In the digital age, video content has become an indispensable tool for businesses looking to enhance their online presence. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with modest marketing teams, YouTube can be a game-changer.
This blog will walk you through ten practical strategies to boost visibility and improve search engine ranking results (SERPs) using YouTube. Whether you’re new to video production or looking to optimise your current approach, these tips are tailored to suit the needs of SMEs with smaller marketing teams.
What Content are You Pushing Out?
YouTube is great for volume content as well as ‘the odd video’. Now we’ve said for quite some time that video is great, particularly when you kick out lots of it. You only have to look at the LinkedIn channel of our Creative Director – Jovan Maric, to see that when you push out video in volume you get great engagement and tangible ROI. But not every business has the budget to create and deploy vast quantities of content. And that’s okay.
Volume content needn’t be expensive, but it does need to serve a purpose and provide your audience with something they didn’t have before. We’re not talking about a 20% discount, we’re talking about educating them! Use your position as an expert in your field to educate and inspire people that don’t have have that level of knowledge. This builds credibility, enhances your brand, generates trust and eventually (because it can be a long game!) will hopefully result in a new customer and revenue for you.
Any hero content really should be created by a professional agency – so these are things like headline product explainers, corporate promos or talent acquisition videos. But volume based video content can be homemade because it is more substance over style. But if you do have the budget, having a production company like Square Daisy to create your content will obviously be way better (shameless plug!).
So when you have your content, what do you need to do on YouTube to make it really work for you. Well read on people, read on!
1. Craft Compelling Titles and Descriptions
YouTube is a search engine, and like any search engine, keywords matter. Craft attention-grabbing titles that are both descriptive and contain relevant keywords related to your business. Ensure your video descriptions are detailed, providing additional context and utilising keywords naturally. This will not only captivate your audience but also improve your video’s discoverability.
2. Utilise Custom Thumbnails
First impressions count, and on YouTube, your video’s thumbnail is the first thing users see. Create custom thumbnails that are visually appealing, clearly represent the video content, and are consistent with your brand. A compelling thumbnail can significantly increase the click-through rate and attract more viewers to your videos.
Sometimes having the title of the video as your thumbnail makes it super easy
for people to know if it’s a video they want to watch.
3. Leverage YouTube Cards and End Screens
Engagement is key to YouTube success. Use YouTube Cards to link to related content, products, or your website within your video. Additionally, implement End Screens to encourage viewers to subscribe, watch more videos, or visit your website. These interactive elements keep your audience engaged and increase the likelihood of them taking desired actions.
4. Optimise Video Tags
Tags play a crucial role in helping YouTube understand your video’s content. Choose relevant and specific tags that accurately describe your video. This not only aids in categorising your content but also contributes to improved search rankings. Consistent and accurate tagging enhances the discoverability of your videos, reaching a wider audience.
5. Create Playlists for Increased Visibility
Organise your videos into playlists based on themes, topics, or series. Playlists contribute to longer watch times and keep viewers engaged on your channel. YouTube algorithms favour channels with higher watch times, leading to improved visibility and ranking in search results.
6. Engage with Your Audience through Comments
Building a community around your channel is essential for long-term success. Respond to comments on your videos promptly, fostering a sense of connection with your audience. Encourage discussions, ask for feedback, and incorporate viewer suggestions into your future content. Engaging with your audience not only improves user experience but also signals to YouTube that your content is valuable.
7. Take Advantage of YouTube Analytics
YouTube provides robust analytics tools that can offer valuable insights into your audience’s behaviour. Analyse metrics such as watch-through rates, click-through rates, and audience demographics. Use this information to refine your content strategy, identify popular topics, and understand your audience better. Informed decisions based on analytics can significantly boost the effectiveness of your YouTube marketing efforts.
8. Collaborate with Influencers and Cross-Promote
Collaborations can exponentially expand your reach. Identify influencers or businesses in your niche and collaborate on content. This cross-promotion introduces your channel to a new audience, increasing visibility and potential subscribers. Ensure that collaborations align with your brand and provide mutual benefits to all parties involved.
9. Implement Closed Captions for Accessibility and SEO
Adding closed captions not only makes your content more accessible to a broader audience, including those with hearing impairments, but also enhances your video’s SEO. YouTube uses closed captions to understand the content of your video, contributing to better search rankings. Utilise YouTube’s automatic captioning or upload your own for accurate and optimised results.
10. Share Videos on Social Media and Embed on Your Website
Extend the reach of your videos beyond YouTube by sharing them on your social media channels. This not only promotes engagement on multiple platforms but also directs traffic back to your YouTube channel. Additionally, embed your videos on your website to keep visitors engaged and encourage them to explore more of your content. A cohesive online presence across platforms enhances your brand’s overall visibility.
Summary
In the increasing competitive digital landscape, really unleashing the power of YouTube is a great move for SMEs with smaller marketing teams or limited marketing budgets. By implementing these ten practical tips, you can optimise your video content for maximum visibility, engagement, and SEO success. Remember, consistency is key, so continue refining your approach based on the analytics that you can interrogate as well as the feedback you get from your audience in the form of comments, likes, dislikes, shares and direct discussions. There is some trial and error to any strategy such as this, which of course involves some investment of time, resource and capital, but stick with it and you should enjoy the rewards. After all have a look at your competitors and see if they are implementing a video strategy. If they are and it’s going well, you can just copy what they do and improve on some points. If they’re doing it and doing it badly, you already know what not to do. But if they’re not doing video marketing at all…well that seems like a pretty good opportunity for you and your business to talk to the whole market in a new and innovate way.
And of course that we can help with that! Just get in touch on 0203 411 6617 or e-mail hello@squaredaisy.com
We also have a very handy guide, which is a couple of years old now, but highlights the above in PDF form, so please feel free to download and share amongst your teams. Download here.
