With the increase in the use of Google to search for health-related content and the growing influence of social media, the spread of unreliable health information is rampant. While untrustworthy influencers spreading such information get more social media reach, credible health professionals face difficulties creating and promoting content alongside patient care.
To address this issue, YouTube has launched YouTube Health, a platform dedicated to promoting evidence-based health information. To further promote this platform and help healthcare professionals and organisations create high-quality health content, YouTube is hosting a series of virtual sessions in March. Let’s know more about it.
Health content best practices by YouTube Health UK: A 5-part series
This series is designed to support healthcare professionals and organisations in creating high-quality health content on YouTube and will consist of five one-hour virtual sessions, each covering a different topic related to health content best practices. The sessions will be accompanied by weekly virtual office hours with the YouTube team to answer any questions.
Here’s what the sessions will cover:
Session 1: How to create high-quality health content, including shorts. It will be held on March 1, featuring Dr Azmain Chowdhury.
Session 2: How to grow your channel and filming tips featuring Dr James O’Donovan, will be held on March 8.
Session 3: How to use YouTube analytics on March 15.
Session 4: How to monetise your YouTube channel on March 22.
Session 5: Deep dive into creator case studies and virtual networking on March 29.
Each session, except for the fifth, will follow a similar format: the YouTube team will present best practices for 30 minutes, followed by insights from a health creator for 15 minutes, and audience Q&A for the remaining 15 minutes.
Virtual office hours with the YouTube team will allow creators to ask specific questions and receive personalised guidance on their health content creation.
Benefit of these sessions
By attending the YouTube Health content best practices series, health creators can improve the quality and reliability of their content alongside growing their channel and increasing their reach. They will learn filming techniques, gain insights on how to use YouTube analytics, and monetize their channel.
Additionally, attending the virtual networking session will allow creators to connect with like-minded professionals and build relationships within the healthcare community. This can open up opportunities for collaboration and further enhance the quality of their content.
YouTube as a health content creation platform
YouTube is becoming a credible and informative platform for health creators as it plans to support them, allowing them to reach a wider audience. With 2 billion active monthly users, YouTube provides health creators with a global audience. Its algorithm also helps creators target specific demographics and interests, allowing their content to reach the right audience.
The video search engine is also investing in new features like health source information panels and health content shelves, making it easier for users to access videos from verified health sources on the platform.
YouTube has collaborated with renowned institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Harvard School of Public Health, and Psych Hub to create high-quality health content and provide easy-to-understand medical information to viewers around the world. It has also partnered with the Association for Healthcare Social Media to empower healthcare professionals who use social media to educate new audiences with medical information.
YouTube is also making significant efforts to disseminate reliable health information by following guidelines set by esteemed institutions like the Council of Medical Specialty Societies and the World Health Organization. The platform now displays a new carousel called “From health sources” that shows videos from approved channels above search results. These efforts ensure that healthcare-related content on the platform is credible and informative, which is essential for public health and well-being.
Dr Garth Graham, Director and Global Head of Healthcare and Public Health at YouTube, believes that the platform can transform how healthcare providers inform, educate, and motivate people to live healthier lives.
In light of these developments, we can see digital video transforming the healthcare industry and the way we learn about health.
