In today’s digital age, YouTube is no longer just a platform for entertainment and fun — it is now a powerful tool for businesses to increase visibility and build their brand. With nearly two billion monthly active users and the highest engagement rate out of all social media channels, YouTube has the potential to transform any business. From developing custom content to creating engaging campaigns, YouTube is an invaluable asset for any business looking to increase its reach and visibility.
Creating unique and powerful YouTube content may feel intimidating for small businesses that lack funds or professional equipment. It is not that difficult to learn how to create enticing content, though. Small businesses can create engaging videos by utilizing resources such as storyboards, scripting, editing, and design fundamentals. Leveraging YouTube to expand your business and establish yourself as an expert in your industry is certainly achievable, much like it has been for countless others.
How can YouTube help my business?
YouTube can be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes and industries. Here are some of the ways that businesses can use this platform:
#1.Marketing and Branding: YouTube provides a powerful platform for businesses to create and share videos that promote their products or services and reinforce their brand identities. They can additionally optimize their reach and attract a broader audience by incorporating relevant keywords and tags.
#2. Customer Engagement: By creating videos that provide information or entertainment, businesses can engage with their customers and build a community around their brand. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business.
#3. Education and Training: Businesses can use YouTube to create and share instructional videos that help customers learn how to use a product or service. Videos can also be created and used for training staff on new processes or procedures.
#4. Sales: Some businesses use YouTube to showcase their products or services in action, which can help potential customers understand how they work and why they might be valuable.
#5. Recruitment: YouTube can be a helpful tool for organizations wanting to attract new employees by showing their corporate culture and values.
YouTube is used by many types of organizations, from small start-ups to major corporations. Here are a few examples of businesses that use YouTube (and how they use it):
Beauty and fashion brands showcase their products, provide makeup tutorials, and share fashion tips.
Technology companies demonstrate new products and highlight the latest advancements in their field. A great example of this is Verto360. Check out their YouTube channel for project profiles, and more on how they are building the future of construction – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwTvmbJ8zko&t=4s
Food and beverage companies display their products, share recipes, and provide cooking tutorials.
Non-profit organizations raise awareness about their cause, share success stories, and attract donations.
Educational institutions provide lectures, tutorials, and other educational content to students around the world.
Consulting services. Check out how attorney, Leonard F. Baer, is using YouTube to share information about his service, SuddenlySolo1, which assists people who have recently lost a spouse or partner. Click here to watch his video that introduces SuddenlySolo1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuUI-qOqEsg&t=222s
The pros of using YouTube as a business.
There are various advantages for businesses that use YouTube in their sales and marketing toolkit, including the following:
Large Audience: YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users, which means there is a vast potential audience for your business to reach.
Low Cost: Creating a YouTube channel is completely free, and you may produce video content with little more than a smartphone or a simple camera. As a result, it is an excellent low-cost option for small businesses.
Branding: YouTube offers a popular platform to showcase your business’s brand, values, and personality. You can create unique and engaging content that helps to establish your brand identity and connect with your audience.
Traffic: YouTube videos can be embedded into websites and shared on social media platforms, increasing traffic to your site and other online channels.
Analytics: YouTube provides valuable analytic data that can help businesses understand their audience better, including demographics, engagement rates, and traffic sources.
Revenue: Businesses can monetize their YouTube content through ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales, which can provide an additional source of revenue.
But what are the cons?
There are some potential cons to using YouTube as a business platform. Here are a few:
Platform Dependence: Relying only on YouTube as your primary channel can be problematic because it is a third-party site over which you have no control. Changes to YouTube’s regulations or algorithms might have a significant impact on your business.
Revenue Sharing: While you can monetize your YouTube channel through ads and sponsorships, YouTube takes a 45% cut of your revenue. This means you have less control over how much money you make from your content.
Competition: The competition on YouTube is fierce, and it can be challenging to stand out among the millions of other content creators on the platform. This means that it can take a long time to build a substantial audience and grow your business.
Content Restrictions: YouTube has strict guidelines around the type of content that can be published on the platform. If your business’s content doesn’t adhere to these guidelines, your channel may be demonetized or even removed.
These are just a few of the potential cons of using YouTube as a business platform. However, with careful planning and strategy, many businesses have been able to build successful brands on the platform.
What do I need to know to prepare for using YouTube?
You’ve probably gathered by now that a well-managed YouTube channel can be a splendid platform to engage with your target audience, create leads, and increase sales. But, with so much competition out there, how can you stand out? Here are some tips to help you begin.
