Even More Tips for Building a Branded YouTube Channel

[Second of two parts.] If you missed the first of this two-part article, click through here to: Creating an Unstoppable YouTube Channel.

The good news is that the cost for creating a branded YouTube Channel is next to free. For the most part, all that’s required is an investment of time to build and maintain a place on one of the Internet’s biggest search engines.

The benefit of having a YouTube Channel is that it works with other digital marketing tools to gain added visibility for your hospital, medical practice or healthcare facility. What’s more, video content is a popular, effective and engaging resource that belongs in nearly every marketing plan.

We’ve discovered, however, that the relative ease of using YouTube has a downside. Its simplicity makes it easy to neglect some vital, and empowering, details. We covered the particulars of eight guidelines previously. And here are eight more tips and techniques for doing it right:

Use a creative title and thumbnail image to grab attention. Titles (if you have one) can be challenging…to be brief yet intriguing. And you don’t need to stick with the first frame for the tumbril image. Select an interesting and representative image from anywhere in the video.

Know about “burst” content. This term describes content that is trending, momentarily popular or a hot topic or idea. There’s a burst of user interest that is intense but brief. Fresh and timely content that hitchhikes on fads, trends or flash news can enjoy a spike of interest, but it fades quickly.

Know about “evergreen” content. In contrast to “burst,” evergreen content has staying power. It’s durable and remains pertinent for a longer period of time.

Think social (not selling). Visual content communicates quickly, and is potentially more dynamic and interesting than text alone. Thus, a YouTube Channel has the ability to engage visitors (patients, prospective patients, friends, relatives) as a social “gathering point” for interaction. As with other social media, individuals can subscribe, “like,” share, connect and communicate with you and with others in the group.

Inspire action and share-ability. Without overtly “selling” anything, content that informs and educates is of value to one person, and when shared, it benefits others. Encourage connected visitors to take some action, such as inviting them to post comments, become a subscriber, forward a link to friends, visit your blog or Facebook page, ask/answer questions, or similar call-to-action step.

Cross-promote yourself. Along with your branded website, blog and Facebook presence, YouTube is a natural companion and logical extension of online visibility. Connect your YouTube to your website, link to YouTube channel from your blog, publish YouTube visual content on your Facebook page and other/companion websites, etc.

Don’t neglect your brand and business profile/bio. In addition to being a video sharing “library,” each YouTube channel provides space for your contact information, logo, business information, link to website, and other details. Keep this info current and correct, and encourage visitors to become regular visitors (via the subscriber capability).

Quality counts. If the content is interesting and worthwhile, YouTube videos can be “less formal” than, say, broadcast quality television commercials. That said, however, viewers can be sophisticated in their expectations. When the video content—images, lighting, sound and other production values—is of poor quality, it can easily be distracting or a complete turn off for viewers.

Video content is a highly effective tool for healthcare marketing, and a YouTube Channel is a branded showcase for outreach, contact, communications and patient engagement.