How YouTube And Video Marketing Can Help Your Business Boom

youtube video marketing

YouTube and video marketing are where it’s at!

It’s no secret that social media can help business owners like you connect with customers. Most businesses have Facebook and Twitter accounts to keep loyal fans engaged and attract new customers, too.

But what about YouTube? With over 122 million daily viewers, YouTube can help you grow your business and expand your customer base.

Businesses of all sizes are turning to video marketing as a crucial strategy for customer engagement. And since 6 out of 10 people prefer online video platforms to live TV, it’s no surprise that YouTube reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network!

And YouTube users are watching on the go: More than half of YouTube views come from mobile devices, and the average mobile viewing session lasts 40 minutes! Are you getting visibility like that? With a YouTube channel for your business, you can!
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Yes, Big Brother Really Is Watching!

big brother

It’s 1984 all over again!

George Orwell was right.

Back in 1949, George Orwell published the now iconic novel, “1984”, predicting a time when our movements and our lives were tracked.  And, like many sci-fi novels, the predictions have come true.

Our current technology is a wonderful thing, but remembering that it has another side to it will make you use it more sensibly.

Are you putting everything out there?

Watch today’s Marketing In A Minute video for our tip on using technology wisely.

Please join us now, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you won’t miss any of our upcoming tips.

Watch our video now, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

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Working Video Into Your Marketing Plan

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A picture says a thousand words?

Then just imagine what video says!

Okay, I get that you might not be comfortable on camera.  Or maybe you think you don’t have anything to share via video.

Whatever your reasons (excuses?) for not using video, you are missing out on a great tool if you don’t include it in your marketing arsenal.

Today, our Marketing In A Minute video will share with you why you should be integrating video into your marketing plan.

Please join us now, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you won’t miss any of our upcoming tips.

Watch our video now, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

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Marketing In A Minute – New Video Series

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Get ready for our newest project!

Those of you who have been following us know that we have been providing marketing tips and strategies to inspire twice a week for the past couple of years.

Our goal is to continue to provide you with information of value, in a format that works best for you.

As more and more people are using mobile devices, we have found that the preference of our audience is to receive information by video. Therefore, we are happy to announce that we are starting a new project today – the Marketing In A Minute video series!

Although we will continue to provide articles, podcasts and infographics when appropriate, it is our intention to grow this series, giving you marketing tips in an easily digestible and condensed format. Our videos will give you one tip per post, and will only take a minute or less.

Please join us for our intro video now, and while you are at it, subscribe to our channel so you won’t miss any new tips.

Watch our video now, or watch on YouTube:

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

Don’t Make These 3 Errors With Video

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The key to successful marketing lies in it’s creativity.   But let’s be frank – most marketing falls far short of this.

But now, thanks to video, the face of marketing is changing. In fact, in many ways it has become reinvigorated.

It’s unfortunate then, that many marketers who have been innovative enough to venture into the opportunities that video presents have remained stuck in their old habits. They failed to stretch their storylines, utilize calls to action, under user overuse graphics, and maybe even using inappropriate humor.

So let’s explore the three errors that most marketers are making with video and look at some ideas about how to avoid them.

1. The videos are too “salesy”

People are becoming smarter and smarter. They are becoming more marketing savvy and are more likely to see through marketing schemes. Therefore when you are using video marketing, find the most appropriate way to get your point across while still keeping it relatable for your audience. Ensure that the delivery is done in a way that is entertaining, yet relevant to the pitch. Otherwise, you risk losing the purpose behind the video.

2. The title is wrong

I’ve written many articles about content, and we all know that content is king. But you need to get people involved in your content, and that’s where titles come in. Titles are what attracts your viewers to your video, so you want to make sure that you use a title that captivates and draws prospects in. Remember, however, that it is the first impression, so must be concise and applicable, well capturing attention.

3. The video is too long

Pay attention to the length of your videos. Thanks to technology, our attention spans are much shorter these days. But video seems to captivate audiences, making it a great tool for marketing. People love the visual, and like to be entertained, but be careful not to overestimate how long they will stay engaged with your content. What is the right length for a video? That’s hard to say, and depends on the audience, the product, and the intent. If it is a product or service explainer video, logic dictates that it might be fairly lengthy. But if it is to promote a service or product, the general rule of thumb is to keep it short. Check your analytics and see how much of your videos are actually watched. I bet you’ll be surprised. Most people start to fall away after about 30 seconds, depending of course on the type of video. Based on the statistics, you can decide where and how to place your call to action. Test your call to action and make adjustments when and if necessary. Also, remember that many social media platforms are now offering to present video live, allowing you to share directly with those people in your social network. While there are definite advantages to this, again, be cognizant of the length of your video; attention spans seem to be even shorter on social platforms.

