Is YouTube the Right Channel for Your Business?

Studies show that videos are 53 times more likely to make the first page of Google rankings and have a 43 percent higher click-through rate than other types of content. However, the creation and management of video may be intimidating to small business owners (particularly if they have no in-house production people or equipment.) So before you take your first steps, here’s a few things to know about video and YouTube, the top video channel and popular social network, and how they can help increase your exposure and meet your company’s needs.

The power of video

Because videos require no reading, they are often the most engaging form of online content and thereby have the potential to proliferate, go viral, and gain you new followers in ways even the best blog posts or tweets simply can’t. Whenever the key search words relate to a video's title, that video will appear earlier in search rankings, often in the first or second position. This means small business owners gain more value and win the numbers game when posting video content, but again, the process begins with keyword searches relevant to your business.

YouTube in your industry

To understand your company's potential on video channels, go to YouTube and do a keyword search relevant to your business and industry. Now watch some of those videos to see if they are actually relevant and also read the description and look for links in the video content to confirm that they meet the promise of the keyword. If few or non-relevant results are showing up, it means there’s space for your company to make an impact.

In addition to the advantage videos have in search engines, business owners have an advantage in the way YouTube charges for advertising. You only pay the full cost of an ad if the viewer watches the entire 30 second ad, so your business receives free exposure if the viewer clicks through. Ideally, you’d prefer that they view your entire message, but if not, it’s good to know that you’ve at least made an initial impression and it didn’t cost you.

The right video strategy for you

While small business owners may not be able to compete with large brands that hire professional video production crews, with a little time and patience any company can create videos using the Google+ feature called Hangouts on Air. Using this function of Google's social network, business owners (or an individual employee) can interact with customers via live tutorials, product demos, explanations of your brand mission, and more. After recording the piece, you can add keywords and an appropriate title before uploading it to YouTube. Finding the right subject for your video and determining who can best deliver your message will be your biggest concerns, as these types of videos are free but still capable of attracting a great deal of attention to your company.

Finally, you don’t have to be a master of social media marketing to make an impact with your video once it’s ready. Companies like Constant Contact can develop and assist you with your social campaigns on YouTube, Facebook and other channels and help you market your video to gain the brand exposure you’re seeking.