DFM Increases Visibility Through Expanded YouTube Channel

The Department of Family Medicine (DFM) has further broadened its online presence by launching an expanded channel on YouTube, the world's largest video site.

DFM YouTube Channel, By the Numbers

The DFM's YouTube channel hosts over 30 educational and resident recruitment videos, with more added regularly. Several of the videos have over 10,000 views.

People who visit the channel can also become subscribers, thereby receiving notification as new videos are added. As of October 15, the channel had over 200 subscribers, which according to DFM Web Architect Jim Witkins, is more than any other UW campus, school, or department with a channel.

"That doesn't mean others aren't using video, but that they're not taking advantage of YouTube's massive number of visitors and posting videos there," he said. In July 2008, Nielsen showed YouTube with nearly 60% of the market, with 5 billion of 8.5 billion total U.S. video views.

Witkins said that while copyright issues sometimes prevent departments from posting videos on YouTube, the biggest deterrent may be the perception that YouTube is a "place for kids to post silly videos."

"Some office networks block users' YouTube access," he said, "but we are doing our best to make the case that YouTube is an important business and education tool for the department."

Potential Impact for the DFM

Although many of the videos on the DFM YouTube channel are also embedded in the DFM's Digital Media Library (read related story), according to DFM Web Architect Jim Witkins, "the majority of people are finding our videos directly through YouTube, by a 10 to 1 margin. That's huge. We'd lose all that visibility for the department and potential to educate a wider audience by not being there."

Witkins believes that the YouTube channel can bring even more credibility to the department and to the individual faculty who have contributed to the videos. It could also serve as another way to recruit residents, faculty, staff, and could even attract patients.

"By posting videos that show our clinical knowledge, research innovation, and academic excellence, we are marketing through demonstration," he said. "It shows that we are experts and leaders."