The influence of YouTube is massive, and its presence is only growing. It is the second biggest search engine behind Google, ranks number one among cable networks in the U.S. for the highly coveted 18-34 demographic, and boasts more than 1 billion unique visitors every month. So you want in, right? Of course you do! But you can’t just shoot a few videos, throw them up on the site and then sit back and hope viewers will flock to watch what you’ve created. The top brands have a consistent and methodical YouTube marketing strategy that creates wild brand devotees for maximum ROI.

What top brands are doing right

A new study from Pixibility reveals what top brands are doing right when it comes to YouTube. Key among the insights is that top brands are consistent about publishing high volumes of content, with 50 percent more videos per channel than less successful brands. They also use different videos to engage with different fans. These brands use short form content to target consumers closer to the top of the sales funnel, and longer form content to maintain engagement with consumers further along in the buying process. 

The best example of doing it right is the GoPro camera company, YouTube’s top brand with more than 2 million subscribers. They involve fans in video creation, releasing multiple videos every day with consistent branding and calls to action, and creating a new “bonus program,” which rewards users who’s videos are licensed by GoPro and go on to reach 1 million views, with $1,000. I know you’re probably saying, “Heck, if I was marketing video cameras I’d be at the top too.” The fact is, any company can achieve this success with the right video marketing strategy. LotLinx is a perfect example of this strategy in automotive with their Year of the Dealer campaign.

The importance of paid search

The best brands have put in the time, work, and money to create a strategy that cultivates fans. They have a consistent video marketing plan designed to get the biggest ROI from the YouTube platform. A major component of this strategy is paid search, or YouTube Ads. This is the best way to immediately drive qualified traffic to your videos. Valuable tips for creating effective YouTube ads include targeting videos to your audience, and always including a strong call to action. The post points out that it will take some testing to hit on the right content for your audience, but that valuable feedback will allow you to make adjustments to maximize your ROI and conversion rate.

How to hit it out of the park

If you’re ready to create a strong YouTube presence, there are best practices that will help you hit it out of the park. From creating a subscriber trailer and video intros, to always adding a call to action and branded hashtag, these methods will help viewers easily recognize and differentiate your brand from others.

You too can have wild brand devotees who eagerly follow your YouTube channel and convert into paying customers. The key is to craft a digital marketing strategy that takes into account YouTube best practices and unique characteristics. So, get out there and familiarize yourself with successful YouTube brands. Billions of visitors are waiting to greet you!

Laurie Halter is the CEO of Charisma! Communications, a content agency focused on the needs of the automotive industry with an emphasis on PR, video and eLearning. She can be reached at Laurie@charismacommunications.com.