How to Use the Power of YouTube

Today, we're going to look at YouTube. With currently more than 2.5 billion global viewers in 2024, this social media video platform reigns supreme. Whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, educator or simply passionate about a specific niche, YouTube is great for building connections and a thriving online presence. In this newsletter edition, we explore strategies you can use to get eyes on your YouTube content.

1. Finding your niche

If you see that there's potential for attracting an audience on YouTube, then the first step is to plan your content. In order to do this, you have to identify your niche - a specific topic or area of expertise you'll focus on. This could be anything from cooking tutorials to tech reviews, financial advice to makeup tutorials. The range of topics is endless. By catering to a well-defined niche, you attract a targeted audience interested in your content.

Next, develop a content strategy that aligns with your niche and objectives. Will you create in-depth tutorials, engaging interviews or unboxing videos? Consider the format, length and frequency of your videos. And: remember to be consistent!

2. Optimising for discoverability

Like Google, YouTube has a robust search engine. Hardly surprising, seeing that YouTube is owned by Google! So to ensure your videos reach the right audience, optimise them for search by doing keyword research. Which are the relevant keywords your target audience uses? Briefly, don't underestimate YouTube when it comes to SEO.

Catchy thumbnails are equally important. They act as your video's cover photo, so create thumbnails that accurately represent your content and encourage viewers to click. Keep in mind that while clickbait thumbnails and titles attract attention and clicks, they also attract disappointment when people find out that the "value" of your videos does not correlate with the "packaging".

3. Engaging your audience

Creating great content is just one piece of the puzzle. As with all social media platforms, community-building is a must. Are viewers posting comments? What kind of comments? Are you responding to comments, answering questions and participating in discussions? Encourage viewers to like, subscribe and share your videos. Many YouTubers also make videos dedicated to frequently asked questions their audience posts in the comments. From what I've seen, these videos are wildly successful.

4. Playlists

Playlists are a powerful tool for organising your content and keeping viewers engaged for longer periods. Create playlists that group related videos together, like recipe tutorials by cuisine or do-it-yourself projects by skill level. Your viewers will be able to easily navigate your content and gain information on a specific topic. Furthermore, you can also decide if you want your playlists to be public (open to all viewers), private (for your eyes only) or unlisted (only people who have the link to your playlist can view it).

5. Monetisation and growth strategies

As your channel grows, you may consider monetisation options. YouTube offers various ways to generate revenue: ads, sponsorships, selling merchandise or channel memberships. However, first things first: prioritise building a loyal audience first before focusing solely on monetisation. To see when to choose a good time to start with monetisation strategies, explore YouTube Analytics to track your video performance, audience demographics and engagement metrics.

Conclusion

If you use YouTube strategically, you can connect with a wider audience and expand your professional network. Also, once you have posted your video, don't forget to link to it on other social media platforms, your website, newsletter and other channels.

The next newsletter will be out on Wednesday, 10th April 2024!