When someone mentions social media as a business tool, most people think of Facebook and Twitter.
Because it’s a video platform, YouTube may not initially seem like a suitable platform for marketing a small business, but the truth is that it’s more social and influential than ever.
Creating and posting video content on YouTube is a great way to boost the visibility and credibility of your small business.
Here are 12 tips for maximizing the effectiveness of your YouTube business account.
1. Keep the Content Coming
The most popular YouTube channels are those that have high volumes of consistently updated content. If you want to use video as a marketing tool, you need to have – well, video. And lots of it.
There are plenty of ways to produce video content for your small business. Webcasts and webinars can be broken up and posted as a series of videos. You can repurpose infographics into explainer videos, or create short tutorials or product demonstrations. Consider creating a corporate profile or company history video. You can interview the owners, staff, customers, or even yourself.
2. Include Calls to Action
You’ll probably have links in your video’s description, but you should start thinking about how you want viewers to respond before you ever post the video. Make sure your calls to action are included in the video itself. Possible CTAs can include contacting you for more information, subscribing to your YouTube channel, leaving your feedback, sharing your video on their social network channels, or some other desired action.
3. Get Interactive
As people view your videos, they will rate their quality and leave comments. To keep the momentum going, you should monitor and respond to all feedback as quickly as possible. If possible, personalize your responses to each visitor: using a “cookie cutter” automated reply could be even worse than no reply at all.
4. Customize Your Channel
The YouTube page that visitors view when they click on your account name is your channel—and it doesn’t have to look like every other YouTube page. You can customize your channel with colors, images, links, relevant information, and more. This is a great opportunity to reinforce your brand identity by using your logo, color palette, tone, and slogans so that viewers associate the video with your business.
In addition, when you set up a channel on YouTube, your viewers can subscribe and get notified whenever you upload a new video, which helps to encourage repeat visits and loyal viewers.
5. Put Thought into Your Titles
People search YouTube the same way they do on Google—with keywords and phrases that describe what they’re looking for. Titles are weighed heavily in YouTube searches (powered by Google), so don’t give your videos boring, non-descriptive titles.
Few people are going to find or click on a video called “Product Demo.” Instead, incorporate the content of your videos into your titles, such as “5 Ways to Save Time Every Day with [Your Company]’s Productivity App.”
6. Choose the Right Category and Tags
When you upload videos to YouTube, you choose a category for the video and enter tags, or keywords. There are 15 categories to choose from, and you can add dozens of relevant tags.
It’s a good idea to use the tags that YouTube suggests, since they’re based on what people commonly search for. You can also manually add extra tags and variations on your tags—for example, if you sell products for cats, you can use “kitty” and “kitten” as well as “cat.”
7. Write a Great Description
Your video descriptions on YouTube should be short, informative, and multi-purpose. Describe your video in a sentence or two (using your top keywords), and include a link to your small business website or blog for people who want to know more.
8. Consider Collaborations
Collaborative videos are popular on YouTube. Viewers like them because they’re an opportunity to see YouTube favorites working with someone else, and creators like them because of the additional exposure. Look for popular YouTube channels with offering that complement (rather than compete with) your business, and try pitching the idea of a collaboration.
9. Let Your Customers do the Talking
Many small businesses have had great results by posting videos of customer testimonials on YouTube. This is a highly effective way to build trust and credibility with people who may need that extra “nudge” to try your product or service. And video testimonials are proven to have a much bigger impact than written ones.
10. Use Subtitles, Not Annotations
Enabling subtitles on your YouTube video is fairly straightforward—just turn on auto-captioning and edit the output for accuracy. Hundreds of millions of hearing-impaired YouTube users appreciate captions, and they are optional (with the default of Off), so they won’t bother viewers who don’t like them.
On the other hand, annotations can and do annoy viewers. Resist adding annotative pop-ups to your videos—instead, place links and your comments in the description.
11. Analyze Performance with YouTube Analytics
Tracking the performance of your YouTube content is vital for understanding what works and what doesn’t.
Use YouTube Analytics to assess metrics like watch time, audience retention, click-through rates, and engagement. This data provides actionable insights to optimize future videos and maximize your channel’s impact.
