Do you want to learn YouTube best practices for your B2B Marketing Lead Generation Strategy? Keep on watching to find out all the details in this edition of the Digital Marketing Postcard.

YouTube is the second most popular search engine behind Google. Optimizing your YouTube channel and videos allows for a higher likelihood of your videos being returned high in search results within YouTube and in universal search results such as Google and other search engines. In 2018, 72% of B2B marketers rated video an effective content marketing tactic, and 70% of B2B buyers and researchers watch videos throughout their path to purchase. Video has become an integral part of the B2B buying experience.

So besides ensuring that you create stellar content, here are key considerations to help you get started with YouTube to generate leads for your B2B business.

Reach Your Leads via Search

Optimizing your YouTube channel and videos is critical to gain ranking for the channel and your content. It is also important to keep the channel active in the YouTube community by posting comments on other channels and encouraging communication on your own channel. Here are some specific details on optimization of your channel:

• Choose a URL that reflects the primary keywords for your business and your brand.
• Include keywords in the channel profile description.
• Include the country location in the channel profile to keep the campaign targeted to the correct geographic region.
• “Favourite” videos from other authoritative and relevant YouTube channels that post content.
• Create playlists to group similar themed videos together. Ideally these playlists would include videos with similar keywords being used in the video title and description.
• Keep the channel up-to-date by adding videos and content to the channel on a weekly basis.
• Optimize each video you upload, placing keywords in content throughout, via the video title and description, categorization and tagging.

Drive Traffic with Cards

Cards can be used throughout your videos to help drive visitors to more of your content and specific calls to action. They can be placed where relevant to the video itself, but keep in mind that you don’t want to include too many, leading to too many choices for the viewer, which could cause confusion and make them less effective.  Select only where it makes sense to point to other related videos on your channel or other relevant channels. 

These can all be added via YouTube Creator Studio.

Promote Resources Using End Screens

Another effective way to promote further viewer engagement and potential conversions is through end screens for the last 5-20 seconds of your video, as long as your video is longer than 25 seconds. Select other videos that are relevant to the topic at hand where visitors can explore it further via other videos or channels or find a way to get in touch with you via your website if you’re a member of the YouTube Partner Program. An End Screen can also encourage viewers to Subscribe to your channel.  

End Screens can also be setup via Creator Studio on your YouTube channel.

Nurture Your Leads

Once you’ve garnered new subscribers and leads via your channel and website, make sure to continue nurturing your leads through the Buyers Journey, continuing to educate and engage with valuable content to help them meet their goals.

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Summary

To Summarize, YouTube Best Practices for Your B2B Marketing Strategy Include:

1. Reach Your Leads via Search
2. Drive Traffic with Cards  
3. Promote Resources Using End Screens
4. Nurture Your Leads

Now that you know more about YouTube best practices for B2B lead generation, please check out our recent blog posts covering useful Inbound Marketing tips. If you liked this video, subscribe to the Umami Marketing YouTube Channel and the monthly Digital Marketing Postcard.

I’ll be back again in the new year to answer more of your questions. See you in February!