YouTube is the largest video sharing platform on the web, boasting over a billion users (which is one third of internet users!). It’s mobile stats are just as impressive as it’s desktop stats, and it is the highest ranking platform amongst 18-49 year olds*. So why aren’t more small businesses using YouTube? Unfortunately, in Australia only only about 7% of small and 9% of medium businesses* engage with the platform. There seems to be a stigma that YouTube is just for viral videos, or videos of cats falling off furniture, however, this isn’t the case, so we have listed the 3 best uses for YouTube for small businesses.
Uploading video content directly onto your website can be troublesome. When your website is hosting a large amount of content, including videos, images, etc, it can have a serious impact of the speed of your website for users. If your website has a slow load time it is very likely that your website will have a high bounce rate, and most users will not be seeing all the great information and content you have spent time and money creating for them.
When you upload your video content onto YouTube there is an option to share the video, when you do this YouTube will provide you with an ‘embed’ link. This link can be inserted onto any web page and will mean the video will be displayed in a YouTube player on your website. Being that the video is hosted on YouTube servers it means that your website will run a higher load speeds, making your site more user friendly. Users can also click the title of your YouTube video which will take users to your YouTube account, giving them the opportunity to see your collection of great content.
Another way you can promote your business is with YouTube ads. When you upload any video to YouTube you can create an ad using your Google AdWords account. Your video will be placed before other videos, come up in the search feed, and be seen beside playing videos in the sidebar. Much like Facebook ads, you have complete control over the budget and spend of your ad, and you won’t pay a cent unless someone watches 30 seconds or more of your ad, meaning that you only pay when someone actually takes notice of your ad.
In addition to this, YouTube also offers a variety of targeting options that will help you reach the right customers for your business. For example, if your business is a pet accessories business, you can target those that have an interest in animal videos, and live in the city of your business. You then have access to YouTube’s built in analytics, making it easy to know how your ad performed. These real time analytics allow you to evaluate how your ad is performing and make changes as need be. You can also ad other ads to your ad set to maximise your overall performance.
Another reason to get your small business onto YouTube is to interact with your customers, providing them with information and support as needed. We all know that people respond to people. If your customers have a query or problem, having a video of someone answering their question can help create a more trusting and enduring relationship with your customers.
Another way in which you could provide support to your customers is through YouTube’s live streaming. In order to have access to live streaming you will need to verify your YouTube account, but once once you have set it up, using it is a breeze. If you have staff members that are happy to sit on camera and answer questions, engage with customer questions, and portray your brand message and personality, then this is a great cost effective strategy.
As you can see there are many ways in which small businesses can utilise YouTube. Engaging with your customers is invaluable, and YouTube provides a way for you to reach out on a seemingly more personal level.
That brings Y to a close with Youtube, we only have Z left and our A-Z of marketing will be done! Do you have questions or article topics you think we should address? Email us at contact@wiseupmarketing.com.au.
Mary-Anne
Let’s have a chat to explore how Wise Up Marketing can help you grow your business
the principle of “treating your business like our own” and we have created a flexible, accessible solution for start ups and SME’s who value a personal approach.
