As younger generations enter the workforce and gain buying power, they’re driving change across all industries — including how businesses promote themselves digitally. This change is forcing businesses to evolve to suit the needs of their customers and remain competitive. One way that you can stay ahead of your competitors and appeal to younger consumers is to connect with your audience through YouTube, the second most visited website globally.
Here are seven ways your business can leverage YouTube to promote your brand.
[Read more: 6 YouTube Features Your Business Could Be Using]
Partner with influencers
To easily get your business in front of a new and relevant audience, partner with well-known YouTubers who have large followings. Consumers are more likely to make a purchase if a source they trust recommends it, as this establishes credibility and demonstrates the product's value and relevance to their lifestyle.
The influencers you choose to work with should share your target audience, hold similar values to those of your company, and have a positive reputation. An ill-fitting partner could send the wrong message to existing customers about your company’s goals and mission.
Create YouTube Shorts
With YouTube Shorts — brief videos filmed in vertical orientation that span up to 60 seconds — businesses can establish an online presence and attract mobile audiences without the commitment of creating full-length content. These videos, which provide short glimpses into your business, may include product highlights, behind-the-scenes footage of employees or your product’s creation process, or Q&As where viewers submit questions — further prompting audience engagement.
YouTube Shorts can also serve as a magnet to attract viewers to your extended content. A survey revealed that 59% of Generation Z watched short-form videos to discover new things and then later, they watched long-form versions.
[Read more: 10 Smart Cross-Promotion Strategies for Small Businesses]
Utilize paid ads
In 2021, 81% of Americans reported using YouTube, suggesting that businesses, regardless of industry, can likely engage their target audience through YouTube’s paid advertising. By leveraging paid ads, businesses can accurately target the markets most relevant to their product/service and drive traffic to their website.
YouTube offers three types of ads: overlay, in-stream, and bumper. Overlay ads are text-based ads that run on top of or below videos. In-stream ads run at designated times throughout a video and can either be skippable or non-skippable. Bumper ads play before a video and aren’t skippable.
YouTube Shorts can also serve as a magnet to attract viewers to your extended content.
Launch a series
Creating a YouTube series is a great way to assemble a loyal audience, as you entice viewers to return to your platform repeatedly to watch new releases.
Through a series, businesses can establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries by providing informative and useful content that demonstrates expertise to viewers. By providing tips and insight into your product and industry, you can offer value to your audience and establish a strong online presence that customers rely on for educational purposes.
Use trailers
It’s not enough to only have a business account on YouTube — you need to fill your channel with valuable content, including an introductory channel trailer, to catch consumers’ attention and boost your subscriber count.
Posting a channel trailer is an effective way for businesses to introduce themselves to their audience and provide a brief overview of what viewers can expect. Though the video doesn’t have to be long or extensive, it should state your brand’s mission and values along with the purpose of your channel while encapsulating your brand’s tone.
Jump on the latest trend
Boost your content's visibility by tapping into current social media trends and crafting content aligned with what’s popular on the “Trending” tab of YouTube's homepage. Social media trends come and go quickly, so early participation is important; otherwise, your content may get lost in an oversaturated world of similar content.
However, focus on trends relevant to your business and its mission. Don’t lose your brand’s voice for the sake of a trendy video — doing so will only confuse customers and diminish the message and voice you’ve worked hard to establish.
[Read More: How to Monetize Your YouTube Channel]
Use the YouTube Partner Program
Through the YouTube Partner Program, you can monetize your YouTube videos using in-video advertisements and YouTube Premium members’ viewership, generating additional revenue streams for your business as you create content tailored to your audience.
To be eligible for the YouTube Partner Program, your channel must accumulate at least 1,000 subscribers and have at least 4,000 watch hours over the past 12-month period, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million views on your YouTube Shorts within 90 days.
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