Are you using YouTube as a tool in your marketing program? Why not?
Google loves YouTube videos for search engine results. Ever notice how often a video tagged with the words you are searching is shown in the top 5 results?
If one of your marketing objectives is to increase your traffic to your website, then your strategy might be improve your ranking on the search engines for a certain keyword phrase and one of your action steps to get that done might be create a video that you distribute on YouTube with those keyword phrases.
In planning your 2011 budget, you are probably thinking, “How much will it cost?” I get asked that often. My answer is usually the all too familiar, “It depends.”
But it’s true.
Budgeting for a new YouTube video is similar to budgeting for a uilding a new office. Or developing a website. Or for leasing a car. Or creating a press kit.
Describe your vision first. You have to consider the desired outcome. Then determine the size, quality and complexity.
Is the purpose just to get noticed in the search engines? Or is the purpose to get noticed and to have potential clients impressed and nodding their heads when they view the video?
If you want to impress them, what can you afford? Will you do it yourself or have help? HD TV commercial quality? or Flip Camera technology?
If you are on a very tight budget consider turning jpg photos (like an old slide show) into a video. Maybe there is a keyword phrase that you can’t break into. Why don’t you try a short YouTube video made up of a few PowerPoint slides turned into JPG files that include your website address.
If you have more money to invest, consider a higher production quality by hiring a video company to do the filming and editing. Will you be writing/storyboarding the video yourself or have the help of a writer? Will you be the one to distribute the video or will you have help?
If you are the one who will post it on YouTube, create your channel first (your account) and put it in the business name. Consider branding it with your logo, your company colors and style to make it match your company’s brand.
When you upload the video, don’t forget to name it with your keyword phrase, tag it with the keyword phrase and use it in the YouTube description. And, be sure to use the HTTP:// as the first thing you type into your YouTube description. It makes it easy for someone to abandon the video at any time and click thru to your website.
Additional reading: Video Budgeting.
What budget amount will set aside in your 2011 marketing budget for video? What improvement to your marketing results will you expect in return?
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I’m considering a video for my company and hope that you continue to write more about this subject. Perhaps you can shadow a company that is producing a video and follow them along the whole process?
Neal:
I plan to write more about producing videos… They can be simple or elaborate, it’s up to you.
My company has produced several videos, both very simple and some TV quality. It gets down to budget and planning.
Thanks for commenting.
Chris
Chris- Thanks for the video information. I use a Flip camera and have posted blogs with some text and a video interview of a successful entrepreneur. I works really well, but I rarely think about keywords when i post a video on TECA TV (You Tube). Thanks for reminding me to pay more attention.