If there is one network that I bet you wish you were more active and popular on, my guess would be YouTube (how did I do?). Unless you're one of those Web workers that uses video predominantly, then you're probably just featuring a handful of videos on your brand or personal page. But that's just not enough - video is big (and growing) and deserves more of your attention.
There is no secret to producing successful YouTube videos, but there are some basics. If you ever plan on making dollar one from that digital content, you'll need to follow some basics.
- It's All About Views and Subscribers
Engaging content isn't a myth - you either produce it or you don't. If you don't know if you have engaging content or not - look no further than the number of views and subscribers to your channel. If you don't have any idea on how to create engaging content, ask you existing subscribers, or poach some ideas of the competition (assuming they are generating more views and have more subscribers).
- The Beginning Absolutely Matters
The importance of the first 15-20 seconds that your video makes on the user can not be overstated. This is your opportunity to make a connection with a user. Check out some of the most popular video producers on YouTube and you will consistently find exceedingly short introductions - like in the five to eight second range (if at all).
- Don't Go It Alone, Collaborate!
Marketing products and services is not unlike marketing anything. When you team up with others - let's call it collaboration - not only do you capture whatever views that partner was receiving but you'll likely attract a few new subscribers in the process. Reach out to your existing partners, users and maybe even competitors - but don't go it alone (at least not always).
- Just Optimize It, Please!
If you want your video to rank in YouTube's results, you'll need to do two things - get views and optimize the metadata around that video - including titles, descriptions, keywords (tags), and even geographic data. If you're not optimizing, chances are good that nobody is viewing.
YouTube needs to be a serious consideration for digital marketers. They are providing all the tools (including most recently translated captions - https://goo.gl/lVpNT) you need to accelerate your success, drive new visits and close more business.
