By Jamieson Lee Hill, Head of Content and Copywriting 

Introduction

Video has the highest engagement rate of any form of content on social media. A HubSpot Study showed that 54% of consumers wanted to view more video content from businesses and brands they buy from. 

What Customers Expect

Customers have an expectation that brands will create and share content which is entertaining and captivating. YouTube is a vital marketing tool for many companies in the digital age and can be easily added to your marketing plan. 

Establishing Your Brand 

YouTube gives your business the chance to engage your target audiences and build authority, trust and credibility. Exposure to your brand through video makes potential customers more familiar with your business and it is an integral part of the Customer Value Journey where you build a relationship with them. 

Know your Audiences

Younger audiences under 30 tend to prefer video content to written content. Research suggests that over 40s have a higher preference for branded emails than younger people. It is important to decide the target age group of your audiences when planning your video content and marketing campaigns. 

What are the Benefits of using YouTube for your business?

1. Ranking on Google 

When you post videos on YouTube you are also increasing your chances of ranking in Google searches. The more videos you post and the more viewers you get, the higher your ranking on Google. The Google algorithm detects if you are getting lots of traffic to your YouTube channel. In turn, that pushes you up the ranking, with the ultimate goal of getting to the first page of Google which is the El Dorado for businesses. 

2. YouTube has a Massive Audience

YouTube has over 2 billion active monthly visitors and it is the second largest search engine on the web. This means that your content can be shown to a very large audience of people all across the globe. 

3. Lead Generation & Qualified Traffic

By creating content for your target audience, you will attract people who are truly interested in your products and services because of the nature of your content. They represent qualified traffic which means they are people who are the most likely to become your paying customers in the future. Qualified traffic is more likely to convert than less qualified visitors who are just browsing but not really interested. 

4. Increase Sales Conversions

Videos can be a powerful way to stir emotions in a prospect and connect 

with them. Remember that people usually buy products based on emotions and the feeling that the product gives rather than just the features. In that sense, videos can animate your brand and build its personality in the eyes of the customer. Fun and creative videos can build trust and familiarity with potential customers. 

5. The Power of YouTube Ads 

YouTube Ads can be paid for to expand your audience and with 2 billion users it is one of the best platforms to advertise on. See our later section about the type of Ads you can use. 

6. Repurposing your YouTube Videos 

Once you have created a video, it can be shared across social media platforms, your website, your blogs and also uploaded to other video platforms such as Tik Tok. 

The one thing to be careful of in videos is the use of copyrighted music. Tik Tok allows the free use of copyright music, but it may not be allowed on other social media platforms.

7. Calls to Action

It is important that you write a CTA or Call to Action on your videos because then prospects are more likely to take the action you want them to e.g. subscribe, like, click through to your website etc. A  CTA is basically just telling the person what to do next. It is fundamental to marketing on websites and social media. 

8 Simple Steps to Promote Your Business on YouTube

Step One: Create Your YouTube Account for your Business

Firstly, create your YouTube Account and customise the channel for your business and brand. It is best to use high resolution photos and images for the best look. Also, the branding colours and design should be congruent with your own website and social media platforms. 

Write a channel description highlighting what it is that your business does and what the videos are going to be about. Finally, share your business contact details, plus links to your website and social media. Your Channel Description should be exciting and gripping, as well as welcoming. 

Step Two: Film a Video Trailer about your Business

The next task is to film a video trailer about your business and include a preview of what people should expect to see in the future. It can be short and sweet, but it should be inspiring. This may be the first video that a prospect sees, so be sure to give them a reason to watch more.

You don’t have to hire a professional videographer to film it. You can use your own mobile phone to film a trailer but use a simple tripod to ensure that the video is steady and not shaky. For better sound quality you may also want to use an external microphone if your phone microphone is not good quality.

As you get more experienced at making videos, you can invest in better equipment such as cameras, microphones, green screens, etc. See the later section about investing in equipment. 

Step Three: Create Videos and Categorise 

Start to create videos for your channel. They don’t have to be really long, in fact 2 to 3 minutes is fine. In today’s busy world people have short attention spans anyway, so shorter is often better. If you make videos that are one minute long, you can also post those on Instagram and other social media. Reels on Facebook and Instagram allow videos longer than 1 minute. 

If you don’t think your phone specs are good enough to make videos, then invest in a quality camera with decent audio quality. Film the video in HD for best results.