Start with a plan. To be successful on YouTube, you’ll need a plan. Start by setting goals and figuring out what your audience likes. Establish a schedule and experiment with different types of videos to see what works. Create engaging content that’s informative, entertaining, and authentic. Use humour, storytelling, and visuals to keep viewers interested. With a smart strategy, your YouTube channel can help your business grow.
Craft compelling content and maintain a regular posting schedule. To do well on YouTube, you must develop engaging content and share it consistently like you would for any other social media platform for your brand.
Posting on a regular schedule keeps your audience coming back for more and helps the YouTube algorithm. Create and maintain a content calendar with high-quality content that fits your brand. Consistent posting attracts new viewers and builds a loyal audience. With engaging content, consistent posting, and a solid audience, you can promote your channel and grow your presence on YouTube.
TIP:To ensure your content is consistent from the get-go, consider making 5-10 videos before you begin posting.
Promote your channel. To get more views and attract new viewers to your YouTube channel, you need to promote it. Before you promote, make sure your content is consistent, high-quality, and matches your branding. You can promote your channel by cross-promoting on social media, collaborating with other creators, and using targeted advertising.
Interact with your audience. By creating a rapport with your viewers, you can begin building a loyal group of followers on YouTube. Interacting with them is one of the most effective ways to achieve this. And finally, remember to always be genuine, engaging, and responsive.
Over to you!
Are you ready to take your business to the next level with YouTube? YouTube is an excellent tool for getting your organization’s name out there, building trust, and engaging with customers. When done effectively, it may also be a powerful tool for reaching, informing, and entertaining new audiences. So, if you’re ready to expand your business and a larger online presence, consider giving YouTube a try!
Social media has become a significant part of our everyday lives. It allows us to stay in touch with friends and family, keep up with current events, express ourselves, and more. But despite all its benefits, social media can also have a negative impact on our mental health.
What kind of influence does social media have?
Whether you’re new to social media or have been using it for a while, you’ve probably heard a lot about its potential negative impact on mental health.
For example, social media provides numerous ways to compare yourself to others. People tend to present flawless versions of their lives on social media. Virtually, they can showcase their greatest accomplishments and carefully curated photos. When others believe their lives aren’t as perfect as those of their “friends,” it can lead to feelings of loneliness, inadequacy, depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
Social media can also contribute to the development of addictive behaviors. Spending too much time scrolling through social media feeds can interfere with daily activities and responsibilities, leading to sleep disruption, decreased productivity, and increased stress levels. Additionally, the constant need for validation and attention from likes, comments, and followers can lead to an unhealthy obsession with one’s online presence.
Despite these undesirable effects, there are ways to reduce the negative impacts of social media on our mental health. Here are a few suggestions:
Set boundaries. Limit the amount of time you spend on social media each day and avoid checking your accounts before bedtime to prevent disrupted sleep patterns.
Be mindful of your content. Consider the impact your posts may have on others and avoid sharing content that could be hurtful or triggering.
Take breaks. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or stressed, step away from social media for a while and engage in other activities.
Connect with friends and family in real life. Spending time with loved ones can help counteract the negative effects of social media and improve your overall mental health.
The flip side – social media’s positive effects
Despite the common perception that social media only negatively affects our mental health, it can actually have positive effects when used appropriately. Let’s take a closer look at how social media can enhance our mental well-being.
#1. Connection and Support
One of the most significant benefits of social media is its ability to connect us with others. Social media provides opportunities to maintain relationships with friends and family, form connections with individuals who share our interests and passions and even join online groups and forums that offer encouragement and support. For those who are facing mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or stress, this sense of connection and support can be of great benefit.
#2. Raising Awareness and Breaking Stigma
Social media continues to play a significant role in raising awareness about mental health and reducing stigma. Individuals and organizations are using social media to make discussions about mental health more common and acceptable by sharing personal experiences, information, and resources. As a result, more people are seeking help and support for their mental health needs, along with more open and accepting conversations about mental health.
Bell Canada’s annual campaign, Bell Let’s Talk, is one of the most well-known, and it aims to raise mental health awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
#3. Access to Resources and Information
Social media offers convenient access to a wealth of information and resources related to mental health. From educational content such as articles and videos to online therapy and support groups, the internet is full of resources that can help enhance our mental well-being. With a few clicks, we can access information, support, and resources that can aid in improving our understanding and management of our mental health. Organizations like London’s MLHU have been able to get important health updates out to masses of people, as we saw during the pandemic.
#4. Creative Outlet
Finally, social media can provide a creative outlet for people who wish to express themselves. Through platforms such as writing, photography, and art, social media lets us share our interests and hobbies with the world. This can especially benefit those coping with mental health challenges since it offers a distraction from negative thoughts and a positive means of expression.
