How To Promote Your Business on YouTube

The thoughts I share are based on what I see with clients videos.  The focus will be on a simple search change made by Google related to Views vs. Length of Time a Video is watched.  Read about this change.

Most small business are only concerned with local business and search is geared to local..  This means the energy/efforts for a small business is branding and finding ways for consumers/clients to find the front door.  Mobile devices are the meet point.

I wished I could tell you I have all these expert titles on SEO and I have the secret..I do not.
Still though I can share with  you what is happening and the surprise results.  My efforts to help small business is based on short video clips how to's, demos, intro's and very short stories.  Several years ago I noticed very few production companies were helping small business understand how to use video online.  Once I discovered this gap I developed my first video package and named  the "Video 6 Pack".

Once I meet with a client I recommend the following.  If you want to brand your business using video online I suggest the following.  Make sure these social networks are part of your tools. Website for your business Twitter, Facebook Personal and Business Page, Linkedin, Google +, YouTube and  Pinterest.  Consider a dashboard like hootsuite or tweetdeck.   Set up a Constant Contact or one of the email marketing sites.  Start a blog.

Your local business is now set up to begin your journey using online video.  YouTube is adding some fantastic tools and part of working with a client is first customizing the channel and teaching clients "how to" utilize all the tools.

Once you have some videos the next step is pushing these out to your social networks.  You can help your cause by asking folks to "help" you.  A good intro to help share..My new video please share with others who you think could benefit using my business/service..  The key is activity keep pushing your videos to your social networks.  Make sure you embed Video/Video's on your website.

Not sure what Video's?  Take five of your most ask questions by your customers/clients about your business and convert to video.

I manage lots of small business YouTube channels and those local business are doing well in search results.  My secret..follow Google rules proper titles designed for local search.  Make sure you describe your video and link your website in description box.  Add proper Keywords ( tags) and make sure they relate to video.  Share  video's. YouTube continues adding very nice tools.  If you want to keep up with YouTube set up a Google Alert or follow the Google YouTube blog

How can your small business benefit using video online?  Establish how to clips,   demos and have a nice intro video.  Start sharing and direct folks to subscribe to your YouTube channel. Comment others videos and share.  They will  do the same.  Ask folks for help  introducing  your videos on their social networks. Once a week share a video ( new) or update one to your social networks.  Embed video on your website, blogs and newsletters.  Trends for Small Business Video Online.

Every time you can like, share, 1+,  comment and  tweet  those folks will return the favor.  I like to post trends about online video in my tweets to build the case for  "why" what I do.

I help small business owners with cost effective branding using video online.  Keep your business video's short and compelling be creative and remember length watched is better for search then views.

7 Dumb Moves Small Business Do With Video Online Using YouTube

Why these Dumb Moves Will Not Help Your Business Video Online Using YouTube.

1. You have a YouTube channel  and never share your videos to your social networks.    Never learned  the tools on "your" YouTube channel.  Learn the basic Share (Social Networks), Email, Playlist and Embed.  
2. You leave the file extension on your YouTube Video Title.  Make sure the  title is properly worded for search.  Recently noticed company name on title.  People look for products, services and lots of "How To"  Take time and search what people search for related to your service or product.  Built your title for search.  Take off that file extension!  
3. When you embed the video using the code on YouTube make sure you scroll down once you click embed and take the "Check Mark" out of the box "play related video".  Do you want your  competitors videos playing on your website right after yours?  Hopefully they will send you a thank you card.  
4. Make sure and  add a Logo to Front and End of Video and add your URL website on Video. Having this on your video looks better and keeping your website as a subtitle might mean a visit to your website and remember indexing will find the subtitle.   
5. The Description Box where you enter what the video is about.  The very first item?  Your website.  You are required to enter http://www.yourcompany.com.  Imagine your customers having the ability to click through to your website. The last video I watched simply said "Cool Video" which means wasted space.  Write what the video is about.  Tell me your service areas.. Contact phone number. Give me reasons to call you, email or visit your website.
6. Tags and keywords need be simple and do the point.  Type in Google search and see how folks are searching for your product or service.  See what folks type related to your business. Use a Keyword  Tools service and do your research.  
7. Create your profile on your YouTube channel.  YouTube makes changes all the time to help support your efforts.  Add website link and social network links.  Go back to video editor and improve titles and click advanced settings and locate your video.  Customize your background, , learn how to create playlist for part 1, part 2 etc..  Add some annotations to your video.  

These are some very simple ways to improve your YouTube videos.  Other items can be tweaked. Make sure your asking folks to subscribe.  We hear about viral Video all the time.  Focus on learning  "how to brand" your business in your Local Market.   Watch your competitor's videos learn and see what they do.  Look at each video as a "mini website" .  Spend 1 hour per day sharing and asking folks to help share your business using "Inbound Marketing".  Activity rules.. keep adding video.  I have a local Home Inspector with 83 videos we are editing 50 more for his channel.