With the proliferation of video built into imaging devices these days, it’s hard to imagine a business in this industry that’s not using YouTube as a marketing tool.
If you are using the video-sharing social media platform but not experiencing much success, or if you have yet to start, let’s jump in and look at a few ways to help you find the most success on YouTube.
As with other social media tools, YouTube requires some basic information to get started. This initial information is important and might make or break your success down the road. Setting up a rich profile will allow potential customers to easily find your channel. Be sure to fill out every possible piece of information. Leaving something blank or sparsely filling in areas will prohibit you from getting the most return on your time investment on YouTube.
Once you are set up, be sure you are creating useful, engaging content that users find valuable. People venture onto YouTube to learn something, connect with their peers or be inspired. If you can deliver these in the form of sophisticated videos, you will build a following and be viewed as a trusted source of information. This then gives you the opportunity to drive traffic to your website and eventually sell to these viewers in the future. Moreover, there is a wide variety of content that you can share, including product demos, photography tutorials and product how-to videos. 
Dedicating the time to consistently upload engaging content will grow your visitors. Regular posting allows viewers to see your dedication and over time become loyal to your content. Loyalty to your content can then become loyalty to your business and result in a rewarding, long-term customer.
Getting Started on YouTube
Get started by creating a few videos up front that you can release on a regular basis. This way if you run into your key selling season or staff vacations, you will always be ahead of the next video and can stay on track with your posting.
When you begin to see comments, be sure to comment back and thank them. Often they will venture over to your channel in return, and that might help build traffic. You can also create playlists to organize your video topics. This way people can easily find a few videos within the same theme. The easier it is to navigate your content, the more success you will have with increasing your subscribers.
Keywords are vital to getting your videos viewed. You need to craft these keywords in a way that will enhance your content without overdoing it. You want your descriptions to have a natural flow; but stealthily include the words and phrases that will get you found as people search YouTube.
If you’re not sure where to start, use Google Keyword Planner. It will help you find keywords that will prove successful for your videos. Don’t just include keywords in your title, description and tags though; include keywords in your profile as well.
Utilize Thumbnails & URLs
In addition to keywords, you have the ability to choose the thumbnail image that will display for each video. Take advantage of this tool and ensure you have images that will catch someone’s attention as they scroll through video options. Set yourself apart with high-quality images for these thumbnails to attract the most people.
Another great marketing tool for YouTube is adding URLs to your descriptions. Having a link back to your website is important if you don’t have a specific call to action in your video. You can send them to your home page; or send them to a specific page on your site where you have a targeted message.
The final step for YouTube success is cross promoting your videos on your other social media sites. In addition to posting on social media, embed links on blog posts and include them in outbound e-mail campaigns. In addition, create video ads to gain more awareness for your videos and therefore your business.
As with all social networking, quality and consistency are key factors in finding success. In your YouTube channel, these features will help you grow your presence on the platform to result in growth for your business.