Over to you
While social media can be a powerful tool for connecting and self-expression, we must be aware of its potential impact on our mental health. We can minimize the negative effects of social media while reaping the benefits by setting boundaries, being mindful of our content, and seeking real-life connections.
Why is marketing important? A primary benefit of marketing for your company is that it engages customers (current and potential) and helps them decide whether to purchase your goods or services. Without marketing, your potential customers may never know about your business.
Even though marketing is crucial, business owners frequently slash it first when recessionary worries are pervasive. You might be surprised to learn that reducing your marketing spending during a downturn is one of the worst things you can do for the long-term success of your company. You are putting your company at risk of losing market share, even if it might initially seem like the appropriate decision.
Let’s dispel a few of the most widespread myths about marketing.
#1. I don’t need to do any marketing because I’m so busy and have plenty of clients already. This is a myth because marketing must be consistent, and the pendulum can swing the other way at any time. For example, if your primary marketing strategy involves billboards, don’t suddenly disappear! Consider your current strategy – are you mostly online or in printed marketing material? If you are investing in a good social media program, remember that social media is all about connecting and staying connected. This is a social marketing strategy and effective to keep and grow relationships.
Think of it this way. You’re too preoccupied to socialize right now. But what about in 6-12 months when you aren’t as busy? Without nurturing and connecting, your relationships will have faded, and you’ll be scrambling to re-establish yourself in the minds of your customers, spending a lot of time (and money) trying to reconnect.
#2. I need to save money, and marketing is an unnecessary expense. Marketing is more than just an expense. It is a primary source of revenue for most successful companies. One of your company’s objectives is to generate a certain amount of revenue.
During a recession, it is more important than ever to remember that loyal customers are the most reliable and long-term source of cash flow and organic growth. Marketing is not an option; it is a priceless “expense” that is a must for helping to continue generating revenue.
If you spend your marketing dollars wisely and consistently, you will always be the first business that comes to mind when a customer needs your products or services. If you reduce your marketing, someone else’s business will be the first to come to mind. When something is out of sight, it is out of mind.
#3. I have my own website. Someone will find me if they want to. Ask yourself these questions: How will people find you if you only have a URL and a website? How do you get people to visit your website? SEO alone will not result in a sale. You must have an online presence in more than one location – the internet is a traffic jam.
As we mentioned in a previous blog post, social media provides a ton of opportunity for engagement, allowing you to rapidly react to and reply to customer comments and queries, as well as urge followers to visit your website for more information. Using social media to enhance the human aspect of your business generates an emotional connection, which builds relationships and nurtures trust and loyalty.
#4. For referrals, I only need word of mouth. Without a doubt, word-of-mouth marketing has numerous benefits. When satisfied customers enthusiastically recommend your company to their friends and family, it helps grow your business.
It’s crucial to keep in mind, however, that many people in today’s culture conduct their own research before even contacting a service provider or making a purchase! Marketing plays a significant role in increasing customer satisfaction as well as boosting awareness and loyalty for your company.
It is beneficial to align good customer service with your marketing efforts to achieve your company’s long-term objectives. Excellent customer service may encourage someone to leave an online review and getting more positive reviews increases a company’s credibility. Remember, much of today’s “word-of-mouth” happens online!
Social media marketing is invaluable for boosting your business’s reputation as well. Simply listening and responding to posts about your company on social media can help you improve customer satisfaction. Businesses that communicate with their customers can increase customer loyalty.
#5. I can handle it myself. You realize the necessity and value of marketing. However, most people believe that social media is as simple as creating an eye-catching post. Be warned: this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Customers may stop following your social media profiles if you don’t create engaging and unique content. A good mix of blog posts, videos, GIFs, customized graphics, and curated content (content from reliable sources that you want to share) will keep your content fresh and engaging. Your content should be closely related to your overall marketing goal.
Many businesses struggle to create engaging content that reaches their target audience consistently. To promote your products or services, build a community within your target audience, and drive traffic to your website, it takes time and patience to thoroughly research and then create or curate content for social media platforms. An effective social media marketing plan should involve strategic planning, proofreading, and editing before any content goes out on your social media platforms. Choosing which platforms to publish on should also be researched.
We can help you develop and execute a social media plan that works for your business. For more information or contact us online. We’d be happy to email you our guide to planning your social media strategy.
Over to you
A recession can be worrisome, especially for small businesses. However, it can also provide a unique opportunity for them to focus more than ever on their marketing strategy and gain a competitive advantage. Those companies that continue to market themselves during a recession will remain at the top of the minds of their customers. When customers require immediate assistance, they’ll know where to go.
