YouTube is taking the industry by storm. It seems that anyone and everyone is beginning to make a statement on YouTube.
So the question is, as a small business owner should you market your small business through YouTube? The answer is a qualified yes!
According to Computerworld, YouTube is the 12th most visited site on earth and receives 18 million views every single day. In addition, YouTube is now the 2nd most utilized search-engine (right behind Google). These statistics are absolutely staggering.
Furthermore, many researchers believe that a top-rated video on YouTube will reach 40% more people than a commercial on a national TV station.
So, obviously if you aren’t marketing on YouTube you are clearly missing the boat. And, we are talking about a free boat ride to boot!
And the best part of all of this is that if you are a small business owner on a shoestring marketing budget, Youtube is certainly your dream come true.
Marketing on YouTube is similar to marketing elsewhere. You want to stand apart from your competition. You want to make a statement and have people remember you. This can be accomplished if you follow a few simple steps:
1) Make sure that your video is not a blatant advertisement. Most people that watch YouTube aren’t looking for a “sales pitch.” Instead they are looking for relevant and helpful information.
2) Even though you don’t want to turn your video into an advertisement, it’s still important that people understand what product your represent. You shouldn’t make it a mystery. Go ahead and insert a URL back to your website at the end of your video.
3) Make sure that your video is not too dark. Dark videos are a sure way to turn off prospects. You should shoot your videos in a well-lit room preferably with natural sunlight.
4) Make sure that the audio reception in your video is audible. You want people to hear what you are saying. If your video is too quiet, your prospects will leave immediately.
5) Don’t expect perfection. Your videos won’t be perfect and you shouldn’t expect them to be. YouTube is certainly not about perfection. In fact, most people find that a few quirks and quibbles will give your video a less “staged” feeling.
6) Have some fun! You should smile and look like you are having a good time while you shoot your video. Add some energy to your voice and a bounce to your step.
7) Finally, although it’s important to present a nice image, don’t worry too much about how you look. It’s absolutely fine if you aren’t a Skinny Minnie or a Studley Stanley. In fact, oftentimes people can relate better to people who are just Regular Joes. So, remember to comb your hair, but don’t worry if you haven’t lost those last ten pounds. You will do just fine.
Remember that shooting videos for YouTube will take some time to perfect. At first, it will take some time to learn. But, before long, you will have the process down to a manageable amount of time.
