This is the 4th blog post I’ve written about YouTube in the past year. I keep coming back to this topic because almost everyday I am reminded how much YouTube has helped grow my presence, traffic and income online.
I never thought the Sony HD HandyCam that I casually purchased in 2006 would turn into an investment that pays me over and over again.
If you haven’t jumped on the YouTube bandwagon yet, here are more reasons you may want to think about taking that leap…
1. The YouTube Partner Program
As a YouTube Partner, you get the opportunity to display ads alongside your videos and earn money for every click. Most of the time, YouTube will display a graphical ad, but sometimes AdSense ads will also appear.
To apply you must be an AdSense Publisher and your YouTube channel has to meet undisclosed traffic and subscriber criteria.
2. It’s Owned By Google
While Google continues to dominate the organic search market, I try to make use of any of their tools that could positively affect my rankings. As a YouTube channel owner you get the opportunity to display your website address on your channel’s homepage.
Google treats the channel homepage just like any other site and assigns a PageRank. So as your channel becomes more popular, it can be considered a high-quality backlink for your site.
3. It’s So Darn Easy
I remember the pre-YouTube days when uploading video to the Web seemed to require a degree in computer technology. 😉 YouTube has made it so simple and accepts a multitude of formats so adding your videos to the Internet is no longer the challenge it once was.
Not to mention, embedding them into your site or blog takes 5 seconds of copying and pasting.
4. Get In Front of the YouTube Audience
I know people who go to YouTube almost everyday in search of anything from the latest entertainment gossip to basic “how-to” information. Having videos on YouTube will put you and your site in front of a whole new audience.
5. Embedding Benefits
Produce useful / entertaining videos, and no doubt, people will want to embed your videos into their sites. I’ve gathered a ton of new customers, subscribers and followers from people who have found me through 3rd party sites that embedded my YouTube videos.
6. “Response”-ible Promoting
One way to promote your own videos is to use YouTube’s “response system.” If you come across a video related to your niche, you can respond to that video with your own and your video will appear beneath the one you’ve responded to. This will instantly give you the opportunity for more exposure.
Due to spamming, many YouTubers have disabled the response feature, but every now and then you can find someone who has enabled it for their channel.
7. Video Annotations
If your video editing software is not advanced enough to add text overlays, Google allows you to use their Annotations feature to add text and caption overlays to your videos in a few simple steps.
This is great if you want to call out certain parts of your video or even promote a website address.
8. Build Credibility
People often underestimate the amount of credibility you need to establish before you make good money online. This is especially true if you have chosen a niche related to making money online.
There are so many scams and schemes out here when it comes to that niche so people are rightfully more skeptical when it comes to sites and blogs about making money.
This is not to suggest, of course, that scammers don’t use video. But many people find it comforting when they can sit and watch the site owner present their information in a video format.
If done properly, video can add a dose of personality to your site while giving you a nice credibility boost, no matter the topic.
9. Free Promotion
Of course you have to pay for the video camera (if you don’t have one already), but I think that’s a small price to pay for the benefits that can come from a free service that may generate thousands and thousands of new visitors to your site.
One of the most common questions I receive from people is “How do I drive traffic to my site for free?”
YouTube is definitely one way to do it. Not only can you verbally promote your site in your videos, but YouTube allows you to add a description alongside your video that can contain hyperlinks.
Remember, just like writing content, the more useful your videos are, the more traffic you will generate from them in the long run.
10. It’s Just Plain Fun
Maybe it’s just me, but there’s something enjoyable and empowering about creating a video for the world to see.
I’ll admit, part of it could be the fact I am sort of a ham when it comes to video cameras. Watch any video of my family vacations and I somehow always managed to find my way in front of the lens.
Perhaps I was a TV personality in a former life. 😉
Not to mention, some things are just better said with video than content. I’ve found that video is a fun way to add some pizazz to your website or blog! Plus, it gives you a break from writing.
My YouTube Channels
Take a peek at some of the videos I’ve published in the last year…
2 Create a Website – Just The Facts
Lisa, I’m totally impressed by the quantity and quality of your work that I just discovered here on YouTube. I’m looking forward to learning from you and incorporating many of your suggestions.
Lisa, thank You very much for the information you share with your audience. I am new to this whole idea of creating a web site, blogging and making videos on youtobe, but with your step by step directions; am well on my way…
Hi Lisa,
Thank you so much for posting all of the information in such an easy format to understand and follow.
You have great ease and flow as you deliver the information and a lot of personality. 🙂
You give us hope!
