It’s a competitive world out there for businesses. To ensure that your brand gets to command enough of a particular market segment for sustained success, you need to market aggressively. If you do not have sufficient capital to fund traditional marketing efforts, it becomes more challenging. For perspective, a print ad alone can set you back between $2,000 and $160,000.
Thankfully, traditional marketing is not the only route you can take. Digital marketing has become popular among marketers in recent years. And that is for obvious reasons. Consider YouTube marketing.
There are more than a billion active YouTube users. That number encompasses 95 percent of the global population and 76 different languages. That’s a massive potential audience, ready to be tapped.
Before you gear up to make brand-focused content for YouTube, you must know the best practices that will give you an edge. Here are some of them.
Familiarize YouTube analytics
Here we operate under the assumption that you have already figured out the branding for your business. Consequently, you know who your target audience is. This is where YouTube analytics come in.
You sign up with YouTube via either a personal or business account. Both are free. And they come with reliable and comprehensive analytics tools. You may refer to these tools to know whether the videos you create are reaching the right people. Some of the most useful data at your disposal include the dominant age and location of your most active viewers.
If, for example, your brand zeroes in on the Gen Z crowd and you see a particular video you posted appeals to that market segment, you can then tailor-fit your succeeding content.
Partner with video companies
Ideally, you work with professional video companies to come up with content. These creatives know video production both technically and aesthetically. Working with them will be a worthy investment on your end.
Do not think of YouTube marketing as a DIY effort. Remember that you are selling a brand. Your target audience will look for a sense of legitimacy and trustworthiness. That will not be conveyed if the camera work of your content is all jerky. Or the editing feels haphazardly done. The last thing you want to happen is for your audience to associate your brand with amateurish videos.
Learn from favorites and competitors
You can always learn from competitors. So swallow your pride and check out their videos. See what works based on the number of views and likes. Read the comments. They come from the same people you are trying to sell to; therefore, they are worth your time. Also, take note of your competitors’ weaknesses. Consider them as growth opportunities.
Learn from your favorite channels as well. Watch their videos attentively. Pinpoint what works for you, and what does not. Apply what you gather to your own content creation style.
Optimize your content
What people get to watch on YouTube is the result of the search engine’s algorithm. That means that to appear on people’s searches, your content must be optimized.
Begin with a strong title. It should have the most relevant keywords. Those will give YouTube algorithm a hint that your content exists. Refrain from using clickbait titles. While they can attract viewers, they often prove impractical in terms of retention. Keep it real.
Use a catchy thumbnail as well. Plus, do not forget an optimized description.
Schedule your videos
Here, you once again need to refer to YouTube analytics. See the hours or days when viewer engagement peaks. That is when you want to publish your content.
Mind the frequency of your published content as well. There should be a semblance of regularity. But there is no need to bombard your audience with videos after videos. Keep them intrigued and interested.
The end goal of YouTube marketing is not just to make people watch the content you post. Your audience must be engaged enough with your content that they will decide to click on links to other social media channels or your website. This gets you closer to customer conversion.
That said, make sure those links are prominently included in the description of each post you publish, as well as in your channel’s About page. Your YouTube profile should be complete, matched with a winning thumbnail.
It also will not hurt if your brand is visible throughout the content. Make your audience remember you. And they should be able to easily find you once they are ready to take their relationship with your brand to the next level.