Establishing social media marketing goals is an important step in growing your business. Having an active and engaging social media presence is an important tool to invite customers to contact you. Social media platforms play a role in identifying and directing interested potential customers to your website and that is invaluable to any growing business.
Here are three major reasons why social media should be a non-negotiable component of your business’ marketing, brand communications, and online presence strategy:
1. Social media provides the same opportunity for brand visibility, regardless of the size of your company.
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from social media’s levelling effect. Each is given the same amount of online space, as well as the same options for using appropriate and successful keywords, verbiage, eye-catching images and ads to reach their audiences online, regardless of its size or revenue.
By making it easy to display your brand and offerings online, social media platforms provide one of the most effective marketing and communications strategies for your business. What’s even better? Social media is an inexpensive and convenient way to highlight a company’s online presence. This is especially good news for smaller businesses with limited marketing resources. When users are asking their social media community for recommendations, your business is easy to find, to tag and to recommend!
2. Let’s Talk About Social Listening
Businesses that use social media to listen online rather than only broadcasting all the time will find the platforms are extremely beneficial. Social Listening helps a company gain firsthand knowledge of the issues that are important to their audience and future clients. This information then helps them make decisions, take effective action, and make a positive impact.
As well, businesses are more likely to gain their audience’s trust and loyalty when they remember that social media communication requires both engaging with and listening to their audience! Businesses that consistently concentrate on developing genuine relationships with their followers may end up closing more deals than they would have done by sales calls and advertising alone.
3. Social media improves your company’s visibility, both online and off.
Every day, social media assists companies in enhancing not only their online presence but their offline presence as well. In many cases, a large percentage of consumers conduct online research on potential purchases before making a final purchasing decision. If you want to attract these potential customers, you must strengthen your online presence by creating and maintaining your business social media platforms.
Establishing social media marketing goals is an important step in growing your business. Having an active and engaging social media presence is an important tool to invite customers to contact you. Social media platforms play a role in identifying and directing interested potential customers to your website and that is invaluable to any growing business.
Here are three major reasons why social media should be a non-negotiable component of your business’ marketing, brand communications, and online presence strategy:
1. Social media provides the same opportunity for brand visibility, regardless of the size of your company.
Businesses of all sizes can benefit from social media’s levelling effect. Each is given the same amount of online space, as well as the same options for using appropriate and successful keywords, verbiage, eye-catching images and ads to reach their audiences online, regardless of its size or revenue.
By making it easy to display your brand and offerings online, social media platforms provide one of the most effective marketing and communications strategies for your business. What’s even better? Social media is an inexpensive and convenient way to highlight a company’s online presence. This is especially good news for smaller businesses with limited marketing resources. When users are asking their social media community for recommendations, your business is easy to find, to tag and to recommend!
2. Let’s Talk About Social Listening
Businesses that use social media to listen online rather than only broadcasting all the time will find the platforms are extremely beneficial. Social Listening helps a company gain firsthand knowledge of the issues that are important to their audience and future clients. This information then helps them make decisions, take effective action, and make a positive impact.
As well, businesses are more likely to gain their audience’s trust and loyalty when they remember that social media communication requires both engaging with and listening to their audience! Businesses that consistently concentrate on developing genuine relationships with their followers may end up closing more deals than they would have done by sales calls and advertising alone.
3. Social media improves your company’s visibility, both online and off.
Every day, social media assists companies in enhancing not only their online presence but their offline presence as well. In many cases, a large percentage of consumers conduct online research on potential purchases before making a final purchasing decision. If you want to attract these potential customers, you must strengthen your online presence by creating and maintaining your business social media platforms.
Over to you
Are you ready to incorporate social media into your business’ marketing strategy and improve your brand’s marketing and communication strategies? MYOB is here to support you in your social media marketing.
Do you want to increase the visibility of your brand on social media? Are you dissatisfied with the amount of engagement you’re currently receiving on social media? Running giveaways through social media is one of the best ways to get your products or services in front of new customers. People LOVE free stuff, so giveaways create a win-win situation for both you and your followers. They get something for free and you’re able to promote your business. Here’s what you need to know.
What Exactly Is a Social Media Giveaway?
In exchange for a chance to win a prize, brands, influencers, and businesses encourage their followers to complete a task on social media, such as tagging friends, following accounts, liking, or sharing posts. Because winners are selected randomly with no purchase required, everyone who enters the giveaway has the same chance of winning.
The Advantages of Holding a Giveaway
Running a social media giveaway is an excellent way to boost traffic to your website, gain followers, and increase business. Here are just a few of the advantages of holding giveaways.
