As the second largest search engine, YouTube is a force to be reckoned with. And with 65% of executives visiting a vendor’s website after watching a video, it’s clear that leveraging video into your content marketing strategy is an ideal tactic for us B2B marketers.

Leveraging Videos in Your Content Strategy

There are many ways B2B’s can leverage video marketing in their content strategy, from educational webinars to short, quick snippets from live events. However, no matter how much you leverage video marketing and fill up your YouTube channel, if your videos aren’t properly optimized, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities. Follow these 5 steps to optimizing your YouTube videos for increased visibility, credibility and awareness.

YouTube Search Engine Optimization Strategies

Video Titles: Grabbing Attention

Your video title is as important as the titles you use for your blog posts and web pages. So they need to not only grab user’s attention, but they need to be properly optimized for search engines. Additionally, in order for your entire title to show up in search results, your titles need to be clear and concise. While YouTube allows for 100-characters, best practices recommend keeping titles around 60-characters.

Descriptions: Compelling Content Insights

A video’s description field is valuable real estate, helping audiences and YouTube’s discovery systems understand what your content is about. When searching for a video, the first few sentences of the description will display in the results so you want to make sure you start with a compelling few sentences. Just like the title, don’t forget to use relevant keywords where possible. Your video description is also a great place to include a call-to-action, encouraging users to interact with other videos on your YouTube channel or drive traffic to your website.

Optimizing with Tags: Maximizing Discoverability

In the YouTube world, tags are keywords that help users find your videos. Similar to adding targeted keywords to a blog post or web page, you want to ensure the tags to choose are relevant to more than just your content, but your brand also. Putting yourself in the shoes of your viewer can help you decipher what terms they would use when searching for content and increase the chances of them landing on your channel.

Compelling Thumbnails: Attracting Viewers

Don’t underestimate the power of custom thumbnails. Eye-catching, high-quality thumbnails can significantly boost click-through rates. Think of them as miniature marketing posters for your videos – they attract viewers to your content and compel them to click through to watch. We recommend creating a high-quality custom image that represents the content. YouTube recommends using an image (.JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG.) with a resolution of 1280×720 that is under 2MB.

Annotations: Enhancing Engagement and Interaction

Annotations are clickable text overlays on YouTube videos that are used to boost engagement, give more information, and aid in navigation. Using annotations you can ask users to like or share your video, have users to subscribe to your channel, direct users to relevant pages on your website and much more. Annotations are completely customizable giving you the ability to decide when they pop up, how long they stay for, what they say, where they link to, what they look like, and where they are placed. You can really be creative with the use of these, but be careful not to go overboard so it doesn’t take away from the quality of content in your video.

What’s next?

Once you’ve created fantastic video content, the next steps are key. Share your videos on social media and embed them on your website to reach a broader audience. Then, dive into metrics and analytics to understand how well your video marketing is performing, using data-driven insights to improve. Don’t forget to stay updated with the ever-changing world of B2B video marketing trends to ensure your content resonates with your audience. By following this dynamic journey, your videos will not only be seen but also leave a significant impact on your intended viewers.

Metrics and Analytics:

Measuring the impact of your campaigns from video marketing efforts is an indispensable practice. To fine-tune your strategy, it’s vital to track key metrics that provide valuable insights.

  • View Counts: These figures reveal the number of viewers who have engaged with your videos. It’s a fundamental metric to gauge the reach of your content.
  • Click-Through Rates (CTR): CTR represents the percentage of viewers who took action after watching your video. It’s a clear indicator of the video’s ability to inspire further engagement.
  • Likes, Shares, Comments: These interactions reflect how well your content resonates with your audience. The more engagement, the stronger the connection with your viewers.
  • Average Watch Time: This metric showcases your video’s ability to maintain viewer interest. Longer watch times indicate a captivated audience.

Additionally, don’t overlook conversion rates, which provide insights into how video marketing influences your B2B sales funnel. By scrutinizing these data points, you empower data-driven decision-making and create room for continuous improvement.

Video Marketing Benefits for B2B Marketers:

Video content is a game-changer for B2B marketing. It offers a wealth of benefits that cater to the unique needs of B2B marketers.

  • Engagement: Video content is inherently engaging, making it a potent tool for capturing the attention of decision-makers and key stakeholders.
  • Simplicity and Memorability: It excels at conveying complex ideas and product information in an accessible and memorable format. This enhances comprehension and retention.
  • Trust and Credibility: By showcasing expertise and thought leadership through videos, your brand can establish itself as an industry authority. This positions you favorably for lead generation and nurturing, as 65% of executives are inclined to explore your offerings after watching a video.
  • Amplified Reach: Video content encourages social sharing, expanding your reach and amplifying your brand’s message across platforms.

Social Trends in B2B Video Marketing:

The B2B video marketing landscape is in a constant state of evolution, and staying ahead of the curve is pivotal for success. Here are some notable trends:

  • Interactive Videos: These innovative videos enable viewers to make choices within the content, enhancing user experience and boosting information retention.
  • 360-Degree Videos: They provide immersive experiences, ideal for showcasing intricate products or environments from various angles.
  • Live Streaming and Webinars: These tools facilitate real-time interaction and immediate feedback, making them invaluable for product launches and industry insights.
  • Personalized Video Messages: Creating deeper connections with clients by addressing their specific needs and pain points.
  • Short-Form Video Content: Catering to time-conscious B2B professionals in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

These trends equip B2B marketers with a diverse toolkit for engaging their audience, capturing attention, and driving meaningful engagement in the ever-evolving realm of video marketing.

Embrace the Evolution:

Incorporating these trends into your B2B video marketing strategy is a strategic move to reach a broader audience, seize attention, and foster engagement. Remember, the world of video marketing is dynamic and constantly evolving. What resonates today may not be as effective tomorrow.

Stay updated with the latest trends and technologies in video marketing, and you’ll give your B2B marketing strategy a competitive edge. By doing so, you ensure that you harness the full potential of this powerful medium in the ever-changing digital landscape.