Despite it's popularity, YouTube can be an overlooked option for social media marketing. With 1 billion unique visitors a month and the sometimes capricious nature of its users, the online video sharing giant can be a bit intimidating to some. Gaining a following on YouTube might be easier said than done, but the fact of the matter is that when utilized correctly, there are next to no other options on the same level for sharing content.
YouTube is a social network just like Twitter and Facebook, with an ever-flourishing community filled with comments, likes, and even its own brand of celebrity. According to Nielsen, YouTube reaches more U.S. adults ages 18-34 than any cable network, and therefore many businesses would be better served by investing their time into the site than they might think.
Why YouTube?
A video hosted on a company website only gets viewed by people already visiting. By posting a video to YouTube, a company raises potential viewer numbers exponentially while simultaneously increasing traffic to their webpage. And while more conventional means of advertising like televisons spots, billboards, and radio jingles can cost tens of thousands of dollars, the only cost from using YouTube is the production of the video.
Social Media Strategies and YouTube
Most marketing strategies employed on Twitter and Facebook work similarly, if not exactly the same, on YouTube. These are just a few of the similarities shared between all three:
- “Liking” and “favoriting” videos
- Commenting on videos
- Subscribe to user pages, or 'channels'
Chances are, a company has already allocated resources to marketing on Facebook or Twitter, so YouTube can fit right in.
Cross-Platform Interactivity
YouTube supports cross-platform interactivity with a wide range of social media platforms. Viewers can easily link your content to Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz, StumbleUpon and Blogger with just a few clicks, increasing the (sometimes virulent) organic growth of your content.
Here are some simple tips on how to optimize your YouTube video to maximize traffic:
Offer An Embed Code
It is extremely useful to have an embed code so that viewers can easily share the content you gave. All they have to is copy and paste.
Optimize YouTube for Search Engines
Spending time to think of a catchy video title, description and tags helps people find your video, while the production of your video determines if they’ll stick around long enough to watch.
Speaking of video production, a good YouTube video grabs viewers' attention quickly, uses annotations sparingly but effectivly, and makes the viewer want to see more, generating a demand, which from there translates into a dedicated following. Although it may be slightly more difficult to write, a surefire way of doing this is with comedic videos.
How Many Videos?
To keep viewers interested and and gain leverage, a good idea is to upload a video once or twice a week, or at least as often as possible. Keep videos short, to the point and entertaining. Don't forget to link to your website and other social networks on all your videos!
Read more on this subject at JeffBullas.com