In the digital age, video content has become essential to effective marketing strategies. The dynamic and immersive nature of video makes it a powerful tool for storytelling, allowing businesses to connect with their audience on a deeper level. According to a report from Content Marketing Institute, 87% of B2B marketers use video as a marketing tool, underscoring its ubiquitous role in today’s B2B landscape.

Furthermore, industry trends indicate that the importance of video content in B2B marketing is only set to increase. As per insights gathered by Weidert Group, 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, with 96% of marketers reporting that video plays a crucial role in their marketing strategy.

This trend reflects the growing recognition among B2B marketers of video content’s unique benefits, such as increased engagement rates, improved SEO performance, and enhanced brand visibility. Check out these compelling statistics and trends for more insight.

Given these compelling statistics and trends, establishing a strong presence on platforms like YouTube should be a key priority for B2B businesses looking to maximize their marketing effectiveness and reach their target audiences more effectively.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you and a ‘walk through’ of a new YouTube Channel I could create as a platform for my work.

WHAT IS THE GOAL OF YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL?

Defining your goals is a crucial first step in creating a successful YouTube channel. These objectives provide direction for your content and help you measure your progress. Here’s a more detailed look at the potential goals you might set:

Increasing Brand Awareness: One of the primary reasons businesses turn to YouTube is to increase their brand visibility among potential customers. If this is your goal, your content should showcase your brand’s unique values, products, or services. You might create videos that tell your brand’s story, highlight customer testimonials, or demonstrate your products in action.
Generating Leads: Another common goal is lead generation. To achieve this, you could create content that offers value to potential customers, such as how-to videos, educational content, or webinars. Include calls to action in your videos, encouraging viewers to sign up for more information, visit your website, or check out your products.
Educating Your Audience: If your goal is to educate your audience, your content should be informative and valuable. This could include tutorials, explainer videos, or deep dives into industry topics. The aim is to position your brand as a trusted expert.
Engaging with Your Viewers: Engagement is crucial on YouTube, as it helps to build a community around your brand. If this is your goal, create content that encourages interaction, such as Q&As, behind-the-scenes videos, or content that asks for viewer input. Responding to comments and engaging with your viewers can also help foster a sense of community.
Driving Sales: If your goal is to drive sales, consider creating product demonstration videos, reviews, or case studies. You can also offer exclusive discounts or promotions to your YouTube viewers to incentivize purchases.

Remember, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Once you’ve defined your goals, they should serve as the foundation of your content strategy, guiding what type of content you create and how you measure success. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your goals based on your channel’s performance can ensure continuous growth and improvement. Let’s call my upcoming YouTube channel B2B Vanguard. My channel aims to enlighten viewers who have a basic understanding of the industry. This will involve producing content that delves deeper into the concepts and strategies of the field, thereby enriching knowledge and appreciation of the profession. The aim is to establish B2B Video Vanguard as a valuable resource for learning in this domain. Simultaneously, the secondary goal is to stimulate lead generation for the business venture. However, it is firmly believed that this cannot be achieved solely through direct selling, product demos, or promotional content. Instead, it necessitates cultivating an engaged, interactive community around the channel. This involves creating content that encourages viewer participation, responding to comments, burning customer questions, and fostering a sense of camaraderie among subscribers. By nurturing such a community, the goal is to build trust and rapport with the audience, which can eventually translate into business leads. Consequently, B2B Video Vanguard’s content strategy will balance providing educational value and subtly promoting the business in a manner that resonates with viewers.

UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF YOUTUBE

Staying ahead of the curve and effectively engaging your audience is more crucial than ever. Amidst various digital marketing tools, YouTube stands out for its unique ability to captivate audiences and deliver measurable results. A robust, well-crafted YouTube strategy should be an add-on and an integral component of your comprehensive B2B marketing toolkit. With over 2 billion logged-in users per month and a broad demographic reach, YouTube offers a fertile ground for B2B marketers to grow their brands, connect with potential clients, and drive tangible business outcomes. But why is YouTube such a powerful tool in the B2B marketer’s arsenal? What sets it apart from other digital marketing channels? And how can you harness its full potential to achieve your business objectives? YouTube is an unparalleled platform for expanding your brand’s reach. By creating content that effectively communicates your brand’s unique values, products, or services, you can engage with potential clients who may have yet to be aware of your brand. A well-conceived YouTube strategy can catalyze sales by demonstrating the effectiveness of your products or services and offering exclusive promotions to your viewers. Prioritizing video content and engaging a YouTube strategy is a comprehensive approach that can assist B2B marketers in accomplishing various objectives—from increasing brand awareness and generating leads to educating their audience and driving sales as a platform that combines the compelling nature of video with the opportunity for meaningful interaction.

