YouTube is considered the second-largest search engine in the world after Google. The video-sharing platform entertains billions of users daily with short and long-form content from influencers and brands. If your content strategy includes tutorials, processes, or frequently asked questions, you need to use YouTube. Our YouTube video marketing guide is here to make your content strategizing easier. 

 

Developing Your Content Strategy

A content strategy is like a multi-layer cake. It is comprised of several layers, and each layer contains another level of detail that is essential to creating an appealing, eye-catching brand. Below, we give a quick overview of the six most important layers to include in your content strategy:

Define Your Goals

You may have noticed a common theme throughout our Social Media Best Practices Series, and that is to define your goals! A content strategy isn’t complete without specific, measurable, and attainable goals. Consider what you want to achieve through your YouTube channel. Is it to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, or engage with your audience? Clearly outlining your goals will provide direction and shape your content strategy accordingly.

Understand Your Target Audience

Don’t skip this step! Every social media platform runs on a different algorithm, so what works for your target audience on one platform won’t work for you on another. Gather insights into your ideal customer’s demographics, interests, and preferences. Pay attention to who they are watching and what kind of video marketing appeals to them. This knowledge will help you effectively tailor your content to meet their needs and preferences.

Plan Your Content Calendar

Consistency is vital to executing a successful YouTube content strategy. Develop a content calendar outlining video topics and a publishing schedule. Brainstorming content ahead of time will help you engage your audience and maintain regular posting. Keep a running list of content ideas as you watch other creators and do your research.

Craft Engaging and Valuable Content

YouTube viewers are hungry for valuable content that educates, entertains, or solves their problems. Focus on creating videos that provide value to your target audience, solve their pain points, and demonstrate your industry knowledge. This could include tutorials, product demonstrations, industry insights, behind-the-scenes content, or customer success stories. Consider using narrative marketing to connect with your viewers emotionally.

Run YouTube Ad Campaigns

If you want to increase your brand reach, try YouTube ads. YouTube offers customizable features to help you reach your target audience with banner or video ads. You can make your ad skippable or unskippable and include a CTA for viewers to sign up, visit your website, or book a call. YouTube uses Google Ads to operate its ad campaigns, so you will need a thorough understanding of that platform to create your ad strategy.

Try Influencer Marketing

Despite the rise of competitors like TikTok, YouTube remains a popular platform for influencer marketing. 70% of viewers have bought a product they saw featured on YouTube, and almost half of all United States marketers who use influencer marketing do it through YouTube. When looking for a creator to partner with, find someone who creates high-quality content, aligns with your brand, and caters to your target audience.  

 

Optimizing YouTube Videos with SEO

Once you have your content strategy, you must learn how to optimize your videos! Your audience won’t be able to easily find your channel if you don’t optimize your metadata for search results on YouTube and Google. You can use keyword tools that we’ve recommended previously with high search volume and low difficulty. Below is a list of metadata you need to fill out with keywords to optimize your content:

• Title – Your video’s title is the first thing viewers will read, so make sure it is compelling and keyword rich!
• Description – YouTube only displays the first few lines of your description when viewers first click on your video, so include your CTA at the top. The rest of the copy should drive views and engagement with related videos, hashtags, timestamps, or the video transcript.
• Tags – Choose the main keywords from your video and highlight them in tags. This associates your video with videos on similar topics. Your most important keywords should be tagged first, along with a mix of short and long-tail keywords.
• Category – YouTube sorts videos into categories that group your video with related content. You can select the category when you upload your video.
• Thumbnail – YouTube automatically generates a thumbnail for your video, but it is best to upload a custom thumbnail since this image heavily impacts the amount of engagement your video receives. Your thumbnail should be high quality and accurately display the video’s content.
• Subtitles & closed captions – Subtitles and closed captions allow another opportunity for you to optimize your video with keywords. You can use the automatic transcript created by YouTube or transcribe the video yourself.
• Cards and end screens – Cards are small notifications in the screen’s top right-hand corner. You can include up to five cards throughout your video linking to past videos, external sites, or polls. Your end screen appears at the end of the video and can display the same content. 
• Create playlists of videos with similar themes – These show up separately in the search results, making it easier for viewers to find your content related to their search.

Remember to regularly monitor YouTube analytics to learn what you need to adjust! You need that feedback to determine if your content is helping you meet your video marketing goals.

 

Creating Video Marketing Content That Sells

You can put various types of video content on your channel, but you shouldn’t try to do all of these at once. We suggest picking three different kinds of videos from the list below that will help you achieve your goals for video marketing:

• Customer testimonials – Testimonials add credibility to your brand and build trust with your audience. Consider recording a short interview highlighting your customer and how you solved their problem. 
• Product demonstration videos – These are beneficial if you get many questions about assembling or using a specific product.
• Tutorials – This is a great way to answer frequently asked questions about products, display new product features, or create “how to” videos on other topics relevant to your brand.
• Expert Interviews – Interview experts in your industry to hear their thoughts on relevant topics. This adds credibility to your brand and can widen your audience if your guest already has a YouTube channel.
• Case studies – Summarize a recent client project showing the before and after and demonstrate the value your brand brought to their situation.
• Video blogs – Create a video to pair with your blog content. You can take viewers along on a day in the life at your business, explain a complex topic with visuals, or share helpful tools.

A well-executed YouTube content strategy can be a game-changer for your business. By defining your goals, understanding your audience, planning your content, optimizing for search, and monitoring analytics, you can create a YouTube presence that strengthens your brand and meets your marketing goals. Remember, consistency, value, and engagement are the keys to success on YouTube. So, start implementing these strategies and watch your YouTube channel become a powerful marketing tool for your business.

YouTube video marketing can be overwhelming, but following these tips will help you increase brand awareness, foster trust, and build relationships with your audience and other creators. For more social media tips, check out the other blogs in our Social Media Best Practices series!