YouTube is one of the largest websites in the world. Every minute, 500 hours of video content is uploaded and billions of hours of video is consumed daily. People in nearly every nation use the platform for entertainment, education, and to find out more about products. If youâre looking for your audience, they exist on […]
YouTube is one of the largest websites in the world. Every minute, 500 hours of video content is uploaded and billions of hours of video is consumed daily. People in nearly every nation use the platform for entertainment, education, and to find out more about products. If you’re looking for your audience, they exist on YouTube.
It’s a no brainer to jump on the platform and try your hand at using it to generate direct income as well as grow your business. If you start without a plan, you may spend a lot of time and energy with little to show for it.
This guide will show you a few hard hitting strategies to help you use YouTube to grow your business.
First, create compelling videos
There’s no way around this step. If you don’t create quality videos for YouTube, people won’t watch and you’ll spend a lot of energy for little return.
The amount of effort you put in to make your videos ok and to make them great isn’t too different. Much of the work is done in post-editing. Here are a few things that can help you make better videos immediately:
- Invest in a decent camera. A Canon G7X should be more than enough
- Focus on the hook in your intro and tell people what to expect
- Use sound effects to enhance your videos. There are many available on YouTube under creative commons and you can use these tools to convert them to MP3 files
- Incorporate pattern interrupts to keep people engaged and send positive signals to the YouTube algorithm
These are just a few techniques you can use to create better videos. I suggest taking an inexpensive course on Udemy or a free one on Skillshare to polish up your skills.
Add multiple CTAs within the video
If your video is compelling and people are watching it through to the end then you have multiple opportunities to include calls to action within the content. You can also include them in the description.
Don’t limit this to pitching your products, add a call to action for anything that supports your brand. A few examples include:
- Subscribing to your YouTube channel
- Following you on Instagram
- Connecting with you on Twitter
- Listening to your podcast
- Subscribing to your newsletter
- Becoming a fan on Facebook
- Checking out a new product you’ve created
- Share the video
- Read your blog
- Download a free cheatsheet
- Etc.
You’re only limited by your imagination here. Almost anything is fair game but few YouTube creators take advantage of their engaged audiences. Enhance your CTA by adding it as an overlay in your videos and within your description.
If you do nothing but increase the number of CTAs you have then you’ll see much better business results.
Create service overview videos
It’s estimated by the end of this year, video will account for more than 80% of all consumer internet traffic and adding a video to a landing page can increase conversions by over 80%.
It’s logical to conclude that if most people are consuming video content and that video content can almost double conversions – you should be making it to promote your services.
If you offer abstract services, a physical product, or even a software solution, video content can help you promote it.
When it’s software, create a demo or a series of videos that highlight key features and benefits. If it’s a physical product, demonstrate how it’s used, tell them about the size, weight, and let them get a feel for it. A service can be explained and you can give examples of results or outcomes other people have gotten.
Almost every kind of product or service can be enhanced with video. At the same time, people build a connection with you when you’re presenting.
Make targeted playlists
YouTube playlists are collections of videos around a certain topic. They can include your videos and the videos of other creators on the platform and encourage people to go deeper into your content.
The key to a successful playlist is having a logical flow and providing a specific outcome. For example, if it’s about knitting then you may want the playlist to flow from beginner to advanced.
Put yourself in the shoes of a viewer. What would they need to know first then second, and so on?
Once you get the order right, add the relevant videos to the playlist or start creating them. Over time (as long as the videos are good), it’ll get ranked in YouTube search and bring a steady stream of new viewers.
If you’ve applied the insights from the first tip – create multiple CTAs – you’ll be building an audience and selling your products.
Join the partner program
You don’t join the partner program for the money – though that’s a fringe benefit. The main reason you want to join the partner program is because of the way the YouTube algorithm works.
Though it’s denied by YouTube, it seems that people who’ve enabled monetization on their videos get far more views than those who don’t. This has been supported my multiple small scale tests by creators.
What does that mean for you?
As soon as you can apply to the YouTube partner program, do so. It’ll help you get in front of more viewers without any additional effort on your part.
Conclusion
YouTube is the largest video platform in the world and will help you grow your business if used properly but there’ a lot of competition. With that being said, there are simple steps you can take to increase your chances of success while mitigating your risk.
This article has outlined the major factors you should take into consideration but there are countless others. Focus on great content and promote your videos far and wide. The rest will follow.
