The magazine I edit, Industrial Technology, has just conducted its 2013 readership survey. This is something we do every couple of years, and it helps us to identify industry trends and evolving reader requirements. It's one of our key tools in shaping the direction of the magazine and the associated online products, ensuring that we present readers with the right information in the right format.

A full report on the findings will be available for download on the Industrial Technology website shortly, but for me one of the standout statistics is that over 70% of Industrial Technology readers are regularly using YouTube in their working lives - to search for new products, explore product features, and master specific product functions.

Now, 70% is a massive figure, and it really highlights the importance of video as a sales aid for engineering and technology products. The product search aspect speaks for itself, and if you've written the news item, designed the brochure, coded the landing page and drafted the press release, then it's surely madness not to go the extra mile and produce the video.

But for me, perhaps the more interesting aspect is the exploration of product features and giving engineers the hints and tips they need to unlock and make best use of a product's innovative functions. Who among us hasn't gone straight to YouTube to find a 'how to' video for something we've been trying to master.

Suppose for example that you've moved from the world of programmable relays into PLCs for the first time and wanted a quick intro into ladder logic. As a test, I did a YouTube search and very quickly came up with a whole bundle of videos such as this one.

Will it win Oscars for production value? Not a chance. But is it a useful guide to setting up PID controllers in a micro PLC? Over 11,000 views tells you that it probably is.

It's filmed and presented 'as live', warts and all - a 15 minute video that would have taken 15 minutes to film, and has seen no editing whatsoever. But it does its job. Personally, I would have liked to have seen a little more attention to production detail. Here's something I filmed a while back for ABB that involved an on-screen demonstration.

Think about the many features and functions your products offer. How many could benefit from a quick video overview? I'll bet you'll find there's an awful lot.