YouTube is one of the most popular websites in the world. It has the ability to be an incredibly powerful marketing platform for business owners. YouTube Marketing for Small Business is a secret weapon for content that people come to watch!
So, why should you start producing content for YouTube?
First of all, 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month. That translates to 17% of all internet traffic flowing through their search engine. Most people don’t think of YouTube as a search engine, but that’s exactly what it is. This tiny bit of data presents a huge opportunity to reach and grow your audience.
YouTube is an attractive option for marketing because it’s all about video. In previous posts, we’ve discussed how video marketing has consistently proven to be one of the best performing forms of content in terms of engagement. And just because you’re creating video for YouTube, doesn’t mean you can’t repurpose your videos for other social media platforms such as Instagram or Twitter.
YouTube is also a platform that people come to watch video, not to scroll or click. Unlike Facebook or Instagram, where the intent is to scroll on by, YouTube viewers come specifically to spend time watching, and that’s precisely what they do! Longer form video excels, here so if you’re producing content
There’s a misconception that you need to invest a lot of money into video production, but that’s not the case. You don’t need to make any substantial investments to create a successful marketing video. As long as you have a (smart phone or other) camera, video editing software (iMovie), and creativity you can create an engaging video.
Before you get started, it’s important to develop a YouTube marketing strategy. The first step is to define your goals. Do you want clicks/traffic? More engagement? To increase subscribers? Once you establish your key performance indicators (KPIs), it’s time to figure out what type of video will best suit your business.
How-to video:
One type of video that can add a lot of value for your audience is how-to videos. For example, if run a sewing pattern business, you can create videos that show viewers how to sew a particular pattern and different techniques for them to use. This is your chance to be as informative as possible. You can also develop more than one video in a series, which will keep audiences engaged as you release new content in the same series.
Behind-the-scenes video
Another type of video can be a behind-the-scenes video series. This is a great way to humanize your brand show there’s more than just a product or service. For example, if you renovate houses, this can be a great opportunity to showcase what you do and what it really takes to fix up a house. Or you can do videos that include members of your team speaking about the business and what they bring to customers. You can show how your team interacts, how your products are packaged before shipping or even unboxing new products for sale that customers can purchase online.
Product and service videos
A third type of video can be about your product/service. Product videos can show viewers how to use certain features, or highlight new product updates. These are probably the videos you think of when you think of business video. If you make a product or sell products, these are good ways to engage customers by showing them how to use the things they love to buy from you.
Interview an expert
The fourth type of video you can create can be interview-based. Interviewing well-known experts and influencers in your industry is a great way to build credibility. These experts most likely have a following of their own that can help drive traffic to your YouTube channel.
Go long! (Duration, that is)
Don’t be shy when making your videos. YouTube is a great platform for videos with a longer duration. The recommended length for a YouTube video is between 10-20 minutes, meaning you can be with your customers for a much longer time than on any other social platform.
To get a better understanding of what it takes to create a successful video, watch other videos related to your niche. Take note of how long their videos typically last. Notice what they’re doing right and what they could improve upon. Take everything you learn and transform it into a video of your own.
YouTube has the ability to revolutionize your marketing. More users are joining YouTube every day looking for information and entertainment. Getting started on YouTube can be a challenge and that’s why we’re here to help. We can answer any questions you may have or offer guidance to get you going in the right direction. Get your cameras out and start recording today!
