Reel in your target audiences with YouTube’s power!
Business owners often struggle with boosting website traffic, lowering their bounce rate and converting followers into paying customers. However, many are unaware of the great potential offered by YouTube. Since its launch in 2005, YouTube has established itself as a world-renowned platform for modern media. As per Alexa’s global ranking, YouTube is the second most trafficked website in the world. It now boasts over 2.6 billion monthly active users, with 30 million daily visitors watching 800 million videos hosted over 694 hours of video frames across 37 million channels.
Acquired by Google in 2006, YouTube today offers businesses a wealth of opportunities for video content as opposed to static content. Taking advantage of what YouTube has to offer could be just the ticket your business needs to succeed online. If you’re not using YouTube for your business yet, you’re really missing out! Here are some tips on how to use YouTube effectively to boost your business.
Create interesting and informative content
To be successful on YouTube, it is essential to create content that is both interesting and informative for your target audience. This requires a deep understanding of your audience and what they’re looking for. Once you identify this, you can start creating videos that offer value and address their needs.
For example, if your target audience is millennials, you could create videos about current trends in your industry or tips for leading a more sustainable lifestyle. If you’re targeting parents, you could create videos about parenting hacks or baby product reviews. To brainstorm content ideas, you can engage with your audience on other social media platforms by hosting live Q&A sessions, reading their comments on your posts, etc.
Use keyword-rich titles and descriptions
Unlike other social media channels where users passively scroll through content, users typically have a specific goal in mind when watching videos on YouTube. They may be looking for a solution to a problem (e.g. how to assemble a bicycle), trying to improve a skill (e.g. 5 tips to edit an image like a pro) or simply seeking entertainment (e.g. the best comedy shows).
Hence, it’s important to make sure your videos are easy to find by including keywords that describe your product or service in the title and description. This will make it easier for potential customers to find your videos when they’re searching on YouTube. You can also optimize your videos for discovery by using keyword-rich titles and descriptions, including relevant tags and incorporating annotations.
Let’s say you’re selling a new type of kitchen sink: Use keywords such as “kitchen sink installation” and “easy kitchen sink installation” in the title and description of your video to make it easier for customers to find it.
Take advantage of YouTube advertising
You can create ad campaigns on YouTube targeting specific demographics (e.g. age groups, gender) and interests to reach your target customers. YouTube offers a variety of ad placements, including:
- skippable in-stream ads;
- non-skippable in-stream ads;
- bumper ads—a short, non-skippable video ad that must be watched before a video can be viewed;
- overlay ads—an image or text that appears on the lower 20% of a video; and
- masthead ads—a native video-based ad format in the YouTube home feed that promotes your brand, product or service.
If you’re looking to advertise on YouTube, you can expect to pay somewhere between US$0.10-0.30 per view. If viewers skip your ad after the first five seconds, you won’t be charged for those views. So if you’re considering advertising on YouTube, know that you have a lot of options available to you—and that you won’t be breaking the bank in doing so.
Promote your videos across other channels
When you post a video on YouTube, you can also share it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more, making it easy for your fans and followers to watch and share. To do so effectively, make sure to include a call-to-action in your video description (e.g. “click here to watch more) and use an eye-catching thumbnail for your video. You can also add a consistent hashtag when reposting your videos on other social media platforms so that your viewers can easily find all your videos.
So don’t forget to take advantage of YouTube’s syndication power by promoting your videos across all of your channels. It’s the best way to ensure that your content reaches the widest audience possible.
Analyze your results
As a content creator, tracking your performance using analytics is crucial. To ensure maximum engagement, use YouTube’s built-in tools to monitor your videos’ performance and make the necessary adjustments.
You can access data like view counts, subscriber growth, engagement rates and audience demographics with YouTube’s analytics tools. This information is vital in understanding what content appeals to your audience and how to fine-tune your strategy for maximum impact.
What videos to make for your business’s YouTube channel?
As a small business owner, deciding what type of videos to create for your YouTube channel can be challenging. After all, you want to produce content that engages your target audience and promotes your brand and products. Here are a few ideas to help you get started:
1. Introductory videos: Provide an overview of your company and present your new products or services. You can also make videos about the story of your business to impress potential customers.
2. How-to guides: Offer step-by-step instructions on topics related to your industry or product. For example, if you sell cosmetics, you could create a video on how to apply your makeup products.
3. Testimonials and reviews: Showcasing testimonials from satisfied customers or reviews of your products or services can help build trust with potential customers. This type of content can be extremely effective in convincing potential customers to buy what you’re selling since it adds a personal touch to your brand.
4. Behind the scenes (BTS): Create short, light-hearted videos to show off your team’s personality and give viewers a glimpse into what it’s like to work at your company. You can showcase your office space, give a tour of your factory floor and even use BTS footage to create mini-documentaries or product demonstration videos.
YouTube is an incredibly powerful tool that small business owners should be taking advantage of. It’s a great way to reach new customers, increase brand awareness and build relationships with potential clients. Implementing the tips and strategies outlined in this article will help you tap into YouTube’s limitless potential as a small business owner. With the right approach, you can make sure your videos are seen by thousands of people, helping your business go from strength to strength!
Also read:
- YouTube vs TikTok: Which Platform Pays Its Creators Better?
- Jacklyn Dallas: Success in YouTube and Entrepreneurship
- Is Being a YouTuber Still Lucrative?
Header image courtesy of Freepik
