This week we are going to take our video marketing game up a notch by creating engaging, well-scripted videos with a purpose. We will be creating a tutorial style video about how to make your first YouTube video.
YouTube is a very popular platform where you can create an account free of cost. All you need to do is pick a username and upload some content and people will come!
Having a YouTube channel is one of the most valuable things you can do to grow your business in the era of digital media. You get to connect with others through social media, inspire, motivate, educate, and entertain them as you produce entertaining content.
Most importantly, you earn money via advertising or sponsorships, or through donations which allow you to spread your message even more.
But it takes time to find the right balance of producing educational content and using advertisements to supplement income. That’s why this week we are giving you all the tools you need to start your own YouTube channel from the basics to the advanced!
This article will go into detail about what kind of content is needed to establish yourself on YouTube, types of channels, and how to use advertisements to gain revenue.
What types of videos do you create?
The first type of video that most people begin creating is a vlog or, as it’s called more commonly these days, a YouTube channel. A vlog comes with the very specific title of ‘YouTube Channel.’ This is typically one short (a few minutes long) episode that features just about anything and everything related to your business.
Your business can be featured in the video, yourself in the video, both together. Since they are usually brief, there isn’t too much content involved, thus not too many cost associated with them. And since they are scripted and someone else produces them for you, this takes away some of the stress of having to find the right creative angles and messages – all you have to do is show up and talk!
Another option is an interactive video where something new has been produced or something different happens than what we normally see. For instance, instead of watching a movie, you get into the movie! Or instead of talking about products, you put those products to use. Both of these require additional costs, but not too high because even though they are longer, they help promote your business.
Thirdly, if you feel like you don’t know enough about your business, you can create a mini-seminar video which is around five to eight minutes long. These are mostly informational recordings so they don’t include any calls to action or advertisements. They are just you speaking about your business.
What length are the videos?
The next factor to consider is the length of your video. There are three main categories for YouTube videos: short, medium, or long.
Short videos are typically under one minute in length. These can be entertaining and engaging, but they will not give you too much information. They may instead ask you to do something so that they can get more content from you.
Mid-length videos are usually between two and five minutes long. You can use these to tell someone about your product or service.
Longer videos are like mid-lengths except they are longer than five minutes. Use these to tell people something significant about your business or yourself.
Who is your target audience?
As mentioned before, creating great content to promote your business can be tricky. If you don’t know who your targeted audience is, then it becomes difficult to create the right kind of content that will appeal to them.
Finding out who your ideal customers are begins with defining an audience. You should consider what area of the market you want to focus on and who in this area would benefit from your product or service.
It’s not enough just to say ‘we’re going to do marketing for businesses!’ – you need to define more clearly what type of business you are targeting.
For example, if your product or service is designed to help people lose weight, then you shouldn’t aim directly at businessmen, but rather individuals who feel overweight.
The same goes for those seeking career and personal development – they may not refer to themselves as being in the health & wellness field, so look beyond simple definitions.
By thinking about how your potential customer might describe their job, you can begin to work out who your ideal client is. Bear in mind that clients and employees talk about things, so by listening carefully, you’ll get some ideas.
What topics do you talk about?
Beyond telling your audience what you’re going to do, how you’re going to do it, and when you’ll do it, there are two more important questions to ask.
What topics do you discuss? And what mediums do you use to spread your message?
You can start by choosing any topic that seems relevant to your business and then brainstorming different ways to speak about it. For example, if your business is related to health, maybe you could talk about nutrition or fitness tips. If your business is in education, you could share lessons strategies or teaching techniques.
Whatever you choose, make sure it’s something that people are interested in and find relatable. People will trust you more when they feel like you understand them and their struggles, so be aware of yours and other people’s needs and prepare material accordingly.
Do you use any promotional materials (e.g. banners, slideshows)?
As mentioned earlier, marketing via video is not new. In fact, many companies have been using videos to promote their products and services for quite some time.
But what makes a good video marketing campaign now as opposed to years ago? There are three main reasons!
Reason #1: Production Quality
We’ve discussed before how expensive filming equipment is these days, so it is no wonder that most business films are done with a smartphone or other cheap device.
This can sometimes make the film look very fuzzy and unclear. It may even be hard to tell what part of the film is being watched because it looks like there is a lot of background noise.
Business owners who want to improve their video marketing should invest in better quality filming equipment. This will help your film look more professional and thus increase its effectiveness.
What methods of marketing do you use?
Most professional online marketers have at least one tool that they use to promote their business or brand. They may use multiple tools, depending on what works for them at any given time.
Some people start off using social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, but soon realize how much money they make through YouTube videos. Or how creating a video content is the most effective way to market your product or service.
So, they begin producing their own videos to showcase their products or services!
But what kind of videos are needed to succeed in the marketplace? There’s no definitive answer to this question. It really comes down to finding out which types of videos bring in the views and profits for your business.
That’s why I created my “Video Marketing Questionnaire.” This article contains all of the important questions you should be asking yourself about your business and how it uses videos to grow its popularity. And some tips based on the answers to those questions.
What tips can you share with us?
There are several strategies to use video marketing for your business. It is not enough just to upload a movie once and expect it to bring in traffic and sales, so here are some tips that should be done frequently.
First, make sure your videos are relevant and contain content people will want to see. Your audience will tell you whether or not your videos are working if they are watching them!
Second, know what tools and apps can be used to create YouTube videos. You do not need professional software to produce great videos; there are free alternatives that many people use.
Third, understand how to use social media to promote your business through videos. Posting quick clips on Facebook, Instagram, and other sites where your followers are likely to hang out is a good way to gain attention for your business.
Fourth, keep experimenting with different styles of videos to find one that fits your brand well and promotes your message.
What changes would you make to your video marketing?
The next step is to evaluate the current state of play for your business and what changes you would like to implement with your videos. Looking at the past performance of different mediums can help give you some insights into which strategies work well and could be adapted or replaced by more efficient ones.
By now, you’ve made a good start towards creating engaging YouTube videos and growing your channel. You have experimented with editing your own videos and learning how to use third-party free software such as Adobe Premiere to do so.
You have also read our tips on how to create an effective introduction and conclusion for your videos and know about using and developing your personal profile to increase engagement. Now it’s time to assess the quality of your videos and determine if there are any areas that can be improved upon.
There are many ways to do this. Some people compare their own videos to see where they fall short and then try to fix those issues. Others look at other people’s videos to get inspiration and ideas. Either way, having a close eye on the competition is a great way to check out your own material.
