YouTube popped on the scene in 2005 and since then it has been on a trajectory upward, bringing in over one billion visitors every month. And while other social media platforms have sprung up over the past few years, YouTube has kept its position as the number one video sharing channel online.
Business owners and marketers who’ve learned to use YouTube as a part of their online content strategy realize its unlimited potential. YouTube increases traffic and provides an influx of leads for businesses. This article will not only discuss how to use YouTube as a promotional tool, but it will also include tips that you can use to make sure you receive the highest views and engagement with your videos.
- Post The Right Types of Videos
Videos that show off your products and services
Use YouTube to give demonstrations, presentations, post webinars, etc. You want to show exactly how your offerings can solve issues faced by your audience. Creating explainer videos is also a great way to engage your audience and showcase your offerings.
Reaction videos
Take it to the streets and create live videos showing everyday people providing testimonials for your products. Non-paid testimonials provide a level of social proof that will outdo paid commercials any day. People trust people who are not incentivized, and if you can build trust with your audience then you’ve won half of the battle.
Authoritative videos
YouTube videos are no different than other types of content regarding its ability to help build authority in a given niche. The more videos you create highlighting your industry expertise, the more your audience will look to you for resources. Try to create videos with information backed by proven methods and researchable data. Try interviewing industry experts and other influencers to help solidify your name as a trusted brand in your field.
“How we work” videos
Take a page from Lifehacker’s How I Work column and create videos showing how your products are made, or maybe show a day in the life at your office. For example, there are tons of videos illustrating how various foods are made, with behind the scenes looks at different factories and industrial suppliers. Think of ways that you can showcase your product development processes or office environment in a way that’s fun and intriguing.
- Use metrics
Use metrics to find the ideal posting days, times, and content types for your audience. Does your audience engage more in the evening after rush hour or more during mid-day lunch hours?
Here are metrics that you should be tracking with every video:
- Number of views
- Number of likes
- Number of new same-day subscriptions after a new post
- Which type(s) of content receives the most engagement and views
Play around with different upload times, days, and frequencies to find the sweet spots for engagement. Check the analytics on your YouTube dashboard to hone in on your audience’s behavior.
- Create eye-catching thumbnails
Remember that YouTube, unlike other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, is a search engine. Users type in keywords which can then be filtered by date, number of views, duration, etc. Typically, the videos with the most views will be displayed first, but newer, relevant videos are a distant second.
In order to get your new video displaying at the top of search research results you need to have these three things:
- High-resolution, attention-grabbing as your thumbnails.
- Relevant video titles (SEO rules still apply).
- Relevant video descriptions (SEO rules still apply here as well).
Use your thumbnails, titles, and descriptions to build interest and excitement about your videos. Why should users click on it? Will they get what they’re searching for when they view your video?
- Be predictable
As users become more familiar with your brand, they’ll come to expect consistency with certain things, including content posting frequency, branding/messaging, content style, etc. You want immediate recognition when users search for content. One of the best ways to receive it is by being consistent with what your channel offers. Does this mean that you can’t offer various types of videos? Absolutely not! It just means that if you do, organize them in a way that doesn’t leave viewers confused about what to expect from your channel.
YouTube has allowed companies to engage their audiences in tons of creative ways. Many of these ways, such as creating videos and creating eye-catching thumbnails require no money at all.
