With all the attention that marketers are paying to Facebook, it’s almost as if YouTube has taken a back seat in the marketing channel hierarchy. But when it comes to creating a truly personal connection with customers and potential customers, nothing can beat a video on YouTube. Just put the video up against words on a web page and you’ll see way YouTube is capable of producing some remarkable results.
So how do you capitalize on the connections offered by YouTube videos? Here are some key ways to make YouTube an integral part of your marketing effort.
First, buy those ads! YouTube sells pay-per-click ads. On a keyword search, your video will come up as a “promoted video” – a great way to find new targets interested in your particular topic. Best of all, you only have to pay when your video is played, so you’re not wasting money.
How do you “go viral?” No easy answers here! Sorry, but it’s next to impossible to predict which video will go viral and generate millions of hits. But there are some things you can do to get your video seen.
Make sure you check out what the competition is doing. See what videos are being uploaded in your keyword categories. And check out what types of creative techniques are being used. Nobody wants to copy other peoples’ work; but once you see what’s being done, you can add your own spin to it and come up with something better – something that’s truly unique.
The fact is, the really creative videos are the ones that get watched, so the more creative you can make your video, the better. Viewers choose videos based on personal preferences, so in addition to being creative, it’s critical that you use only appropriate key words with your video.
Finally, make sure you track feedback to your posts – whether it’s positive or negative. Here’s why: by listening to viewer comments, you’ll be able to ensure that the work you post will more accurately meet the needs and desires of your audience. There’s a great tool on YouTube called “Hot Spots” that reports on viewer activity on your clip. Check it out – if you have more than one clip uploaded, it could help you decide which clip to keep.
YouTube is an effective marketing tool, and is not as complicated as many people think. All it takes is a short learning curve to make sure you’re doing things the right way – and then let your creativity soar!
So how do you capitalize on the connections offered by YouTube videos? Here are some key ways to make YouTube an integral part of your marketing effort.
First, buy those ads! YouTube sells pay-per-click ads. On a keyword search, your video will come up as a “promoted video” – a great way to find new targets interested in your particular topic. Best of all, you only have to pay when your video is played, so you’re not wasting money.
How do you “go viral?” No easy answers here! Sorry, but it’s next to impossible to predict which video will go viral and generate millions of hits. But there are some things you can do to get your video seen.
Make sure you check out what the competition is doing. See what videos are being uploaded in your keyword categories. And check out what types of creative techniques are being used. Nobody wants to copy other peoples’ work; but once you see what’s being done, you can add your own spin to it and come up with something better – something that’s truly unique.
The fact is, the really creative videos are the ones that get watched, so the more creative you can make your video, the better. Viewers choose videos based on personal preferences, so in addition to being creative, it’s critical that you use only appropriate key words with your video.
Finally, make sure you track feedback to your posts – whether it’s positive or negative. Here’s why: by listening to viewer comments, you’ll be able to ensure that the work you post will more accurately meet the needs and desires of your audience. There’s a great tool on YouTube called “Hot Spots” that reports on viewer activity on your clip. Check it out – if you have more than one clip uploaded, it could help you decide which clip to keep.
YouTube is an effective marketing tool, and is not as complicated as many people think. All it takes is a short learning curve to make sure you’re doing things the right way – and then let your creativity soar!
