February 22, 2022
5 minutes
On Friday 18th February when Storm Eunice swept through the UK, planespotting YouTube channel, Big Jet TV, was causing a storm of its own. The channel and its presenter, Jerry Dyer, became a viral sensation when they livestreamed Heathrow Airport’s wind-struck plane landings.
By Friday afternoon, Big Jet TV was trending number one on Twitter and over 200,000 people had tuned in to watch the stream. It became a breakout search term on Google and a multitude of news outlets covered the story, with Metro dubbing Jerry Dyer as ‘an unlikely national hero’.
But, what made Big Jet TV so successful? The two-person YouTube channel and its niche subject matter gained the kind of exposure that most brands could only dream of. Subscription sales skyrocketed and the name ‘Big Jet TV’ became known nationwide.
As marketers, we can learn a lot from Big Jet TV’s success. Dyer captivated a huge, diverse audience, so let’s look at how. These are the five key marketing lessons we can take away from Big Jet TV.
1. Audiences Love Authenticity
In a digital world where we’re constantly being swayed and sold to, audiences are becoming more and more aware of traditional marketing tactics. They can see through persuasive spiel and they’re not buying it. The market is crowded and it’s up to them who gets their time and attention. The winners? Brands that are genuine.
What did Big Jet TV do right?
Jerry Dyer was constantly transparent with viewers throughout Friday’s livestream. He took calls with journalists live on air, showing us a side to business that’s usually hidden. As viewership got higher, he was genuinely shocked and grateful for his success. Jerry seemed just like you and me – and that’s who we want to give our attention to.
What can your brand do?
Don’t be afraid to take your audience behind the scenes. Share sides of the business that they wouldn’t otherwise know about. Understanding the ins and outs of your brand will help your customers trust you and your product. Putting a face to your brand can help authenticity too, as people relate to a person much more than a logo.
2. Passion is Contagious
Most of us didn’t expect to enjoy commentary about aeroplane landings and yet, we were hooked.
What did Big Jet TV do right?
We watched gingerly as Jerry coaxed planes to the ground with “Easy, easy, easy,” and felt a rush of excitement when he cheered at their landing. Jerry’s passion was infectious and it’s why he, and Big Jet TV, won our hearts.
What can your brand do?
Passion is something that every brand should have at their core. If you’re enthusiastic about your product, chances are your audiences will feel it too. Like Big Jet TV, care, excitement and positivity should shine through your content to show audiences how amazing your brand really is.
3. Timing is Everything
Friday afternoon’s live stream caught the attention of many UK desk workers. Tweets like “no work today, let’s just watch planes landing at Heathrow ” and “replace work with Big Jet TV” began circulating as the channel became the perfect procrastination watch.
But what if Storm Eunice had happened on Saturday night instead? Or even a busy Monday morning. Would Big Jet TV’s livestream have been as successful then? Social media data shows that the best engagement times are mid-week during work hours, which Big Jet TV proved right.
What did Big Jet TV do right?
Big Jet TV gave its viewers exactly what they wanted at exactly the right time. Audiences were already online, winding down after a busy week, wondering about the storm keeping them indoors.
What can your brand do?
Think about what your customers are up to and when they need your product most. Consider social media engagement times and external factors like events and weather. Then communicate your messaging exactly when they need it most.
4. Creating a Sense of Community Helps Spread the Word
As word about Big Jet TV’s livestream spread, more and more people clambered to get in on the action.
What did Big Jet TV do right?
The channel quickly unified the nation and memes about ‘the whole of the UK right now’ blew up on Twitter. People loved feeling like they were part of something.
What can your brand do?
Word of mouth is one of the best forms of marketing. If you can create a sense of community that encourages a mass of people to get involved, your community will grow and grow as members start spreading the word. Make your audiences feel like they’re involved and they’re bound to want to stay like that.
5. Reacting to Trending Topics is Crucial
Storm Eunice was already a major news story and was trending on Twitter. It was a topic that anyone could get involved with, with an invested, active audience ready for the taking.
What did Big Jet TV do right?
Big Jet TV jumped on this and reacted, fast. On a typical day, they can cover a range of major airports, but on Friday they set up at Heathrow in the thick of the storm. As a result, Big Jet TV landed the same audiences that were talking about Eunice and became a big part of the conversation.
What can your brand do?
To hook your brand to trending topics, it’s imperative to keep up to date with the latest news stories and social media breakouts. Set aside time in your day to check news outlets and think about how popular stories can link to your brand. Releasing relevant campaigns won’t just get your name out there, it’ll encourage major publications to link back to your site and boost its authority as a result.
At NORTH, we consistently land the big links that our clients need to maximise their SEO performance, by pushing their brand to the forefront of trending conversations. To find out more about our digital PR and SEO service, chat with us today.