Does your business have a YouTube channel?
If not, it should!
Almost 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every day.
Your business could be a part of that viewership if you’re willing to create a YouTube channel.
With it comes sales opportunities, brand building, and business feedback.
Here’s the thing:
- Making YouTube videos are easy and effective for growth
- A lot of your competitors are neglecting video marketing
Your entry into YouTube marketing gives an amazing edge.
Here’s how to get things going…
The Value of Creating a YouTube Channel
Lemme get straight to the point.
Video:
- Shows toward the top of the search rankings for key terms
- Can be shot in just a few minutes (if you’re comfortable with the subject)
- Let’s you give a personal touch to your brand (since people can see and hear you)
- Can be embedded in your site for additional value to readers
- Gives you something extra to share on social media
- Can give your business a very professional presence
YouTube is the largest video sharing website.
Even if you’re in the most obscure niche you’re bound to get views based on the sheer size and popularity of the platform.
People love video because it’s easy to digest.
In a minute they can get as much information as if they took twenty reading through a post. This rapid introduction of information allows them more time to act.
They also get excited and emotional about the video because it uses more of their senses. This increase in emotion also means they’ll feel attached to the video and what it offers.
How to Create Great, YouTube Videos
Head over to YouTube and create an account if you don’t have one.
Then, get ready to get video production in high-gear.
Gearing Up for Video Production (Do This First)
Having the gear ready should give you a little boost in motivation (since you made the investment, after all).
For the amateur video producer I would recommend:
- Using a webcam or your smartphone camera
- Using screencasting programs or video sharing apps
I would also like to point out that sound is just as important as video quality.
If you can afford the investment – buy a decent microphone.
You can find basic ones (headset models would work, too) for about $20 – $50.
The other item you may need is a tripod to keep thing stabilized if you’re shooting live video.
Finally, you’ll want either a flat colored wall you can record in front of or a nice, clean desktop if you’re doing screencasts.
The point is to keep it from being distracting.
You can go crazy with the green screen and other stuff at a later time – focus on the bare essentials for now.
So if I were you:
- Record a video with your phone and upload it to YouTube to see the quality
- Try downloading a trial copy of Camtasia and play around with the screen capture tool
Give yourself a few hours playing around with either of these. That’s more than enough time to understand how they work (on a basic level).
Now let’s get into the production…
Step 1: Forming Video Ideas and Writing the Script
The video really shouldn’t be the main focus of your work – it should actually be the script.
It’s what you’re saying to the audience. You can easily hop on camera and produce some three-minute video but if it lacks value or entertainment than it’s just a waste of time.
- You need to have a purpose just like in your business and marketing.
- You also need to have some kind of focus so you stay on topic.
Start with the script.
- Write it like you would a blog post but in a very condensed manner
- Have an idea for the main topic and break it into sub-topics
- Introduce one and lead into the next
Think of it like trying to help your parents with a computer.
You have to take your time explaining the fine details but in a way that keeps them attentive and ready to follow suggestions.
I’m no scriptwriter and I doubt you are, too, so start with some reading to get a head start on the process (outside of my generalized coverage):
Step 2: Easy Ways to Create YouTube Videos
I think it’s rather explanatory as to what needs to happen next.
Once you go over your script a few times to get the general idea down pat you should just go ahead and hop into recording a video.
You’re in no way under pressure because you can do as many takes as needed so if you make a mistake? No problem – start over.
Use whatever recording product or tool you choose – I’m going to go with using a smartphone camera:
- Turn the phone sideways and mount it to a stable surface (like a tripod or against a book)
- Align it to where you’re sitting (don’t sit center – be off to the side just a bit)
- Press record
- Hop in front of the camera and start reciting your script
- Do this a few more times so you have additional footage to work with
Really. You’ve done this a million times but now you’re giving it a purpose for business.
Step 3: Producing the YouTube Video
There are a lot of fancy programs and tricks when producing the video.
The editing process can be as easy as just chopping it up to make it short and sweet to adding all kinds of effects, transitions, overlays, and whatnot.
For our purpose of getting a jump into this whole YouTube thing I would recommend you keep it to the basics:
- Have some kind of opening (which could be a short video showing your brand)
- The main body content
- An outro (where you can do your call-to-action)
Quick cuts will suffice.
