How to Use YouTube for Your Business: A Full Funnel Strategy

As a business owner, sustaining growth requires turning shoppers into customers and loyalists. The million-dollar question is…how do you do that?

Simple. One of the ways is by adopting an Awareness + Action strategy on YouTube. Why?

YouTube is more than just a platform for adorable cat videos and beauty tips. It’s also an invaluable marketing tool that businesses can use to reach their target audiences. YouTube lets you get potential customers at every stage of the purchasing journey and create content that speaks to their needs.

YouTube offers businesses the ability to reach a broad audience with minimal effort, and you can use YouTube at every customer journey stage, from Awareness to Action to Purchase.

By creating engaging, informative videos, you can introduce potential customers to your brand and product, demonstrate its value, and build loyalty among your customer base.

Awareness Stage 

The awareness stage is when shoppers are just beginning their research and are looking for general information about a product or service. They may not even be aware that they need what you’re offering.

At this stage, your goal should be to educate your audience and introduce them to your brand. You can do this by creating videos that highlight the features and benefits of your product or service.

For example, if you sell bicycles, you could create a video explaining the different bike types and their features. This would help shoppers learn about the options available to them and narrow down their search.

If you offer a service like pet grooming, you could create a video showcasing your work’s before-and-after results. This would help shoppers understand what they can expect from your service and how it can benefit them.

The key to creating successful awareness stage content is to make it informative and engaging. You want to pique your viewers’ interest and get them interested in learning more about your product or service.

Create How-To Videos 

How-to videos are a terrific way to introduce viewers to your product or service in a helpful and informative way. These videos position you as an expert in your field and help build trust with your audience. 

You can use how-to videos to show viewers how to use your product, how to solve a problem they may be facing, or as an opportunity to address common misconceptions about your industry. 

Consider using paid advertising. 

Paid advertising is an excellent way to reach viewers in the awareness stage who may not be actively exploring your product or service. 

When creating your ad campaign, focus on visually appealing ads and use keyword targeting to ensure that your ads are being delivered to people who are likely interested in what you’re selling.  

Action Stage        

The action stage is when shoppers have done their research and know what they want.

They’re now looking for more specific information about features, benefits, and pricing before making a purchase decision. 

At this stage, it’s crucial to continue building trust with potential customers and give them the knowledge they need to make an informed decision about whether or not your product or service is right for them.   

Create Demo Videos   

Demos are an excellent way of showing potential customers exactly how your product or service works and what benefits it can offer them. 

These videos help close the gap between awareness and purchase by addressing any remaining questions or concerns prospects may have about your offering.

You can also use demo videos as an opportunity to cross-sell or upsell related products or services.   

Use Call-To-Action Overlays   

Call-to-action (CTA) overlays are clickable buttons on top of your video that direct viewers to a landing page, signup form, or other destination where they can take specific actions like subscribing to your channel or downloading a white paper, etc.

CTAs are a great way of driving conversions by giving viewers a direct path from watching one of your videos to taking action on your website. 

You can use CTAs to encourage viewers to sign up for your email list, download a piece of content, or even make a purchase.

Just be sure to keep your CTAs relevant to the content of your video and make sure they’re easily visible so that viewers know what to do next.

Purchase Stage 

The purchase stage is when shoppers are ready to buy and are looking for the best deal. They’ve already decided what they want and need a little push to finalize their decision.

The best way to encourage viewers to take action at this stage is to offer them a discount or some other incentive to sweeten the deal and make them more likely to buy from you.

You can use video coupons, special offers, or even create a video showing viewers how to get the best price on your product or service.

Ensure your offer is compelling enough to get viewers to take action. You can also use this stage as an opportunity to upsell or cross-sell related products or services that complement what your customer is already interested in.

For example, if someone is watching a video about choosing the right running shoes, you could upsell them on a new pair of shorts or a GPS watch.

The key is ensuring that your offer is relevant to their interests and provides additional value.

Use retargeting ads.

Retargeting ads, or remarketing ads, is a form of online advertising that lets you display ads to individuals who have already visited your website or seen your ad.

This is a great way to keep your brand top-of-mind with potential customers and increase their likelihood of taking action.

You can use retargeting ads to show viewers a special offer, remind them of a product they were interested in, or even encourage them to take action on something they’ve already seen.

For example, you could show a first-time visitor an ad for a discount on their next purchase or a returning visitor an ad for a product they were interested in but didn’t buy.

Retargeting ads are a great way to increase conversions by bringing potential customers back to your website or ad so that they can take action.

The key is ensuring your ads are relevant and offer value so viewers don’t feel like they’re being bombarded with ads.

Getting Started with Youtube 

There’s no need to have expensive equipment or editing skill. All you need is a Google account and a camera to begin. Simply start recording and sharing your message. 

You may invest in better cameras and editing software as you get more confident producing films.

Not sure what kind of videos to create? Check out these ideas:

1. Product demos and tutorials
2. Customer testimonials and reviews
3. How-to guides
4. Industry news and thought leadership pieces
5. Behind-the-scenes footage
6. Q&As with company leaders

Youtube SEO Optimization

Once you’ve created your video, it’s time to optimize it for SEO.

Include keywords in your title and description so that your video comes up when people search for relevant terms. Add closed captions so that viewers can watch without sound. And finally, share your video across all your social media channels to reach the broadest possible audience.

These steps can turn YouTube into a powerful marketing tool for your business. Creating engaging and informative videos can reach a new audience and drive conversions. So what are you waiting for? Get started today!

Final Thoughts

YouTube has over 2 billion monthly logged-in users, making it a powerful platform for marketing your business. It would be a waste not to take advantage of this opportunity to reach a wider audience and drive conversions.

Start by producing engaging and informative videos that appeal to your target audience to ensure your success. Then, optimize your videos for SEO and share them across all your social media channels.

You also need to be strategic with your call-to-actions and offers. Use calls-to-action to encourage viewers to take action, such as subscribing to your channel, and use offers to provide value, such as discounts or free shipping.

Following the steps above, you can turn YouTube into a powerful marketing tool that drives conversions and grows your business.