YouTube
People are where their eyeballs are. And right now, most people are watching YouTube at some point in their day. It’s no longer just about ‘Charlie bit me’ or puppy videos. YouTube is part television and part search engine. This entry is about how to effectively use YouTube to reach your current clients and find new ones. Your Prospects Are On YouTube: Here’s How to Reach Them.
The first strategic thought is that YouTube is both an entertainment site as well as a search engine. People will search YouTube for products and services just as they would any other search engine. You want to make sure that your videos pop up every time someone in your market area searches for your category. So how do you do that? Glad you asked…
First, design your YouTube channel in a way you would design a Facebook page. Use your logo as the profile picture and provide links to where people can do business with you. People will feel comfortable seeing your logo on YouTube and then seeing the same general format on a Facebook or Twitter page. Make sure your profile has all the information they could need to take the next step. Creating a playlist of all your videos can also keep their attention for a while.
Pre-plan stories you want to tell, problems you want to solve. Be as specific as possible when it comes to titling your video. If your title sounds generic, see if you can add extra details to stand out from the crowd. These tips will specifically draw YouTube’s search algorithm towards your videos. Make sure your title is specific and your description is compelling. Telling your companies history or profiling staff is an excellent source of content.
When adding tags, use words relevant to your subject. Try to get into your audience’s mind and use entries that you think people will click on to see. Just like we have become used to doing with search engine optimization, give some thought to how people may be looking for you.
In the description, write a brief summary of what the video contains. Be sure to include links to whatever other websites you use. Here is where the sales funnel starts to close down. Your description will compel viewers to watch and more importantly, take the next step to go to your website.
Have your thumbnail be something that can catch someone else’s eye. If you have a product, show it. If your video is just one person talking, you may consider creating a graphic that will be an exciting way to present the video’s title.
Add closed captions to your video so people with hearing problems can enjoy your video. This also helps people who may be watching your video without the sound on. Be sure to read through and double-check the closed captions for accuracy. We all know how auto-correct can cause problems…the same is true of auto-closed captions. Plus, the captions will help your SEO.
Share YouTube videos on other social media platforms. This makes your content “sticky”. When search engines have interconnectedness between platforms, it increases the likelihood of your content popping up. Similarly, comment on videos made by similar YouTube channels, but don’t promote your channel WITH that content.
Bottom line – upload videos on a regular schedule! YouTube is an amazing way to increase top-of-mind awareness with your current clients as well as creating new clients. And with your sparkling personality, people will get to know you, what you stand for, and see what an awesome person you would be to work with.
And after they have decided you are the person that gets their business…they can move onto cat videos.
That is what I call a ‘Win/ Win!’