In fact, they’re preferred since it removes the pauses and “umms”. Plus, it’s snappy and keeps viewer attention.
As for which editor to use – it’s up to you (and your budget).
Personally, I use Sony Vegas, Camtasia, or the built-in video editor in Windows.
There are bigger and better programs out there (like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere) but, personally, I’d say to try out the easy ones before you go wild.
You can also find a good amount of online video editors (including one built into YouTube), too.
Step 4: Uploading the Video to YouTube
Really just two more steps here:
- Make an account on YouTube (or link your Google account) if you haven’t
- Upload the video (and add in the title, description, category, and tags)
YouTube is very straightforward when it comes to uploading content so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting it on the platform.
All you really need to stay attentive of is using keywords in editable areas to gain a little SEO action.
- Didn’t like the finalized product? No worries – take it down.
- Think you could do better with the title, description, etc? Make the edits.
- The Video doesn’t look like it fits right? Go back and re-render in a different resolution.
That’s really all there is to it.
Your first video is going to be horrendous. It’ll sound muddy. The video will be choppy. You’ll look uncomfortable. You’ll have plenty of “oh I should have done …” moments.
Don’t fret. You’re going to get better with practice.
Keep producing YouTube videos.
You’ll eventually get into the flow of things.
You won’t have trouble navigating the video editing software. You won’t have trouble doing the script. You won’t have trouble getting it published.
It just takes a bit of time (and time is on your side).
A YouTube Marketing Strategy You Can Copy
To be honest: any video is better than no video.
Look around at the competition.
You’ll notice that not many really take advantage of video in their business.
Why?
Maybe because they’re afraid to get on camera. Maybe they’re just too lazy to produce a video. Maybe they don’t know how.
But … this shouldn’t be your excuse.
As a business owner, you should seek every opportunity to increase your sales so if that means getting on camera than you better do it.
This brings me to my point: Create the videos that YOU would want to watch.
If I were in your position I would do the following (which you can copy and use it as a starting point in your video content strategy):
- Take a list of your top 10 blog posts
- Condense each those topics so you can discuss them in less than 3 minutes
- If it lacks an affiliated offer than find one to fit
Boom. Now you have ten videos you can make with ease.
You’ve already done the heavy work by writing the blog posts – now they just need to switch the media format and you’re good to go.
In fact, it’ll be easier this time around.
You’re taking the main points and talking about them in a rather casual tone – like talking about the topic to your best friend after a round of drinks.
From there you can:
- Make a list of blog posts you wanted to be popular and turn them into video
- Break down some of your popular posts into individual segments
- Include reviews, interviews, or other easy-to-produce forms of video
Think within that realm of five to 10-minutes.
Note: 10+ minutes to make sure the video gets monetized.
You want to garner enough interest in the topic to engage the viewer. You then deliver the goods. Then you pitch the offer. Rinse. Repeat.
If the content is good, video quality is acceptable, and presentation enjoyable than you’re going to be perfectly fine.
How to Get YouTube Subscribers and Views
Now that you’ve overcome the hurdle of producing a video you get to face a new challenge: getting views and gaining subscribers.
Anyone can produce a video and upload it to YouTube.
But… it doesn’t mean that people are going to watch it.
You may get the one-off view here and there just because someone was stumbling through the site or happen to have found the video linked to search results.
You really do need to treat YouTube much like your website – where you’re pushing offers, trying to build a following, and keeping it updated with fresh content.
Q: What Are Other YouTubers Creating?
Why do all the heavy work in research when you can just pop into some popular channels (or your competitors) and get a good sense of what’s working?
Let them do the experiments.
Eventually, of course, you’ll want to step up your YouTube game by exploring strategies that you discover along the way.
But, for now, go with what’s working because that’ll point you in the right direction.
Doing a quick glance at the most popular YouTube channels you can find a few similarities:
- They generally push on the branding aspect which includes a nice banner image for their channel, an easy-to-spot thumbnail, and their video stills are noticeable.
- They push their social channels like Facebook and Twitter. They also push their websites (if they use one) but they don’t always push hard on the affiliate offer.
- They generally have a short, engaging introduction either showing off the brand or having some kind of “what to expect” type of chat before digging into the content (and title sequence).
