By Angela Hausman, PhD, Published November 14, 2014
Are you using YouTube marketing effectively?
Do you realize how important video is in today’s Internet?
Do you even think about YouTube video as marketing?
Well, it is and YouTube video marketing is an essential element of a successful digital marketing strategy!
Video content accounted for 66 percent of all Internet traffic in 2013, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI). That number is expected to reach 79 percent by 2018 and up to 90 percent if P2P files and video-on-demand are included in the calculation.
It’s become a business necessity in 2014 to incorporate video into all marketing campaigns. YouTube, and its one billion monthly users, make it easy for any company to promote and disseminate a brand with video.
Establishing an account and uploading a video or two isn’t enough to take full advantage of what YouTube can do for your brand. These three tips will help you maximize returns on your efforts.
Consistent Content
Content is king and that goes for video content, as well. Producing a consistent stream of new video content makes your YouTube channel more popular and easier to find on search engines.
Red Bull is frequently cited as one of the best YouTube brand channels due to its innovative content, particularly the extreme sports coverage. But it also doesn’t hurt that the company is constantly adding new videos to its channel. Red Bull joined YouTube in September of 2006 and has uploaded over 4,300 videos since. That means Red Bull averages 1.7 video uploads per day. The more content you upload, the more opportunity there will be for consumers to find, discover and engage your channel.
A 2013 study entitled “The Top 100 Global Brands: Key Lessons for Success on YouTube” by video marketing firm Pixability, found several trends across the most successful brands on YouTube. Those with a largest number of subscribers uploaded 50 percent more videos than the least successful ones, based on total views.
Create a content schedule and stick to it. Subscribers will come to expect fresh videos on certain days, which reinforces brand loyalty. Even if the production is something as simple as the company CEO thanking customers for a great month of sales, new uploads keep your channel active and provide more opportunities for your content to be shared on social media, blogs and other websites.
A great example is MOZ Whiteboard Fridays. I know every Friday, someone from MOZ or a guest will present a whiteboard video explaining how to improve my search engine marketing. The key is I know to expect a high-quality video every Friday.
It is just that simple to create great video content to support your YouTube marketing strategy. Film someone explaining something they find valuable. Other ways to create video content are:
- Animate a powerpoint presentation then save it as a video with or without a voiceover
- Film a user exploring your product for the first time
- Film a focus group about your product
- Follow a user through their day to see how your product helps
Engage With Your Community
YouTube is a social media platform just like Facebook and Twitter, so channel administrators should treat it as such. Become “friends” with other companies in your locale and with organizations that represent causes you want to be associated with.
Social media is a community, so treat it like a community. Seek out other brands operating in your space. Follow them. Comment on their videos. Send them links to your video uploads. Build an engaging community, but remember it’s a tit-for-tat arrangement. That means paying it forward and these are great ways to support your YouTube marketing strategy through community engagement.
It’s also essential to respond when customers ask questions about your videos in the comments section. A 2012 survey by Edison Research found that 41 percent of customers expect a response from the company within one hour of leaving a comment. It is particularly important to address consumer complaints in a timely fashion. Allowing these comments to linger without a response gives the impression that your company does not care what customers think and can severely damage your brand’s image.
But, don’t stop there. When viewers make supporting comments or like your videos, thank them — this is part of the thank you economy that drives success in digital spaces. A simple thank you goes a long way toward building a loyal following that generates more engagement.
Safeguards
It takes only one claim of copyright infringement or inadvertently violating YouTube’s terms of service for disaster to strike. YouTube has the right — and exercises it — to remove content that violates their terms of service. YouTube may even delete your entire channel.
Universal Music and Sony learned this the hard way when YouTube cracked down on so-called “black hat” video. YouTube contends the two companies uploaded and manufactured fake views to bolster numbers, which violates their terms of service. Once Youtube removed these alleged fake productions, Universal was left with only five videos on its channel, while Sony had 3. It’s important to note, YouTube is absolute in their authority to remove content and there’s no way to fight this in court. YouTube is offered as a free service, supported by your agreement to their terms of service, so good luck getting your channel back.
Read over YouTube’s terms of service if you’re new to the platform to get a general idea of the rules. A simple rule of thumb is to avoid using copyrighted music or images in your videos that could potentially result in a violation. Under so-called “Fair Use” laws, you may use a small portion of music or images (with acknowledgement to the original creator), without violating copyrights. Learn your rights and responsibilities under the copyright law.
It’s also a good idea to back up all your files on a cloud storage platform so you can easily re-uploaded if your channel is ever disturbed for whatever reason. Also consider uploading your videos on other platforms like Daily Motion and Veoh. This not only gives you a contingency plan, but maximizes SEO for your brand.
The marketing opportunities YouTube presents for companies are unrivaled on the Internet. Keep the content fresh, constant and compelling—the subscribers will come.
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