How to Use YouTube to Boost Your B2B Marketing Strategy

b2b marketing

The most popular video sharing website in the world offers much more than just funny viral videos. 72% of B2B marketing experts use YouTube to share educational content with other businesses. Recently, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram have all incorporated video sharing options, so what makes YouTube so special?

Why YouTube Videos Are Naturally the Most Engaging

The difference between YouTube and other social media websites is the way in which videos are distributed on the site. YouTube is the only one out of these four big social networks that does not rely on a “feed” system.

When a video is uploaded to a feed system, it’s shown to a certain amount of people for a limited amount of time. The people who see the video are chosen from an algorithm that measures the kind of contentViral+Youtube+viral those users want to see. YouTube, however, spreads video broadly through four tactics: sharing, suggesting, searching and subscribing.

A shared video is one that appears on another website through a link or embed option. Because no one needs an account to watch a YouTube video, YouTube is the best website to host syndicated content.

A suggested video is one found in the list of related videos on the sidebar of another video. When people find your video this way, they’re interested in your product because they’re already watching videos about similar products.

searched video is found through a search engine. After Google, YouTube is the second largest search engine. In addition, YouTube videos often appear in Google search results.

Your subscribers can easily receive a notification when you post a new video by simply allowing notifications on their subscriber list settings. These viewers are likely to be part of your target market and may spread videos to others in that market.  This can drive consistent traffic to your channel, so it’s important to encourage viewers to subscribe and click on notifications for your channel.

 

What Types of Videos Are Effective for B2B Marketing?

Happy-Young-Businessman

Keep in mind that promotional content is most effective for B2B marketing. But it’s also important to educate in addition to promoting. Other businesses want to learn as much as possible about you before working with you. There are a few different approaches to educating your viewers:

  1. Product demonstrations. These are educational videos that show in detail how your products are used. This short product demonstration from Volvo demonstrates how to drive a remote-controlled truck.
  2. Videos that showcase your business’s expertise. Showing a business why you are the company to sell the product you’re selling builds credibility. Check out this showcase video example from consultant firm Deloitte, which the company uses to recruit employees.
  3. Conduct educational interviews. A video produced by Red Clip, shows exactly how an interview adds personal elements to the education process.

How to Use YouTube’s Features to Optimize Your B2B Marketing Strategy

YouTube has an incredibly diverse set of features. For getting more traffic once your video is uploaded, check out the following tips:

  1. Use keywords. Choose a phrase for your title that viewers are likely to search, add relevant tags and include long descriptions under your video. These strategies will increase the chances of someone stumbling upon your video from a search engine.
  2. Post your YouTube videos on other websites. It never hurts to have the same video appear on your website or other social media websites, and it increases the chances of your video being seen.
  3. Highlight your brand in meaningful ways. This means establishing a presence, both professionally and personally. Upload a channel banner, put a logo in your profile picture, and engage with people who leave comments.
  4. Keep track of YouTube analytics. Videos that show up first in YouTube search results keep users on the site. These videos have high engagement rates, meaning users liked them, shared them, or watched them in their entirety. According to Forbes, executives prefer videos that are three to five minutes long. Once you start creating videos, it’s important to keep track of this information through analytics. That way, you know what’s working in terms of length, video style, and what audience you’re reaching.

Incorporating all of YouTube’s unique features into your B2B marketing plan can boost brand exposure and create exciting new business opportunities.