Digital video marketing is going to play a greater role for your brand in the following years as a result of the growing number of internet users and the increased popularity of videos. Different social media such as Facebook or Instagram offer the opportunity to record and share videos, however, the leader in this segment remains YouTube. Actually, YouTube processes more than 3 billion searches a month, which makes it the second largest search engine after Google. This puts it ahead of Bing and Yahoo! even if their traffic is combined.
Marketers already know that promotional videos on YouTube are a smart way to promote the company brand and reach a broader audience. If you are concerned that your target group is not on YouTube, think again. Almost 1 in every 2 internet visitors checks the cool video channel.
2018 is a great year to launch your brand channel on YouTube in case you haven’t done it yet. If you already have your digital presence there, the tips below will help you enhance it and reach a broader audience.
Create a YouTube account for your brand
If your social media presence is limited to Facebook, LinkedIn and/or Instagram, it is high time to direct your efforts to establish your YouTube account. The first step is to establish a channel that is dedicated explicitly to your brand. Even if you are an entrepreneur who is currently working on their own, make sure that your YouTube channel is dedicated to your company and not to you. This is a professional approach that sends a clear message to your target audience. Setting up a YouTube channel is quite easy and you can follow their tutorial in case you have any doubts.
Make sure to choose a channel icon and cover art that are personalized to present your brand identity. These are the first two things that your potential customers will notice. Try to use the same or similar images like those you have on your other social media accounts so that your brand is quickly recognizable.
Include a channel description. This step is often overlooked but will actually draw the attention to your brand. Tell the viewers who you are and why they need to subscribe to your channel. Do not forget to add links to your site or other social media channels. You can add up to five custom links.
Create different and optimized video content
Once your account is set up, you need to focus on the videos that you are going to use to promote your brand. Keep in mind that YouTube as a channel focuses on content. Hence, you need to create great and unique content that will attract viewers and turn them into subscribers and loyal customers. Use the same SEO practices that you would do for your company website – define the target audience, include keywords, select a catchy title for your video.
In order for the videos that you create to bring value to your customers, they need to have great content. To achieve that you need to:
- Research the web and see what your competitors do and what viewers like. Google Trends is a handy tool for great ideas.
- Find your unique selling point and make use of it
- Produce passionate content that caters to the specific needs of your target audience. Viewers will be happy to find someone who meets their specific preferences. You need the perfect balance between the visual part of the video and the text and it is a great idea to use the help of the professional writers of Handmadewritings in order to deliver great quality.
Use a variety of videos
In order to keep the viewers you have attracted, it is necessary to diversify the videos that you create and upload. Here are a few types that can make your promotional video more appealing:
- Live-streamed videos. Luckily, in April 2017 YouTube has changed its requirements and now you can live-stream a video in case you have 1,000 followers. The previous requirement was for 10,000. Live-streamed videos are a great way to get to your target customers and show them what happens backstage. They are great for interviews, Q&A sessions and even video lessons. Do not forget to be prepared beforehand and to promote the video, so that you have sufficient viewers at the time of the event.
- Immersive 360º videos. YouTube added this feature back in 2015 and it has been gaining popularity ever since. The videos are very suitable for travel agencies, for example, who can present your destination in full – from the hotel rooms to the beautiful scenery surrounding it.
- VR and AR videos. Virtual and Augmented reality are a great innovative way to add depth to your promotional videos. Many brands have already taken advantage of the technology. Last year eBay launched the first ever VR online shop and expects a rise in its revenue as a result. VR can become an integral part of your brand video advertising regardless of your business scope.
- Vlogs or video blogs are a popular format on YouTube. It is true that you will face a lot of competition if choosing this format but nevertheless it remains a great way to reach out to your customers.
Localize your YouTube videos for a broader reach
In order to create a successful promotional campaign on YouTube, you need to take into account the specific characteristics of your target audience. Not all of them speak English, come from different countries and locations. Hence, you need to translate and localize your videos in order to get better results.
YouTube used to offer a service called Translation Marketplace until June 2017, which is no longer available. Now, you can either opt for a free translation using automated translation engines or YouTube’s Community Contributors (CC) or hire a professional to do it. Our advice is to choose a professional language service provider with experience in video translation and localization that will download YouTube videos as this will enhance the quality and guarantee that your message is conveyed in the same way regardless of the language used.
Forecasts show that video is going to represent 82% of all IP traffic. This definitely makes it a powerful tool to use for your company marketing. As YouTube is the primary source of video for most of the internet users, following the tips above will help you establish and grow your brand’s position. Stay tuned with the changes in video content and the ways of its promotion in order to give a good boost to your company.
