Many businesses, especially local brick-and-mortar and area service providers, DO NOT use YouTube effectively. You probably think that just recording a video and uploading it is enough, but it’s not. With a little extra effort, tweaking your YouTube strategy can make a significant difference in your results. These tips will help you increase views, subscribers, and conversions!
Recently, I watched a webinar from Sterling Sky, an SEO agency that specializes in Local search. Featured was Jeremy Vest, of Creator Unlock. The 2-hour webinar is embedded below.
YouTube Branding
You have only a few seconds to catch a potential client’s attention. They are thinking, “What’s in it for me?” or “How can you help me?” If you want to increase your subscribers, you need to be memorable. Give viewers a reason to subscribe.
Channel Branding and Description
- Have an eye-catching banner that depicts what you do, who you are, why you are better, and how you can help.
- Your logo icon should be consistent with your website and other social media accounts.
- Don’t put text in your branding area that’s too small and unreadable.
- Links to your website and other social media.
- Full description explaining what types of videos will be or are included in the channel.
YouTube Video Thumbnails
Every video should have a thumbnail. Be intentional in your design.
- The hero of the video should be shown on the thumbnail. Zoom in on what you’re talking about in the video.
- Use color theory by using the right colors.
- It should be eye-catching and enticing. Give them a reason to click.
- Intrigue, don’t reveal everything in the thumbnail. In other words, you don’t need the whole title of the video in the thumbnail.
- You’re competing with the suggested videos on the side.
- All horizontal videos should have one. Not shorts (vertical videos).
- Thumbnails are a stop sign for people to read the title.
It’s very easy to create a YouTube thumbnail with the free online graphic tools.
Short vs Long Videos
Vertical Videos
- Shorts — vertical videos — are easier and faster to make than longer, horizontal videos.
- YouTube gives shorts extra visibility.
- They can be used on Facebook and Instagram as reels.
- Put your own captions.
- Be impactful.
“Being good on YouTube isn’t good enough. You have to be effective.”
Jeremy Vest
Long, Horizontal Videos
People will sit and watch a longer video, like this webinar, if they are learning something that’s going to help them.
- YouTube has more watch time on TVs than on smartphones.
- Upload videos under 15 minutes to LinkedIn.
- Upload videos directly to Facebook.
Optimize Descriptions
- Descriptions are important because the AI search bots will grab the summaries and then feature the video if it matches the search query.
- Are hashtags still relevant in titles and descriptions? Yes! In the descriptions ONLY!
- YouTube will take the first 3 hashtags in the description and feature them under your title.
Overall, Great Advice!
In summary, YouTube is still the 2nd largest search engine next to its parent, Google. Google will feature videos in the AI Overviews. Besides that, everyone is on YouTube, including YOUR target market!
- Stick to your specialty. Keep business and personal separate!
- Become a master of your topic.
- Hone in on your target audience.
- Focus on who you help and why it matters.
- When writing titles, put hot words in ALL CAPS. (This actually applies to blog posts, too!)
Jeremy reiterated something that I say all the time regarding your target audience.
“If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll be nothing to no one.”
Jeremy Vest
How Local Businesses Can Rank on Google With YouTube
Reap the Benefits of YouTube Video Marketing