WHO IS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

Launching a successful YouTube channel begins with a clear understanding of its purpose. What type of content do you aim to produce? Who will be your primary viewers? Having definitive answers to these questions can serve as a compass, directing your content creation process toward the desired outcome. Here is an example of a new channel that I am thinking about starting for B2B founders:

Channel Name: B2B Video Vanguard
Channel Purpose: This innovative YouTube channel aims to empower B2B founders with the knowledge and skills to harness video content as a strategic tool for audience engagement. B2B Video Vanguard will serve as a comprehensive resource featuring educational tutorials, strategic video marketing insights, case studies spotlighting successful B2B video initiatives, and expert interviews from the field.
Target Audience: Our primary viewers are B2B founders and entrepreneurs keen to explore video as a potent channel for customer engagement, brand amplification, and business growth. This includes dynamic startup leaders, driven small business owners, and forward-thinking executives within larger B2B entities. B2B Video Vanguard is dedicated to helping these individuals effectively weave video content into their overarching marketing strategy.

By understanding the needs and interests of this specific audience, the channel can create content that is both educational and practical, helping B2B founders navigate the world of video marketing and use it to their advantage. While you are at it, you should create a brand tone and voice for the channel to reflect a specific personality that helps to shape perceptions and build relationships with the audience. The goal is to humanize the brand, making it more relatable and trustworthy to connect more deeply with its audience. Check out this introduction video from Notion as they establish a tone with their audience:

Here is an example to help you create a tone and voice for your own YouTube Channel name:

B2B Video Vanguard aspires to manifest a brand voice that is friendly, engaging, and conducive to learning. The goal is to create an atmosphere where acquiring new knowledge feels like a relaxed conversation rather than a daunting task.

The tone aims to be welcoming and inclusive, promoting interaction and cultivating a sense of community among viewers. Complex concepts are simplified into manageable chunks, employing clear, jargon-free language to ensure comprehension regardless of the viewer’s level of expertise.

The ultimate aim is to leave viewers feeling empowered and informed after watching the videos. B2B Video Vanguard is not merely a dispenser of information; it is a confidence builder, a catalyst for growth, and a guide helping B2B founders navigate the thrilling world of video marketing.

Establishing a distinct brand tone and voice for your YouTube channel is a strategic step in connecting with your audience on a deeper level. By embodying a friendly, engaging, and educational persona like B2B Video Vanguard, you can transform your platform into a trusted guide that empowers viewers and fosters growth in the dynamic landscape of video marketing.

WHAT IS YOUR YOUTUBE CONTENT STRATEGY?

Any B2B YouTube channel should emphasize creating high-quality, informative content to explain complex B2B topics in a simplified manner. This most relevant content could include educational videos and webinars featuring industry experts. The goal of YouTube content is to attract potential customers who are interested in learning more in any specific B2B sector.

To convert views into leads for the sales team, each video should incorporate compelling CTAs (calls-to-actions), such as encouraging sign-ups for newsletters, e-book downloads, or website visits for more resources. This video by Integromat, for instance, immediately starts by asking the audience if they are ready to integrate Zoom with their business apps and improve their workflow:

The strategy also focuses on positioning the channel as a thought leader within the B2B space. This is achieved by creating content such as tutorials, explainer videos on trends, and deep dives into successful B2B campaigns. By doing so, the channel builds trust with its audience, increasing viewer loyalty and engagement and, ultimately, a stronger industry reputation.For the B2B Video Vanguard Youtube Channel, this is how this translates into a Content Strategy:

