7 Tactics for an Effective YouTube Marketing Strategy

Are you interested in making your YouTube marketing more effective this year? Whether you’re running a channel for your own business or your client’s, there are a number of effective tactics to help you build out a YouTube marketing strategy.

YouTube is a powerful marketing tool that can be well worth the time and energy investment. The platform boasts 2 billion users who watch over 1 billion hours daily. According to one study conducted by Google and Talkshoppe, 70% of YouTube users reported having made a purchase from a brand after they saw it on the platform. In 2020, Google also reported that when YouTube ads are targeted for delivery based on intent, purchase intent receives a 100% lift.

YouTube is an incredible way to create search-friendly content that will offer value, entertainment, and answers to your audience’s questions and searches. Having a clear strategy will help you leverage this platform effectively.

Why You Need a Clear YouTube Marketing Strategy

You need a clear strategy for marketing your YouTube channel. Too many brands end up frustrated with their results (or the lack of them) because they randomly create videos as ideas arise. There’s no framework in place, and they don’t have a plan for upcoming content.

Ultimately, failing to plan strategically means you’ll ultimately end up with weak performance on your channel. That’s because you’ve effectively created a presence that is:

Inconsistent, leaving blind spots and missed opportunities
Unfocused and un-optimised
Disconnected, either partially or fully, from your target audience

Having a clear, well-thought-out strategy can help you know the exact kinds of content to create to get the specific results you want.

Do you want your users to click through to your site?
Are you planning to push viewers to subscribe to your channel or your email list?
Do you want to gain enough subscribers to start monetising your content?

Determine how YouTube fits in with your current business goals, and adjust your approach to fit them.

Need more help creating a thriving YouTube channel? Check out our YouTube Marketing course to become an expert in no time.

7 Tactics for an Effective YouTube Marketing Strategy

If you’re wondering how to create a more effective YouTube marketing strategy, we’ve gathered some great tips to help you adjust your approach.

1. Start With Competitor Research

As you’re building out your YouTube marketing strategy, start by taking a look at some of your competitors first. You can do this by looking at the top accounts in your space.

It’s easy to find competitor videos and accounts. Simply search for a keyword with the type of content you’d like to create. For example, if you’re running a home improvement channel, you might want to search for a key phrase such as “how to install a bathtub.”

When you search that phrase, you’ll be able to see top-ranking content, then do some deeper research into the creators’ channels.

Ask yourself the following questions, then take note of the details:

Which videos are getting the most views?
How long are the videos, and how are they edited?
What are the topics of interest, and what approach did the creators take?
How are users responding to the content? For example, if you check the comments, you might see that some users have stated that it’s the best content and why. Others might be asking the same questions over and over--which means there’s a need to be more thorough or address the answer in another video.

The videos your competitors publish, in addition to the clusters of topics they focus on, will tell you a lot about search intent. Once you know what viewers in your audience are looking for and why, it will be that much easier to select your own topics.

Compile your findings and keep notes on hand as you continue to build your strategy.

2. Do Keyword Research

Conducting keyword research can dramatically improve your YouTube channel’s performance. That’s because optimising your video based on keywords will help viewers find it. When you research keywords, you’re deliberately selecting words and phrases that viewers are searching for.

When you research keywords, you’ll want to select a primary keyword for each individual video. You can include secondary keywords in the description and video script. “How to” keywords can be particularly valuable on YouTube, since tutorial videos tend to be popular.

Make sure that you're using a YouTube specific keyword search engine, like what's available over at keywords.io. YouTube is its own unique search engine and you'll want to treat it accordingly.

After you’ve done your research, use the keywords you select to create or enhance your topic list. Then, optimise your video titles and descriptions using these keywords. Be careful not to “stuff” the keywords into your content, but do ensure they appear so they’ll help your videos to show up in search.

3. Consider Different “Playlists” of Videos to Create

Playlists are a great way to get viewers to stay on your channel, consuming more than one video at a time. These are essentially groupings of similar content, where users can click from one video to another in sequence.

Consider creating playlists for your own content, based on the topic. Maybe you’ll have a section of how-to content for your users. You might create one playlist with testimonials or reviews, one with industry trends and updates, or one with educational content.

Branded playlists grouped by topics of interest will draw in viewers and help them hang around your channel for longer. For example, KeyWI is building a KeyWI Academy playlist, where it has grouped how-to content for easy viewing.

Flesh out which playlists you want to organise content under and how often you’d like to add to each, and in what order. This workflow can help you prioritise content creation needs and what types of videos you want to share.

4. Organise a List of Video Topics

Next, it’s time to organise a list of video topics. You can create these based on your keyword research and playlist ideas.

Don’t just start with one or two topic ideas. Map out at least 3-6 months’ worth. It can take some time, effort, and consistency to start to see consistent results. This is true whether you’re posting one video a month or one a day.

