YouTube has become so much more than a home of meme compilations and entertaining videos. Today, businesses use this second-largest search engine to build their online presence using videos.

The thing is, with more and more brand videos on the platforms, it’s only getting harder and harder for businesses to stay afloat and cut through the digital clutter. That’s why, in this blog post, we’ll dive into how to take full advantage of YouTube marketing.

Optimize Thumbnails and Titles

The first few things that people will see when they find your video are the thumbnail and title. These elements are your first chance to make a strong impression and convince viewers to click on your video. 

Your thumbnail should be visually appealing and stand out among the other videos in the search results or recommended feed. Use bright colors, high-quality images, and clear text that is easy to read, even in small sizes. There are tons of straightforward graphic tools that provide ready-to-use templates, like Canva, PicMonkey, PosterMyWall, Fotor, etc.

For the titles, incorporate relevant keywords to improve search visibility and attract your target audience. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, YouTube autocomplete, or TubeBuddy to research popular keywords and phrases in your niche.

Know the Ideal Duration

The ideal duration can vary depending on the type of content you create. Tutorials, product reviews, and educational videos may require more time to deliver comprehensive information, whereas entertainment or vlog-style content may be more suited to shorter formats.

It also depends on the audience that you have. So, before you pick up your filmmaking gear, first understand your audience's preferences and behaviors. Some audiences prefer shorter, bite-sized content that they can consume quickly, while others may prefer longer, more in-depth videos. Look at the analytics of your existing videos to see if there's a pattern in viewer retention based on video length.

Stop Hard Selling

No one wants to be sold to, not on YouTube or anywhere else on the internet. Hard selling, or aggressively pushing products or services can be a major turn-off for viewers and may even drive them away from your channel. Instead, focus on building relationships, providing value, and earning the trust of your audience.

Create content that addresses their needs, solves their problems, or provides valuable insights related to your niche. Positioning yourself as a knowledgeable resource helps you naturally attract viewers who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

Shift your mindset from selling products to providing solutions. Identify the pain points or challenges faced by your target audience and offer helpful advice, tips, or recommendations that address those issues.

Use Shorts

Using Shorts on YouTube can be a valuable strategy to increase your channel's visibility, engage with your audience, and attract new viewers. Now that the attention spans are getting shorter short videos are loved by many.

Shorts are all about brevity and capturing viewers' attention quickly. Create content that is concise, entertaining, and easy to consume in a short amount of time. Focus on delivering a punchy message, showcasing a quick tutorial, or sharing a captivating moment.

You can add text overlays, motion graphics, music overlays, dynamic transitions, and engaging captions to enhance the viewer's experience and convey your message effectively. 

Since Shorts are designed for mobile viewing, make sure to film your videos in a vertical format (9:16 aspect ratio). This makes sure that your Shorts will display properly on mobile devices and maximize viewer engagement.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on popular trends, challenges, and memes within your niche or on the platform as a whole. Participate in relevant trends by creating your own unique spin on them, or start your own challenge to encourage user-generated content and engagement.

Cross Promotion

Go beyond the YouTube platform itself to reach broader audiences. Share your YouTube videos another social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok. Tailor your promotion for each platform by optimizing your captions, using relevant hashtags, and creating engaging posts that encourage users to click through to watch your videos.

If you have an email list, leverage it to promote your YouTube content. Send out regular newsletters featuring links to your latest videos, along with a brief description or teaser to entice subscribers to click and watch. It is possible to use AI chatbots as a writing aid if you find yourself having difficulty writing.

You can also embed your YouTube Shorts or videos in relevant blog posts on your website. Create dedicated landing pages or sections on your website to showcase your YouTube content. This not only drives traffic to your videos but also enhances your website's SEO by increasing dwell time and engagement.

Monitor the YouTube Channel

The whole process of YouTube marketing doesn’t stop once you hit the “Post” button. You need to see how well the video is actually performing. 

Utilize YouTube's built-in analytics dashboard to gain insights into key metrics such as watch time, YouTube views, subscribers, and audience demographics. Pay attention to metrics like audience retention, click-through rate (CTR), and engagement to gauge viewer interest and satisfaction.

Monitor the performance of individual videos to see which ones are resonating with your audience and driving the most engagement. Look for patterns in topics, formats, and styles that lead to higher view counts, watch time, and audience retention. For more effective monitoring and management of your YouTube channel, you can leverage AI tools like Aitechfy world of top-rated tools today.

Wrapping Up

Jumping on the YouTube marketing is one thing. Making sure that it’s actually working is another. Now that you know what you at least bring to the table, attracting and engaging audiences with your overall video marketing shouldn’t be that backbreaking.

One thing to bear in mind here, though, is that it’s crucial to stay flexible and adaptable in your approach. The YouTube landscape is constantly evolving, and what works today may not necessarily work tomorrow. So, it’s always better to keep experimenting with different tactics, formats, and content styles to keep your channel fresh and engaging.

GUEST BLOGGER AUTHOR:

ANDRE OENTORO