How Obama Became President Of YouTube

Peter Kafka | March 20, 2008 10:31 AM

A 38-minute clip of Barack Obama's speech on race has more than 2 million views on YouTube (GOOG) since it went up two days ago. How'd that happen? Well, Obama has an inherent appeal for YouTube nation, and the speech is in the news, so that helps too. But we're guessing it may have gotten a professional push or two as well.

In a self-congratulatory piece in Ad Age, "video view optimizer" Josh Warner explains how his outfit, Feed Co., helped promote an earlier Obama video on YouTube, at the behest of ad agency Deutsch. There's no special sauce here, at least based on what Josh is saying. Just lots of spam:

We reached out to well-known political blogs such as Andrew Sullivan's Daily Dish, Huffington Post and Media Matters, always including a link to the "Hope Changes Everything" video on YouTube. We also targeted the blogs of regional daily newspapers, such as the Chicago Tribune. We even reached out to music blogs because of the candidate-as-rock-star feel of the video.

Yet in any video seeding, or any marketing campaign for that matter, you've got to hit your base. We spent a lot of time seeding the video directly to Obama supporters -- sending messages to users on YouTube who had previously uploaded or "favorited" Obama videos and asking them to do the same for our video. We also reached out to Obama groups on Facebook.

Josh says that his plan was to get this clip at least 100,000 views, and so far it's at 85,000. But we assume that he and other "optimizers" have also gone to work on the Obama speech clip as well. Our question for knowledgeable readers: How much do shops like Josh's charge for their services? How many of them are there? Who's the best at this stuff? Let us know in comments below. Or if you're feeling shy, use our anonymous tip box.

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37 Comments

Hector Smith said:

Mar. 20, 1:25 PM

Hi I am looking for help with production. I am very creative and I know with the right tools and collaboration I can help Obama win this election. I am a political ad- script writing genius. I will keep the ads coming to combat the right wing swift boating effectively. I don't want to sound too cocky, but I AM CONFIDENT I CAN DO THIS! If you have the equipment, the know how, and would love to give the republicans the fight of their life, then I am here to tell you "Yes we can win this election!"
Here is a short of what I intend to give to the republicans, "Yes we know you think you have the ace up your sleeve with pastor Jeremiah Wright, but I'm sorry, that is not going to be enough; the American people will still want you to show them how your plans for the country are superior than Obama's. Merely finding ways to tear your opponent down unjustly doesn't convince us that you have the best plans for this great country. Prove us wrong or we will be compelled to believe that your inadequate positions on the issues have left you no choice but to create false illusions of your opponent...

My email is adinga@comcast.net.
Obama must win!

marjorie said:

Mar. 20, 1:40 PM

Does anybody wonder, why a woman who has been First Lady, now a senator from one of the largest states, want's to be president. Why at 60 put yourself through it. One answer and one answer only. It is for "Bill". Trust me she is the biggest enabler of all times. America aren't we tired of the same old fights. Please let's give Barack a chance so he can give us one.

I also wonder about the article coming out about Hillary's connection to the group referred to as the "Family". This article is being discussed today as it is posted on Huffington Post.

Enough of the Clinton's.

Oscar P said:

Mar. 20, 1:40 PM

Nice speech, but I doubt it will have any positive impact on us. This is not the first time that he says one thing first, then says another thing, so he has become another politician, not the one he promises to be. His campaign has been based on a lie, on a promise of someone he is not, so too late to believe him. Although the topic is valid, and we as a nation must be beyond whites or blacks, the discourse has not been effective in changing the image many people have of Obama. It is hard to conceive a future president seating in a place listening to these horrible things FOR 20 YEARS!!!!!!! It's not like 20 minutes. Plus, if we put together 2 and 2,we can explain many things like his wife's comments about feeling proud of the country now, etc. Plus there are other things still pending ( Rezko, for example ) and he has proved to change his statements every time he sees his chances in danger. So he is just another politician who would say or do anything to obtain the votes. Sorry, but that is not change.

Jams (URL) said:

Mar. 20, 1:48 PM

Actually, Josh combined Search Engine Marketing(SEM), Search Engine Optimization (SEO)and social networking. It's hard to say how much money Josh received for this work: He has to tell us himself. Usually sign on fee ranges between $4,000 and $6,000. Then, billing is done based on number of hours expended on the real work. Rates range from $90 -140 per hr.

