YouTube marketing 101: Best practices and video ideas

Gone are the days when YouTube was just a website for passing the time. Research says that over 500 hours of video content⁠(opens in a new tab or window) is uploaded to YouTube each minute. So what better way to grow your business than marketing it on YouTube?

But first, what is YouTube marketing? Essentially, it entails creating videos to promote a service or product to achieve greater visibility online. As the world’s second most-visited website⁠(opens in a new tab or window) after Google, YouTube allows businesses to foster a personal connection with customers, increase brand awareness, earn revenue through YouTube advertising, and generate higher sales⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

If you’re considering starting a YouTube channel⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to grow your business, you’re in the right place. In this guide below, we answer everything you need to know about YouTube marketing:

• What are the benefits of YouTube marketing?
• How do you come up with video content ideas for YouTube?
• What YouTube promotion tools and strategies can you use?
• How do you get more views and subscribers for your YouTube channel?
  

Think of your potential customers before creating videos⁠(opens in a new tab or window) for your YouTube channel. Consider factors such as age, gender, income, location, hobbies, and audience behavior. What topics would they like to learn about? What videos do they enjoy watching? Define your audience, then tailor your content to fit what they’re looking for.

Audiences want to know what makes your business unique. Under the “About” tab of your channel, explain what kind of product or service you offer. Keep your description short and sweet while including links to your business e-mail and social media accounts.

Design tip: Jazz up your YouTube channel with an instantly recognizable logo⁠(opens in a new tab or window), a channel art banner⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that distinguishes your brand, and a trailer video that reels people in, and you can etch your brand into your ads and clips with video watermarking⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Whether starting a travel vlog or sharing your expertise, choose from Canva’s library of free video templates⁠(opens in a new tab or window) or free stock videos⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to keep your branding consistent across the board.

Given that not every viewers of YouTube can hear video content or understand the video’s native language, it is necessary to make your video accessible to global audiences. You can add subtitles to YouTube videos⁠(opens in a new tab or window) with Notta, a quick and highly accurate AI transcription tool. Simply transcribe your video/audio files with Notta and download the TXT transcript, upload them to YouTube’s subtitle page, review and edit timings, then publish the subtitles to your video⁠(opens in a new tab or window). Alternatively, you can use Canva's video to text tool⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to transcribe your content directly within your design workflow.

Notta can transcribe and translate your videos in 58 languages, and you can easily edit and export the subtitle and add to your YouTube videos efficiently.

Grab your viewer’s attention with a scroll-stopping thumbnail⁠(opens in a new tab or window) they can’t ignore. Opt for vibrant colors and large fonts that are readable on mobile. Try to include human faces when relevant, as these photos tend to get the most attention. Remember that the thumbnail is your first chance to make a strong impression, so it must also reflect your branding.

Remember what we said earlier about understanding your audience? The best strategy to get more YouTube subscribers is to provide fresh, engaging, and compelling content that resonates with your viewers. Find your niche and focus on what makes your business different. Tell a story⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that communicates your product or service. Using a script to video tool⁠(opens in a new tab or window) can help bring that story to life visually. Stay true to your brand, and you’ll be surprised at how many people find value in what you have to say.

All it takes is a few seconds to set the right tone for your video. Stand out from a crowded market with a colorful YouTube intro⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that establishes your brand’s aesthetic.

Organize your related videos into playlists so viewers can find what they’re looking for. Notice how Insider separates their behind-the-scenes videos and their explainer series:

Dive into the most popular YouTube channels and look for strategies that you can integrate into your content. What are their most successful videos? How often do they post new material? Are they doing anything remarkable in their video editing, design, or animation that might also benefit your brand?

Attention spans are fleeting, which is why easy-to-digest video clips within 60 seconds perform well. Get creative with YouTube Shorts, the platform’s answer to TikTok. Tease the content for your long-form videos, make a short video⁠(opens in a new tab or window), try converting long videos to short videos with AI⁠(opens in a new tab or window), create binge-able reels⁠(opens in a new tab or window), or experiment on meme videos⁠(opens in a new tab or window) that bring out your comedic side.

