Youtube isn’t just for rock bands and funny cats anymore. It’s a place where serious business can take place.

Like any social network, the ability to put self created content out for others to interact with and share is vital to the new world of marketing. Youtube is especially powerful because you’re no longer faced with the connection of words on a page. Your customers can see your products and services in action. They can view your contributions in streaming color and can rely on this medium to be more real than a still photo can be. By offering up video of your products, promotions from your executives and funny ads to Youtube, you’re offering a more raw and real form of promotion that is both endearing and possibly condemning.

The upside to Youtube is clear. Video is a great format, and they’ve found a way to stream it that doesn’t cost you any bandwidth. Their infrastructure is built around sharing and their interface allows realtime feedback (in the form of comments) to what you present.

The downside can be devastating. If your product is poorly placed, or badly marketed, this will be amplified in video. If you are deceitful or not genuine, the public will eat you up and spit you out. Because Youtube, like the rest of the social network hives that have taken over the network, is a land of quick judgements and lasting impressions. You could receive millions of views in the matter of a few days, but what impression will you leave? Think of this before you post your next video. Would you want your grandmother to see it? How about your competition? Your best customer? If you’ve answered yes to these questions, then Youtube is for you.