Content Focus: The primary focus of B2B Video Vanguard’s content will be on delivering high-quality, valuable information to potential customers. This will be achieved by producing educational videos that simplify complex B2B topics and hosting webinars where industry experts share their insights. This approach is designed to attract viewers interested in the B2B space and may be seeking the services or products that B2B Video Vanguard offers.
Lead Generation: To convert these viewers into leads, each video will include compelling calls to action. These calls to action could encourage viewers to sign up for a newsletter, download an e-book, or visit the B2B Video Vanguard website for more resources. This lets us capture their contact information for further engagement, turning interested viewers into potential leads.
Educational Content: In addition to lead generation, another key goal for B2B Video Vanguard is to position itself as a thought leader in the B2B video marketing sphere. To achieve this, the channel will create informative content such as tutorials on creating compelling B2B videos, explainer videos on the latest video marketing trends, and deep dives into successful B2B video campaigns.
Building Trust and Reputation: By providing valuable knowledge to its viewers, B2B Video Vanguard aims to help its audience better understand and navigate the world of B2B video marketing. This will build trust in B2B Video Vanguard as an authoritative and reliable source of information. Over time, this trust can lead to increased viewer loyalty, higher engagement, and a stronger reputation within the industry.

PLAN OUT YOUR CONTENT CALENDAR

Creating a content calendar or a list of topics in advance for your B2B YouTube channel is essential for numerous reasons. One of the primary benefits is that it ensures consistency. Regular and reliable content posting is pivotal in cultivating and maintaining an engaged audience on YouTube. A well-planned content calendar guarantees a continuous flow of content ideas, ready for timely publication.

Strategic planning is another crucial aspect. When you map out your content in advance, you can effectively align it with broader business objectives, marketing campaigns, product launches, or significant industry events. This strategic alignment helps craft a unified brand message across various platforms.

Additionally, planning allows for thorough research, creation, and refinement of high-quality videos. The risk of compromising content quality due to last-minute rush is significantly reduced, enhancing viewer engagement and bolstering the channel’s reputation.

Resource management also benefits from a well-structured content calendar. With clear visibility of what content needs to be created and its due date, tasks such as scripting, filming, editing, and promotion can be scheduled more efficiently. Moreover, batch content recording can be planned, allowing multiple videos to be filmed in one session, saving time and resources in the long run.

Furthermore, a content calendar can help manage audience expectations. If viewers know when to anticipate some new video content from you, they are more likely to revisit your channel regularly. Finally, planning content around specific topics allows for better SEO optimization. With advanced planning, relevant keywords can be researched and incorporated into your video titles, descriptions, and tags, thereby improving your videos’ ranking in search results.

Using B2B Video Vanguard, here is an example list of the initial videos that would be produced for the YouTube Channel:

“Introduction to B2B Video Marketing” – A video that provides an overview of B2B video marketing, explaining its importance and how it differs from B2C video marketing.
“How to Create an Effective B2B Video Marketing Strategy” – A step-by-step guide to developing a successful video marketing strategy for B2B companies.
“How to Create Engaging B2B Videos” – Tips and tricks on creating compelling videos that captivate the B2B audience.
“Exploring Successful B2B Video Campaigns” – Analysis of successful B2B video campaigns and what made them effective.“
“B2B Video SEO Best Practices” – A tutorial on optimizing B2B videos for search engines to increase visibility.
Promoting Your B2B Videos using Social Media Marketing” – How to effectively use various social media platforms to promote B2B videos.
“Measuring Success: Key Metrics in B2B Video Marketing” – An explainer video on which metrics to track to gauge the success of your B2B video campaigns.
“Case Study: Transforming a Business with B2B Video Marketing” – A case study detailing how a business significantly improved its performance through B2B video marketing.
“Q&A Session: Answering Your B2B Video Marketing Questions” – An interactive Q&A session addressing viewer questions about B2B video marketing.
“Overcoming Common Challenges in B2B Video Marketing” – Tips on tackling common obstacles businesses face when implementing a B2B video marketing strategy.