12. Don’t Confine Your Videos to YouTube
Just because you create a YouTube channel, doesn’t mean people will go looking for it. As part of an effective YouTube strategy, make sure you spread the word.
When you post a new video that you want people to see and share, write a blog post about it—or tweet the link, or post it on Facebook. You can also embed videos on your website, especially tutorials, and product demos.
20 Common Mistakes with YouTube Marketing
- Inconsistent Posting Schedule: Failing to post regularly can cause your audience to lose interest and disengage. A consistent posting schedule builds trust and encourages repeat visits.
- Ignoring Video Quality: Low-resolution videos, poor lighting, and bad audio can deter viewers, even if the content is valuable. Invest in proper equipment and editing software to maintain professionalism.
- Neglecting Thumbnails: Overlooking the importance of a well-designed thumbnail can result in lower click-through rates. Bland or irrelevant thumbnails fail to grab attention in a crowded platform.
- Overlooking YouTube SEO: Ignoring video titles, descriptions, and tags prevents your videos from appearing in search results. Optimize these elements with targeted keywords for better visibility.
- Skipping Calls-to-Action (CTAs): Forgetting to include CTAs in your video or description means missed opportunities for subscribers, website visits, or sales. Always guide viewers on what to do next.
- Not Engaging with Comments: Failing to respond to comments makes your brand seem unapproachable. Engaging with your audience builds relationships and fosters loyalty.
- Overloading with Annotations: While annotations can provide additional information, excessive or intrusive annotations annoy viewers and disrupt their experience. Stick to minimal, well-placed links.
- Ignoring Analytics: Not utilizing YouTube Analytics means missing insights into what’s working and what’s not. Regularly review metrics like watch time, audience retention, and engagement to refine your strategy.
- Making Videos Too Long: Long, drawn-out videos can lose viewers’ interest. Keep content concise and engaging unless the topic demands an extended format.
- Focusing Solely on Views: Chasing views while neglecting audience engagement, retention, and conversions can lead to vanity metrics. Focus on creating value that fosters interaction and builds a community.
- Failing to Promote Videos: Assuming viewers will find your content organically is a mistake. Share your videos across social media, embed them in blog posts, and consider paid promotions to increase visibility.
- Not Targeting the Right Audience: Creating generic content without understanding your target audience results in poor engagement. Tailor your videos to address the specific needs and preferences of your ideal viewers.
- Over-Promoting Your Brand: Overloading videos with promotional content can alienate viewers. Strike a balance by providing valuable, educational, or entertaining content alongside subtle brand mentions.
- Ignoring Mobile Optimization: With most viewers consuming YouTube on mobile devices, failing to create mobile-friendly content—like proper formatting and subtitles—limits your reach.
- Using Copyrighted Material: Including copyrighted music or video clips without proper permissions can lead to penalties, content removal, or even account suspension.
- Skipping Pre-Video Planning: Creating videos without a clear script or outline often results in rambling and unfocused content. Plan each video to deliver a clear and impactful message.
- Not Using Playlists: A disorganized channel without playlists makes it harder for viewers to navigate your content. Playlists encourage binge-watching and improve your watch time metrics.
- Overlooking Branding: Failing to include your logo, brand colors, or consistent tone weakens your brand identity. Strong branding makes your content recognizable and memorable.
- Ignoring Competitor Channels: Not analyzing what competitors are doing successfully is a missed opportunity. Study similar channels to learn what works and what doesn’t in your niche.
- Expecting Instant Results: YouTube success requires time and consistent effort. Expecting overnight growth can lead to disappointment and burnout. Patience and persistence are key.
Conclusion
YouTube is an incredibly versatile platform for small business marketing.
By consistently producing engaging content, optimizing your channel, and interacting with your audience, you can boost visibility and establish credibility. The key is to stay consistent, creative, and data-driven in your approach. Implementing the strategies outlined above will help you maximize the potential of your YouTube channel, turning it into a powerful tool for business growth.
How does your small business use YouTube for marketing? Do you already have a YouTube channel for business? Share it in the comments!
Image courtesy of FindYourSearch
Author: Megan Totka