When YouTube exploded onto the scene a few years ago, few people realized that this highly popular video sharing service would emerge as a versatile, wildly successful marketing tool for businesses of all kinds. Aside from handy product demonstrations, businesses have discovered scores of other uses. And the best part… they’re all free.
Benefits abound. There are no bandwidth charges for featuring online videos like you get with a website. It’s easy to use. Anyone with basic PC skills can upload a video to YouTube in a matter of minutes. And because the viewing screen is relatively small, businesses don’t have to be overly concerned with production values. That means that businesses don’t have to allocate large budgets to produce high-end video.
Marketing, company recruiting and employee training are a few of the leading business uses for YouTube.
Top 8 Free Business Uses of YouTube
Marketing
This is without a doubt the most popular business use of YouTube. Firms can drive prospects and customers to online videos through traditional or online advertising, direct marketing or word of mouth (viral). Some companies set up dedicated YouTube Channels that feature a series of videos featuring success stories, new product launches or other promotional videos. Even companies with a very limited budget can become Internet stars with unique or zany marketing pitches. One of the most watched series, “Will it Blend?”, is from a high-end blender company, Blendtec. This innovative company entertains while it informs by “blending” some rather unorthodox items such as marbles, rake handles and even an iPad. Their iPad installment has more than 10 million views.
Product/Service How-To’s
Going above and beyond a simple instruction manual, these online videos can bring a hard-to-demonstrate product or service to life, offering detailed instructions to new clients while serving as a promotional spot for information-gathering prospects.
Recruiting
Given that many firms already have videos touting their businesses as inviting places to work, it just makes sense to post them on YouTube as well, giving them even more exposure at no additional cost. Companies taking advantage of the free exposure include: Arrow Gear and Google.
News Video Clips
Companies can post unfiltered information exactly as they want it presented without any interference of the news media. These posts also can be picked up as VNRs (video news releases) by informing the appropriate media outlets of their presence.
Client Communications
When an email or friendly phone call isn’t enough, many firms are posting videos to YouTube to connect with clients regarding project updates and personalized descriptions of new products or services. Such communications like these can easily be made private by selecting the “Private” option under the “Broadcast Options” variable.
Employee Training
YouTube is a fast and effective way to disseminate all kinds of information to employees, especially those companies that have multiple locations across the United States or throughout the world. By using the “Private Broadcast” option, these companies can ensure that training videos remain internal.
Savings on Business Travel
All of the videos sent to clients and employees can lessen the amount of business travel required to demonstrate important company information and product/service data.
For more information on how we can help you maximize your YouTube presence or how we can help you set up and build content for a YouTube Channel, contact Roger Peterson at 815-847-7534 or roger@heinzeroth.com.