6 Ways to Use YouTube Marketing for Your Business

These days you can't visit a business blog without reading about the benefits of YouTube marketing. There's a virtual flood of moving images overtaking our screens.

In 2020, nearly 80 percent of all web traffic will be driven by video, it's easy to see why the topic is so popular."

So what's behind the shift from static images to video? Marketers are learning that video content can get them more clicks and convert shoppers.Consider:

• Adding video to marketing emails can boost click-through rates by 200-300%.
• Embedding videos in landing pages can increase conversion rates by 80%.
• 90% of customers report that product videos help them make purchasing decisions. (source: Forbes)

If you’re hesitant to dip a toe in the video-content waters, don’t be. In an ocean of video content, we saved you a spot on the boat! Read on to learn how you can master the “must dos” of video content marketing on two fronts: Content creation and getting more eyeballs on your video. Both are easier than you might think, if you approach them strategically.

3 “Must Dos” for Creating Video Content

1. Convey a clear message

Think about your end goal, and how to get viewers there. Don't waste their time by rambling on about your company's history or going off on a tangent that's unrelated to your topic.

If you're selling a product, describe it, talk about benefits, give use cases. Keep the purpose of your video clear and end with a direct call-to-action."

2. Think beyond your video

The content of your video and the call-to-action should be a clear path to your end goal. If you’re selling products, subscriptions or services, or doing fundraising, your end goal might be to convince someone to break out that credit card. Your video is step one. But what are the next steps?If you post the video on YouTube, near the end you might have to tell viewers to click the link in the description to enter a giveaway (more on this below). The giveaway’s entry form collects their email address and adds them to your email list. Now, you can send them coupons and offers that convert them to a customer.

Giveaway Template

View and Create Your Own

Or perhaps you create a Facebook ad - it’s a teaser video with a cliffhanger end. “Want to find out more?” it asks, “Click here.” Clicking the ad takes them to a page where they can view the climactic finale in a new video, and then click to buy (or donate).

3. Do your best with what you have

Video production can be EX. PEN. SIVE. but it doesn’t have to be. With the increase in popularity of video, also comes a surge of online tools to help you make professional-looking videos on the cheap. Check out Wideo - a tool for creating video animations, VideoScribe allows you create whiteboard animations with stock images, or even from your own drawn .svg files. Videvo offers free stock footage and motion graphics. Need a good camera? Look no further than your smartphone. (I added a few tips on filming with your phone at the end of this post.)

3 ways to get the most (and the right) eyeballs on your content

It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: Don't buy YouTube subscribers, or likes on any social media platform, for that matter! Grow your audience organically. Why? If your end-goal is converting lookie-lous into customers, a mass of ticks on a counter won’t become an audience that engages with your brand.Draw people into your YouTube channel, Instagram or Facebook, etc., by posting regularly in a way that really lets your brand shine. Be consistent in your look, voice and message. This may be the harder route, but the subscribers and followers you attract will be the ones most likely to become long-time, loyal customers.

1. Follow best practices

This is a no-brainer, but instead of wading through endless pages of internet search results, I listed some some important best practices here to help you get started:

• Use your Channel’s "About" section and each video's "Description" strategically. On YouTube, many brands leave their channel’s “About” section blank or barely populated, however this is the section most used for SEO rankings. Make sure you add plenty of links and information you want people to know about your brand here.
• Name your video file before you upload. In other words, don't load "mov1011.mp4."
• Use captions! YouTube’s annotations and/or closed captioning feature increase searchability as well.

2. Incentivize traffic with a contest or giveaway

Contests and giveaways are one of the easiest ways to build an audience. Add a link to a contest or giveaway in your YouTube video's description and embed it in a web page or Shopify store to direct your freshly primed shoppers to a place where they can make a purchase.Contests and giveaways are also a powerful tool because they allow you to collect a bit of info from your viewers, and it's info that can really come in handy down the road. Require an email address in your giveaway’s entry form, include an opt-in checkbox and boom! You just grew your email list.If you use a third-party provider like ShortStack, you can even find YouTube-specific contest and giveaway templates that you'd post in your About and/or Description sections.

Video Upload Template

View and Create Your Own

3. Keep it short!

• You’ll retain about 80 percent of your viewer’s interest for 30 seconds according to this pretty neat chart from a study done in 2016.
• On Facebook, upload video natively (as opposed to linking from a YouTube video) and watch your reach soar. You can see how native video outperforms a YouTube link across the board in this study by Search Engine Journal.
• On Instagram and Facebook, plan on viewers watching your video content without sound. Add captions, call-outs or whatever you need to ensure the message will still be clear.

Marketers are shifting to video content because of its versatility and proven success. With so many resources available, you can feel empowered to make some professional-looking video content of your own. If you’re resistant, tell us what’s hanging you up.