You might not be aware of it, but YouTube is widely considered to be second-largest search engine in the world after Google. In terms of sheer search volume, YouTube beats both Bing or Yahoo, has more than twice of Amazon’s, and three times that of Facebook.
As a digital marketer this matters because it means that most people making an internet search for a product or service like yours will pay serious attention to YouTube—providing you with a perfect opportunity to reach an ever-greater number of people with video marketing
If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It
Generally speaking, we are all more prone to watch a video that explains something than to read static text. If you have a product or service that requires a bit of explanation in order for people to get the most out of it, offering some accessible YouTube content is indispensable.
One of the best examples of this comes from the world of hair and make-up. Luxy Hair is in the business of selling hair extensions. To help their customers, however, they regularly upload styling videos that demonstrate different ways to wear and style their products. Not only does this provide a free and useful service to their existing customers, it helps them to reach new customers that happen to be searching for hair extensions too. With over three million subscribers to their channel, Luxy are an excellent case study of using YouTube to secure significant share of voice
Make Your Testimonials More Dynamic
As above, the effect of watching an authentic testimonial versus simply reading one is huge. The social proof provided by a video testimonial has the potential to be vastly more compelling than the written word because your target audience is able to see and hear a real person talk about their experience—and if viable, they can even show off your work.
Continuing with the example of Luxy: compare the effect of a one-line testimonial on their website to a short video featuring a fully satisfied customer showing off their extensions to the camera and talking about why they love them, accompanied by some before and after shots to really showcase the work.
Which testimonial do you think is going to be more persuasive to potential clients?
Use YouTube to Provide Extra Value
We mentioned Luxy earlier as a great example of how to use YouTube to demonstrate a product. Actually, Luxy’s strategy is a lot smarter than that because it also provides value beyond the product itself. This means that anyone looking for styling tips with extensions might land on Luxy’s YouTube site by accident, with the consequence that next time they are looking to buy new extensions, Luxy has a good chance of being top of mind for them.
Strategically sharing some of your knowledge for free via YouTube is a great way of showing that you care about your customers on a personal level and want them to succeed. For sure, this is not primarily a way of making direct sales, but it is an exceptionally effective way to build goodwill between your brand and your audience. In the long-run, the people who have followed your free, oh-so-useful, content on YouTube are almost certainly going to think of you when they decide they need your type of product or service.
Establish Your Expertise
No matter what your business is, visually demonstrating your expertise is an excellent means of building authority in the eyes of your customers. This example from Daisy Duke Landscaping is a perfect example of what we mean.
You can also create video content to preempt possible objections that people might have to hiring your company by revealing the specialisation required to complete the work and the unique value proposition that you bring.
Lastly, don’t underestimate people’s interest in learning how things are done. Even if they’re not out searching for an artisanal chocolate shop, I guarantee most people would be willing to give up a minute of their day to watch a professional chocolatier provide a peek behind the curtain to reveal how they practice their craft.
Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose
Do not for a moment think that the content you create for YouTube ought to remain only on YouTube!
Video content is so versatile that it would be a huge mistake not to post your YouTube content to your other platforms. Similarly, if you are recording content elsewhere, such as Facebook Live, IGTV, or TikTok, make sure you also upload this to your YouTube channel.
Not all of your customers will be present across all of your platforms, so cross-posting content is a sensible way of reaching everyone. If you are worried about appearing repetitive by posting the same thing everywhere, use your original content to make some edits or teasers. You can even just take a screenshot and post it on Instagram with a link and a description.
The bottom line, is that YouTube marketing is one of the best ways to connect with your audience, share your expertise and build your brand.
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