Like two musicians working on a fantastic song together, partnering with a famous YouTuber can give your videos a boost in numbers. Inviting guests to join your videos is a clever way to introduce yourself to a wider audience—a dedicated fanbase that has yet to discover your content.

Think back to the sensational collaboration between Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng and Hersha Patel, the former BBC presenter behind the viral egg fried rice recipe. Not only was it entertaining to watch, but the video has racked up over 17 million views and counting.

“Smash that like button” or “don’t forget to subscribe to my channel” are commonly used expressions. Directly asking viewers to like, comment, and subscribe is a sure way to boost engagement. Switch things up a little by asking for feedback (“What did you guys think of the video?”) or coming up with a memorable catchphrase.

Design tip: Don’t let your video taper off into awkward silence. Instead, tie your video with a neat little bow using these ready-to-use YouTube outro templates⁠(opens in a new tab or window) from Canva.

Now that you understand how to get more views and subscribers on Youtube, what are some YouTube video ideas you should use in 2022? Here’s a list to help you get started:

• Reaction videos
• How-to tutorial videos
• Explainer videos
• DIY videos
• Food recipe tutorials
• Product reviews
• Unboxing videos
• Home or studio tours
• “A day in the life of…” videos
• Shopping haul videos
• Workout videos
• Gaming videos
• Behind-the-scenes videos
• Q&A sessions
• Trending YouTube challenge videos
• Comedy sketches
• Travel vlogs
• Highlight reels
• Livestreamed events
  

It’s not enough to simply upload your video on YouTube. You must also know how to grow your YouTube channel to attract more viewers and gain potential customers. Below, we’ll show you how to promote YouTube videos⁠(opens in a new tab or window) and use the platform’s features to grow your business:

Craft your video titles and descriptions with clear and concise language. Go for headline-worthy phrases and use superlatives like “ultimate” and “best” to spike interest. Better still, if your enthusiasm carries over in your writing, like food vlogger Mark Wiens below:

Optimizing your video content⁠(opens in a new tab or window) is a must to appear as the top result on YouTube and Google search engines. Use Google Keyword Planner⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to research and target the keywords that your audience is most likely to search for. Place these highly-searched keywords in your video title, description, and tags to increase your chances of showing up on people’s feeds. Alternatively, you can enter a subject or question into the YouTube search bar and see what turns up:

Think of YouTube Analytics as your ultimate resource for your YouTube marketing strategy. It tells you your top-performing videos, where your viewers are coming from, how much revenue your channel is earning, and more. Simply visit YouTube Studio⁠(opens in a new tab or window) and select “Analytics” from the menu to check the statistics.

Keep an eye on these YouTube metrics⁠(opens in a new tab or window) to measure the impact of your videos:

As you learn more about what your audience likes and identify engagement patterns, steadily ramp up your video production. Sustain the momentum by uploading videos on the days when your audience is most likely to tune in. No matter which posting schedule you choose—daily, weekly, or bi-weekly—make sure it’s consistent.

Running paid YouTube advertising campaigns is another way to promote your business on YouTube. By turning on monetization features⁠(opens in a new tab or window) for your YouTube channel, you can earn revenue from ads served on your videos through AdSense and Google Ad Manager. You can also include sponsorships, endorsements, and paid product placements in your videos.

According to Forbes⁠(opens in a new tab or window), you only need 1,000 followers or “true fans” to become successful. For YouTube content creators, this means interacting with your followers and building a community⁠(opens in a new tab or window) of people who genuinely believe in your business.

Use the Community tab⁠(opens in a new tab or window) on YouTube to create a personal relationship with your fans and soon-to-be loyal customers. This can be as simple as replying to their comments or asking what other content they want to see in your future videos.

Want to promote your YouTube channel to a diverse audience? Cast a wide net by cross-publishing your videos on popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter). From embedding videos on your blog to tweeting a link to your channel, you can amplify your brand’s online presence through efficient social media marketing⁠(opens in a new tab or window).

Just like that, you’re all set to put these YouTube marketing tips and strategies to good use. Elevate your YouTube content with Canva’s free online video editor, which allows you to record yourself⁠(opens in a new tab or window), trim video clips⁠(opens in a new tab or window), and use high-quality templates⁠(opens in a new tab or window) for professional-looking videos. Sign up for free today.