YouTube is the second largest search engine on the internet, there are more videos on YouTube than all the BBC channels have collectively aired since they were founded. If you want to see a video of something, you can find it on YouTube (with some exceptions).
Urban Dictionary states:
YouTubing: ver. 'to youtube'
‘Simply dedicating an amount of time during your day to spend browsing YouTube’
This is a great place to upload adverts for free or videos about anything you want. Some companies choose to create videos about themselves or their products without having to adhere to expensive TV advertising slots. Some companies choose to give advice in their field but some just upload quirky viral videos. Whatever you want to do it’s free and gives you an unlimited content allowance which will stay online forever and can be viewed by anyone at anytime, anywhere.
Here is a list of things to do if you want your business to benefit from YouTube:
- Create an account with an appropriate username.
- Complete you profile with information, URL’s, links and a picture.
- Customise your own channel page with your company colours and an appropriate background which can be uploaded.
- Subscribe to other users channels you find interesting and appropriate to see what they are uploading which may give you ideas.
- Add your channel URL to marketing collateral and social network profiles.
- Post links to your videos on your various social networks.
- Add Call-to-Action overlays to your videos to drive traffic to your web site.
- Earn money from your videos by entering into a partnership with YouTube.
- Look into YouTube Promoted Videos to reach your target through contextually-relevant search results.
- Upload, Upload, Upload!
Uploading content is easy and YouTube will guide you through it step by step, it’s creating content that is the difficult part. Users react to production value but that doesn’t mean you have to be the next Spielberg, using a decent camera and windows movie maker can work but why not hire a professional who has all the equipment and production tools if you want to look really good. It all depends on your budget but you don’t want a naff video out there for the rest of your life which gets re-uploaded by other users. If you’re stuck, here are a few ideas:
- Create short videos of valuable tips of interest to your clients and prospects to show off your expertise.
- Record an important meeting to share with employees, shareholders and others, as appropriate.
- Put together a creative video explaining your product or service.
- Post customer video testimonials to add to your credibility.
- Show the results of someone using your services.
- Introduce your staff to add authenticity.
- Take viewers on a tour of your offices to help them feel connected with you.
- Create “how to” videos to help your customers use your product or service.
- Answer customer-specific questions using videos. Imagine how surprised a customer will be when you point them to a video with the answer!
- Show a work-in-progress project to a customer for review and approval, without the need for a face-to-face meeting or in-person demo. And remember, if all else fails….. Ask us to do it for you!