Virtual tips for the savvy business owner!

Admit it, you’re as addicted to watching videos on YouTube as I am. There’s something fascinating about being able glimpse into the lives of others through millions of video snippets. There’s another reason, though, to get acquainted with YouTube. Smart Internet marketers are taking advantage of the site’s global audience to increase exposure to their products.

That may sound like something that’s out of your reach, but adding your videos to YouTube is really quite simple. Members log in and click the Upload button to access the tools they need. They can add titles, descriptions and tags as well as categorizing their videos, to make them easier to find by YouTube visitors.

But why, you might be wondering, would a business need a presence on YouTube? There are so many good reasons, but let’s talk about two for now. The first way a business can benefit from establishing themselves on YouTube is that it creates a world-wide trade show audience. For example, if you sell kitchen tools, and have had someone record a live demonstration, why not boost your exposure exponentially by adding your demo video to YouTube? You’d be amazed how many people are searching the site for information about products and services. Some customers, after all, are visual and prefer to watch product demonstrations rather than read website copy.

Another reason to take the YouTube plunge is that it offers a forum for establishing yourself as an expert. If, for example, you’re an authority on building retirement portfolios, you probably speak to groups to generate clients. Have someone videotape your presentation and add it to YouTube. After all, you’re providing useful information, so why confine it to a local audience?

No matter how you decide to use YouTube videos in your marketing, their built-in tools make it easy. Either Upload your own videos, or use their QuickCapture function with your webcam to create videos on the fly.

Try your hand at adding some of your product-related videos to YouTube. Experiment with tagging and categories to increase your searchability. By building your video portfolio, your company can capture the imagination of the YouTube generation.

Filed under: Online Social Networking, Technology Tips, Website Optimization, online marketing