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Technology by William & Patti Feldman COMPUTER AUTHORITIES

YouTube: Your marketing platform

S

ince 2005, when it launched, You-

Tube, www.youtttbe.

com, has evolved from being primarily a place for ing personai videos to an incredibly popular mainstream social media platform that an increasing number of HVAC and plumbing contractors use (free) to post promotional videos. In early 2008, we did a search at YouTube for the term "plumbing contractor" and it puiled up 1,860 videos. We also did a search for "HVAC contractor" and elicited just 57 videos. The keyword "HVAC" resuited in only 679 videos. Most of the videos were basic and straightforward and featured graphics that listed the company name, services offered, website and phone number. In late 2013, our query for "plumbing contractor" jumped up to more than 70,000 and a query for "HVAC contractor" yielded almost 100,000 results. Results for, while just plain "HVAC" reaped a whopping 358,000 videos. The majority of s

are relatively brief (generally this is a good thing) and essentially introduce the company via a montage of photos or live action video (some featuring zooms, transitions, fades, and/or time-lapse photography), and provide information, with or without voice-overs and added music. Some also include a direct link to the company website. As for the others, a random sampling shows that many genres are pop-

projectdoccontrol.com,

is a

document management solution that facilitates creating, managing and tracking documents across projects. The program enabies s to generate and track RFis, submittals, change orders, pay applications, and other incoming email from a contractor's Microsoft Outlook e-mail program. The can customize templates and standardize documents within projects and among all

Control. An optional Daily Reports module, accessible from any Internet-enabled computer, iPad or tabiet, allows field personnel to record labor, equipment and projection details on any project. COBRA, www.cobra-usa.

com, is a modular and scalable business software suite aimed at sub-contractors. Modules include project management; material management; purchase order; payroll; mobile computing; service management; billing including time and material, service, progress billing, AIA billing, and flat rate; contractor ing including s receivable, s payable, and general ledger programs; Kwik Estimator for residential and commercial estimating; and reports. projects. Project data is delivered Several features can expedite putting together in real time, with categoand running a project. For ries including job cost/ example, contractors can work-in-progress, budget traclc response times to RFIs versus actual cost comand track average turn- paring, RFIs, submittals, around times per project. work order, purchase ors can attach cut sheets ders, change orders (pendand drawings directiy to ing and approved), phase a submittal log and track tracking, permits, and docstatus, responses, approv- uments/photos. als, turnaround time, and A price book tooi suprevision requests. ports local supply vendor It is also possible to im- pricing, national pricing port GC-required pay ap- services, and customized plication forms and have pricing for various groups the system auto-fill all re- of customers (i.e. "best," quired values and other in- "good," and "less than formation. ideal"). The quote/pricing hisAn equipment tracking module gives visibility into tory enables distinguishwhere rented tools and ing between the price equipment are used and quoted and the price paid keeps track of rental peri- for an item from muitiple ods and rental costs. Each suppliers, to determine is assigned to specific who has consistent prirojects, ensuring security ing. Q on the project level. Module access is assigned on a Bill and Patti Feldman write -by- basis. articles and web content for Files can be imported trade magazines and manuand attached to related facturers of building proddocuments. Because the ucts. They can be reached program integrates with at productpad(4>yahoo.coni. Microsoft Outiook, proj- Visit www.Coritractormag. ect-related correspondence com to read more articles can be copied directly into about technology in the conthat project's correspon- tracting industry by Bill and dence Project Doc- Patti Feldman.

In late 2013, our query for "plumbing contractor" jumped up to more than 70,000 and a query for "HVAC contractor' yielded almost 100,000 results. ular, including how-to's, troubleshooting, training videos, glowing testimonials from very happy customers, long-form talking head infomerciais explaining a full range of services, and animated helpful tips directed to DIY homeowners. While many YouTube

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videos have achieved less than a dozen views, a fair number have earned 20 or 30 or 100 views. A small percentage has accumulated thousands or tens of thousands of views, which may be a reflection of outstanding content that earned repeated viewing or word-of-mouth recommendations or because of successful efforts to drive traffic to a video from the company website. Twitter . Facebook page or other social

Fax: 480-443-1267

www.shortridge.com

media presence. Likely, a good view count is primarily the result of the incorporation of a company's zip code, phone number (with area code), county, or geographic area served, as well as services offered as keywords and tags, enabling anyone looking for an HVAC contractor who serves a specific iocation to instantly find that company's video. According to YouTube, more than one billion unique s visit it each month; more than 100 hours of video are ed to YouTube every minute; and more than 6 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube, equating to almost an hour for every person on Earth. Many of the views are on mobile devices, with mobile views ing for more than 25% of YouTube's overall watch time, is your company ready for its screen test? Document management

Now on to a n o t h e r topic. Aimed at subcontractors. Project DocControi, www.

For information circle 220

30 • DECEMBER 2013

> www.contraciormag.com

COKTRACTOR

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