The world has shifted from written articles and posts to more interactive alternatives such as audio-visual content. Such content includes things like podcasts and videos. So, YouTube has undeniably been one of the platforms at the top of its game. As a result, more marketers have been using YouTube Video Marketing.
The platform has over 2.68 billion logged-in users per month; it has been hailed as the second largest search engine. The largest, of course, is Google. The primary reason for YouTube’s popularity is user-generated content. User-generated content is an essential factor for Search Engine Optimization. This is why digital marketers tend to include it in their strategy. In addition, it’s becoming a popular and fast-growing form of marketing online.
YouTube Video Marketing isn’t just an effective way of introducing your brand or relaying information to your audience. But it’s also one that encourages engagement, bringing you an increase in your traffic. And here’s all that you need to know about it, including how to use it to your advantage.
YouTube Video Marketing and Why it Works
What makes video content so engaging? Well, for starters, we as humans are visual creatures. We understand and connect faster with information when watching a video than reading.
Studies show that we are most likely to retain 95% of a message from a video, compared to the 10% likelihood we are to remember it when we’re just reading about it. This is why you must create a variety of content as a brand. This gives your audience/customers options to select which medium best fits what they need at the moment.
However, this article is explicitly focused on YouTube Video Marketing. So it’s important to acknowledge that it’s so successful due to the advancement of today’s technology.
75% of video watchers across the internet use their mobile devices. More often than not, these watchers are more than willing to share your content, allowing you to gain organic traffic.
To help you do this, here are tips you might want to follow.
Tips and Tricks to Boost Your Traffic
Figure out what your audience wants.
In all aspects of content creation, it’s vital to ensure that you can optimize it based on your audience. After all, they are the consumers of your content. If you get to know your audience, you can learn the type of content they want. As a result, you’ll find out their interests and then apply them to your own YouTube Video Marketing.
Scoping out other video creators and content that gain the most engagement can give you ideas. You can get insights into the things that your audience is looking for. So, for instance, you can see what kind of video style they prefer.
If you already have an established account, you may also use different Social Media Analytics Tools to help you understand your audience and track your progress.
You may also try Syndicating your Content or articles if you suffer from creator’s block and don’t know what video to produce.
Create good, engaging thumbnails.
Thumbnails are not books that we cannot judge based on their cover. We do, and in a way, as we should. This is a testament to how important it is for us to choose and create a thumbnail that best represents our content because it is the face of our content.
Thumbnails are the first thing viewers spot when searching for a specific topic or looking for certain content. They’re one of the most significant factors that viewers use to assess whether they want to watch your videos or not. The more your viewers are interested in your thumbnail, the more likely they are to click and watch your video.
When choosing thumbnails, it is crucial to remember that you:
- Choose the shot from your video. Also, ensure that the shot you’ve selected is in the video proper. Avoid giving them false expectations. They are less likely to return to you if you cannot provide what you’ve promised.
- Having people on your thumbnail can be good too! It entices human emotions and allows them to sort of feel an interaction despite the barriers of the screen.
Write exciting titles that spur viewers to click.
Besides the thumbnail, your video title is another thing your viewers see when searching for content. Be as creative as possible to grab their attention, so you don’t resort to making click-bait headlines.
Be witty, be interesting, but always remember to deliver what you promised. Your audience is only there because they think you have what they’re looking for. If they can’t see it, then there is a huge possibility that they will leave.
If you don’t know what to title the video, try ‘How-to’ or ‘Best-of.’ These two phrases are usually a safe bet.
Ensure that you optimize your video for SEO and visibility.
YouTube videos are usually at the 70% top 100 search results on Google. As mentioned earlier, this platform is the second biggest search engine online. Therefore, people often prefer it when searching for instruction-based content, etc.
To optimize your video for a higher chance of visibility, you may use Auto-generated Chapters or find out how you can optimize your title for better SEO.
Promote it on your social media pages.
Create a buzz online by promoting your videos on your Social Media pages like your Facebook community. This will help notify your audience about the video. In addition, your Socials can allow audience members to access the video through the links on your posts.
Posting teaser pics or clips on your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages can assist you. Doing this will gain their attention, giving them something to look forward to.
You can even count down to the day when you are releasing it. So even though your audience isn’t necessarily online, they will know when you will post. It’s also possible that they’ll make time for it if they want to. Making hashtags for your video allows you to monitor reactions or feedback.
You may also consider Influencer Marketing, especially when you’re running out of ideas to post. You can connect or collaborate with famous social media personas and give your audience a fresh approach to the brand. Plus, this gives you a chance to introduce your brand to their audience too! Finally, this allows you to promote it further outside of your community.
Engage with your YouTube community.
And speaking of communities, it is simply impossible to forget about your community here on YouTube. Constantly engaging with them allows you to connect with your audience and build a good relationship.
This way, they can be comfortable with you and possibly be your loyal supporter.
You can engage with your YouTube community by:
- Creating polls to see which kind of content they prefer.
- Posting on YouTube asking questions or notifying them about anything you may want them to know.
- Replying to their comments;
- Doing a livestream.
- Inviting them to a community platform outside of YouTube, i.e. Facebook, Discord, etc., where they can freely interact and engage with you.
Create a Call-to-Action
Without a clear Call-to-Action (CTA), there is a chance that your viewers won’t know what to do next. So you must be clear with your intention, instruction and purpose. For example, if you want them to know about your website more, put the link in the description. Additionally, make sure to mention it in your video. You can also connect them to other content by linking it in the video. Or, you can invite them to subscribe to your channel.
Creating a YouTube End Screen allows you to do all of this. After all, it’s included in the video. Also, it is a convenient way of leading the audience anywhere you may choose. You can link them anywhere, whether it’s a site, another video, etc.
These are only a few YouTube Video Marketing tips to promote your channel. And if you are looking for a push to start your channel, then this is it. There’s no time like the present!
