you’re feeling run down, overwhelmed, or like the world is constantly on fire, flooding or otherwise self-destructing, I urge you to take ten minutes a day and watch a few videos from Great Big Story. This channel has cinematic videographers that travel the world to share the amazing, often-unheard-of wonder that is life as a human being on the planet Earth. Using a micro-documentary format, they share a detailed look at everything from legendary libraries, to centuries-old candy making techniques, weird anomalies of nature, and so much more. I love it because they inspire my urge to explore and my drive to create amazing things. I’ve included one of their collection videos below, which is a bit longer to give an idea of the variety they cover, but the average video on their channel is only two or three minutes long… great for a little restoration of faith in humanity on a short break.
Instagram: http://goo.gl/2KABeX
Facebook: http://goo.gl/Vn0XIZ
Twitter: http://goo.gl/sY1GLY
Visit our world directly: http://www.greatbigstory.com
Blank on Blank – PBS Digital Studios
Over time the way we consume stories from public figures has changed dramatically. In recognition of this the team at PBS Digital Studios has taken hours and hours of forgotten audio interviews and set them to a raw and basic animation to bring those stories to life in a visual way in their series “Blank on Blank”. It’s a great way to experience inspiring moments with today and yesterday’s absolutely most legendary women. From Bette Davis and Joni Mitchell to Dolly Parton and Meryl Streep, hearing and seeing these stories drives me to see the world through these taste-makers and game-changer’s eyes.
Pop Pilates / Blogilates – Cassie Ho
Now just a disclaimer: I love to cuss at Cassie Ho as I pull her up on the big screen and try desperately to turn myself into a pretzel the way she shows viewers how, all with a perky smile and an uplifting tone of encouragement. Since I spend so many of my waking hours sitting at a desk, and my body is pretty quick to remind me that I’m not getting any younger, I have to make a real effort to keep some semblance of a healthy, proportionate figure. Two or three times a week I pop up a video from Cassie, and in true WhiskeyChick fashion, I tell her perky ass off while working out all those tendons and muscles that go stagnant sitting in the office. If time allows, I follow up with a little treadmill or elliptical session, but her equipment-free 10-15 minute routines at least fire my body up so that the rest of the day I’m feeling the burn and seeing the results. Her videos are well-timed, musically-themed, and she’s quick to point out modifications to the more difficult moves so you can do as little or as much as your body allows.
Follow Cassie on…
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/blogilates
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blogilates
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/blogilates
Do you have a favorite YouTuber that helps you somehow in your day to day life? Leave a link in the comments below and share it!
Cheers!