Video Marketing: Youtube And Beyond

Chances are, you have watched internet videos at some point. With a range from silly, to how-to videos, to the newest trends, online videos often have a little something for everyone. With platforms such as Youtube becoming so popular that there are documentaries being made about it and younger generations making a living off Youtube videos, video marking is something to keep in consideration. In fact, Youtube alone has over 30 million daily active viewers. While adding a Youtube channel might sound like one more thing to add to your to-do list, there are other ways to incorporate videos into your business. Whether you just want to look into making some promotional videos for your company, or you want to dig deeper into video marketing, here are some ways to get started.

Youtube:

Youtube is the biggest, and most well known, video platform. In fact, it is one of the most visited websites in the world. When it comes to creating your own Youtube videos, it is key to take into account your target demographic. Youtube serves a very wide variety of businesses and viewers, which means that you need to do a little bit of research before diving in. Think of what kind of videos you would potentially create for your company. Dollar Shave Club chooses to make mostly silly videos showcasing their product, which does an excellent job of catching the attention of their mostly millennial demographic. TED Talks Youtube channel consists of “ideas worth spreading” that educate and challenge their professional audience. Start with the one type of video that you think your demographic would best respond to, and expand to provide a variety in the future as your audience grows.

Advantages:

There are many advantages to starting a Youtube channel. As many social media sites, a Youtube channel is free to start. Posting creative, engaging content will help you strengthen your brand and reach new audiences. When your subscriber base gets big enough, Youtube will pay you to run a short advertisement. When starting your channel, decide if your main goal is to create revenue through Youtube or to create an educational page for your company or products. Some companies lend themselves well to entertaining videos, while others will do better with sharing information. If you chose to do informational videos, consider creating a short series where you show off your products and how to use them. Benefit Cosmetics has a Youtube channel featuring videos running around 45 seconds that showcase their makeup, and tips for using it. They use a diverse range of women, showing that their makeup is good for any skin tone, and feature their signature pink in the background for consistency. They also created longer video series farther down the page such as “Laughter Is The Best Cosmetic” and “About US: #LifeAtBenefit” to give viewers some entertainment and a view into their daily lives.

Disadvantages:

One of the disadvantages of Youtube, as with any other platform, is that you need to create consistent content for it to be successful. Creating a video one a week (or however often you choose to post) is a big task. While any media takes a lot of thought and effort, filming videos takes special equipment, plenty of time, and some help from coworkers. Plan plenty of time to shoot your video, and plan to take several takes so you can get the cleanest shot. After you shoot the video, you will need to take time to edit all of the takes together for your final product. While videos can be a great asset to your company, you need to ensure that you have the time and resources to create quality content.

Alternate Platforms:

If you are not sure that Youtube is right for your company at this time, or you are not sure you have the time and assets for starting a consistent channel, there are other ways that you can share videos. Facebook allows users to create and feature videos on their page. This is a great option if you want to try your hand at making a video without the commitment of a whole channel dedicated to video. Posting a video on Facebook will help with more engagement, reach new customers, and show off your company in a new and different way. LinkedIn is also a great platform to post a video on. Posting a short video on LinkedIn is new and interesting for your audience, will start more conversations and potentially help you gain new followers.

Video is a trend worth looking into for most businesses. It is fun, has high engagement rates, and is almost always free. If you do not have the time to dedicate to Youtube yet, try one of the alternate platforms to see how your current audience responds. If you do decide to give Youtube a shot, it can be a fun and memorable way for your company to bring in more revenue.