Should you advertise your business on YouTube?

During the course of 15 years, YouTube has become a globally recognized and deeply established network. Today, the estimated number of users on YouTube circles around 1.5 billion users. And those are just registered users. With over 300 hours of video uploaded on YouTube servers every minute, and a worldwide audience, it is certainly a digital channel you can’t ignore. The question most business owners ask themselves is whether or not this can help them grow. And the answer is that it can, depending on the approach and strategy, of course. Join Digital Dot as we explore the concept of whether or not you should advertise your business on YouTube. Keep reading to learn more.

The impact of YouTube on consumers today

According to statistics, 60% of YouTube’s audience falls under the age of 44 years old. And this is a concern for many businesses when deciding on whether or not to advertise your business on YouTube. On the other hand, over 80 percent of businesses that do use this platform as part of their social media advertising strategy reference it as one of the most valuable social media platforms. The fact is that consumers today react well to visual stimulation, be it through images, infographics, or in this case – videos. As a result, many businesses have built a strong audience base through YouTube, offering valuable content, introducing new products and services, building their brand awareness, etc.

Seven reasons why you should advertise your business on YouTube

1. A wider audience

A new marketing platform, especially one that is so widely spread as YouTube opens a path to a completely new and wide audience. With billions of people that use YouTube on a daily basis, you will be able to tap into a completely new target audience, one that responds to video content rather than a written one. And the best part is that creating an account and posting videos on YouTube is free, which means that you have a way to advertise your business for free. All you need is the right material to do so.

2. It benefits your SEO strategy

Google owns YouTube, which means that using it to advertise your business can offer a certain amount of value in the eyes of the search engine algorithm. For musicians and public figures, YouTube is a primary channel for branding themselves and ranking high on search results pages. But there are also businesses that can benefit from such publicity, helping you build brand awareness and develop your online presence further.

In truth, YouTube is a search engine itself, and one that has a very high performance in modern consumerism. Whether you are searching for products, tutorials, or reviews, you can find a lot on YouTube. And its market share is far above that of its competitors, and only promises to grow in the years to come. That is why professional SEO agencies will often recommend using YouTube to not only advertise your business, but to also promote your brand through countless types of posts, be they educational, public, operational, or promotional.

3. It offers a unique way to answer online queries

Consumers today turn to videos because they want a company to answer their online queries in a specific way. Whether they don’t have the time to read a guide on how to do something or need to see with their own eyes the effectiveness of your product, YouTube can offer this to them. And for businesses that advertise on YouTube, this can help them tell the story of their brand in a very personal and unique way.

Yes, blog posts and email marketing campaigns can introduce your company to customers. Social media posts can help bring your brand story closer to customers, but videos can bring it all to life. They can invoke emotions in consumers that will help them form a bond with your brand in a matter of minutes. That is why so many social media marketing agencies insist on using video formats in promoting their business activities.

4. There is a lot of potential gain in video marketing

Going viral with a video that promotes your brand or business is a high goal for any business, no matter the type or size. And it is all the more difficult for those companies that are skeptical at how much interest their products or services could gather in general. However, video marketing has confirmed just how effective this format of marketing can be for driving traffic to your business, especially if you are able to identify and recognize their concerns and expectations.

A typical example of just how effective it can be to advertise your business on YouTube is the Dollar Shave Club and how they managed to build a widely recognized brand on a single video ad for their business. The video ad they posted was brief, comical, and, most importantly, to-the-point. It explained the very core and objective of their company in a manner that called out to their target audience. And the result of this endeavor was incredible, helping their brand become a poster brand for the benefits of using YouTube to advertise your brand.

This example is one among thousands that go to show just how impactful a video can be when you focus it on your customer instead of your company. Instead, you need to consider:

• What are the issues your customers face?
• How does your product/service help them solve those issues?
• How can you present that solution to them in a matter of minutes?
• What is the best way for them to engage with your brand?

