There are a multitude of reasons why it’s really important to fine-tune your YouTube presence. The biggest, and maybe the most obvious, is because it’s Google owned and therefore it’s likely to affect your current digital strategy and SEO. Other important reasons include: that YouTube is the biggest player in Video Marketing, and it’s the second largest search engine on the net (bigger than Bing, Yahoo!, Ask and AOL combined!) These reasons illustrate that more and more people are turning to video to learn about how to do common everyday tasks and to check products and services before committing to a purchase. Operating without a video marketing strategy is no longer an option.
Channel Structure is Key
If you’ve already established that having a YouTube presence is a good idea and have set up your own YouTube channel, then taking the time to understand how people engage with your content from your channel is a must.
Content quality is, of course, a large contributing factor to the success of your channel and your video marketing. But it’s not the only thing you need to think about — channel structure is also critical. Videos that are poorly titled or a channel that is inconsistent may mean that a user’s first visit is also their last. A channel that delivers well thought out content, titles and descriptions is far more likely to do well than a poorly structured channel.
YouTube Channel Do’s
Below are some of the primary things to focus on that can do to make your YouTube channel even more effective:
Content: Make sure your content is fresh and regular. Have you given careful consideration to the aims and interests of your target audience? Have you effectively told a story that offers value and speaks to your viewers’ emotions?
Keep your videos in line with your keywords: On top of helping your audience know they’ve found a channel that they can relate to, it’s an important aspect of your video SEO.
Make it visually attractive: Thumbnails, banners, and your channel trailer all count. Your YouTube channel is a part of your online brand identity.
Monitor and track your channel: Use YouTube analytics. Make sure you integrate your channel with any advertisements you run and regularly sit down to strategize and define the demographics you’re trying to engage.
YouTube Channel Don’ts
While you’re working to optimize your channel and incorporate the YouTube Channel “Do’s,” try to avoid these “Don’ts”:
Don’t try to make all your videos “viral”: Just because you can funnel traffic to your YouTube channel via other video websites. Vimeo and Vine, for example, can both direct users to your channel. There’s a time and a place for a viral marketing video and it’s important to choose wisely and get your video format correct.
Don’t let viewer numbers be the only metric you use to gauge success: User engagement is a key metric you don’t want to forget. For example, your goals could focus on increased Click through Rate (CTR) or new subscribers rather than view count.
Don’t put your most popular content at the top: Although it’s tempting to do so, you should avoid putting your prime content at the top of your YouTube channel because it only serves to highlight the videos with lower hits below. Your list shouldn’t be ordered by popularity but by what you think your YouTube audience wants to see.
Don’t mix up content aimed at a corporate market with that aimed at a consumer market: This might seem obvious but it happens a lot. People browsing content via your YouTube channel often are looking for something specific; so separate your consumer videos from the corporate ones.
Content is always the most important factor in any video marketing campaign, getting your content in front of as many people as possible is essential to success. Following these simple rules I’ve outlined here can really make a difference when it comes to maximizing your brand exposure on YouTube.
How have you structured your YouTube channel? Have you already incorporated some of these tips? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
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