Who does this kind of work? Search Engine Marketers and optimizers. One must be a very good link builder. You need to adopt a very persuasive language to ask potential bloggers to link to your digital content, in this case the Obama speech video. Alternatively, you can comment on as many articles as possible referencing the Obama speech, ensuring you hyperlink a portion of your comment to the video.

Tagging is also very important. Tags allow people to find online content easily. When tagging a video, you first research words and phrases that people commonly use to look for information about Obama. There are a motley of resources to do this. Drop me a line at nwachai@gmail.com if you need help.

Tim said:

Mar. 20, 1:49 PM

Barack Obama is the embodiment of a President. America would be making a fatal mistake to hold Rev. Wright against Obama considering what is at stake in this election. For some who see a problem with the Obama speech, its not about what was said, it so who said it. Rest assure if those words were uttered from the mouths of Revs. Falwell, Hagee, Robertson and Grahm-the critics and media would of dismissed them as loony. Rev. Manning of Harlem who is staunch supporter of the Clinton have made some scary, outrageous and inflammatory comments about Sen. Obama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgtIqeV-6mk&feature=related

Lee said:

Mar. 20, 2:02 PM

I’ve seen the same two clips over and over (911 & God Damn America). Are those the only sermons that the man preached for 36 years? (the comments about race I’ve excluded because they, while offensive even to some blacks like me, do not rise to the same level as the other two; especially to some people in the black community who often speak in terms of “black” and “white”)
I’ve watched plenty of sermons at this church on their live webcast and on TV, and I’ve not seen this type of sentiment expressed
The vile statements of Jerry Falwell concerning 911--> I objected to what he said, but I never thought that those statements were indicative of what you’d normally find at his church when he was alive. The same goes for Hagee and Rod Parsley

The point that I’m trying to make is that when we see these horrible clips over and over, it can be easy to assume that this was an EVERYDAY occurrence. I’m not justifying what was said, because those statements were awful. What I am trying to do is to refrain from whittling down the man’s entire career and representing it with a few vile clips. Especially when I’ve seen with my own eyes sermons from this man that weren’t offensive. Isn’t it fair to say that it was the benign sermons, if anything, that were most likely routine?

poerba said:

Mar. 20, 2:11 PM

Way to embed the video. Reached out to for video seeding too.

Smith said:

Mar. 20, 2:55 PM

Its very fascinating. They went hunting and all they could come up with is a pastor. And Hannity brags about this? You mean to tell me that Pastor Wright is their only hope? Well considering your candidate is an extension of Bush policies plus a 73 year old forgetful memory and a proven flip-flopper (taxes), you are going to need more. People get sick of the personal attacks. Obama was able with his speech to elevate himself above people like Pastor Wright. He portrayed himself as someone on higher ground than Pastor Wright; someone who had a birds eye view of the whole situation and therefore not prone to the same perspectives of Pastor Wright. Obama showed true leadership qualities because he pointed out the various perspectives in play, including his own unique perspective of the situation, thereby showing us why he has it in him not to think like Pastor Wright. I know Obama has it in him, to give people like Pastor Wright and all others on all sides of the spectrum a reason to believe that an America which we are all happy with, is attainable through unity. Yes we still can!

Rick said:

Mar. 20, 3:15 PM

I'm sorry, but the American people -- or at least a good majority of them -- are sheep and idiots, that will believe any lie repeated at 'em enough times on TV. They will respond to fear every time, not reason or their better natures.
In America today, onlt that which is lowest and meanest rises to the top. That is the way it is, and institutionalized into every aspect of American life.

And so, this poor lost country will end up with McCain, and more of the same old same old for another four, eight, sixteen, maybe a hundred years. But after a couple of more years of what we've got now, it won't much matter.

We'll all be struggling just to stay alive.

Lynne in Alabama said:

Mar. 20, 3:17 PM

I agree with you, Lee. Play it enough and it will seep into the psyche of America -- white America. How can a man so viable, so refreshing, be reduced to a black candidate?

I'll tell you how. At the beginning of this campaign, I was like Michelle Obama, proud of this country's interest in the political process; people were coming together and the United States of America. Then there was Bill Clinton in SC, then Sean Hannity and his posse on Fox to reveal snipets of Wright's sermons. So we are back to square one.

I can say this unequivocally. The aforementioned participants may save America from the Black candidate and from Wright, but who will save us from the brown people in the Middle East from trumping our streets here in America, killing us one by one?
Our battle is much broader. Why? why? why? Why do people hate us as a nation (America does not want to answer that question), Why Wright feels the way he does? Barack can't answer that question.

