As you all know by now, social media marketing has been around for a while. It used to be new and almost considered a novelty, but now it is becoming the mainstay.
That doesn’t mean that any of us knows everything there is to know about social media. So the limitations on our knowledge leave room for the unexpected.
What do I mean by the unexpected? We will get to that. 🙂
When it comes to promoting your small business, YouTube gives you more bang for your buck than other channels do. It is a great place to start today in our quest for additional social media marketing knowledge.
Let’s begin with the unexpected and finish out with some of the more expected tips for any YouTube marketer. Either way, we are going for an increased return on investment (ROI) when using YouTube for our online marketing needs.
Be sure to also check out these other GrowMap articles on the topic of YouTube:
- Kick Your YouTube Views Into High Gear: Video Analytics [VIDEO How-Tos].
- Using YouTube for Viral Marketing.
- YouTube Offers Long Form Content and Advertiser Opportunities.
Mastering the Unexpected
If you were to ask yourself what would be “unexpected” when it comes to YouTube, what would come to mind? For that matter, what comes to mind in general if you think of the word “unexpected”? What about in terms of marketing, and specifically online marketing?
These days, we see all sorts of things on social media. Some content we probably shouldn’t see and some of it we don’t want to see.
But the reality is, that is just what attracts the views. So if you are looking for exposure, meaning high numbers of views and subscribers, the outlandish content is what seems to do it.
Here is an example of a YouTube video that really hit home if you are only considering the quantity of views (and likely subscribers, too): YouTuber Fined for Operating Video Gambling Site Accessed by Kids.
Ok, I know. That is not something we should recommend, especially for all of you parents out there who are concerned about what your children are viewing online.
But the point is that as outlandish as the content is, it did attract attention. Obviously, that example is an extreme one.
So we go back to our original question and ask ourselves what it is that we can consider unexpected content. What might attract our curious friends out there on the internet?
Let’s add another question to that. What are you willing or desirous to share? In other words, please don’t sacrifice your ethics or your brand. Look for something that fits what your brand would represent or share.
For example, if you happen to be somewhere where news is happening, you might be able to pick it up on your cell phone. Then you could share it on YouTube, getting some views and subscribers. However, if the content of the video is something that is adverse for your brand, you will want to reconsider.
Something else to think about is creating another YouTube Channel. You could make one for news items that are a little more unexpected than those on your normal YouTube Channel. Then be sure to link back to your original YouTube Channel to get some traction (and traffic!).
Seven Common Tactics for Growing Your YouTube Channel
While you are letting your unexpected approach to YouTube percolate, let’s list some of the more common tips and strategies for YouTube.
1: Target Your Audience
Before you record, you need to know whom you are trying to reach. This is the same sort of idea that applies to writing a blog post. You need to profile your target audience.
When you think of your ideal customers, how old are they? What is their gender? What do they do for a living? Since it’s impossible to market to the masses, you need to create buyer personas for each group you’re trying to engage with your videos.
Or realize that your videos might only engage a certain sector of the population. This fact will also help you understand what you should write in your YouTube description when enticing your viewers to hit the play button.
2: Take Advantage of Free Resources
There are a lot of tools built directly into YouTube. Make sure you take advantage of those tools, including the ability to edit your videos. Keep in mind that you can make your videos available to the public and still make modifications later if needed.
When you are ready to move beyond the basics, there is a plethora of information on additional and advanced YouTube marketing tips.
Also, make sure you write a detailed title and accurate description for each of your videos. Don’t forget to use appropriate keywords that are relevant to your brand. That way the videos get the traffic they deserve and people can easily find them.
3: Family Comes First
Start promoting your videos to people you already know, including your family and friends. You can also market your business to online acquaintances. Ask them to share your content with others to increase your exposure organically.
Granted, this is sometimes a tactic that is not allowed for businesses and possibly makes you uncomfortable. But the key is to ensure that you use this strategy to the extent that you are able and are comfortable using it.
4: Rub Elbows
Take full advantage of online networking capabilities when promoting your videos. As a brand ambassador, you should become active on Google, Facebook, and other social media platforms to spread the word. Creating an online presence across the board will help you promote your business.
You can even make use of videos in Twitter. Don’t forget to utilize the social platforms available to you for getting the word out about your YouTube videos.
In addition, utilize public relation techniques, such as press releases, to contact editors, bloggers, and other influencers to generate free media coverage. Word of mouth is the best type of publicity. Not only does this marketing technique give you mainstream media coverage but it also helps you cater to your target audience’s wants and needs.
Oh, another thing—for word of mouth, if it is tricky to tell someone where to find you on youtube.com, consider creating a domain redirect that takes them directly to your YouTube channel. That may help you in your discussions when you do not have a pen and paper. Of course, adding the link to your business card is another great tip because it will help people find you.
5: Collaborate
Try to collaborate with other brands that are already successful on YouTube. Doing so allows you to capture the attention of your target audience without worrying about your competition. This can include running banners, having the brands mention you in their videos, or working together on video projects.
6: Create a Budget (Advertising)
If it’s in your budget, consider paying for keyword advertising on Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Facebook. Google Adwords is a powerful, cost-effective tool for YouTube video promotion. I have used it and it has been very successful!
Of course, the first step before the advertising is to create a budget. That way, you know what you are getting into and can set some limits. Remember, you can always increase your budget if you find that your advertising is going well.
7: Take Action
Encourage viewers to like, comment, rate, and share your videos by including a call to action at the end of your videos. It seems strange that you need to ask, but it is true that asking people to act increases the chances that they will (versus waiting for them to think of it themselves).
In Summary
Starting a new business is like learning how to swim. It takes time, patience, and quite a bit of practice before you’re able to jump into the deep end of the pool. But if you stick with it, you’ll be jumping off the high dive in no time.
Add a little of that unexpected and we might be seeing YOU on the news—in a good way, of course. 😉