YouTube is still the most well known video site and the one with the widest reach. It’s actually the number #3 most-trafficked website on the Internet behind Google and Facebook!

Incorporating video into your marketing is a smart idea because it can be done rather inexpensively and it’s an effective way to get yourself found in the search engines. However, many people are still not sure how they can actually use YouTube and video to help boost their online presence.

The first step is to actually have a video to upload of course.

Not Ready For Your Close-Up?

If you are new to uploading videos of yourself online (or even to being on camera) it’s natural to have a bit of anxiety around the process of creating a video in the beginning.  To help alleviate some of this, you might want to do some preparation ahead of time. One thing that helps is to have the concept of your video clearly thought out, as well as how you will present it.  Coming up with a short script of the main points to rehearse a bit beforehand can be helpful. (You don’t need expensive equipment either, I use the Flip camera to film videos—it’s simple to use, inexpensive and plugs right into your computer’s USB port.)

Your videos don’t have to be long—in fact, short ones are your best bet. To start out, aim for about one to two minutes in length—maybe where you offer a couple of tips or teach people how to do something.  For example, a professional organizer might demonstrate how she could quickly organize a drawer or get a messy shelf under control.

However, you don’t necessarily need to be actively doing something—a virtual assistant might simply give the top three items her clients delegate to her which make running their business a whole lot less stressful. Create your videos with the intention of helping someone out with the tips or info you have to share.

Creating a YouTube Channel

If you don’t already have a YouTube account, you can create one for free at http://www.youtube.com. The first thing you will need to do is choose a username, and this in itself is important.  Your YouTube username is the same thing as your “channel” name.  You might want to use keywords in your channel’s name reflecting the main topic your channel is going to be devoted to.

Once you have created your account, you will be able to set your account preferences as well as customize your channel on the Account Settings page.  Take some time to explore these settings so you can create a channel that reflects both you and your business.  Specifically, you’ll want to focus on the following:

1) Upload your picture
2) Use keywords about your business/niche in the “Describe
Yourself” section
3) List your website
4) Fill out the Jobs/Career section and include keywords related to
your business
5) Fill out the Interests section with interests that complement
what it is you do in your business

Adding Video to Your Channel

To upload a video, just click on the upload button in the top right-hand corner of your account.  From this page, click “Upload Video” and you will be able to select a file from your computer.

Once you have uploaded a video, you’ll need to fill in the title, description, tags and category for it.  You want to be pretty detailed here, with a focus again on keywords. Why? Because of something called “Google Universal Search.”  What this means is that when someone goes to Google to search for a particular topic, not only will results for web pages come up, but videos will as well.

After you have filled in the title, description and tags, choose your category and set your privacy setting to “Share your video” then click “Save Changes.”  Pat yourself on the back—you’ve just successfully uploaded your first video.