Entrepreneurs everywhere are turning to marketing with YouTube as another way to promote their website or small business.
You probably think of silly videos of cute dogs, fighting siblings, or awkward family moments when you envision the videos on YouTube.
What is surprising to most people is that YouTube is one of the most popular search engines in the world! While not exactly a traditional search engine, the website does provide people with the information they are looking for at any given time.
If you think marketing with YouTube will be a good addition to your current strategy, then follow the steps below to get started.
Signing Up and Creating Your YouTube Channel
The first thing you need to do when you sign into YouTube for the first time is to set up a ‘channel’. This will allow visitors to subscribe to your videos and they will then be notified whenever you post something new. It will also serve as your own real estate on the internet and you can upload as many videos as you like. Your YouTube channel is a great place to refer people who are interested in your business.
You will have a short profile next to your videos. You will place your website’s URL here. Believe it or not, but this generates a lot of traffic. You will receive a lot of visitors to your site, regardless of your business. Your channel is just like having your very own personalised television station that only promotes your business! All you need to do is keep the attention of your visitor.
Your First YouTube Video
Once you’ve created your account and your channel, it is time for you to make and upload the videos that will bring traffic to your site. Fun videos that get people’s attention never hurt, but remember that you are marketing with YouTube and you don’t want to seem unprofessional. You should aim to let people know about your business in your first video, so keep the gimmicks to a minimum.
Keeping things on the lighter side and talking about your personal experiences can be a good approach. Avoid sounding too sales oriented as this can be off-putting, especially when a visitor views your channel for the first time. Most people would prefer to deal with a person they can identify with rather than a corporate sales person.
Moving Forward With YouTube
Once you have finished your first introduction video, you can start to upload more videos that are based on quality content and pitch your message quietly. Try to keep your videos short, generally less than three minutes in length. It is acceptable to have a few longer videos, but avoid making that the norm. If it is impossible to get your message across in a few minutes, try to create a video series where you can spread the message over a few videos.
Tagging, Tagging, Tagging
Probably the most important part of marketing with YouTube is your keyword tags and video annotations. The annotations are shown on the screen during the video. Try inserting some funny thoughts on the video or simply write your website URL.
Tags are just like keywords in Google. Users search for these when they find your video or website. Try to include as many content specific keywords in your tags as possible. This will allow you to improve your rank and it increases the possibility of your potential clients finding your video.
YouTube is a great way to boost your marketing strategy. It doesn’t cost any money and it is great fun. So give your best effort for success and start making videos today!