#1.Expand your clientele. Giveaways can help increase client engagement and grow your client base. Giveaways also have the potential to attract new readers who will visit your website. You’ll have more chances to interact with potential customers on social media and build strong relationships with them! Views are fantastic, of course. However, engagements are a sign that you’re developing long-lasting client relationships.
#2. Increase customer loyalty and brand awareness. Social media giveaways may help boost brand awareness and client loyalty for businesses of all sizes. If you provide exciting prizes and opportunities, your followers will be interested in hearing about more in the future. Invite them to stay tuned!
#3. Boost the number of people who see your products or services. Giveaways allow you to market your business while introducing more people to your offerings. Instead of just giving something away for free, you can offer any product (or service) you want as part of a giveaway. Then, after the giveaway ends, you’ll have a new customer who is already acquainted with your business and what it offers.
How To Manage a Social Media Giveaway
Now that you’re aware of the benefits, let’s go over the steps for launching a social media giveaway. Sprout Social recommends the following steps for giveaway success:
Decide whether you want to gain more social media followers, generate more leads, keep customers, or raise brand awareness. Have a giveaway that fits your goal.
Set a budget and a prize or prizes.
Remember to keep your target audience in mind when selecting a social media platform for your giveaway.
Planning, then conducting your giveaway are the next steps.
After the giveaway is over, take some time to consider your results and decide whether you succeeded in achieving your original goals.
Be sure to review the rules surrounding giveaways on the platform you are choosing. One important no-no on Facebook and Instagram is that you may not ask people to share things to their personal pages as part of an entry requirement. You can, however, offer this option as a bonus entry. It is important to note that you will not be notified or able to see a share from anyone who has a private profile.
Over to You
There are so many ways to conduct a social media giveaway, and each one has advantages from a strategic standpoint for your small business. More importantly, your customers are enjoying themselves while you’re having a good time, too. Launch a social media giveaway, and let the fun begin!
Keep an eye on our MYOB social channels for some upcoming giveaways!
Social media is all about interacting with others, especially as a business. Your goals should include engaging with customers, building relationships, and staying at the forefront of their minds. That is how you achieve repeat and referral business. Using proper social media etiquette is just as important as the other elements of content creation and engagement. Here are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to acing social media etiquette.
Separate Your Personal and Business Accounts
Most people primarily use social media to stay in touch with friends and family. Of course, many businesses use social media to raise brand awareness, drive traffic to their websites, and even generate sales. Perhaps you find it annoying when friends use their personal accounts to promote their businesses. By running separate accounts for your business, you are respecting your friends who are only interested in what’s going on with you. On the other hand, using your business account for personal use could make your company appear unprofessional.
Avoid Misrepresenting Your Company
There are many good reasons for a business to establish a positive social media presence, such as reputation management, growing a base of devoted customers, and gathering feedback. However, it is critical that you represent your company openly and honestly online to build trust with your audience. Even seemingly minor embellishments to make your company appear better can cast significant doubt on the overall integrity of your business.
Respond Mindfully
It makes sense that you may get annoyed if someone disrespects your business or leaves a negative review on your social media channels. But keep in mind that you are speaking for your organization before you react and respond. An explosive or negative response could give prospective clients an unfavourable impression of your business. Before responding, take some time to collect your thoughts. Remember to be as gracious and kind as you can when handling critical feedback. Making that extra effort helps to build and maintain trust with current and prospective customers.
Refrain From Sharing Too Many Posts
Regardless of your social media goals, delivering value to your audience should be top of the list. Some businesses make the error of thinking what is valuable to them is also valuable to their audience. As a result, they exclusively use their social media platforms for advertising and sales. Being informative versus annoying is key.
It matters how frequently you publish on social media, and your profiles may be affected in various ways depending on how often you share posts.
Neil Patel states it well in an article from Forbes:
“If you post too infrequently, your audience will forget that you exist and you will quickly fade into the deep dark recesses of their minds. However, if you are posting too often, you will become a complete nuisance and they will dread seeing your posts overcrowding their feed.”
Always Review Your Posts for Grammar and Spelling
This past April, we explored the topic of grammar in our blog post, “Grammar & Brand Messaging for Your Business.” We mentioned that improper grammar can completely affect the interpretation of what you are trying to communicate. In other words, your company’s overall message is at risk of being confusing and even completely misunderstood. Because business social media accounts are public, many more people can see any mistakes. Simply double-checking a post before you send it out can save you a lot of embarrassment!
Over To You
We hope these pointers will enable you to engage in more fulfilling social media interactions. Are there any you would add? Please keep in mind that if you need help creating and managing social media for your business, we are available to help.
