SKT Surpasses 1 Million YouTube Subscribers... Most Viewed Video is 'Smartphone Self-Setting'

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] SK Telecom's YouTube channel has surpassed 1 million subscribers. The most viewed videos were from the self-setting guide series, which included how to back up smartphone phonebooks.

According to SK Telecom on the 18th, surpassing 1 million subscribers on YouTube is the first achievement among domestic large corporations excluding entertainment agencies, broadcasters, and global channels. It is also a milestone reached 10 years after the official channel was launched in 2011. Notably, the number of subscribers, which was 240,000 at the end of December 2018, has grown about fourfold in the past two years.

SK Telecom explained that the rapid growth was largely due to ▲collaborations with professional YouTubers ▲active participation of employees ▲customer interest information such as recruitment ▲digital campaigns creating social value. The strategy of moving beyond using YouTube as an archive for storing TV CF videos to actively communicating with the public through various self-produced content tailored to customers' perspectives has been successful.

Since last year, SK Telecom has been actively using YouTube for communication with customers. Targeting the YouTube generation, they have collaborated with YouTubers from various professional fields and selected and nurtured in-house YouTube creators. According to a survey conducted by SK Telecom upon reaching 1 million subscribers, many respondents showed a high preference for corporate YouTube content featuring professional YouTubers introducing products and services.

Since April last year, SK Telecom has launched a segment called 'feat. Creator,' showcasing content in collaboration with experts and popular YouTubers in various fields such as 'Gongdori Yongdal' and 'Professor Lee Seung-yoon, a digital cultural psychologist.' For example, with science YouTuber 'Gongdori Yongdal,' they checked the deletion of personal information on phones, and with Professor Lee Seung-yoon, they introduced popular restaurants using SK Telecom's big data.

In the survey, viewers in their 20s responded that they preferred videos featuring in-house employees the most. Respondents in their 20s said that content introduced by in-house employees was very trustworthy, especially showing the highest trust in recruitment information. They also positively evaluated that videos featuring in-house employees allowed them to feel the company's atmosphere.

The cumulative views of SK Telecom's YouTube channel reached about 832 million, equivalent to every citizen watching 16 times. The total watch time is 11.36 million hours, and the total number of likes is 1.78 million. Analysis shows that the main subscribers of SK Telecom's YouTube channel are young customers in their 20s, with about 20% aged 18-24 and about 18% aged 25-34. Among them, the subscribers who watch videos the longest are males aged 25-34.

The playlist with the highest number of plays on SK Telecom's YouTube channel is the 'Smartphone Self-Setting Guide.' It consists of videos on how to insert a smartphone USIM, how to back up photos, phonebooks, and applications. Providing information needed by customers tailored to their perspective received great response.

Videos related to the customer center also attracted much attention. Viewers were moved by videos reconstructed based on true stories of SK Telecom customer center workers who communicate closest to customers, and the 'Customer Center 114' videos answering frequently asked questions also recorded many views.

To celebrate surpassing 1 million YouTube subscribers, SK Telecom will hold a prize event for subscribers. From the 19th to the 28th, leaving congratulatory comments on SK Telecom's Facebook will enter a draw for 30 winners to receive Twosome Place dessert vouchers.

Additionally, the company will publish a magazine introducing popular content from the YouTube channel on its official blog 'Insight (https://www.sktinsight.com/thankyou1m).' The magazine features popular content by keywords representing this year such as Untact, 5G, AI, as well as advertisements and collaboration videos with YouTube creators on various themes.

Meanwhile, SK Telecom, as the first domestic large corporation to reach 1 million YouTube subscribers, plans to produce a manual containing 10 years of YouTube channel operation know-how and the results of the recent survey to share communication insights using YouTube with other companies.

Song Gwang-hyun, head of SK Telecom PR2 Office, said, “The YouTube strategy to actively communicate tailored to customers' perspectives seems to have led to the great achievement of securing 1 million subscribers for the first time in Korea,” and added, “We will continue to present various content planned from the customer's viewpoint to communicate with customers.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.