I believe that many businesses are missing out on a great advertising opportunity by not focusing on YouTube. It’s interesting to see how brands readily jump into advertising on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, but they tend to overlook YouTube. From a business perspective, YouTube falls somewhere between a social media platform and a search engine.
When people visit YouTube, they usually have a purpose in mind. They are actively seeking answers or solutions to their problems. That’s where your potential customers are! The average session duration on YouTube is a whopping 30 minutes as per Statista. Isn’t that incredible? People get sucked into watching content and before they know it, half an hour has passed. But as a marketer, this presents a fantastic opportunity to advertise your brand, especially when your ads are contextually aligned with the users’ searches. It’s a chance for users to discover your brand for the first time, and if they spend enough time engaging with your brand, they might start considering making a purchase. So, in my opinion, YouTube can truly be considered a discovery platform.
As we move further into the world of AI, users will have multiple sources of information at their fingertips. However, they need a trusted source that can provide them with the information they need. And that’s where video content shines. YouTube is revolutionizing influencer marketing by enabling brands to create their own trusted influencers who can answer the questions that users are searching for. The persona that a brand creates is critical for their success. It’s essential to position your brand’s persona as a thought leader whom users will like, trust, and value. This way, they’ll keep coming back to the persona’s channel, eagerly awaiting their next video. I remember when I was looking to buy a set of speakers; I subscribed to a few channels that I knew would have reviews on the latest products. Once I made my choice, I confidently made the purchase.
Now, let’s talk about what sets YouTube apart from other social media platforms. First and foremost, YouTube is a video platform, which means the audio is usually unmuted. This is crucial because on platforms like Facebook or Instagram, the audio is not always enabled by default. Audio has a certain stickiness to it. When users visit YouTube, they actively select the videos they want to watch and then sit back, fully engaged in the content.
Another significant aspect is that YouTube users have come to accept advertisements as part of the experience. They understand that by letting ads play, they are supporting the creators they love. In fact, some people intentionally avoid hitting the skip button on their favorite YouTubers’ ads because they know that it directly helps the content creators. Now, from a marketer’s standpoint, this level of user engagement is unparalleled on any other platform.
In conclusion, YouTube provides a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their target audience in a way that other social media platforms cannot match. By focusing on YouTube as a strategic advertising channel, brands can tap into a platform where users actively seek answers, watch content attentively, and accept advertisements as part of the experience. So, if you haven’t already, I strongly believe it’s time for your business to give YouTube the attention it deserves.