When in doubt, do a quick search on the keyword to see what’s currently ranking and what the search intent seems to be. Search intent should always be an essential part of your strategy, since it plays such a hand in the actions users take.

For example, when I search “how to bake a cake,” two of the top four videos include the phrase “like a pro.” The fourth video from the top is geared toward decorating. That tells us the search intent is not necessarily how to bake a basic cake, but an exceptional one.

Consider your viewers’ level of learning and where they might be in their customer journey with your brand. Are they just getting to know you? Then make sure you have introductory content that helps them familiarise themselves with your brand.

If you publish how-to content, make sure you have beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels so viewers at any stage can find something useful on your channel. Capturing customers and potential buyers at every stage will help you to grow your audience and expand your reach.

5. Incorporate Branding Into Your Videos

Incorporating your visual identity into your videos will make them instantly recognisable to your audience. Just like your brand itself, your social media platforms should consistently reflect that identity.

Adding your logo or using branded colours on your channel art can make a huge difference in your marketing. Or maybe there’s a distinctive way you organise your videos. Either way, making your brand identity part of your channel is crucial.

In addition to your visuals, your brand personality and voice should also play a role here. Having a strong brand identity on social media, including YouTube, will set you apart from the competition.

Take a look at how Social Media College utilises visual branding on our channel. Based on the colours, fonts, and styles, a user can identify the brand at a glance.

If you navigate to the SMC YouTube channel, you’ll notice that the content is not only branded for visual recognition. It’s also grouped by category. Playlists have been organised so that viewers can easily access the topic clusters they’re looking for.

6. Consider Your Goals

Different types of videos and different types of optimisation accomplish unique purposes on YouTube. For example:

How-to videos are great for search-friendliness, trust building, and offering valuable knowledge. They carry a strong potential for robust content marketing, as well as inbound marketing.
Testimonials, unboxing, and review videos can build trust and are great for the consideration part of the digital sales funnel. Real clients sharing results can help you convince users searching for “why should I get my degree from Social Media College” to do so, for example.
Product care or usage videos can keep existing customers engaged for brand loyalty.

In addition to considering your videos’ goals, having specific calls to action (CTAs) at the end of each video can impact results. For example, the SMC video below features more than one CTA. The viewer is prompted to subscribe, comment, and visit another video.

YouTube marketing strategy to increase subscribers

What end goals do you have for your content, and how should you optimise accordingly? Some specific goals might be to:

Drive purchases and/or leads through clicks to your website
Continue building relationships with your audience until they’re ready to go off-platform by encouraging them to click to view more videos
Drive engagement and feedback by asking viewers to leave comments
Continue building reach and relationships by asking viewers to subscribe to your channel

Consider what you really want your viewers to be doing when they cross paths with your channel. Then, set up your videos to point them in that direction.

7. Be Camera-Ready

Aim to always be camera-ready. When you’re planning to shoot video for your YouTube channel, you should be properly put together and ready to go. That includes the space you’re filming in.

Make sure every part of your video is camera-ready, from clothing to lighting and background. You want to be sure that the space is free of ambient background noise and is well-lit. If your videos showcase a professional environment, then you’ll be seen as such.

If you’re looking to capture additional video outside of scheduled studio time, you’ll want to consider being camera-ready for that, too. For example, do you want to incorporate candid or behind-the-scenes footage on your channel? Then you’ll need to maintain a consistently professional look in order to stay on brand.

Many business owners might balk at the idea of being caught on camera at any moment. But, it’s a real possibility if you’re leaning heavily on video content.

Some of your team members will be more natural or charismatic on camera than others. That may also be true for you. While it might not be fun to think about, it’s essential to choose people who can engage your audience in an authentic way. That all comes down to charisma and personality.

Having a brand presence on social media--especially a personal brand--means almost any moment could end up being camera-worthy. You don’t want to deviate so far from your professional, polished videos that you create a disconnect within your brand.

Final Thoughts

A clear YouTube marketing strategy can be a game-changer for your channel. Take intentional steps toward content planning, selecting topics, and creating branded, professional videos that catch users’ attention and raise brand awareness.

When you strategically plan and optimise your YouTube content for viewers at every stage of the customer journey, you’ll be more likely to build momentum. Research and leverage keywords that other users are searching for to stay relevant and bring in interested viewers.

As with all your social media marketing, make sure you’re being consistent in visual branding, brand voice, and identity. That effort pays dividends when it comes to brand recognition and loyalty.

By consistently following an organised and strategic plan, you’ll be on your way to growing your channel and engaging more viewers--which will ultimately benefit your brand.

Ana Gotter

Social Media Marketing Specialist

Ana is a strategic content marketer specialising in business, finance, and marketing writing, though she's worked across a range of industries. She works from her home in Orlando with her three dogs.