5. A chance at Community Engagement

Building a following on YouTube means a chance to build a community around your brand. Similar to blog articles, email marketing campaigns, and social media posts – when people like what they see, they want to see more. Companies get subscribers, which act as brand ambassadors, sharing content with others, and promoting a business – building an online community of followers. Advertising your business on YouTube can give you the audience you need to establish a new community of followers for your business.

Just like with content and other marketing strategies, video content also requires a strategical approach. You need to establish a plan of action in terms of the types of videos your subscribers react to, and then create a strategy for creating new videos and regularly uploading them to maintain your online presence on YouTube.

• Start by testing what your target audience expects to find on YouTube channels similar to yours;
• Encourage viewers to post comments for every video and send additional questions and ideas for future videos. 
• Respond to negative comments and adapt future videos to manage the criticism of your online community.

6. You don’t need to worry about optimization

Unlike your typical content, YouTube offers more freedom in terms of optimization. It is a free channel of advertising under the patronage of Google, and one that relies mostly on the marketing abilities of companies and individuals to promote their products/services. Your primary need is not the optimization of the video but rather how to make the video engaging for your subscribers. Of course, depending on your overall budget, both digital marketing agencies and freelancers can offer useful input on how best to approach the task of growing your customer base through YouTube.

Ideas area every, especially given the overall presence and dominance of YouTube in everyday life. Do some brainstorming with your staff, take a look at your competitors, conduct a survey of your customers, or simply consult with a digital marketing agency. All of these solutions can offer you pieces of the puzzle you need to advertise your business on YouTube.

7. Potential high conversion rates

The truth of the matter is that video production costs time and money. Depending on how often you plan on posting videos, it can take a toll on your overall budget. And most business owners will be reluctant to make the investments in fear of ROI. However, popular studies beg to differ on the matter of whether or not advertising your business on YouTube is worth the financial tolls.

Shopify recently analyzed data from 37 million social media visits that led to 529,000 orders. YouTube converted more than Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Linkedin. Facebook led the pack at a rate of 1.85% (the rate at which a social referral converted), but YouTube converted leads at a rate of 1.16%.

Here are five guidelines worth noting when it comes to converting YT subscribes to customers:

1. Offer solutions to common obstacles. Consumers today are focused on finding solutions as fast as possible. YouTube offers them a chance to do so through short and insightful videos. You need to tap into that process and make your business part of the solution.
2. Focus on building a community. Your audience is your best research group – use them to improve your YouTube marketing strategy. Let them help your channel grow and expand your online community.
3. Restrain from investing too much. There are companies that overstep in their desire to go viral, wasting resources in their quest to create the perfect video.
4. Create a pathway – Don’t expect any site traffic or conversions to come from your videos unless you’ve included information that allows people to act on what you’re saying. Links in your video descriptions will help, along with mentions of products or services in your clips.
5. Measure your investment – Keep an eye on your subscribers or views, but also on your site analytics to see how many referrals YouTube is providing. Compile weekly reports to keep track of your progress.

The potential downsides of using YouTube to advertise your business

• YouTube offers sophisticated targeting for cost per click and display ads, and it’s a great place for viral content because people love to share videos. However, the targeting is sometimes poor, and the follow-on content can be a bit random.
• Cost-per-click is an auction, and you’re bidding against others for the highest spots. If they bid more than you, you go down of the line, so some keywords can be expensive (several hundred pounds).
• While Google Search Console is fun to play with, it’s not for the amateur, so I don’t recommend trying to master it on your own.
• As with search engine optimization, it pays you to get good advice and do it properly, as otherwise, you’re putting money straight into Google’s pockets.
• One of the cons with YouTube advertising, unfortunately, is that the follow-on content (suggested videos) can sometimes be off-topic.

11 guidelines to help you advertise your business on YouTube

People tend to overestimate the definition of a video that ranks well on YouTube. Businesses think that it takes a high budget and top-quality production to create something good enough to promote their products/services. However, the truth is that there are no rules that specify such high criteria to get subscribers and reactions.

