Video is big for consumers—in fact, video watching has doubled since 2018—so those businesses that are not yet taking advantage of this key marketing tool are missing out on potential opportunities and leads. As the top video-sharing platform across the globe, YouTube is a great place to get started. But what exactly should businesses do?
To offer some insight, the members of Young Entrepreneur Council discuss unique ways to use video-sharing platforms like YouTube that most companies are not doing and why taking advantage of these strategies can help grow your business.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Share Sales Videos Asynchronously
Many companies are using videos as social media tools, but most aren’t taking advantage of video as a pure sales tool. Because many companies have realized the considerable expense of sending their salespeople out on sales calls, they have elected to avoid travel costs by conducting sales calls using video platforms like Zoom and Skype. While these mediums have proven effective, they are still challenging for salespeople to schedule with clients and prospective clients because of coordinating busy calendars. Sending a prospect a link to a YouTube sales video is a sound solution to making appointments and presentations to generate new business. Prospects can watch the video at their convenience and forward it to other people within their company they feel may be interested. – Brian Greenberg, Insurist
2. Offer Free Value
The No. 1 way to create brand awareness and be seen as an authority in any industry is to give away your knowledge for “free.” If you can help people learn and understand, they will not only appreciate and respect you as a source of knowledge, but they are also far more likely to share your content, which is the ultimate goal. Look at the time, effort and money put into developing videos of value as a marketing expense. It’s truly one of the most effective organic marketing methods today. – Scott Levy, Fuel Online
3. Tell Stories That Take Customers On A Journey
Most companies are not using video to tell stories in a way that draws their ideal customers into a journey. Doing this starts with fully understanding your audience and what they find interesting (Hint: It isn’t a talking-head video, even though that’s a great place to start). After that, it’s uncovering the perfect blend of entertainment and education to help your customers discover how your business helps them solve their problems. A riveting video strategy includes stories, characters, opinions, values, locations, music, sound and editing that keep your audience watching video after video. It’s kinda like a season of your favorite TV show. It’s not easy to do, but when it is done right, your business will benefit. – Monica Snyder, Birdsong
4. Repurpose Blog Content
One unique way we started using YouTube is as a way to repurpose our blog posts. We check our analytics monthly and note our top-performing blog posts. If any posts are missing video versions, we create a video with a slightly altered script and embed it on our site. We’ve used this strategy to drive new traffic to our website, grow our social presence and more. The best benefit is that it makes your content more accessible. Some people prefer watching to reading and vice versa. This option ensures every visitor can enjoy your content how they want. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
5. Show How Your Product Solves Targeted Problems
Businesses can take advantage of video-sharing platforms like YouTube to show how their respective products or services serve as the best solutions for different use cases. In-depth market research paired with creative storytelling does the trick. So, you should identify the concerns of your customer and create interactive videos on how your products or services help solve the targeted problems. This is something that most businesses are either not doing or not doing right. So, it’s best to explore the preferences of your target audience and create video content tailored to their preferences. – Stephanie Wells, Formidable Forms
6. Create Quick ‘Shorts’ To Reach A Wider Audience
One way businesses can use video-sharing platforms like YouTube is by creating ‘Shorts.’ These are short, 15-second videos that are easy and quick to consume. They’re perfect for social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook—and YouTube too—where users are typically scrolling through their feeds quickly. Creating Shorts allows businesses to reach a wider audience and potential customers who may not have otherwise come across their product or service. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner
7. Host Interactive Livestreams
Livestreaming is the best way businesses can better use video-sharing platforms like YouTube. This is because live events around themes like product launches, giveaways, contests and social advocacy events are highly attractive to viewers. You don’t even have to invest in expensive equipment or production costs to ensure that your videos are in top-notch condition. On the contrary, raw, unedited videos are more popular with viewers as they are more natural, and users can actively interact with the event or host. This gives companies a huge advantage, as users find interactive sessions more authentic when engaging with a brand or business. It can increase audience reach in no time. All you need is a phone, laptop or desktop. – Brian David Crane, Spread Great Ideas
8. Produce ‘How-To’ Videos
Most companies are not using video-sharing platforms like YouTube to their full potential. One way to take advantage of these platforms is by creating how-to videos. How-to videos can be a great way to engage potential customers and promote your product or service. By providing helpful and informative content, you can build trust with your audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. Additionally, how-to videos are easy to share and can help you reach a wider audience. Alternatively, you could create a video explaining the benefits of your product or service. Whatever topic you choose, make sure your video is clear, concise and easy to follow. – Pratik Chaskar, Spectra
