Ep. 70: Thinking Like a Viewer: YouTube Lessons from MIT

Jenny sits down with Melanie Gonick, the senior video producer at MIT. Having managed MIT's YouTube channel since 2008, Melanie provides a unique historical perspective on the platform’s evolution from an early repository of raw video into the powerful search and entertainment engine it is today. Melanie shares actionable strategies for capturing viewer attention, emphasizing that successful production starts with thoughtful titles, optimized metadata, and eye-catching thumbnails. She highlights the importance of playlists as a tool for community building and content amplification, noting how they help organize vast academic archives into digestible experiences for the audience. Guest Name: Melanie Gonick, Senior Video Producer, MIT Guest Socials:LinkedInInstagram Guest Bio: Melanie Gonick is the Senior Video Producer and Editor at MIT, where she has been helping tell the stories of the Institute’s people and research since 2008. She specializes in translating complex science and engineering into compelling, accessible videos that connect with broad audiences, finding the human stories behind groundbreaking discoveries. A lifelong North Shore resident, Melanie grew up in a beach town along the Massachusetts coast and now lives on the North Shore with her husband and son. When she’s not behind the camera or in the editing suite, she’s inspired by the challenge of helping people better understand the world through thoughtful visual storytelling. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Jenny Li Fowlerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/https://twitter.com/TheJennyLiAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too! Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — The AI Workforce Platform for Higher Ed. Learn more at element451.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.