We all crave a YouTube success story. We upload videos about our products or services – perhaps a new product demo or an interview with the local news channel – and dream of the millions of hits we’ll get overnight that will lead to a huge increase in business.
In reality, over the next few days as you eagerly check the stats, even after posting a backlink to the video on your website, in your blog, and on your Facebook page, you sheepishly realize your video is, to put it mildly, not exactly a Number One hit. Out of 14 hits five are from your immediate family and three are from your employees.
Fortunately, there are a number of small tweaks you can make to get the most out of your YouTube videos. It’s all about understanding search enginge optimization (SEO) and marketing your video as dynamically as you market your company, products and services. A great example of this can be found in The Sales Lion’s “Video Marketing and YouTube for Small Business Success: Anyone Can Do It.”
1. Pick the right keywords
Use Google’s Keyword Research Tool or a similar free online product to figure out what customers are searching for – and pick up some pointers in Greg Jarboe’s article on Search Engine Watch, “YouTube Keyword Tool and Video Optimization Techniques.”
Some of the search terms people use are odd and nonintuitive, so don’t skip this step. If you sell toasters, and you don’t know that your potential customers search for “bread griller,” that missed connection is costing you views.
2. Add your keywords everywhere
Clever and pithy video titles don’t get pulled up in search results, so feel free to make it long enough to include all of your search keywords. For example, “Bread Griller Toaster Heater” is going to draw in more hits than “Our New Product!”
Follow the same rules for the video description, tags and your company profile. The more frequently your keywords appear, the more often potential customers will be directed to your video.
3. Give them information they need to take action
Now that people are finding your video, give them enough information to make an impact and spur them to take action. Upload your transcript to make your video extra-searchable, include call-to-action overlays to let potential customers know where they can go for more information, add your website address to your video, and include an annotation to direct people to other videos or subscribe to your channel.
Image courtesy of creative design agency Arrae
Google+Web.com is now offering forums designed to support small businesses in cities throughout the US. Learn more about these forums here: http://Businessforum.web.com/
Tags: keywords, Marketing, Search Marketing, social media, Videos, YouTube
Posted in Marketing, Search Marketing, Social Media | 2 Comments »