Get the tools you’ll need.

Although the fundamentals of marketing have never changed, the delivery methods continue to evolve thanks to many newer and easier to use technologies, such as video marketing. It does not have to be difficult to implement video marketing into your business, but you will need some tools to help you harness the power of video. A Webcam, a green screen, proper lighting, and some basic editing software can help you get started with video creation and marketing.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

7 Reasons You Should Be Using Video To Market Your Business

video marketing

There are many reasons why you should be using video to help market your business.

But for the purposes of this article, let’s focus on the top seven:

1. It works!

Those of you who have been following my articles and post page for the past year have seen me struggle with video. Like most of us, I’m not the biggest fan of the camera and was concerned about getting my face out there in front of everyone. But the reality is, video works! So it’s important to “get over yourself” and start integrating video into your marketing plan.

2.  It’s powerful.

Video is clearly one of the most powerful ways we have to deliver our messages to our clients and prospects, and to ignore it is to miss out on a huge opportunity to market your business and get in front of more prospects.

3. It’s social.

Video has also become much easier to integrate into the major social media marketing platforms. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram… All these platforms allow you to incorporate video to share with your friends and followers. And you’ll find that many people are willing to share video content with their network.

4. SEO value.

Video is extremely effective for SEO. Indeed, video ranks higher than any other online communication method. And although SEO, and its attendant algorithms, continues to morph, it is still an important factor in being found online. We all know that YouTube is owned by Google, and we all know that Google is still the world’s number one search engine. But did you know that YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine. With over 1 billion users and many billions of views every day, YouTube actually reaches more people between the ages of 18 and 49 than any cable network in the United States.

5.  It’s a preferred medium.

Video has quickly become a preferred marketing tool because it delivers information in a way that is easy for our brains to process. It has the benefit of demonstrating, not simply outlining, how to do, use, or implement a product or service.

6.  It’s personal.

Another benefit of video is that it humanizes online experiences for people. Through the production and delivery of video to your clients and prospects, you are no longer the faceless entity behind a website. This experience helps people engage more personally, increasing loyalty and cementing your brand in the minds of your viewers.

7.  It’s entertaining.

And let’s not forget about the entertainment value of video. Even if you are providing a demonstration video, your message will be accepted much better by your audience than the written word. Through the active stimulating the visual and auditory senses of your viewers, you are able to engage them in a much more significant fashion. Additionally, providing an entertaining, educational, or informational video can reach huge audiences on a global basis, increasing your reach and your authority in ways that were previously prohibitive.

Until recently, most people obtained their visual and auditory stimulus through the television. Big brands bought commercial timeslots, which are expensive to produce and expensive to deliver to the viewer. But now, and in ever increasing numbers, people are choosing to stream their visual content, and are able to pick and choose what they want to watch, when they want to watch it. So why not start to create your own visual content and get in front of your preferred audience.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

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Keep Your Channel Fresh!

YouTube

Those of you who have been following my articles and posts are very well aware of my comments about utilizing video to help market your business.

It’s true that a picture says 1000 words, and video has eclipsed many other forms of communication as the preferred option. And although there are various options for streaming your video, YouTube remains the overall champion.

We all know that YouTube is owned by Google. And we also all know that Google is the number one search engine. YouTube, as an extension of Google, enhances your search results even more.

But, beyond the SEO advantages, YouTube has been around long enough that it is the most popular choice.

Who among us hasn’t Googled YouTube to discover various “how to” videos? I nearly threw out a couple of lamps because the switches weren’t working; a quick search and a three minute video solved that issue. I quickly learned how to replace the switch in the lamps, and now the lamps are working just like new.

So, despite the fact that I had to get used to being in front of a camera and get over my reluctance to be on video, I embraced the concept of producing videos to provide marketing strategies and tips, albeit in an abbreviated version, to all of you.

Therefore, it is no surprise that I nearly had a heart attack little over a month ago when I visited my YouTube channel only to read the dreaded words “channel has no content”!

After regaining my breath, I contacted my techie guy who went into the back end of my channel. He discovered that YouTube had done some updates and had created a new way for channels to display their content. He helped me to restructure the design and layout of the channel, and everything was quickly back to “business as usual”.

The new design features offered by YouTube, in my opinion, are brilliant. You can now structure the video navigation to make it easier for your visitors, and it can be set up so your most recent video shows in the current window. It also allows a special feature for new visitors to the channel, allowing for an introductory or a welcome video.