In your videos put a CTA, Call to Action, asking people to like the video and subscribe to your channel. These metrics will be picked up by the YouTube algorithm and it then puts your video in front of more people. This is how most social media algorithms work.

Clearly categorise your videos with headings and subheadings and create a Video Content Plan of future videos you intend to create. Be sure to keep an eye on the competition in your sector and see which video content is doing very well. Then emulate and do your own videos on similar topics if that is what is trending and popular. 

Step Four: Keywords and Meta Descriptions for your Business YouTube

Using keywords and phrases relevant to your sector will draw in more traffic. One approach to finding keywords is to look at competitor channels in your industry and see which keywords and hashtags they are using. Then you can use some of the same keywords and hashtags on your channel. 

Also, put keywords into your About section and the titles of your videos. Don’t stuff your content with keywords but use them naturally as you describe your video content and channel. Quality content is the best way to attract new subscribers.

Writing Meta Descriptions

A meta description is a short piece of written content which shows up in the listings of search engines like Google. Writing and optimising meta descriptions is part of SEO marketing. You can write keyword phrases in the meta descriptions for your videos to optimise your channel for search. Here is a short and useful video about writing meta descriptions.

Step Five - Promote Your YouTube Channel on Your Social Media Platforms

To draw more traffic and views to your YouTube channel, post about your YouTube all over your different channels e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin. Likewise, let people know about your other social media channels on your YouTube videos. 

The ultimate goal of using YouTube and other social media platforms is to drive traffic to the landing pages of your business website to sell products and services to prospective customers.  Don’t forget to ask your viewers to share your YouTube videos on their social media too. 

Step Six - Interact with your Viewers and Other Channels

By interacting with viewers and responding to their comments you start to build a relationship with them. Resists the urge to be salesy, first focus on cultivating a relationship. As they grow to enjoy the content of your business YouTube, the quality and usefulness of your videos will build brand authority and credibility. This leads to trust and they are more likely to purchase your products or services. 

A good way to engage your audience is to ask them for their reactions to the content or topics and also to get their ideas about what type of content they would like to see on your channel in the future. 

Never engage in arguments in the comments, be positive and business like. If you have complaints, take them to a private channel such as email as soon as possible. Comments threads arguing with customers are very detrimental to your business and branding. 

Step Seven: Set up a YouTube Ad Campaign for your Business

If you don’t want to rely solely on organic search, you can set aside a budget for paid advertising aka paid traffic. Here is a video tutorial to watch about promoting your YouTube videos with Google Ads Words:

‘How to Promote YouTube Videos in Google Ads and Boost Channel Growth - Google AdWords Tutorial 2021’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5zofPm3FHM

Types of YouTube Adverts

Here is short tutorial video on YouTube which talks about the 3 main types of ads your business can pay for on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Zsm7rAggM&ab_channel=KyleSulerud-AdLegInc.

• Discovery Ads
• In-stream Ads
• Banner Ads

Discovery Ads 

These ads place your advert next to content which your target audience is probably interested in. They also feature in YouTube search, the YouTube App home feed and in ‘watch next’.

In-stream Ads

These ads can appear before, during or after videos. They are skippable ads and viewers only see 5 seconds before the skip option appears. This means your ad needs to be compelling.

Banner Ads

This type of ads are image-based as opposed to text. Banner ads are a very popular choice for paid advertising. The main function is to get traffic to the company’s website and to make the brand more visible. 

Step Eight Social Listening

Social listening is something that you should practise each week to stay on top of what is happening online. It basically means to listen to and analyse the trends and online discussions about your brand, your competitors and overall industry. Then you should apply those insights to improve your own marketing strategy. 

This is actually part of what is called agile marketing i.e. being flexible enough to react and respond to trends and events in your sector to stay ahead of the game. 

20 Tips for Using YouTube to Promote Your Business

Here are 20 useful tips to guide you when creating and sharing videos for your business. 

1. Build Relationships with Personalised Videos

As a rule of thumb, consumers like to buy from brands which they are familiar with. YouTube allows you to build relationships with viewers so that they can enjoy your brand and begin to trust your business. In this way, they are more likely to become paying customers. Therefore, it is a good idea to make videos where you introduce yourself and your team and from time to time post videos about the happenings at your office among your staff. It makes the brand more personable and human. 

2. Make Product Videos 

You should use your channel to show your products’ features to the public in an entertaining and captivating way. Before you make a video or series of videos, write a content plan of the main points you intend to cover. Also, write a short video script to use. 

