A Beginner’s Guide to YouTube Marketing

Why is YouTube the one-stop-shop for all things video? Because video content works the best! One-third of the internet today is on YouTube i.e., 2+ Bn users. YouTube is localized in over 100 countries and can be viewed in 80 different languages.

What better than such a platform to promote and market valuable videos? Through this blog, we explore and understand YouTube marketing step by step.

1. Create a YT Channel

First and foremost, you need to create a separate business channel on YouTube. You can find out how to do that, here. Without a channel, you don’t have a presence. Once a channel is created, you can upload videos, create a playlist, comment on other videos.

2. Choose a Channel Art

Don’t ignore this step and be sure to choose a picture wisely. There is also a profile to be chosen. Preferably, choose a profile picture that has your brand logo, and the channel art in such a way that it depicts what your channel is about. It should match what you will be offering.

3. Links and Contact Information

If you have a personal website make sure to do that and your social profile links. Ensure you enter valid contact information. Defer from entering your phone number, instead, choose to add your email id.

4. Channel Description

Don’t even think of leaving this blank. This is the ‘About’ part where you get to write a story of how this channel came into existence, what this is about, and who should watch it and why. This helps the viewers understand what to expect from your channel.

5. Video Upload

Here comes the interesting part--uploading the video you have created. But wait. There are some changes you can implement to optimize your final video. Meaning, if you want your video to show up on Google, don’t miss these? Here are some tips.

• Add the right keywords to your video title. You can take the help of free keyword planner tools available online, and come up with a set of primary and secondary keywords revolving around your content. You can also research your competition and see what hashtags they have used beneath their videos. Keep it to about 60 characters.
• Add an interesting thumbnail. This is truly an important part of video uploads. YouTube generally picks out a default thumbnail (where the first frame freezes) which might not be very fitting. Alternatively, you can also create your own art to upload.
• Write a riveting description. This goes without saying because even if the viewer isn’t able to watch the video, they can read what the video is about. Hence, make it a point to include a brief description of the video.
• Add up to 15 hashtags at least. Select the trendiest few and add. These make your video better searchable.

6. Have a Schedule

Most YT marketers make the mistake of uploading a video or two and then forgetting about it. Your efforts won’t work until you’re consistent. Keep a calendar, plan out your content and schedule your videos for timely uploads. This reflects professionalism. Once you have a couple of videos, try and organize them into playlists, and do so in such a pattern that the videos next up should progress logically.

7. Monetize and Advertise

You can monetize once your video crosses 10,000 views. If it gets approved, then you start earning out of your videos. If you have got funds, you can also pay for YT advertising which involves various ad formats like skippable and non-skippable ads, display ads, bumper ads, etc. Another way to advertise and market your videos is to tie up with an influencer. Their audience might become your channel subscribers.

This way, you can build your own YT channel and market it. Not only that, you can keep checking the channel’s progress and monitor it using YouTube Analytics. It will help you understand your follower-number has changed, viewer demographics, and traffic sources.

So what are you waiting for?

Start shooting a video and upload it on YouTube!