Video marketing is an essential tool that every small business should have in its arsenal. A well-thought-out YouTube strategy could help entrepreneurs connect with customers, reinforce their brands, and boost sales. This post will discuss 14 YouTube tips to help you take your company’s video marketing efforts to the next level.
What are the benefits of a solid YouTube business presence?
If you don’t have a YouTube business channel, consider creating one as soon as possible. Here’s what you can expect to gain when you establish your presence on YouTube for business:
- Reach more potential customers. YouTube is the #2 search engine in the world. It’s also the third most visited website globally. The platform can help supercharge your marketing campaign.
- Improve your visibility on search. Google search also turns up video results. So, if you use YouTube for business correctly, you can improve your search engine optimization (SEO) and raise brand awareness.
- Establish a dialogue with your clients. The comments feature lets you reply to customer questions. This is an excellent way to build rapport and develop relationships with your online community.
- Showcase your products and services. Video can be a driving factor in purchasing decisions. Use your YouTube channel to highlight your most popular products and services to show potential customers what your business is all about—as well as the value you can provide for them.
Business video marketing tips for YouTube
There is intense competition for businesses on YouTube. Every minute, 500 hours of new videos are uploaded on the platform. How can you make your YouTube videos stand out? Incorporate these 14 tips when you’re working on your YouTube marketing strategy.
1. Keep it tight
Make videos that are short and strategic. Viewers should get value from every second they spend looking at their screens. Remember, attention spans are short, so it’s usually best to keep videos to a few minutes. More in-depth videos—think ‘how to’s or product demos—should be between six to ten minutes long.
2. Include a preview in the first 15 seconds
Viewers want to be sure the video they’re watching is one that will give them the information they need. You can help them by providing a summary in the first 15 seconds of your video. A quick preview can be the best way to capture and retain the viewer’s attention, and make sure you’re capturing the right audience.
3. Choose an attention-grabbing thumbnail
When a viewer searches on YouTube, the results are presented in the form of thumbnails, or images that a viewer can click on to select a video. A unique thumbnail image will encourage the viewer to watch your video. A run-of-the-mill thumbnail, or one generated automatically by YouTube, could lead to your video being ignored.
You should also ensure that your thumbnail is mobile-friendly, as a large portion of YouTube traffic is from mobile devices.
4. Add captions
When you’re working on your YouTube marketing strategy, remember to include captions in your videos. These help in several ways. People who are watching in silent mode can understand the content easily. Additionally, the YouTube search engine algorithm uses captions to identify keywords, which can boost the chances of your video appearing higher on the results page.
5. Align your channel with your brand
Everything you put on your YouTube channel should be consistent with your brand image. Ensure that your YouTube videos are in sync with the content you put up on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media. Pay special attention to your brand colors, logo, and the type of music you use.
6. Include a channel trailer
You can upload a short trailer at the top of your channel page. It’s the first thing a viewer will see, and it allows you to tell viewers about your product or service and convince them they’ve come to the right place. While a YouTube channel trailer should be as short as possible, it should also be long enough to get your message across. The sweet spot is usually between 30 to 60 seconds.
7. Link out to social profiles
Your YouTube strategy should include adding links to your marketing videos on your other social media profiles. If you promote your videos on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, you’ll see an increase in viewership. It’s also a good idea to post highlights and short clips of your videos on these platforms.
8. Optimize videos
The competition on YouTube is fierce. With millions of videos and channels vying for attention, you need to find ways to get your content to rank higher on YouTube searches. Here are several steps you can take to optimize your videos for YouTube SEO:
- Choose your keywords carefully and add them in the “basic info” in your YouTube channel
- The first word of your video title should be a keyword
- Ensure your video description is SEO-friendly
- Add tags to your videos
- Use YouTube Analytics to understand your viewers’ likes and dislikes
9. Collaborate with other YouTubers or brands
Working with social media influencers, other YouTubers, or non-competing brands can boost your viewership. Consider asking an influencer to review your product or service on their channel. This can be an excellent way to increase brand awareness and build viewership.
10. Be consistent
Make a realistic schedule for uploading videos and stick to it. Building out a calendar of content is a good idea, so you don’t miss a date if you’re busy with other work. If you’re consistent, you’ll significantly increase your channel’s chances of success.
11. Highlight real-life interactions
You can increase viewer engagement by using real-life examples and customer testimonies in your YouTube videos. People want to see content they can relate to, so aim for videos that present actual customer interactions or depict how customers solved a problem using your product or service.
12. Engage with your audience
The comments section under each YouTube video presents business owners with an incredible opportunity. You get to interact with your audience in real time and answer their questions. The other benefit is equally important: A video with high engagement ranks higher on the YouTube search algorithm.
13. Focus on quality
Creating high-quality videos should be a crucial part of your YouTube strategy. The videos you upload are there forever. Of course, deleting a video and replacing it with a new one is possible. But if you do that, you’ll lose the views and comments from the original video. So, you want to get it right the first time and put the best video you can with the resources you have.
14. Make your channel look professional
Finally, do your best to give your YouTube channel a professional look. Use a YouTube business account and take extra pains to create your trailer and the “about” section. If you follow the tips in this post, your YouTube channel will attract more viewers and play a pivotal role in broadening your marketing reach.
Want more small business marketing tips? Check out our helpful guide.
