Whether it be in the form of a review or a product overview, consumers rely heavily on video when making purchasing decisions. If your powersports dealership marketing strategy includes video, you will want to make sure your YouTube channel has been optimized.
Everyone knows that YouTube is great at finding the video a user needs, but how is this possible? YouTube is able to present the right videos to users because it works similarly to its parent company, Google. YouTube uses the information in profiles and video descriptions to understand which videos will be best for individual search results. The process of ensuring your video information is accurate and best describes what your video holds for YouTube to use in search results is known as optimization.
What To Do
Optimization is the process of making something (your YouTube video) as functional and effective as possible for your powersports dealership. If you’re still unsure of what this means for your dealer YouTube channel don’t panic! Here are 7 key optimization points you should implement into your YouTube channel and videos.
- Review The YouTube Channel Setup for your Powersports Dealership
Optimization should start at the bones of your YouTube channel. Ensure that the imagery used is consistent to the imagery used on your website. For example, use the same logo for your YouTube channel profile picture that you have on your website. When a user finds you on YouTube you want them to recognize your brand and know that they are on the right page. Also, take advantage of opportunities for linking and connect your YouTube channel to your website and other social media profiles. Ensure that the details about your dealership is true and up-to-date including your address, phone number and any additional contact information. One more thing to check is your “about” section. Oftentimes this gets overlooked and can contain old information. You want to be sure to include any keywords that are related to your company and industry.
- Turn Views into Action
Through the power of call-to-actions you can control a user’s journey within your dealership video marketing. Provide them with “next steps” within your video and your video’s description. You can encourage a user that watches a new dealership inventory video to then visit that particular inventory page and complete a contact form! Other examples can be directing users to visit a service, trade-in, or promotional page. The possibilities are nearly endless!
- Choose Photos that Tease the Story
YouTube allows you to choose a thumbnail for each video, giving you the power to select the “preview image” users will see. This is significant because research shows that users are more inclined to click on a video with a customized thumbnail versus a video without one. The thumbnail is a good opportunity to establish your branding while also giving viewers a quick way to see what each video is about without having to read through each description. Make them fun, exciting, and engaging, and you will see the results.
- Make Your Videos Searchable
It’s known that keywords are important to include in web content to help Google understand what your content is about, but not many know that YouTube works in the same fashion. Keywords and tags tell YouTube what your video is about and what searches your video will be most relevant for. Use keywords and tags that are fitting to your video’s content and that match your existing keyword strategy. Keep in mind to use a mix of both long and short form keywords as well as keywords that are adjacent to your industry. One example of this is to use the keyword “used vehicle for sale” and “outdoor adventure”
- Group Your Videos
YouTube channels that utilize playlists are reported to have higher engagement due to a better user experience. Playlists help you keep your videos organized and keep your visitors from getting overwhelmed! Each YouTube playlist contains several videos and can be public or private. You can create as many playlists as needed and can share them with your audience. Videos that can be included in a playlist may be categorized by anything such as the make and model of a vehicle, brand of bike, ATV sport or utility, jet skis etc. Keep general interest and user search in mind when creating a playlist strategy. Try not to add too many videos to each playlist as many users won’t go through all of them if there are too many.
- Remember Your Audience
YouTube is a form of social media and is an ideal platform for engaging with your fans. Answer their comments, thank them for their views and encourage them to share your content. Syndicate your videos too and harness their power on all platforms available! Share them on your Facebook timeline, Twitter timeline, or even embed them on your website and within your email campaigns. In every video remind your audience to like, subscribe, and click the notification icon. The more of these you get the more likely your videos are to be seen. Ultimately it all comes down to having videos that people want to watch. Ask you audience what they want to see, after all these videos are for them not you. And be sure to throw in some “fun” videos like “5 local places to take your ATV” or “Pimp your ride with these new accessories”.
- Review Your Results
Data holds the key to success. Take advantage of YouTube’s data and monitor the progress of your channel. Test different keywords or thumbnails and check the data to see if the changes you made worked. Data can also show you areas that need improvement. By reviewing average view duration, demographics, watch time, traffic resources, devices, engagement, likes/dislikes, and comments you can tailor your videos to target the audiences you are looking to engage with. Remember, it’s important to give at least two weeks for data to collect before you make decisions based on it!
YouTube is a great platform for reaching new audiences and spreading brand awareness. Don’t let the idea of joining such a large platform overwhelm you, let it excite you with all its possibilities!