With 2 billion unique monthly users, YouTube is not only the most popular platform people turn to for video content but also the most visited site after Google. As a matter of fact, 78% of marketers regard YouTube as the most powerful platform for video marketing. With over 60% of consumers more likely to buy a product with a video description and users spending 90% longer time on video containing pages over text, it’s not hard to see why video marketing is on the rise.
Whether you run a hotel or retail store, YouTube remains a goldmine in the traffic department. The following features can help you unlock higher ROI on your YouTube marketing investment.
1. YouTube Live
If stories capture the attention of your audience, YouTube Live can be even more magnetic. According to a Livestream report, viewers spend 8 fold more time watching live content than they do pre-recorded videos. The reason is not far-fetched; consumers want to connect real-time with their choice brand, ask questions and get feedback on the spot. This builds a sense of customer importance, value and trust, all of which are central to the growth of any business. The YouTube Live feature brings you closer to your audience than traditional video content would, so if you’re not already making use of it, it’s time to get started doing so.
2. YouTube Stories
Joining the train of other social media platforms, YouTube has its own unique “stories” feature. On YouTube, content creators can publish short videos that expire in 7 days. What more? you can also include text, filters, stickers and links in your video before publishing your story. In contrast to other platforms, however, you need to qualify to use YouTube’s stories feature. Only accounts with over 10,000 subscribers can opt in. If you do manage to build a substantial following, the YouTube stories feature can only come in handy in engaging and communicating your brand to your target market.
3. YouTube Ads
While optimizing video title and descriptions can help boost organic visibility, ads remain a staple for wider audience reach. It’s no different marketing on YouTube. YouTube ads come in varying formats; homepage Trueview Discovery Ads, 6-second bumper Ads, overlay Ads, display Ads, skippable in-stream Ads, and sponsored cards. While 29% of marketers consider pre-roll skippable ads the most effective, testing these formats will provide insights on what works best and what doesn’t, and thus help you make the right decision for your brand.
4. The comments section
The comments section is where your viewers go to for suggestions and feedback on your content, so keeping tabs on it is important. Replying to enquiries and feedback will further make views feel more connected to your brand, which is what you want to expand growth and increase your base of loyal customers.
5. Search engine system
When people look up information on search, video results almost always show up, with YouTube accounting for almost 90% of these videos. And so if you’re aware of what your audience are actively searching for, optimizing your video contents for their search intent is what you want. Since changing algorithms can make it a bit mazy to power your content to the top of video results, it only makes sense to monitor the platform and finesse your video marketing strategy to boost your chances of success.