Thanks,
Zita
I am a youtuber!
youtube.com/user/ptcbtutor
Thanks Lisa, I’ve made 11 videos so far for my Deaf youtube audience. I haven’t had the chance to post them yet, as they need editing (sometimes I messed up on sign language or didn’t get an idea out clearly enough, and my hardest problem – making the videos SHORT!!!!!! They always turn out about 17 or so minutes)
I can’t wait to get them up and see how it goes. Like one poster above said, the key is being (thus appearing) relaxed, comfortable, and knowing.
Thanks again.
I’ve been hunting for a lot of time now in order to discover a simple way so I can easily download youtube videos .
There are lots them including software tools , firefox plugins , various scripts etc.. Well most of them are good at doing what they really do .
But I will mention a trick that it’s the most simple that I’ve found. This trick includes using http://www.tubeleecher.com.
Ok here are the steps involved
1) visit http://www.tubeleecher.com
2) copy the youtube link you want to downlod
3) paste it in the textbox on tubeleecher site
4) save the video and you’re done
You can play the video you downloaded with a flash player.
get it here http://download.cnet.com/FLV-Player/3000-13632_4-10467081.html
I’ve found also a youtube video explaining the whole proccess of getting video from youtube with the method described above.
Watch it here — >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h87N9F_mdc
Lisa, thanks for the tips on website building and for the videos on youtube.
Interesting internet business.
Hello Lisa, I love to watch your video and also I have download you book. I am new when it come to uploading videos. I am learning how to build a blog thank to you I know everything take time. I hope I can be successful as you one day keep up the good work.
Lisa,
Thanks for all of the Free Video that you have posted. I am watching them as my “unofficial” Internet Marketing training program. Thanks again and please keep up the excellent service!
G’day Lisa,
Just Like to give you a great big, loving “Pat on the back” for all of the info you post for the benefit of others. I’m a Newbie to the net and the info you provide has been a great help and inspiration. Thank you.
Kind regards,
Peter
Howdy Lisa,
Gotta say, the real appeal of your videos {beyond the obvious support and helpful information contained within them} can be summed up in one word IMHO, and that word is….RELAXED
You come across as being comfortable with your environment, your message, and your own skin.
Anyone who is truly contemplating utilizing videos as a support and promotional sales tool should take this lesson to heart.
Because, once you begin creating your online video persona and you are coming across as unprepared, nervous, or bufoonish {sp?} it can quickly have the opposite effect of what you were looking for in the first place.
Good on ya Lisa! You’re easy on the eye, informative to the mind, and engaging with your presence…keep up the good work!
Warmest regards,
Liberty
Hi Scott
This is a good question but I will say that even though I do a lot of YouTube videos, I also have a ton of content to supplement my videos. I’m sure there are many instances where people cannot watch the video but that is probably few and far between compared to the people who can view. I think the positives of video outweigh the negatives by far.
Lisa,
I notice you have a lot of video content on your site. Don’t you think that it may hurt you to a degree because not everyone is viewing in a situation where they can turn the audio on? Or does the ease at which you post content out weigh that?
Scott
lol, have you heard of LISA NOVA or Venican Princess on youtube? Those are two really BEAUTIFUL women I have subscribed to on my youtube account and they BOTH make FULL TIME livings off SIMPLY very very creative YOUTUBE videos, I think they are making SIX Figures plus, it’s very inspiring…. however I haven’t seen ANY GUYS on youtube that are even 1/10th as popular as those two, I think being a really beautiful woman helps with online youtube success when your picture is all over the place.
Been on your site now for 2 hours Lisa, eyes are getting kinda tired of reading, But I’ll definiately be back! (like arnold says, I’ll be back! ) My goal is to read all ur posts and try to absorb as much advice as possible!~ lol….. and then TAKE ACTION!!!!
I’m a bit of a ham too. 🙂
Youtube has always been one of those features that I think “eventually…”, but I know I should definitely take advantage of it. I’ll get there. There’s still so much to do, but I’m finally getting there.
Hello Lisa,
I will use yuotube as my campaign , thank for your info about youtube !
it’s true! Just look at the success of people like May Paris, a Ukranian gal who does nail art tutorials. Youtube can draw a lot of traffic!
Hi Lisa,
It was in my to do list to sign up for Youtube partner. I just tried and of course my county is not in the allowed counties, I hate this 🙁 Why it is for limited countries if I use my adsense account? Any way, I will continue to check, some day they will have it for Bulgaria too.
Thank you for your inspirational post, I love to watch your videos 🙂
I’m thinking of purchasing a laptop with a built-in webcam(the screen is the camera). That way, I can make eye-contact with my audience.
I remember back in the day webcams could only handle delayed reception with no audio.;)
oh lisa ! you are too great 🙂
youtube was the way i found out about you actually 🙂 so it is definitely something good to promote sites.