SEO BEST PRACTICES: OPTIMIZE YOUR VIDEO TITLES, DESCRIPTIONS, TAGS, AND HASHTAGS

More than producing high-quality videos around topics your audience wants to consume is required. Ensuring your content is discoverable and appealing to potential viewers is equally essential. This involves strategically optimizing various elements associated with your video, such as titles, short video descriptions, tags, thumbnails, and hashtags.

You can significantly enhance your video’s visibility by incorporating relevant keywords in your titles, descriptions, and hashtags, using appropriate tags, aiming for placement in the “related videos” section, and creating eye-catching thumbnails. Remember, while SEO strategies can draw viewers to your video, your content’s quality and engagement will keep them watching.

Use Eye-Catching Thumbnails: Thumbnails can significantly influence your video’s click-through rate. Spend time creating attractive, high-quality thumbnails that accurately represent your video content.
Optimize Video Titles: Craft captivating titles with your primary keyword or phrase. Ensure the title engages viewers and provides keyword-focused information about your video’s content on YouTube.
Use Keywords and Hashtags in Descriptions: Integrate your primary keyword naturally within the first few sentences of the video description, as these appear in YouTube’s search results and previews. Also, include relevant hashtags to boost visibility. Avoid keyword stuffing and ensure the description offers value to the viewer.
Incorporate Relevant Tags: Use tags to include related keywords that might not fit into your title or description. Tags help YouTube understand your video’s topic and associate it with similar content, potentially expanding your reach.
Aim for Related Videos Section: To enhance your video’s visibility, aim for it to appear in the “related videos” section. Using accurate and consistent keywords across your title, description, tags, and hashtags can help YouTube’s algorithm better understand your content and match it with similar videos.

The YouTube algorithm plays a significant role in determining the visibility and reach of your videos. One of the key factors that this algorithm considers is user engagement, which includes likes and comments. The more likes and comments your video garners, the more favorably it’s viewed by the algorithm.

THE YOUTUBE ALGORITHM

Understanding the YouTube algorithm is critical to maximizing your channel’s visibility and engagement. Here are the three most important concepts of the YouTube algorithm:

Personalization: The YouTube algorithm tailors its recommendations based on the individual user’s interests and viewing history. It utilizes factors such as past video enjoyment, subscribed channels, and related videos watched together to deliver a curated and personalized user experience.
Engagement Metrics: Viewer engagement is a critical factor for the YouTube algorithm. It evaluates videos based on metrics like watch time, like/dislike ratio, and viewer interaction. Videos that demonstrate high viewer engagement are likely to be prioritized in recommendations.
Relevance: The algorithm aims to present the most relevant content to users, regardless of where the recommendations are being made on the platform – the Home screen, ‘Up Next’ section, or Search results. Factors like search terms, video performance, and topic relevance should be considered to ensure users find the content they want.

The YouTube algorithm operates slightly differently depending on where recommendations are being made on the platform.

The Home screen selects videos based on the performance and the user’s watch and search history.
In the ‘Up Next’ section, recommendations are based on the topic of the current video and the viewer’s watch history.
For Search results, the algorithm considers the relevance of the title, description, and video content to the search term, as well as the performance and engagement of the video.

By understanding these key concepts, B2B businesses can optimize their video content and channel strategy to align with the YouTube algorithm, ensuring their videos reach the right audience at the right time.

ENGAGE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE

Engagement is a vital element in YouTube’s algorithm; likes and comments are among the primary indicators of this engagement. Viewers interacting with your video by liking or commenting sends a solid signal to YouTube that your content is engaging and valuable.

This prompts the platform to recommend your video to other users, increasing its exposure. More exposure often translates to more traffic, views, and an increase in subscribers. Moreover, high engagement can also enhance your video’s ranking in YouTube search results, making it easier for users searching for similar content to discover your videos.

Beyond boosting visibility and reach, likes and comments are crucial in building a community around your videos. They stimulate interaction and discussion of long-form content among viewers, fostering a sense of community. This interaction can increase watch time, another critical factor the YouTube algorithm considers. The longer viewers watch your content, the more YouTube perceives it as high-quality and relevant. Consequently, this leads to further promotion of your video on the platform.

