8 Steps How to Create a Successful YouTube Marketing Strategy
As TRINDGROUP’s Senior Video Producer, the YouTube algorithm is something I am very familiar with. In this blog, I’ll break down the steps I take to work with the YouTube algorithm to develop successful YouTube strategies for our clients who choose to utilize the platform as a channel to reach their customers.
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Identify Your Target Audience
The first and arguably most important step in any marketing strategy is to identify your audience. Step one is to work with your marketing team to review or create a customer persona or research your existing customers to learn a little more about them. What do they do? What do people in their typical demographics tend to gravitate towards? How might they use videos to enhance their performance or increase knowledge? This gives us important insights regarding the viewers we want to attract. If you want to grow your audience, the first step is knowing who they are.
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Cater Your Content to Your Viewers
Once you understand the people in your “YouTube community” you’ll want to make sure your content is aligned with the persona(s) you are trying to reach. Is your audience always on the move? Try making videos with voiceovers instead of only on-screen text and keeping your videos short and to the point. Does your audience need detailed, research-supported information? Include graphs and take the time to explain your topics in-depth. Be sure to identify keywords and topics that are relevant to your business and your audience’s interests.
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Master Your Videos’ SEO
Once your content is complete, there are a few more ways to engage your target audience by utilizing SEO and metadata. Have you ever wondered what makes certain YouTube videos show up on your YouTube home screen? How does YouTube know what videos you want to watch? YouTube chooses content it thinks you will watch based on something called an “algorithm.” According to Hootsuite, the YouTube algorithm takes a few things into account including video description, video title, filename of your video and engagement your content amasses. “Algorithm” is a buzzword in the YouTube marketing industry you need to know. Many content creators find the concept difficult to wrangle, however, if you play into the algorithm and take the time to understand how it works, it can be used for your benefit.
Description:
- The video description on YouTube is the block of text that describes your content. You can utilize this in your YouTube strategy by including keywords and providing links to relevant web pages. It’s always a good idea to reiterate any “calls to action” in your video. Well-crafted calls to action will lead your audience directly to your website and result in leads straight from YouTube. You can invite your viewers to fill out a contact request form, give you a call or request a quote just by adding links to your YouTube descriptions.
Video Title:
- Your video’s title may seem insignificant, but it can significantly impact engagement. Make sure to include keywords and be clear about what your video is about. If your video title is vague or over-complicated, not only can it turn viewers away, but it can also affect the algorithm.
File Name:
- The file name of your video can contribute to the placement of your video on your audience’s feed. If you rename your file using keywords, there is a much higher chance your video will show up in a YouTube search. For the best file name, choose words you believe your audience is likely to search. For example, if you are posting a video, think of what is being shown and what information the video provides. For example, a video file named “how to fry catfish recipe_easy dinner recipe.mov” is more likely to do well than a video with a generic file name like “Recipe_Video_finaledit.mp4.”
It is important to remember that the file name of a video is different from the title of your video that shows up on YouTube. The title of your video should be clear and to the point, but the file name can be as long as you want and include as many keywords as you would like. Keep in mind, that once the video is posted, the file name cannot be edited without deleting the video entirely and losing likes, views, comments and other metrics.
Thumbnail:
- Thumbnails are important as they help attract viewers. They should be eye-catching, content-relevant and have easy-to-read text. They should stand out and mirror your brand. When developing and using thumbnails, you should monitor their performance to understand which style or format works best for your YouTube strategy.
Consistency:
- Consistently uploading content to YouTube provides your audience with a schedule, whether it’s daily, weekly or monthly. Consistency gives your audience something to look forward to and increases engagement and loyalty. It also lets the algorithm know that you’re an active content creator, improving the visibility and recommendation of your content.
Building a successful YouTube strategy may take time, but once you implement these tactics and identify what brings viewers to your channel, the benefits are worth all the time and hard work.
To learn more about video marketing and how it can benefit your business, read our blog, The Rise of Video Content in B2B Marketing. Visit our website to learn more about TRINDGROUP.
Jonathan Hair is a Senior Video Producer at TRINDGROUP. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, Jonathan’s lifelong passion for the arts has guided his career, blending creativity with professional achievement. Before joining TRINDGROUP, Jonathan served a 13-year tenure with the United States Army, where his flair for videography came to the forefront. In his role as a Horizontal Instructor for the Engineer Basic Officer Leadership course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Jonathan’s expertise was pivotal in developing engaging documentary content and online course materials. Jonathan’s diverse background and passion for storytelling make him an asset to our team and our clients alike, promising to deliver impactful visual content that resonates with audiences.
