Youtube—not only do their videos appear on our daily feeds through social media and local media news, but the company has successfully managed to change the game for all content creation. If done right, huge followings can be established on Youtube, and that can lead to huge buck$ (…..now we’re talking).
The GoAbroad team <3’s using Youtube to connect with future travelers in new ways.As an international educational program provider, you have the (content of the) world at your fingertips! Make your locations and travel programs known. Here are three ways international educators and youth travel program providers should revamp their Youtube marketing strategies in the coming years:
1. Show off your brand—but make it consistent!
Listen up international educators: Here at GoAbroad, we want the world to be aware of your kick-@ss programs, and the best way to do that is to apply your branding consistently, intelligently, and methodically! What does this mean exactly? Top Youtube channels consistently brand their videos in both their video content and in metadata (titles, tags, descriptions etc). This is important since you want your video to be successful (and recognizable) not just on Youtube, but on other platforms as well.
Develop a Signature Production Style to Give readers a Taste of What to Expect
- It’s very important to create and edit all videos in a similar manner. This can be done by introducing your logo and colors at the beginning & end of the videos (this is called a “bumper”).
- Even more important—use high-quality shots and stable equipment! The way a video is edited (even if it’s just inputting the same bumper in each video) will show consistency and your viewers will be able to recognize that a video is from your organization within the first ten seconds.
- Deliver a strong call to action/share through cards and end screens. Inserting CTA’s is imperative if you want your Youtube channel to generate more leads. A CTA can ask viewers to share your video, subscribe to your channel, visit your website, or even watch more videos related to the topic. Having users stay on your channel will increase your Youtube watching time and overall engagement. These can be added to your end screens, which can be done under the “video manager” option on your channel.
2. Content is key, but make lots of it!
At the end of the day, your content matters, and the more you make… the better it will be! The most successful brands have 50% more videos per channel compared to the least successful ones. These brands also are sure to post high volumes of content on a regular schedule (aim for 30+ videos per month)! But what exactly should you content be?:
“How To’s” and “Step-by-Steps” are the way to go
Our viewers looove How-To videos. That reminds me: We should make more!LOTS of viewers go to Youtube to LEARN. Education, information, and Youtube simply go hand in hand.
This is why it’s important to put on your best teaching outfit and show the world how it’s done. Create videos on how to navigate your website, how to find scholarships to go abroad, steps on creating a killer resume, etc.
Be the source of the information your participants go to! Keep them intrigued by creating videos surrounding new topics (types of programs, financial aid, tips on the destination etc)
Entertainment Reigns
Besides learning, viewers love to be entertained. So mix your content up a bit and create videos that will engage the audience! Remember… people love seeing other people! Have your program participants create vlogs to showcase their new destination. Or interview them on the best tips they have for other students!
Lighten the mood and makes scripts entertaining! Introduce your office and employees to show the faces of the company. You never know when your content may go viral.
Separate Your Content Logically with Playlists
Utilize playlists to help users find what they’re looking for more quickly.It’s rare that a user will come to your Youtube channel and just want to “play all.” Give them some direction—people love categories—with handy playlists. When you do this, you are dividing each into separate topics (How To’s, Inspiration, ETC). This will make your channel easier to navigate for your viewers.
3. Optimization = KEY
Want your videos to be seen? OPTIMIZE👏🏼THE👏🏼YOUTUBE👏🏼WAY.
Learn the Difference, Master the Strategy!
As the 2nd largest search engine, making your channel discoverable is KEY. YouTube SEO follows different rules from traditional SEO. Step 1: learn the difference. Step 2: Master the YouTube SEO strategy by reading this article!
Even after the video is created, make sure to focus on optimizing your videos metadata:
- Title
- Description
- Tags
- Category
- Cards and End Screens (Annotations)
- Subtitles & Closed Captions
- Thumbnails
Promote Your Channel and Videos on Different Platforms
The beauty of YouTube is that your videos can rise to fame even without viewers visiting the action site! You can promote your videos through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram etc! Introduce some funny captions and entice some clicks and views.
Even better, embed your YouTube videos on articles or blogs that your company has written. By doing so, you will be able to drive traffic to your website and from there, viewers will be directed your YouTube channel. Within traditional SEO—Google prioritizes web pages with YouTube video embeds. This means that the more you embed your video, the more likely it is to show up on google results! Here’s an example from our website 👇👇👇
GoAbroad embeds our videos in relevant articles on our site. This increases the value of the videos themselves while also increasing the time spent on our website by users!You’re now ready for Youtube marketing success
Although it can be hard to get an effective YouTube channel started, the rewards are definitely worth it. About one third of all online activity is spent scrolling through and watching videos. Since YouTube has over one billion active users and can be accessed in 70+ languages, it’s definitely worth a shot. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up earning YouTube’s Diamond Creator Award? 🏆
