Why Your Business Needs YouTube Videos

The familiar YouTube logo and Vimeo name attract attention on the web - in 2010 alone, YouTube reached 2 billion video views per day. Consumers are comfortable clicking their computers, tapping their tablets and swiping their smartphones to access videos that provide meaningful or entertaining information.

So whether you're involved in B2C or B2B marketing, an audience - or even a community of viewers - likely exists for your online video advertising.

The Advantages
While a blog imparts information, video adds color, movement, sound and immediacy to your message.

• Imagine the impact of showing how your product works instead of just telling how it works.

• Web-based videos are "share"-ready, and the best or most unusual can go viral, giving you more online exposure.

• And in a media-friendly marketplace, you can create videos for the fraction of the cost of shooting a broadcast commercial or placing a radio ad.

If you spend any time on the web, you've likely downloaded YouTube or Vimeo videos for professional or personal viewing. If you take a moment to remember the best and worst you saw, how would you draw that distinction? It likely involves criteria like...

• Relevancy. When you see the title and description of a video, you have certain expectations when you click through to it. A video that doesn't fulfill the promise of the title is likely to generate ill will (and negative comments).

• Length. The average viewer's attention span is short. How short? According to the Tubemogul tracking service, about 10 percent of viewers click off the video after just 10 seconds, and more than half leave after one minute. Online video advertising that exceeds two minutes is at risk for losing viewership.

• Production values. Viewers can spot in an instant the difference between a grainy, shaky-cam video and one that runs smoothly, with a polished look and sound.

Getting the Most from Your Video
• Watch YouTube and Vimeo. Before you shoot, watch the kinds of videos your peers, competitors and customers are posting. Web videos often differ in style and tone from broadcast commercials.

• Create a series. Keeping each video short and to-the-point can help hold attention spans; YouTube limits video runs to 10 minutes. So rather than a lengthy product demonstration, cut the long presentation into a series of video clips that will load more quickly and impart the same information.

• Stress the benefits. This advice applies to all marketing, not just online video advertising. People respond better to benefits over features.

• Get close up. Your product or service deserves the star treatment. Use close angles and voiceover to help viewers understand what your company offers.

Getting Noticed Online
• Tag with care. Your video tags help search engines and visitors identify your video's content. Use the same SEO keywords you'd use in your blogs and website.

• Upload to your social networks. Promote your video by providing a link on your Facebook, Twitter, Google + or LinkedIn page. In some cases, you can embed the video right on the page, saving the viewer a step.

Reasons Why You Should Advertise on Facebook

Business over the web is thriving these days. As a matter of fact, practically every company or even the typical businessman is building their own website to promote products or offer services. Online businesses thrive because majority of consumers today opt to do their shopping in the internet where there are basically more options and choices.

Now if you are one of those who wants to succeed in your business online, what you need are the right tools in internet marketing. While the term alone is vague and big enough to discuss here, it's actually a no brainer to include the most popular social networking site, Facebook as your greatest weapon in establishing a popular niche online. So here are the answers to the question: why advertise on Facebook?

It's the Most Popular Website

Aside from Google of course, Facebook is the most popular website online. Popularity in such magnitude means there are exactly 250 million unique visitors every month. Hence, you will likely get noticed in the site than any other websites out there considering that more people are likely going to see your page. And when people get to stumble upon your page, there's a greater chance of exposure for your advertisements as well.

Targeted Advertising

One particular feature ideal for online advertisers and marketers found in Facebook is called targeted advertising. With it, you can target and focus on a specific group of individuals to market your products or services. The parameters may include age, personal interest, gender, keyword, and others.

Better Chance at Customer Loyalty

Another good reason on why advertise on Facebook is the fact that you will have a good chance of increasing customer loyalty by creating fan pages. There are currently millions of online businesses today that have resorted to creating fan pages where users can freely join. With these pages, you are able to communicate and correspond with potential customers and in the process, build a bond with them.

Special Promotions

Aside from creating fan pages, another great benefit of using Facebook as an internet marketing tool is that you get to build special promotions as well. In order to do this, you must first create a fan page, which in turn can be used as the platform for promoting new product or perhaps unveiling advertisement campaigns. Special promotions also include daily updates on the products and services you are offering.

Facebook Advertising is Inexpensive

Furthermore, Facebook is originally intended for social networking - being able to socialize with other people over the web. Hence, it's not a profit oriented website since there are no signup and registration costs and fees. Accordingly, the targeted nature of its advertising prowess enables your online business campaign to reach a specific market with almost no cost. The affordable price allows for a range of packages depending primarily on your budget.

Unique Ways To Get People Talking About Your Business

When push comes to shove, consumers go with the names they know. If a company is not on their minds, it will not receive their hard-earned dollars. Make customers continue coming back by promoting the business in unique ways. The best promotional efforts subtly embed the company name in the minds of consumers. Without even realizing why, people will automatically reach out to the company when they are in need of what it offers.

The Website Is a Powerful Tool

A website has the potential to draw customers from all over the globe. Even a small business can harness the potential of a website, attracting customers day and night. Developing and maintaining a website that lands customers on a daily basis is not difficult to do. One method is to add an internal or external blog and start writing. Address the audience as if the experience were a normal face-to-face conversation and provide information that has substance such as tips about additional uses for products.

Tying the website to social media networks on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Pinterest develops a sense of community. Post status updates on social media sites and encourage customer comments. Listen to what customers have to say and respond to their questions and concerns. Keep asking for feedback because it will prove invaluable when refining products or services or developing new ones. Develop programs to recognize and reward consumers who contribute thoughts and suggestions via social media.

Customize Marketing Efforts

Prospects and customers are much more likely to pay attention to a marketing message addressed to their name rather than "Dear Valued Customer." It is easy and inexpensive to integrate information from customer mailing lists into marketing letters, postcards, and even email communications. This extra step can make a huge difference in the amount of new and repeat business. Recipients will take time to read and act on the promotional messages.

Show existing customers some appreciation by providing them with custom promotional products as a thank-you for their loyalty. Customers like the extra thought put into gifts that correspond with their interests and they will enjoy the personal touch that the customization provides. These gifts contribute to corporate branding by keeping the business on the mind of the recipient. They also show that the company values each customer as a unique individual.