YouTube Small Business Strategies

Did you know that YouTube is the second largest social media platform? Not only that, but it also has become the top “television” network. According to Google, more adults under 49 watch YouTube during prime time hours than any major television network. If you produce quality videos, then you may benefit from trying some of our YouTube small business strategies.

In addition to being the number two social network and top video entertainment network, YouTube is a powerful search engine. This isn’t surprising considering that Google is YouTube’s parent company. As a small business, your YouTube channel may reach your audience and may also boost search traffic to your website. 

How to Drive Engagement on YouTube

Your channel profile sets the tone for engagement on YouTube. Eye-catching channel art shows potential subscribers what your channel is about. Craft a concise description and connect your website and key social media channels. A channel introduction video is an engaging way to greet new viewers and encourage them to subscribe.

Since YouTube is so popular, creator upload new content every hour of every day. To stand your, your content must be engaging and easy to watch. Many successful channels started with just a smartphone or webcam, so professional equipment isn’t required. However, your videos must be shot in a well-lit, attractive, and quiet place. Poor audio quality will cause most viewers to skip to the next video. Also use a tripod because shaky video also drives viewers away. Professional video production is always ideal, so go that route if possible. 

Take time to learn YouTube’s platform if you plan to publish videos. Their free Creator Academy offers tutorials covering YouTube platform basics as well as more advanced topics. Learning platform features will open your mind to ways to encourage engagement.

Finally, since YouTube is a video platform a personable and conversational tone promote user engagement. YouTube stars speak directly to their intended audience and they ask questions and invite comments. Use YouTube’s built-in “Call to Action” features and annotations. Some YouTube starts even point down while requesting comments and point to the appropriate part of the screen when mentioning the subscribe button and their call to action. If that suits your style, it may also work for you. However, don’t feel pressured to engage in engagement baiting gimmicks if it doesn’t feel authentic to you. 

What Type of Content is Best on YouTube

Play to your strengths when planning your YouTube content. Also, consider creating videos that support your long-form written content for maximum impact. This list of popular YouTube content ideas may help you get started in brainstorming ideas:

• Instructional videos and tutorials – sometimes people search YouTube when they are interested in learning about something.
• Unboxings and reviews are popular and may work well if they fit your brand. 
• Recipes and cooking content.
• Vlog style videos where you talk directly with the audience sharing your thoughts and insights on a topic.
• Humorous skits.
• Performances that do not violate copyrights.
• Video versions of your podcasts.
• Virtual tours and walk-throughs.
• Live streamed content after your YouTube is verified, this can be a good way to amplify live events.

Content Tricks for YouTube

Treat YouTube like a search engine and take the time to craft keyword rich descriptions for each video. Choose the most appropriate tags and complete all appropriate Meta-data to help viewers discover your content. You may include links to your website in your video descriptions, this is a great SEO strategy if the video supports or complements content on your website. Since YouTube videos are indexed by Google, including links in your description may result in more traffic.

In addition to detailed descriptions, also include an eye-catching thumbnail image for each video. According to Neil Patel, 90% of top-performing YouTube videos have a custom thumbnail graphic. If you don’t create one, YouTube will pull a screen shot, but unfortunately that screen shot may not present you or your brand in the most attractive way.

Curate themed playlists containing your own videos and possibly even high-quality third party playlists. These lists may keep people on your channel longer and may also attract more subscribers.

Thanks to YouTube, small businesses are not as dependent on their local television networks to reach local, national, and international audiences. You have the platform to speak to your audience directly. Video may be one of the most technically demanding types of content, but for many small businesses the rewards are worth the investment.