BUILD A PLAYLIST TO ENCOURAGE BINGE WATCHING

Building a playlist for your YouTube videos can be an effective way to boost viewer engagement, increase watch time, and improve the organization of your content. Playlists allow you to group related videos, making it easier for viewers to consume more of your content in one sitting. This enhances their viewing experience and increases the likelihood of them spending more time on your channel.

When a viewer watches a video from a playlist, the following video automatically starts playing once the current one ends. This auto-play feature encourages continuous viewing, which can lead to increased watch time – a critical factor in YouTube’s algorithm. The longer viewers stay on your channel, the more YouTube perceives your content as engaging and valuable, potentially leading to higher search results and recommendations rankings.

Playlists can also help engage your audience with more tailored viewing experiences. For example, creating content on different topics can create separate playlists for each subject. This allows viewers interested in a specific topic to easily find and watch all related videos without searching your entire library.Furthermore, playlists can make your channel appear more professional and organized, attracting more viewers and subscribers. They also provide additional opportunities for keyword optimization, as you can include relevant keywords in your playlist titles and descriptions to enhance their visibility in the search engine and results.

The number of videos in a YouTube playlist can vary greatly depending on the content and purpose of each video bump the playlist. However, a general guideline is to have at least five videos per playlist. This gives viewers enough content to engage with without overwhelming them.

That said, there’s no upper limit to how many videos you can include in a playlist. If you have many related videos, including them in the same playlist might make sense. For instance, if you’re creating a tutorial series or documenting an ongoing project, having a comprehensive playlist can benefit your viewers.

Remember, the goal is to enhance your viewers’ experience. So, ensure that the videos in your playlist are closely related and organized logically. This will encourage viewers to watch more of your content in one sitting, increasing their engagement and watch time.

BOOST YOUR VIDEOS FOR MORE VIEWS

Boosting your video on YouTube through an advertising campaign can strategically increase views and reach a broader audience. YouTube’s advertising platform, Google Ads, allows you to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring your content gets the most relevant audience.

You’ll first need to create a Google Ads account to start an advertising campaign. From there, you can set up a new campaign, choose “Video” as the campaign type, and select your desired goal (such as views, brand awareness, or increased traffic). You’ll then be able to define your target audience, set your budget, and choose the videos you want to promote.

As for how many views you can expect from $25 per video, it takes time to provide a precise number, as it largely depends on various factors like your targeting settings, the quality of your video, and the level of competition in your niche. However, Google Ads operates on a bidding system, and the average cost-per-view (CPV) ranges from $0.01 to $0.06. With a $25 budget, you could gain between 416 to 2,500 views.

Boosting your videos through advertising can offer several benefits. It can rapidly increase your video views, speed up channel growth, and help reach a targeted audience that may have yet to discover your content organically. It’s particularly beneficial if you’re new to YouTube and looking to gain initial traction or trying to promote a specific video (like a product launch or special event).

Back to B2B Video Vanguard, here are some parameters for my Video Boosting Strategy:

Campaign Name: “B2B Video Vanguard Visibility Boost”
Budget: $25 per post
Platform: Google Ads (YouTube)
Target Audience: B2B professionals aged 25-45 are interested in digital marketing, entrepreneurship, and business development.
Campaign Duration: Let’s assume this campaign will run for one month with one boosted post per week, totaling four posts.

Here are a few benefits of running the Google Ads Campaign:

Increased Visibility: With a budget of $25 per video, you’ll likely gain hundreds to thousands of additional views, significantly increasing your channel’s visibility.
Targeted Reach: By defining your target audience, your ads will reach B2B professionals likely interested in your content, increasing the chances of gaining quality subscribers.
Accelerated Growth: Boosting your videos can help overcome the slow growth many new channels face, helping you build an audience faster.
Audience Insight: Running ads will provide valuable data about who’s watching and engaging with your videos, allowing you to better tailor future content to your audience’s preferences.

Remember, while this campaign should boost your visibility and views, ongoing success on your branded YouTube channel comes from consistently delivering high-quality, engaging content that your audience finds valuable. Paid advertising can boost your views, and organic engagement – likes, comments, shares, and subscribers – often better indicates long-term channel success. High-quality, engaging content should always be your priority.

