Enough is enough! YouTube, the monopolist of embedded video on the Web has censored the most popular Web video of 2009 (the JK Wedding entrance Dance). I have embedded it on SEOptimise as well a while ago. You can’t access it from Germany (where I live) anymore  for “copyright limitations reasons”. Orwellian newspeak has been Google’s (the owner of YouTube) specialty ever since they collaborate with the Chinese dictatorship. Plus, you might have guessed it:

YouTube is awful for your SEO unless you want to get viral on YouTube.

There is a viable alternative around: Embedding an open source FLV player instead of the proprietary YouTube player everybody uses without thinking of the consequences:
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Ever since the emergence of Universal Search video SEO has been in the focus of forward looking online marketers. Videos can potentially get millions of views and spread virally with ease.

YouTube videos often show on the first page of Google results. More often than any other Universal Search results, be it images, maps or news for instance.

All of this is nothing really new. This month though a private video reached almost 18 millions views that was different. It’s not one of the most popular videos of all time yet. There mostly music videos rule. Nonetheless it’s by far the most popular one this month. The next contender, Michael Jackson follows suit with “just” approx. 4 million views.

Of course I’m speaking about the “JK Wedding Entrance Dance” filmed at Jill and Kevin’s Wedding. Make sure to watch it in case you haven’t yet, it’s really lovely:

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There was a great story on BBC Breakfast News this morning about how social media can seriously damage a brand. In this case a single YouTube video complaint about a bad experience with United Airlines has contributed towards United Airlines share price dropping by 10% and costing shareholders a reported $180 million!

“Meanwhile, within four days of the song going online, the gathering thunderclouds of bad PR caused United Airlines’ stock price to suffer a mid-flight stall, and it plunged by 10 per cent, costing shareholders $180 million. Which, incidentally, would have bought Carroll more than 51,000 replacement guitars.”

Here’s the video, titled “United Breaks Guitars” by Dave Carroll – so far having an incredible viral effect with over 3.6 millions views:

This really goes to show the power of social media in terms of a reputation management tool and influencing public opinion. Every brand should be aware of their online reputation and trying to control this where possible. Social media has also made customer service more important than ever, now an unhappy customer has the power to share their story with hundreds, thousands or in this case 3.6 million people online!

There’s an interesting write-up on Social Media Today which looks at this and how United are using social media themselves – to less effect it has it be said! SEOmoz also posted some useful ideas about how United could look to repair their online reputation.

United aren’t the only company to be hit by a negative online reputation either, Domino’s Pizza in the US have received a backlash following a shocking video on YouTube. Plus Habitat were heavily criticised for spamming Twitter with irrelevant hashtags when their recent social media campaign was pushed too far.