Instead, you have all varieties of videos that manage to get views and shares. The only important goal to keep in mind is how to appeal to your target audience. Some audiences will respond to professional HD videos that promote services while others will react to simply seeing the business owner or a spokesperson speaking directly to them.

It’s very similar to creating content for modern audiences – you need to approach the matter with your customers in mind. What is it that you want them to do and how well do you know them and understand their needs? Consider all these questions and more, and then start brainstorming about what your YouTube channels should look like. Once you do, consider taking the following steps to further that cause:

Write an engaging copy for your video

Just don’t overthink the entire process. Consider some of the video ads you watched and those which really made an impact. Usually, they’re either useful, unique, or simply funny. You don’t want to oversell your point or to attempt to start a trend out of nothing. Instead, focus on what works best for your industry and line of business. Consider different angles of promoting your company while sticking to the core values at play.

Use keywords

As mentioned earlier – YouTube is also a search engine which people use to find answers to queries. Think of the title and descriptions of your videos before uploading them, and consider what people will type in when searching for videos such as the ones you are creating. You have the option of using the Google Keyword Tool to find variations of the keyword for additional tags.

Copy the tags from other videos

Use the tags from the most popular videos in your industry to your advantage. This can increase the chances of your video appearing among the “Recommended for You” videos in the sidebar.

Choose a suitable Thumbnail Image

1. Go to My Account > My Videos > Edit
2. Select the thumbnail that will get you the most attention

Optimize your channel

Think of your channels as a business listing – it should provide subscribers with an idea of what your company is and a link to your website.

Add your URL to the description

Add the “https://” version of your URL to the beginning of your video description so people can click on your link and visit your site.

Make sure to use multiple Calls to Action (CTAs)

These are some examples of the most commonly used CTAs on YouTube:

• Please rate our video.
• Follow us on Twitter.
• Find us on Facebook.
• Subscribe to our channel.
• Visit our blog for more useful advice.
• Embed this on your site.
• Give us your comments below.
• Share this video with others.
• Check out our other videos.

YouTube allows you to add overlay text in your videos. You can use them for your calls to action.

Make the soft-sell

Don’t expect people to instantly convert upon watching your videos. Instead, give them some room to take it in and process your video while they make their buying decision. Soften the entire process by directing them to your channel, other videos, your website, blog posts, landing pages, etc.

Video responses

Use your own videos to relate to other relevant ones by posting them in responses. However, this doesn’t mean that you should spam your video in response to all others you find. Instead, make sure that it fits in perfectly with the other video.

Create a playlist

You can use multiple videos from different channels to create a unique playlist that targets a particular topic that people might be interested in. Simply create a playlist and name it by using a certain keyword. Then add your video and other relevant videos.

Promote your videos

Uploading videos isn’t enough for advertising your business on YouTube. You need to promote them and you can use some of the following channels to do so:

• Embed your videos in your blog posts.
• Include a link to your YouTube channel on your website.
• Email your YouTube link to target audiences.
• Invite people to share your videos with others.
• Write an article about your video and post it to article directories and forums.
• Post your video to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and your other social networks.

YouTube advertising is a way for your business to expand

• Google owns YouTube and gives value to businesses that use it in their advertising campaigns.
• Modern consumers love video marketing – the easier and faster to absorb, the better.
• It is the largest search engine and social media network for videos.
• The platform is very engaging and invites people to spend time on it, watching one video after another.

These are all the essential facts that you need to remember in addition to everything we explained in this article. The fact is that YouTube carries a lot of potential for businesses that wish to take the time and resources to invest in building their brand through video marketing. Given that creating an account is free and you have no real obligations in regards to regular video uploads, you can easily “test the waters” of YouTube and see how your brand fares. For any additional information, feel free to reach out to our agency and consult with our digital marketing team.