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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What Goes into Creating Optimal Content and Customer Experience

optimal content

Creating the optimal customer experience requires optimal content.

On the internet, standing out poses a daunting challenge, and at the same time, the best opportunity for creativity and bringing some attention to your site. Adding the extra “POW” to your content will pique a customer’s’ curiosity, build their interest, and over the course of a few transactions, earn their loyalty.

This is achieved through web content that goes far beyond ordinary but without all of the sensory overload. Each aspect of your site should have its own purpose—from the background to the logo to the informative blog. Every part is a solid brick in the foundation of your establishment’s site.

Here are some possible “add-ons” to consider to make your site stand out:

– Demo/explainer videos
– Client testimonials
– A page for reviews
– Informational text that actually informs—as opposed to simply luring the client
– Interactive questionnaire
– Easy-to-follow graphics
– A healthy combination and balance of “all-the-above”
– The compelling story of your business began and most importantly, where it’s going

And don’t forget a user-friendly “contact us” page or even an option for a live Chat with a knowledgeable representative from your company. You’re only limited by your own imagination.

So the time has come to set that staff meeting and do a plus/delta on your site’s current features. What’s working and drawing in an audience, and what’s not working? What is the purpose of each and every feature of your site? What are some viable changes that can be made? Who is your target audience? How can you make your site not only engaging but also user-friendly?

As you can tell, some guidance from an experienced marketing consultant should come in handy. You are the experts in your product or service; so allow some room for the marketing experts to help.

Essential Questions to ask about Customer Experience

User experience with your site can make or break your business. Think about it. A slow interface, a shopping cart that’s difficult to navigate, or even one small glitch can drive traffic away and steer potential customers toward the next result that showed up on the list of search results. So how do you keep this from happening?

Working with a knowledgeable and experienced team of designers and developers can make quite a difference in creating the best customer experience possible. When searching for such a team, you might need to keep a few ideas in mind such as

– Can they reduce my site’s loading time?
– Can they create engaging content that includes images?
– Can they strike a balance between SEO and treating my audience like “real people”?
– Can they build a user-friendly check-out?
– Can they build a user-friendly customer service Chat and/or Email page?

Thus, looking at these many aspects related to a customer’s experience is as vital to us as it is to you. Helping your business to thrive is our ultimate goal and mission. By joining forces with your team, we can assist you in improving the customer’s experience.

What if you’re just barely getting started? We can build on that foundation as well. Either way, we’ll explore several options, analyze data, and minimize as much trial-and-error as possible to get your site running as quickly and smoothly as possible.

So don’t worry about a design that’s full of bells and whistles as opposed to substantial, engaging content and usability. Your clients are the bosses, and we’ll consider both their needs and your expectations of what makes a great, user-friendly site. Therefore, there’ll be no more worries about dead links or useless features. Would you like to find out more about what we can design for you?

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

 

How Video Marketing and YouTube Can Help Your Business Boom

marketing with video

Marketing with video can exponentially expand your reach.

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 in 2022, 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!

Unsure how to use YouTube to your advantage? Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. How-to Videos or Tutorials
2. Customer Testimonials
3. Product-in-Action Videos (Demo Videos)
4. Product Spotlights or Special Offers
5. Product Comparisons
6. Behind-the-Scenes Videos
7. Contests

New to video marketing? Want to make sure you’re getting the most from YouTube? We can help!

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

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Is Blogging Dead?

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Is blogging still relevant?

Yes, and here’s why.

Do you remember when the concept of blogs first started? Well, I sure do.

Back then, I remember the arguments for and against blogging. The pro-camp thought it was a great way to share ideas and content, even though content marketing was a foreign phrase. The naysayers believed that nobody would care what others had to say, and thought that blogging was simply a platform to boost one’s own ego.

Last week, a colleague of mine stated unequivocally that blogging was dead – at least for most industries – given the immense focus on various social media platforms. But I respectfully disagree with my colleague, and here’s three reasons why.

1. Blogs remain on your website.

In most cases, the main purpose of using social media is to drive traffic to your website. Of course there are exceptions to this, but most industries use social media as a source to drive their inbound marketing. You can also post your website content on your social media sites, ensuring that there are outbound links and lots of opportunities for prospects to find you.

By blogging regularly, you are providing new material to your followers, eventually creating a loyal audience and beginning to build online trust. Blogging also provides a virtual “library” of curated content that your audience can reference back to. Over time, this will increase the likelihood that people will use your products or services, as well as increase the amount of time visitors are staying and engaging on your website.

2. Long-form content.

As the use of social media has exploded over recent years, people have become used to seeing and reading the equivalent of “soundbites”. Twitter used to limit you to 140 characters with which to express yourself. Instagram is all about capturing the attention of your audience by using an image. And as for Facebook and LinkedIn, well, most people simply aren’t going to read anything longer than about four sentences.

Enter blogging. By creating a blog, you are able to take subjects and musings and expand on them. As a business, it simply makes sense to have an outlet and a repository to place more detailed content. Your readers will start to expect your content after you’ve been blogging for a while.  In fact, in my own case, website statistics demonstrate that the days that I blog have significantly more traffic than other days.

3. Search engine optimization

Once upon a time, SEO marketers would most likely have relied on tactics like keyword stuffing on your website to boost your rankings. But that landscape has changed.

Most of us are aware that Google continues to change their algorithm regularly in and attempt to head off black hat SEO tactics, and the best way to achieve good rankings is through publishing original, relevant content.

And what’s the best way to do that? Well, doesn’t it make sense to blog about content that is relevant and engaging to your audience and to share it through your website?

So if this article has inspired you to revive your blogging efforts, or even to just start blogging, remember that you will be rewarded for your efforts. Engage your audience by providing content that matters to them, ask questions when and where appropriate, and be sure to include a call to action at the end of your post asking your audience to share.

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

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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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What’s Your Story?

what's your story

Well? What is your story?

Understanding what it is you are trying to communicate with your audience is a critical first step.

Today, our tip is about the importance of defining your story.

How you communicate with your community, and how clear you are within yourself, is the foundation upon which all other marketing functions will be built.  Therefore, be sure that you have absolute clarity.

Our Marketing In A Minute video series continues today. Please join us now, and consider subscribing 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.

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Don’t Make These 3 Errors With Video

video marketing

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.

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Paralysis By Analysis

analysis

Paralysis by analysis – guilty as charged?

Today, we continue our new Entrepreneur Series by discussing the issue of paralysis by analysis.

I’m sure we have all been guilty of this at one time or another. We have an idea, create a plan and get all the back end prepared, and then? We do nothing with it, or shift views, or something…

What makes us do this, and how can we avoid it? Join Frank Thomas and me as we explore this aspect of human nature and talk about ways to avoid falling into this trap.

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.

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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.

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