Scion Tuner Challenge Update 2

When Scion called us to ask if we wanted to take part in the Scion Tuner Challenge this year, my first thought was if I'm willing to kill myself for the next three months until SEMA.  After they told me it would be a battle of the media companies against Super Street and Speedhunters, I just had to accept.

Why the hesitation?  First of all, this Scion Tuner Challenge will make grown men cry.  And I'm not kidding.
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6 YouTube Community Building Fundamentals

1. Develop relationships with top contributors. Respond to frequent commenters, fans and followers. Ask questions about their interests etc.  The easiest way to find your top fans is to go to your Video Manager>Community>Fans.  Here you will find your most engaged and influential viewers.  Have you tried this?  Not only you will find your most important viewers here, if you go to Video Manager>Community>Insights, you can get vital data of your viewers like what they like to watch and general demographics.  YouTube is helping us understand our unique audience.  Use the tools and talk to them!
2. Create content about your community.  Communities are about people. Talk about them as often as possible.  All of the top YouTubers talk directly to their fans and also create content specifically about them.  Whether it's a video about reading comments, giving away prizes or talking directly to them through their videos, your community will appreciate and embrace it.  Make videos involving your viewers!
3. Recognize the contributions of individuals.  People love to be recognized.  It's a free way to encourage more contributions.  Talk about specific fans who gave you an idea about a video.  It kind of goes back to the above 2 but acknowledging the individual is important here.  
4. Let heated debates happen.  Good debates are part of a healthy community.  Create content that spurs conversation.  Only remove hateful comments targeted at an individual or group.  
5. Use the platform tools your community is familiar with.  Don't invest a minute of time into a social network that your community isn't using.   Find out what your viewers are on.  If they are on Instagram, that's where you should be.  Don't waste your time on Pintrest if your fans are not there. 

Have you already linked your G+ page to your YouTube page? If not you need to do that right now.  That way, you will be able to bring your top fans into Google Plus "Circles" so you can engage with them better.

Reference: YouTube Playbook

(TK)

GTChannel is Building an Automotive Video Community

GTChannel is a multi-channel network that oversees more than 500 automotive content creators. While we continue to produce videos under the GTChannel name, we’re also growing this community centered around a love for cars, motorcycles and anything else that goes fast and puts a smile on our face. Our goal is to share this love with our giant fan base around the globe, providing you with a range of videos that include drifting, tuning, rallying, gaming, cruising, off-roading, DIY-ing and everything in between. The automotive world is enormous and made up of all types of people who appreciate cars and motorcycles for all sorts of reasons - the adrenaline, the challenge, the artistry, the teamwork, the fun. We at GTChannel have the opportunity to unite these factors through visual media, and we’re taking it. 

Here’s a list of some of our awesome channels:

Racing/Drifting/Rallying

www.youtube.com/TheRacerChannel

www.youtube.com/OfficialGRC

www.YouTube.com/RSRNurburg

www.YouTube.com/DriftIdiot

www.YouTube.com/LORENinHD

www.youtube.com/StanceAutoworks

www.youtube.com/EATSLEEPRACEdotCOM

www.youtube.com/wyldfantasyx

www.youtube.com/valera12345

www.youtube.com/DragTimes

www.youtube.com/taylorwright28

www.youtube.com/fbodyfreak

www.youtube.com/0understeer

Supercars

http://www.youtube.com/user/superspeedersRob

www.youtube.com/DailyDrivenExotics

Tuning

www.youtube.com/HotVersionGT

www.youtube.com/BestMotoringClassic

www.youtube.com/HKSPOWEROFFICIAL

www.youtube.com/GReddyUSA

www.youtube.com/SmurfinWRX

www.youtube.com/JotechOne

www.youtube.com/MishiM0T0

www.youtube.com/R1Concepts

https://www.youtube.com/spdacademy

www.youtube.com/sshhh12

www.youtube.com/dynosteve

www.youtube.com/eetzi1

Car Reviews and Coverage

www.youtube.com/AutoMotoTV

www.youtube.com/ForCornersTV

www.youtube.com/TheAutoChannel

www.youtube.com/ElectricFederal

www.youtube.com/V8TV

www.youtube.com/steevie333

www.youtube.com/BOWLSfilms

www.youtube.com/MotorMavens

www.youtube.com/SEMAChannel

www.youtube.com/autovideobroadcast

www.youtube.com/hondaproJason

www.youtube.com/theREALawfilms

https://www.youtube.com/jpky16

Motorcycles

www.youtube.com/chaseontwowheels 

www.youtube.com/downshift83

www.youtube.com/MotonosityX

www.youtube.com/DoubleT90T

Drivers

www.youtube.com/TannerFoustRacing

www.youtube.com/MADMIKEmotorsports

www.youtube.com/YoshiharaDai

Gaming

www.youtube.com/HIboostRaceClubRAWHD

www.youtube.com/user/MrAeroHD

www.youtube.com/GTPlanet 

If you produce automotive videos and are interested in becoming a part of our network, visit www.GTChannel.com/Partner for more info.
(TK)

Wanted Associate Editor Position

Through our multi-channel network business, we have run into some talented video creators and hired them for our GTChannel Original Production series numerous times.  In the past we have hired and worked with network partners like Devon Afro Thunder/Imagine Media,  LORENinHD, Tomimotfilms and DriftIdiot. 
Managing the network allows us to see who's hustling and making a name for themselves creating videos.  

