As one of the strongest and most robust video stream services out there, YouTube is a great way for small businesses to strengthen their brand and connect with customers. Not only is it easy to use, YouTube is also virtually free keeping marketing dollars in the pocket of the business owner. Like many other types of online media, YouTube can also be time-consuming. Taking time to learn the best practices will ensure your small business makes the biggest impact possible using this helpful resource. The graph below from bizreport.com demonstrates how the top 100 Brands have spent over $5 billion in video creation.
To get the most out of YouTube for your small business, follow these 6 tips for success:
1. Grab Your Audience
If your viewers are not interested in the video within the first 10 seconds, they are unlikely to watch the rest. First, use catchy titles to draw the viewers in. Next, state the purpose of the video and what they will gain by watching it. Try to do this within the first couple shots.
2. Have a Plan
Know what you want to say and how you want to say it. You may want to consider making a storyboard and shot list for each video. This will ensure you hit the key points while planning each segment out.
3. Make Your Topics Relevant
Keep your topics focused on what your business does and what your customers are most interested in watching or learning. For each video, keep the content centered on the main objective and don’t bog down the message with unnecessary information.
4. Don’t Forget about Keywords
Keywords are important for nearly every aspect of online marketing including the world of YouTube. A quality marketing firm can provide the best keywords to use in your title and description to get the results you are looking for and the traffic to your content.
5. Utilize Quality Equipment & Lighting
While you don’t need top-notch recording and sound equipment, investing in a few quality pieces will yield better footage and are often easier to use and handle. Shoot at the right time too. Late-morning and mid-afternoon natural sunlight can be extremely helpful in reducing dark shadows and poor lighting.
6. Evaluate & Adjust
Taking time to evaluate what past videos have the most views and which ones are popular will be invaluable in setting the course for the rest of your productions. Adjust accordingly to the positive and negative feedback your audience provides.
Helping your business find the path to YouTube success, Grand Marketing Solutions can help with discovering the right keywords, determining your target audience, and ensuring your brand is represented in the best light online. We offer a number of social media and advertising services all designed with the small business in mind. Contact us today to find out how we can help.