YouTube has taken the internet by storm. It seems that anyone and everyone is speaking out and putting a video on YouTube. So the question is, as a small business owner or entrepreneur, should you market your small business through YouTube?
Yes!!
According to Alexa (a well respected data mining company), YouTube is the 4th most visited site in the world. And, what is probably even more surprising, the average user spends over 20 minutes on the site and visits an average of 14 video pages!! YouTube is also recognized as the 2nd most utilized search-engine (right behind Google).
Furthermore, many researchers believe that a top-rated video on YouTube will reach 40% more people than a commercial on a national TV station. This is not a big surprise considering the length that we go through to avoid commercials (with the exception of the Super Bowl commercials, of course).
So, if you aren’t marketing on YouTube, you are clearly missing the boat!
The best part of all is that as a small business owner or entrepreneur on a shoestring budget, marketing on YouTube is relatively free. You need a video camera, an idea and some time.
Marketing on YouTube is similar to marketing in other places. You want to stand out from your competition, you want to make a statement and you want to have people remember you.
Here are 6 Tips for Marketing on YouTube:
1. Make sure that your video is not a blatant advertisement. People don’t go to YouTube to watch commercials or a “sales pitch.”
2. Give relevant and helpful information.
3. Insert the URL to your website at the end of every video you upload.
4. Make sure the audio is audible and the video isn’t too dark. Dark videos and inaudible videos will not only turn people away, but it will keep them away.
5. Don’t seek perfection. While your prospects are most likely looking for professionalism, they also want to know that you’re a real person. Keeping the quirks in your video makes you likeable, approachable and real.
6. Smile! Talk directly to the camera as though you were having a conversation with your best prospect. Keep the energy just as high as you would if you were talking to someone in person.
Creating videos will take additional time in the beginning. It will take time to learn how to shoot, edit and upload your videos. But, before long, you will have the process down to a manageable amount of time. And who knows…maybe you’ll be the next YouTube superstar!
About Deidre Hughey
Deidre Hughey founded The BUZZ Builder, LLC, a social media marketing company, in 2008. She is an author, nationally recognized speaker and the host of the weekly web radio show, Author BUZZ Radio.
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