And that is what I have provided for today’s post: a new video welcoming new visitors to my channel. If you have been on the channel in the past, please check it out anyway, as I explain a little bit about why it is that we are doing these videos and what you can expect to get from. And, if you haven’t already subscribed to our channel, please do so to ensure that you don’t miss any of our new videos.

Watch our video here or on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

The Case Against Using Video

video marketing green screen

So you don’t want to use video for your marketing?

Well okay, let’s outline the justifications for not using video:

1. People will criticize how I look
2. People will criticize what I say
3. I hate the camera!
4. No one will watch my videos
5. It’s too expensive

Do any of those points look familiar to you?

I gotta tell you straight up – all of those points played a part in my hesitation to create video. In fact, prior to the release of my first video series, I actually did a blog post about the camera shy guide to video marketing warning people about how uncomfortable I was in front of the camera.

Let’s examine these obstacles point by point.

The first point is that people will criticize how you look. You think they’ll notice the bags under your eyes, or that you don’t have that perfect smile, or that you’re having a bad hair day. Reality check: no one on this planet is perfect or without their flaws. Those icons of perfection that are paraded in front of us on TV and in print have the help of professional hairstylists and makeup artists, to say nothing of the airbrushing techniques that are used to remove imperfections. If people watching your videos are more concerned with how you look rather than what it is you are saying, then it is unlikely that those people are your audience anyway.

Which takes us to point two; people will criticize what you say. Yes, there’s always the chance that some of the people tuning into your videos will criticize what you have to say. But does that really matter? If you are imparting your knowledge, in your own unique way, you will attract the people who are your target audience. There are always people with more knowledge, or different experiences, or different ways of delivering the same information.  But don’t lose sight that you, too, have a level of experience and expertise that can help others. And those are the people you will reach!

Let’s talk about point number three. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t come across that many people in my life who are completely comfortable in front of the camera. But as I learned, you will get more comfortable with it, the more you do it. I know when I first started doing video (as you can see for yourself by watching my first series), I was terribly uncomfortable presenting to the camera. I wasn’t sure where to look, I read from my notes, and I just generally came off as completely stilted. However, I persevered and am now able to focus on the information that I am imparting, rather than how people might perceive me. I am now able to look at that Webcam and not see it as a camera, but rather, I see the people who I am trying to speak to.

Item number four is the belief that no one will watch your videos. My first response is – so what? Now, I don’t mean to be quite so glib. Of course you are producing these videos to provide information and to reach a specific audience. But it is a very, very rare instance (to say nothing of the expense involved) that someone will do one video and it will become viral. You have to exercise patience and persistence. Continue to make your videos, to post them, and to share them via your social media channels, emails, blogs, or whatever other mediums you might employ. You will gain an audience, you will share your expertise, and you will significantly boost your rankings in search engines.

The final point is that it is too expensive to create video. I would agree that in certain circumstances and for certain businesses, it makes sense to hire a professional videographer or a studio to produce a video. But to share nuggets of your wisdom, your experiences, and to help others you don’t need a fancy studio. An inexpensive Webcam – even your smart phone camera – is really all you need to shoot a video. If you want, you can create an inexpensive green screen yourself and edit your background using a video editing software program which, again, does not have to be expensive. Or, create more casual videos in your office and post them on YouTube. The most important thing is to make sure that you have good lighting, good sound and a good message.

As you can see, there really is no reason not to use video for your marketing. It is the most engaging form of social sharing and for imparting knowledge, and, believe it or not, it can even be fun!

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

10 Key Elements to Successful Social Media Marketing-Conclusion

social media marketing

Today we wrap up our series on the 10 Key Elements to Successful Social Media Marketing.

By following and implementing each of the components we revealed in this series into your social media marketing strategy on a consistent basis, you will ensure that your social presence is enhanced.

But we wanted to do a bit more with this video; we wanted to share what motivates us to develop our many video series’ for you. Watch our final video now to learn why we do this on a regular basis.

Watch our video here, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

8th Key to Successful Social Media Marketing

acknowledge

Acknowledgement!

Yep, that’s the 8th key element to help you achieve social media marketing success.

In today’s video, we discuss how acknowledgement of others changes the whole game. Interacting with others on the social platforms you use provides value and builds trust.

Watch now as we talk about how to grow your brand through the simple strategy of acknowledgement.

Watch our video here, or watch on YouTube.

Until next time…

Are you ready to grow your business now? If you’re ready to take the next step and make your business more profitable, contact us today.

If you like the information you are receiving, please consider forwarding this post.

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