- They use the latter part of the video to ask for subscriptions (either directly stated or via stills); they also suggest following on social platforms, and then show links to other videos in their library (which use annotations for easy internal links).
- They have an engaging story within their about section and additional contact information (sometimes phone numbers for media inquiries).
Pick and choose which of these you want to include in your growth strategy (they’re not all going to work for your brand but they’re worth testing). Find one or two that really gives you a nice ROI on your view/subscriber efforts, and then repeat the process over and over again.
Applying Some Marketing Skills and Tactics
You can use your knowledge of marketing to gain a good deal of views and subscribers.
Running through a list – here are my suggestions:
- Work with a graphic designer and videographer to create a great intro for your videos.
- Put in the time to increase the production value of adding video clips, overlays, sound bites, transitions, and even green screens to make your videos highly engaging.
- Use annotations as a call-to-action when you make mention of a product or service.
- Do the rounds on the platform and exchange subscriptions with those you follow.
- Embed your videos on your website and also include a copy (in the post) asking for people to subscribe to the YouTube channel.
- Use the video in your email marketing campaigns (embedded or linked) which works wonders for sharing content but also increases those views and potential subscriptions.
- Spend money on paid advertising on the YouTube platform and on others like Google Adsense, Facebook promoted posts, or Instagram.
- Try adding your content on one of the many subreddits but do so in a manner that doesn’t come across as being spammy.
Yes, basic in the sense that they’re overviews.
You should know the behind-the-scenes process, so go ahead and put them to good work!
Get More YouTube Views by… Being Social
The last time you subscribed to someone’s channel what happened?
Probably not much of anything.
No one bothered to send you a simple thank you message or came back to one of your videos to exchange the subscribe (or comment).
Once someone hits subscribe on your channel you should go into customer service representative mode. Treat it like you just sold them a product (the content).
Well, what would you do in the regular business?
- You thank them in a message
- You’d ask if they had any feedback
- You’d try to keep up to date with their activities
- You’d try to include them in your work
Give them an experience.
YouTube is a very social platform so use it for so.
You’re probably not going to build one of those channels that have millions of subscribers.
Get real.
You’re more likely to have one with a few hundred but that’s perfectly fine!
It’s just small (and large) enough that you can interact with the community without feeling bombarded by too many comments, requests, and emails.
Build a small, passionate following and they’ll be passionate about what you have to offer.
Do this by giving them an unforgettable experience ON TOP of the great content you’ve delivered.
Things take time.
Sure, there are those channels that suddenly blow up in popularity but it’s not really something we can look at and see a pattern to replicate.
Instead, you should strive for predictable growth.
You should set goals such as:
- Get another 100 views on this video by the end of the week
- Gain 2 – 3 new subscribers each day
These goals begin to build momentum.
Build the community you want to see.
How to Make Money with YouTube Videos: A Monetization Rundown
I’d like to start off by noting that you don’t want to go too overboard with pushing an offer or monetizing the video.
Remember that people are coming to your videos for great information or to be entertained.
You should certainly keep the monetization in mind whenever you’re creating the video.
But…
Don’t create it for the sole purpose of selling (unless it’s a review, obviously).
I guess what I’m trying to convey is that you don’t want to make boring commercials.
As I’ve mentioned before – make a video you’d want to watch.
That’s all you really need to avoid: pushing too hard.
6 Ways to Earn Money from Your Videos and YouTube Channel
There are many different ways you can go about monetizing your YouTube video efforts.
Here are some of the basics – but play with the formats and see what you can come up with, too:
1. Sponsored Videos
The video could be completely sponsored by a company and their product but be sure to have a disclaimer in the beginning.
You can get these opportunities by building a popular channel and/or contacting businesses explaining the work you’re doing and whether it’s something they’d like to be a part of.
2. Partner Up
You can partner with Google and monetize the videos automatically.
Ads will display in videos and if they’re clicked you get a piece of the pie.
3. Promote Offers
Promoting offers in your YouTube videos are your best bet:
- Use the video as a platform to promote products or services
- Go to your preferred affiliate program/network and find products related to the content you plan to cover in the video
- Create a short link and place it as an overlay in the video and description
- Consider, also, creating a review for said product/service and use that link in place of the shortened URL
4. Lead Magnets
Focus most of your video efforts on driving people to your landing pages.
