Creating a YouTube channel is an excellent strategy to expand your business’s reach and engage with potential clients. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to launch your channel and maximize its impact through targeted content that either nurtures your existing audience or reaches new viewers. Let’s dive into the essentials.
Step 1: Setting Up Your YouTube Channel
If you’re new to YouTube, start by creating a brand account to house your channel. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Go to Google and type in “create new YouTube channel.” Follow the link that allows you to create a new channel.
- Select “Create a Channel” and name it. Make sure it reflects your brand’s essence and is easy to recognize.
That’s it—you’re now ready to start sharing content. But what kind of content should you create?
Understanding Nurture vs. Marketing Content
Not all content serves the same purpose. It’s essential to distinguish between “nurture” content and “marketing” content and choose a primary focus for your channel.
- Nurture Content: This type of content builds relationships with people who already know you. Podcasts, email newsletters, and regular YouTube series can all be nurturing. You’re reminding your audience of your value and encouraging them to engage with your brand consistently.
- Marketing Content: Marketing content is geared toward attracting new viewers—people who have never heard of you before. Think of it as lead-generation content. This is content optimized for search and discovery, designed to capture attention and convert visitors into subscribers or leads.
Is YouTube a Nurturing or Marketing Platform?
YouTube can function effectively as both, but you’ll need to choose the primary goal that aligns with your business objectives.
- If your goal is to nurture (like creators such as MrBeast), you’ll want to regularly upload engaging content that keeps subscribers coming back for more.
- If your goal is to market and bring in new leads, focus on videos that answer popular questions, rank well in search, and introduce your expertise to people searching for solutions in your niche.
Crafting Videos that Drive Business Growth
For many businesses, the best approach is to use YouTube as a lead-generation platform, creating content that gets discovered by people searching for information. Here’s how to do it:
- Focus on Searchable Content: Start by researching questions that your target audience is asking. What do they search for on Google and YouTube? Create videos that answer these questions directly, positioning yourself as an expert in the field.
- Optimize for YouTube SEO: Effective use of keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags can make your videos more discoverable. The goal is to rank highly so people find your content first when searching for answers.
- Keep Content Consistent and Accessible: If your content strategy includes overlapping themes, don’t worry! Consistency is key. When you create videos based on high-interest topics, it’s okay if there’s some repetition, as long as each video addresses a unique question or angle.
Avoid Mixing Content Purposes on the Same Channel
If you’re using YouTube ads, consider creating a separate channel for promotional content. Ads and organic content serve different audiences and goals, and merging them can complicate your analytics, making it harder to understand what’s working organically.
Why YouTube Search is a Game-Changer for Businesses
One of the best aspects of YouTube is that it serves as a massive search engine. By creating content that directly addresses your audience’s questions, you position yourself as a go-to resource. Not only does this build credibility, but it also directs search traffic from Google to your videos.
Think of it this way: people are searching for answers that you already have. By optimizing your videos to rank highly on YouTube and Google, you ensure that potential clients find you first.
Next Steps: Deepen Your YouTube Strategy with SEO
If you’re ready to take your YouTube strategy further, check out my other video, YouTube SEO: The Leaf Strategy. This will give you a detailed look at how to leverage search engine optimization to rank your videos effectively and make sure they reach the right audience.
In summary, creating a YouTube channel for your business is an invaluable way to reach new leads or nurture existing relationships. Decide on your primary focus, optimize your content for search, and watch as your channel brings steady growth to your business. Happy filming!
