YouTube may be conflated with videos, but this should not hide the fact that creative, powerful, funny and engaging content can be found on the site. With over 2000 hours of video being uploaded by the time you finish this article, you might question whether it’s worth even attempting to establish your company/brand on YouTube. But have you ever heard of a brand saying they won’t go on the web because there is already too many like them on there?
YouTube isn’t all about viral videos. It’s about finding your niche, your market and creating content that your audience will engage with and return too.
The first step to take when using YouTube is deciding whether it fits your brand/company. Will your customers make use of the videos you upload? Will your videos enhance, popularise and define your brand?
YouTube For businesses, a beginner’s guide.
Make use of the fact that YouTube is a free advertising software! Before the internet took off, there was just television, billboards and word of mouth. With over a third of the world using YouTube, and new generations using online avenues, there’s never been a better time to take advantage of that.
‘The YouTube Creator Playbook’ has recently offered insightful video tips on their channel on how to optimise marketing content for brands on YouTube. They state six key steps:
- Content Marketing – define content that would keep a stronghold with your audience. What can your brand offer your consumers?
- Recognise the fundamentals:
Shareable Content
Collaboration
Discoverable Topics
Accessibility
Consistency
Targeting
Sustainability
Converse With Viewers
Interactive Content
Authenticity - Schedule your content – Scheduling is imperative throughout all social media handling, and YouTube is no exception.
- Optimise content for SEO
- Promote your content with paid media – paying to advertise your content means reaching a wider audience
- Measurement – are you reaching the right audience? Are they engaging and why? Is your audience sharing your content?
Using YouTube efficiently and proficiently may just take your company to the next level, in ways that other businesses in your area of interest just have not dared to explore.
Ask yourself why and how video content will enhance your business, what type of videos will you make?
- Tutorials: How-to videos have increased in popularity by 70% over the past year
- Vlogs: These attract subscribers who tune in to watch regular video diaries
- Educational: Because this content provides thought-provoking, factual or complex issues it receives high traffic and recurring views.
- Q&A videos: High engagement with audiences, bring them closer to the action.
- Collection and product review Videos: this content is used for viewers to find out more about their favourite products
- Comedy: Most likely to be shared
You may combine some of these video genres into one that will emphasise your own vision of the company or brand.
Using YouTube to promote a brand or company means that you must supply your audience with engaging and creative information, which ultimately equals more time and money.
Creating video content is not just costly regarding production prices but additionally time costly. Organising a time to shoot effective and quality videos will require time and effort. Make sure you’re willing to put time and money aside for this, as it poor videos may take a negative impact on your product/company.