Solution: Have Wright, Hannity, Cornel West, and any other opposing views come together for a serious debate. Not screaming match. But debate the issues they have with comments made from a pulpit can be confronted ans squashed. tim Russert can serve as moderator.

Ronp said:

Mar. 20, 3:27 PM

Unfortunately too many of us will with our esteem and inferiority complexes stay stuck on this until it's dealt with in a healthy way. Too bad it's your campaign that it has to come at the expense of but, thank you Barack for taking the high road in spite of it all.

Below are links to the Christmas Day 2007 Sermon at Trinity Church of Christ by Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., which FOX News acquired and disingenuously used to intentionally create a false and unrepresentative caricature of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., and by association Barack Obama. This was the service with the Hillary comment towards the end of the sermon.
Unfortunately people are too lazy to think critically any more, and continue to fall prey to news commentators with mal intent who continue to treat us as immature children who allow others to think for us.

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdfbWSJINhg
Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVeK0JDPm8Y
Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o36KBeDXJ8
Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFQAQVcn89A

--

Bjorn Tipling (URL) said:

Mar. 20, 4:04 PM

People, the post was about a video seeding service, not the speech.

dierk (URL) said:

Mar. 20, 5:55 PM

Remember the thing about a butterfly in China causing a tornado in another part of the world? Well, how about using the Biberach Independent Film Festival to make sure Obama clinches the nomination? Just contact us and we'll see what we can do.

Joel said:

Mar. 20, 6:20 PM

So a video tape of his pastor comes out with some incendiary sound clips and folk get all riled up? Meanwhile McCain says he doesn't think Jerry Fallwell and Pat Robertsons are agents of intolerance despite the fact that their post 9/11 comments were way more incendiary. Reverend Wright blamed Amereca's policy while the other two blamed abortionists, gays, and liberals. This is not only a red herring, it was a racially biased red Herring. Where the hell is the commotion over McCains speeches to Bob Jones University and Liberty University and other bastions of right wing hatred and anti-America hatred? Oh yes, thats right, the whole reason this came up is because the McCain camp was dealing with the issue of anti-catholic bigot and prominent McCain best-buddy John Hagee. Way to take the bait and switch media. Thanks for asking the hard questions.

Josh Warner said:

Mar. 20, 7:15 PM

Hey guys, We seeded the Hope Changes Everything video as a pro bono because we support Barack Obama and everyone else involved in the video did the same. We reached out specifically to Obama supporters and political blogs to share this video and do not ever spam. We have not been involved with any other political videos for this election.

Vote Obama (this is not a spam message)

Eshe (URL) said:

Mar. 20, 8:37 PM

We love you, Josh....

Thank you so very much, lets' hope that its' not too late for the lemmings-humankind.

John Nance said:

Mar. 20, 9:54 PM

FYI, I viewed the video via a link at huffingtonpost.com, no paid promotion there (I would hope).

Knowledgeseeker said:

Mar. 21, 12:20 AM

Obama have helped changed the Internet Political game, he his a great Innovator... Most of his campaign funding came from Internet users .Thanks to him many young people are involved into politics like never before.
I strongly Believe he have Revolutionized the Youtube and the Social Networking world
We need to not let Fox news bring down Obama, because that is their main objective. We need to continue to support him no matter what Fox News used to Attacking with...

joe said:

Mar. 22, 7:39 AM

what people dont understand is that this guy appears to be most influential, important man in his life. people comparing him to falwal, etc. doesnt make sense because these guys are just people who support mccain and/or support clinton as opposed to being critical people in their lives (i.e. he named his autobiography after his sermon; i dont think mccain or hillary did that and if they did they would be out). romney and huckabee paid for their religious views and they are out. his wife already said some things that you can tell were influenced by wright and he just rebutted criticism to his speech by using the term "typical white male". this guy has a chip on his shoulder against white people and if you cant see it then you are in denial. but besides all that, he has no national experience and appears pretty naive to me. being a cool hip guy doesnt mean you are gonna be a good president.

Barack Obama (URL) said:

Mar. 22, 5:54 PM

Praise allah! Thank you my fellow muslim Americans for your gracious comments!

Sidoman (URL) said:

Mar. 30, 2:50 AM

Guys, Obama is the man, give him your vote. Thank you. "Yes he can"

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