Here you can get people to opt into your lists giving you the opportunity to share new content and promote products/services.
Combine email marketing efforts and you won’t need to worry about demonetization and frequent shake-ups at YouTube.
5. Pitch Your Services
Craft videos which work like case studies.
These videos can be crafted in a way that shows your expertise rather than just walking them through a tutorial or getting a laugh.
It’s much like a sales letter – drive people to your services page and solicit leads.
6. Do It For Others
Use your skills in video production to create content for businesses that aren’t yet on board with YouTube.
Be the person representing their brand.
You take a cut of the action if you’re promoting their product or you’re getting paid directly for the creation of these works.
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One final note – be aware of copyright.
You can use clips as part of fair usage (usually under 30 to 15-seconds).
But, try to shoot your own b-roll or buy stock footage from the appropriate channels.
Other than that – keep pushing great content, build the views and subscribers, and test the waters of monetization.
How to Reuse and Remix YouTube Videos in Other Profitable Projects
Don’t limit the scope of your YouTube efforts to a single point of sale.
Think of the big picture.
In writing, you have the concept of a money page (this is often an evergreen page).
These are pieces of content that transcend the trends and become resourceful for years to come.
Whenever you create a video you should always think: what else could I do with this work?
- Perhaps this video could be embedded into one of your ebooks?
- Perhaps a popular video could become an entire series? Maybe even a video course!
- Perhaps this video could be shot in blocks to easily remix for other audiences?
- Perhaps you can use these longer videos as part of a prerecorded Webinar?
- Could it be condensed and sold as a course on physical media?
- Would it be something you could use as part of a training course during local meetups?
Think beyond the point of publication.
Think of every way you can reuse it in your business.
Think of how you can craft videos that are still as valuable in the coming years as they are today.
YouTube can become a cash cow if your channel takes off in popularity and you build up those video views.
However, as I’ve said before – don’t just hope things happen – work toward a predictable, steady growth.
Having a predictable growth in your monetization will help you see a variety of data. This is used in optimizing efforts and conversions as opposed to using a gut reaction to some form of video traffic spike. Think long-term, here.
There are many different ways to earn through YouTube directly and indirectly so try them all.
How to Grow a YouTube Channel
Where do we go from here?
Now’s not the time to slow down.
It’s time to build up momentum.
It’s time to act and turn your channel into an authority.
All the heavy lifting has been done up to this point and quite honestly a lot of what you’ll do in the future is just simply repeating what’s worked in the past.
However – I want to leave you off with a few last items to try in order to grow your YT presence (and leverage it for business):
Pander to Social
Use the data you’ve collected from the analytics built on Facebook, Twitter, or other social sites to find which videos were frequently watched.
Then, begin creating more of those types of videos and get them onto the specific social channels where they were well received.
Streamline the Video Creation
Consider creating personal videos using tools like Google+ Hangouts.
You can record the chats you have with your community or other authorities in your industry.
From there you can upload them to YouTube for quick and easy video content.
You’ll have the ability to pitch offers and get to work with influencers.
These individuals will help you build a stronger business network leading to many great opportunities in joint ventures, promotions, and marketing efforts.
Encourage Community Engagement
Turn the tables and teach your community how to create videos.
Encourage them to create these videos about your company.
Testimonials, as you know, are great for selling products but even more so when you see and hear someone talking about what you have to offer.
Them showing the product and sharing how to use its features is an excellent referral.
Basically, use user content to save money, get more outreach, and create a community.
Consider Advertising
Once your channel takes off it should grow in an organic way but why not give it a little boost by advertising?
- Start promoting your Facebook page updates via promoted posts
- Try driving Google users to a landing page with your best videos
- Try getting the content distributed through sponsored blog content
Set a budget, maybe $5-$10 a week, and give it a test for a month while tracking what works.
Take the best performers and ramp up investments.
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Just these four items should give you enough to move forward.
Some following along will see an immediate spike and success.
For others, it may take months to show a good return on investment.
What matters is this…
Video Marketing and a YouTube Channel is the Future for Online Business
Online video is becoming our preferred medium.
Video traffic numbers are way up.
Few competitors are even entertaining the idea.
This is a prime opportunity share great content and gain an edge in search rankings.
Do yourself a favor and create a YouTube channel.
Video marketing is the future and YouTube will get you there.
