It’s more than just cute cat videos or a look at the evolution of dance. YouTube gets noticed. Every day, people watch hundreds of millions of hours on it and generate billions of views. That gives you a powerful way to interact with potential customers. Here are some basics of YouTube and how it can benefit your small business.

YouTube can help you build awareness. That’s important when establishing a new business or expanding a current one. Because it uses video, your story can have a strong visual impact. So content like how-to videos, product demonstrations, or customer testimonials become more engaging.

Here are some additional ways YouTube can grow your small business:

Start Your Own YouTube Channel

YouTube provides a platform to host your videos so you can share them. You can create your own YouTube Channel so that your video content is in one place. Then you can group similar content into “playlists” which help customers get more in-depth information on one topic. Individuals can subscribe to your channel so you can notify them when it’s updated. Since YouTube is a part of Google, your video content also becomes part of that search engine.

Get a Social Media Buddy

Many businesses have a Facebook page. But did you know that YouTube could be used as a social media platform too? Instead of posts, you can create a social community using video. Comments to videos viewed on YouTube are linked to Google+.

It can also support your current social networks. YouTube allows you to easily embed video on your business Facebook, Twitter or Google+ accounts. That means your followers can watch your videos while they are in their current newsfeeds as part of their daily routine.

Another Advertising Option

Consider expanding your promotional mix by advertising on YouTube. You can target your ad buy based on the kind of customer you want to reach. People can watch it at home or on the go using their mobile devices. And payment is based on the number of times someone watches your video. That means you are only paying for people who are interested.

YouTube can be a powerful way to build your brand. It can host your video content, help to start a conversation with potential customers, and promote your small business. That can help get your new business off the ground or introduce an existing business to new customers.

Editor’s Note: Cable ONE Advertising can help you navigate the changing word of advertising. Our award-winning producers can create a highly-effective commercial or pre-roll video for your business at an affordable rate. Then we can help you create a media plan that best fits your business' needs by targeting your customers on multiple screens – at home and on the go, using multi-media products. Contact us today!