GTChannel is seeking a fast paced ASSISTANT EDITOR to help in post production of several on-going automotive shows.  

Job requirements: Learn the business with us. Main tasks will be in the post production and editorial area, but everyone helps everyone - so other areas include social updates, digital distribution, partner management, et. al.

The must have's ...

1) Car Nut - ideally, in the Tuning, Drifting, action motorsports area.
2) Proficient on FCP 7, Adobe Premiere
3) Be as reliable as a Ford Truck.  
4) All professional - we are having fun, but this is a business and professionalism is required.

Looking for 3-5 weekdays, ideally full time. 

Hit us up at jobs@gtchannel.com

GTChannel Looking for Hosts!

We're always looking for new faces to host our videos on GTChannel.  If you think you've got what it takes, send in your reels to info@gtchannel.com with Subject Title:Host.

YouTube's 'Subscribe' Trailer is Absolutely Important For You Video SEO Tips #3

When we all changed over to the new YouTube channel design in 2013, YouTube gave us an option to make one of your videos a 'subscribe' Channel Trailer.

Viewers that come to your channel are automatically met with a trailer if they are not subscribers to the channel.

In the trailer, a channel can show what they are to expect and also why that viewer should subscribe now. We can't emphasize enough on how important building an audience by increasing your subscribers is.

Here are the main things to keep in mind.
1.  Explain what your channel is all about.  (what kind of videos and shows there are)
2.  Look into the camera and ask viewers to "Subscribe to my channel"
3.  Use clear and easy annotation buttons to seal the deal.

This is how you set up your Channel Trailer.

1. Hover over the section with your channel name and click on the pencil that appears on the right hand side
2. Click edit channel navigation
3. Enable the Browse view and then click Save

If you don't like your Channel Trailer or come up with a new one, you can always replace it. 

 If you haven't done it yet, your next video should be a channel 'Subscribe' trailer.


Here are some awesome textbook sub trailers! They may have stumbled onto your channel by accident but that trailer can kill or close the deal.  Go do it now!

Geek & Sundry Trailer

Fast Lane Daily Trailer

Scion Tuner Challenge UPDATE

First video by Scion was just released.  GTChannel will also be releasing a bunch of videos in the next coming months leading up to the SEMA Show.

First partnership announcement we'd like to make is that we've teamed up with our friends and GTChannel Network partner MotoIQ.  Many of you may know Mike Kojima from our Behind the Smoke and Controlled Chaos video series but Mike is also the president and resident car nerd at MotoIQ.  We'll be working out of MotoIQ's shop here in Southern California to keep things in the neighborhood.

Mike is an expert car builder and we feel much more confident that he's on our side helping us build this car.  

Currently parts are starting to arrive to our shop so we'll be updating soon with some parts photos and an installation video.  

33 Amazing YouTube Facts and Stats to Tweet and Share

Reel SEO put together of list of mind boggling YouTube facts like 6 billion hours of video is watched on YouTube every month and 100 hours of video is uploaded every minute.
It's hard not to realize that humans sure have a lot of time on our hands!

Source: 33 Amazing YouTube Facts and Stats to Tweet and Share
Reel SEO YouTube Facts 

GTChannel in Scion Tuner Challenge 2014

We've been challenged by Scion to build a FR-S for the 2014 SEMA Show.  The SEMA Show is the biggest aftermarket show in the world and if we're going to get a chance to build a car and compete against the likes of Superstreet and Speedhunters, hell yeah!

Obviously we will be documenting this build on video and updating as we go along. We've tapped into our Rolodex to partner with the best in the business. Watch out for regular updates on GTChannel.com.  

Full Release by Scion: 

TORRANCE, Calif., (Aug. 11, 2014) – They publish about the FR-S and they love the FR-S, but can they tune it? Scion announced today the three media partners that will compete in its 10^th annual Scion Tuner Challenge at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas Nov. 4-7. Super Street, GT Channel and Speedhunter will put their own spins on the stock FR-S vehicles, drawing inspiration from the details of the FR-S Release Series 1.0.

All three outlets have long relationships with Scion and will receive $15,000 to modify the vehicles. Super Street is a magazine dedicated to covering high-performance customized cars and lifestyle. GT Channel is a car video network focused on drifting videos, car racing and new vehicle tests. Speedhunters is website featuring JDM (Japanese domestic market) tuning, U.S. tuning and custom car projects. A panel of judges will evaluate the entries and announce the winner at the SEMA Show. First place earns a $10,000 grand prize.

“The FR-S Release Series 1.0 presents a modern take on the vehicle’s racing heritage and will provide our three media teams a creative muse for their own inspired customizations,” said Landy Joe, Scion auto shows and special events manager. “In our 10 years bringing this competition to the SEMA Show, we’ve always been impressed by the ingenuity of car builders there and our Scion fans. By bringing in these three respected partners to help us celebrate this milestone, we hope to get even more people excited about the possibilities.”

The stock FR-S is already a favorite of car enthusiasts and the tuner community. At the start of the competition, each FR-S vehicle will have its 2.0-liter, flat boxer engine, six-speed manual transmission and streamlined body exterior. Each builder team can reach out to aftermarket partners for support as needed.

For more details about the contest, visit www.ScionRacing.com for blog entries, photos and video content. Fans can follow the builds on the Scion Racing Twitter and Instagram using the hashtags #ScionTunerChallenge and #FRSRS1.