Using Video Marketing With YouTube to Increase Traffic
With so many videos posted on YouTube, it’s easy to forget about YouTube Marketing. Some believe that YouTube counts just as much as an internet forum as an online social networking site. Others view it as more of a digital brand platform than anything else. Yet, with over 500 hours of video posted every minute, truly effective YouTube marketing is very much easier said than done.
The main problem with YouTube marketing isn’t really the number of views or the amount of revenue generated from the video but the way it is viewed. Most people who are not familiar with YouTube do not take the time to search for and watch the video they find when they arrive at the video description. If viewers don’t get around to watching the video, then they never will. Videos should be approached as traditional marketing tools, where the title, video description, and tags are all important in expressing how the video will help the viewer. This will help with the SEO of the video, which in turn helps with the branding of the video.
Another important element to consider when it comes to YouTube is the social media aspect of YouTube. Many users are quick to access other user’s comments on their videos and subscribe to RSS feeds that provide continuous video updates directly to their feed readers. The same goes for Twitter and Facebook. These three social sites have exploded in popularity recently, and if you aren’t getting your video out on these channels and getting your video marketing out on these sites, you’re losing a lot of potential traffic. In order to make sure that you are maximizing all the power these sites have to offer, you need to make sure that you’re taking advantage of each facet.
A YouTube channel trailer is one of the best ways to promote a video and increase its presence on the search engines. It’s also one of the most effective ways to promote links within the video itself. This means that, when someone searches for a particular keyword or phrase that you use in the video description, they should be able to find your video along with the corresponding link in the video title. This makes video marketing with YouTube as powerful as it has ever been, but there are some things to keep in mind in order to ensure you are maximizing your opportunities.
The title of your video and description should both focus on your focal point, but there should also be plenty of white space to allow for your viewers to get a feel for the video. Your title and description may need some copy editing to make them more appealing, but it’s well worth the effort. Your title and description will be what draws in your viewers and gets them to watch your video. That’s why you should include your audience’s name in your title and also have a secondary title if you think it’s necessary. The white space is a good place to put up posters, fliers, or any other type of advertising that your particular audience might be interested in.
Utilizing the third point of your video marketing strategy, which is the thumbnail image, can also help you draw more traffic to your website. If your images can’t be displayed properly in the top half of your video page due to size or formatting issues, you should include an explanation with your thumbnail image to let viewers know what it is they are looking at. Some common thumbnails include the logo of your brand, a photo of a product or service, or a cute picture of your dog. A carefully chosen thumbnail image can help to draw more clicks and instill more confidence in the people who may be interested in buying your product or service.