YOUTUBE ANALYTICS & VIDEO MARKETING KPI

YouTube reporting and analytics provide valuable insights into how your videos are performing. They allow you to understand your audience better, track the success of your content, and adjust your strategy based on data-driven decisions.

As a new YouTube channel, here are some essential metrics to monitor:

Views: The number of times your video has been watched. This is a crucial measure of your video’s popularity.
Watch Time: The total time viewers have spent watching your videos. YouTube’s algorithm favors videos that keep viewers on the platform longer, making this a critical metric.
Subscriber Growth: The increase in channel subscribers over a certain period. This indicates your channel’s growth and your content’s value to viewers.
Audience Retention: This shows how long viewers watch your videos before clicking away. High retention rates suggest your content is engaging and resonates with your audience.
Engagement Metrics: Includes likes, dislikes, comments, and shares. These metrics indicate how viewers interact with your content.
Traffic Sources: Shows where viewers find your videos, whether through YouTube search, suggested videos, external sites, etc. This can help you understand which promotional strategies are most effective.
Demographics: Provides information about your viewers’ age, gender, location, and more. This can help you tailor your content to your audience.

In terms of KPIs and goals, it’s important to align them with your overall channel objectives. For a new channel, your KPIs might include the following:

Increase Watch Time: Aim for a steady monthly increase, as this can improve your visibility on YouTube.
Grow Subscriber Count: Set a realistic goal for subscriber growth, such as a monthly percentage increase.
Improve Audience Retention: Try gradually increasing the average percentage of each video viewers watch.
Boost Engagement: Set goals for increasing the number of likes, comments, and shares your videos receive.

Remember, these goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Review your analytics to track progress towards these goals and adjust your strategy as needed.

SAMPLE GOALS FOR NEW YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Back to our B2B Video Vanguard channel, Based on the focus of the YouTube channel, B2B Video Vanguard, and its target audience (B2B founders and CEOs), here are some example goals and objectives to consider:

Increase Watch Time: The aim should be to reach an average watch time of 3 minutes per video within the first six months. This would indicate that the content is engaging enough to hold the attention of busy founders and CEOs.
Grow Subscriber Count: A goal of 500 subscribers could be set by the end of the first year. Given the specific nature of the target audience, growth may be slower but more valuable as it’s reaching a highly targeted group.
Improve Audience Retention: The target should be an audience retention rate of at least 50% within the first six months. This means that viewers watch at least half of the videos on average, suggesting they find the content valuable and relevant.
Boost Engagement: A goal of achieving an average of 10 comments and 50 likes per video within the first six months could be set. This would suggest that the content sparks discussion and resonates with the audience.
Increase Traffic from YouTube Search: Since the channel provides educational content on a specific topic, the aim should be for 30% of the traffic to come from YouTube searches within the first year. This would indicate that the SEO efforts are practical and that users actively seek out the content.
Attract Viewers from External Sources: The aim should be 20% of the traffic from external sources (like websites, social media, etc.) within the first year. This would suggest that promotional efforts outside of YouTube are successful.
Diversify Demographics: While the primary audience is B2B founders and CEOs, the aim should be to attract viewers from various industries and regions to expand their reach and influence.

Remember, these are just starting points. The goals should be adjusted based on the performance data gathered over time and continuously aligned with the overall business objectives.

SEIZING THE POWER OF VIDEO

In wrapping up, the significance of video content in the B2B marketing landscape cannot be overstated. With its capacity to foster meaningful connections and effectively convey your business’s story, video content is a potent tool that can significantly enhance your marketing strategy.

As the data indicates, most B2B marketers are leveraging video content. Thus, solidifying your presence on platforms like YouTube becomes crucial. Remember, it’s not just about creating videos, but understanding your target audience, optimizing for SEO, and consistently engaging with your viewers.

So, whether you’re just starting or looking to improve your existing YouTube channel, keep these insights in mind and harness the power of video in your B2B marketing strategy. Here’s to making waves in the digital landscape with impactful video content!

Guide To Starting A B2B YouTube Channel