Get all your equipment ready and then speak clearly in a friendly and engaging manner. The more personalised your approach the more likelier you are to build rapport with your audience. 

People love ‘How to’ Videos (see below) and ‘Unboxing Videos’ so be sure to include these types of videos on your channel. Look at other channels with high numbers of views for inspiration. 

Keep the video to a maximum of 3 minutes because most people live busy lives and have a short attention span. If you want to say more, consider making a series of videos about one product or range of products.

3. Establish Your Authority and Solve Customer Problems

Use YouTube to establish your authority in your field. By building your credibility with sharing free, valuable content, viewers will grow to respect and trust you. Then they are more likely to become paying customers as they see you as a source of information and advice. 

Post regular quality content to help solve your audience’s problems. YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google and lots of people use it to find solutions to their problems. Harness the power of this to put great content in front of your target audience. 

4. Video Testimonials

Encourage your customers to give video reviews and testimonials as this can be a powerful way to encourage new customers. Let customers give glowing reviews of your products and allow them to naturally become brand evangelists. Give rewards and incentives for customers if they share video reviews. 1 minute maximum is fine because people have short attention spans. 

5. How to Videos 

How To videos are one of the most popular types of video on the internet. Think of a list of How To videos that you can create for your products. Then create videos that explain things stage by stage. If viewers see ways in which to use your products and services, they will have a better understanding and are more likely to buy from you. How To videos are infinitely preferable to long and boring technical manuals!

6. Livestream Events and Interviews

Make your YouTube channel a lively, action-packed marketing platform for live events, interviews, giveaways etc. Create buzz and excitement, so your audience is excited about tuning in. You can also do live product launches with experts and influencers appearing live. A customer Q&A live is also a great way to build rapport with your public. 

7. Study the Competition

Look at videos from competitors in your sector and outside of it. Notice the type of video content which has lots of views and positive feedback. Then create similar content but don’t just copy and steal ideas. Keep up with trending topics and the latest news in your industry for ideas. 

8. Keyword Research and Hashtags from Popular Videos

When looking at competitor videos, notice the hashtags which they are using. Then borrow some of the hashtags for your own videos, making sure they are relevant to the content of course! 

Use keywords in your meta descriptions and channel blurb too. One of the simplest ways to find keyword phrases is to type topics into Google and see which videos rank in the top ten organic search on the first page of Google (i.e. not sponsored). Note down the headings and subheadings they use and recycle them yourself. 

9. Use Appealing Thumbnail Images

Choosing a bright and appealing thumbnail photo for your videos is really important because if the image is dull, people will not click through. Thumbnails are like article headlines, i.e. they are the first thing a reader or viewer sees and if you don’t ignite their curiosity, they won’t go any further. 

If you are not sure about which thumbnails to use, then look at popular videos your competitors have posted and see which images seem to get the most traffic. 

10. Add a Link to your Website

Remember that the whole point of social media platforms like YouTube is to get traffic to your company website. So put a clear URL link to your website with a Call To Action telling people to check out your website. 

11. Soft-Sell Approach

Don’t be salesy and pushy with your products. Educate and inform. Value first with content rather than a hard sell. That way you will build a more trusting relationship with your public rather than pushing them to buy from you. Be the expert in the room, not the needy one…

12. Video Responses to Get Traffic

Surf YouTube to find videos which have similar content to yours and then post a comment to say how much you like their video. Invite them to take a look at your video as well. Obviously, you have to be a little careful about where you post because if you start posting comments on your direct competition’s channels, then it may not be well received. It is important to be genuine and not spammy or salesy. Look for videos which are related to your sector but not in direct competition. You could also invite other YouTube channels to be a guest on your video podcast or even interviews. 

13. Be Social and Network

YouTube is a Social Media network, so take part in the community and build your connections. Join a YouTube group, add friends and message them (but not in a spammy or salesy way). Set up your own YouTube Group and be sure to make use of the Bulletin Board. The more you put into the YouTube community, the more you are likely to get back from others. Help and be helped and learn new tips and tactics as you proceed. 

14. Promote Your Videos

It is not enough to just create videos, you need to promote and share them too. You can post links to your videos on your other social media channels and embed them into your blog posts. 

Also include your video links in your email campaigns. Offer free valuable videos on your website in exchange for newcomers' emails, so that you can add them to your CRM and start marketing to them. 

Lastly, write a video article with links to your content on YouTube and share it with directories, forums, social media groups and put in press releases. 

15. Show Customers Behind the Scenes in your Business

To make your channel more personable and human, show viewers behind the scenes with footage of your team at work. Include humour and show how the process works for products and services. Show happy customers and staff helping customers out. The more you can build a personality for your brand, the more likely you are to attract customers. Be sincere, be transparent and real. 

16. YouTube Shorts

These are YouTube videos which are less than one minute long. This is similar to Tik Tok 60 second videos. Videos such as this can get a high number of views and go viral if you are very lucky. Videos 1 minute or under can also be posted to Instagram. 

17. YouTube Creator Collaborations

Approach YouTube creators about doing collaborations. Those with large numbers of followers will often charge you high fees, so it is better to consider creators who have under 100k followers. 

Those YouTubers with smaller amounts of followers may be open to a collaboration without money being involved or will charge less than the famous YouTubers. You can also ask YouTube creators to give your products and services a review in return for free goods. 

18. Have an Ecommerce Store on your YouTube

YouTube is massive for ecommerce sales and online shopping. You can sell your products and services to customers and add a Store Tab. You can also use the ‘End Screens’ function to feature products and services at the end of your videos. During live streams, you can pin your products and services to the top of your channel.

Seriously consider the potential of running an ecommerce business from your YouTube channel. It can be very lucrative. 

19. Tell Your Brand Story

Take the role of the narrator and tell your brand story expressing the core values of your business. A successful business is often built on a powerful story. Keep it simple and relatable, as your business grows, share more stories with your public. Remember that when people buy from a business, they are usually buying into an emotion, not just the product features. If you create an aspiring brand that captures minds and hearts, you can nurture brand loyalty in your viewers. 

20. Constantly Optimise your Channel and Videos

We have already talked about the importance of looking for keyword phrases and hashtags by looking at your competitors. You can use SEO tools to do this and websites like Answer the Public to see what people are searching for. 

Remember that most viewers only see the first 100 characters of your video description. As we said before, you should optimise this and make sure your meta description contains keywords and is compelling enough to make people want to click. The meta description appears in the list of searches on Google, so it needs to be inspiring!

Also, as we said before, use attractive and engaging thumbnail images that stick out. 

So now you’ve had your 20 tips to get you started here are some useful links to help you choose your equipment. 

What equipment should I invest in for my YouTube Channel? 

This website has excellent tips on how to make a YouTube Video and also links to their blogs about which equipment to buy:

https://www.techsmith.com/blog/make-youtube-video/

The basic setup for making videos is as follows:

1. A microphone
2. A POP filter
3. Screen Recording software
4. Lighting 
5. Camera or Webcam

N.B. If you are working to a budget, just use your mobile phone to start off with. You can always invest in the above equipment later on after you have made some sales. 

Good luck with your YouTube channel! Here are some video and reading links to help you on your journey! 

Videos on How To Use YouTube for your Business

1.How to Use YouTube to Promote Your Business — 3 Video Marketing Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG35xrTrzyY&ab_channel=ThinkMedia

2. How to Promote Your Business with YouTube Advertising:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysm6CjDuKHs&ab_channel=ThinkMedia

3.YouTube for Business! How to Grow your Business with YouTube:

              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQRTrJDn82w

4. How To Create A YouTube Channel for Beginners (2021 Tutorial) https://youtu.be/bVPjcLL9jGM 

5. How to make Video ads (the easy way) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWd0LIl8nkI

READING LIST

1. https://startups.co.uk/marketing/tips/how-to-use-youtube-for-business/
2. https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/3-reasons-to-use-youtube-marketing-for-your-small-business/
3. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-trends-preferences
4. https://eclincher.com/7-benefits-of-youtube-for-your-business/
5. https://monsterspost.com/promote-business-on-youtube/
6. https://www.zenbusiness.com/blog/market-youtube/ 
7. https://startupnation.com/start-your-business/market-your-business/12-tips-for-using-youtube-to-promote-your-business/?fbclid=IwAR0yR7xkSnBgLOLw3gNJfZjhdmlxsxhERCsj9oLVrRyixYicV5ZlTRtWfrg
8. https://www.uschamber.com/co/grow/marketing/promoting-business-youtube-videos
9. https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2021/07/29/promote-your-business-on-youtube
10. https://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/how-use-youtube-effective-marketing-tool-your-small-business/