Did you know that YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world? The first is of course Google, which not accidentally owns YouTube.  If you want your shop to have a robust presence online, you undoubtedly already have a web site with good SEO (search engine optimization) so that your store comes up at the top of a Google search.  But how is your vidseo? That stands for video with SEO in it, according to The Bolin Marketing Blog.

“Video has always been a powerful marketing and sales tool, but now it …has evolved from rich media to a rewarding SEO component. Some surveys have shown that companies who incorporate videos or the use of animated talking characters on their websites are 53 times more likely to emerge at the top of a search engine’s results,” says Scott Bolin.

Many people use YouTube as a resource when they need how-to advice, and this can be a great way to establish your store’s expertise in your field. If you know a lot about a topic, share your skills on YouTube in a video that also advertises your store. Or use your video to show the key features of a product that you sell, especially if it moves or makes a sound. Don’t forget a video tour of all or part of your store, and clips from special events

Inexpensive video cameras and user-friendly editing programs make it easy for you to create your own videos.  You can even use your iPhone, and edit your footage right away using the iMovie app.  It may, however, be worth engaging a professional videographer to create a polished project. We are in the process of doing one or two “Welcome to Monroe Street” videos for our shopping district that will include an overview of our area as well as more in-depth coverage of the shops and restaurants that have volunteered to share the cost.

Once we have these finished, we plan to post them on the Monroe Street Madison web site and Facebook page, and also to create our own YouTube channel.  In order to do this, you need to have to first be registered on the YouTube website. If you already have a Google account for your business, you can sign in to YouTube with that account information. Otherwise you will need to create a new account dedicated to business use. (Don’t use your personal account, because your viewing history and other information will be shown.) Simply upload your first video to activate your business channel. Incidentally, if you want help with this process, YouTube offers online help — but not in video form!

In order to best use your videos as part of your “vidseo”, you’ll want to title the videos well and use the right keywords in their description. YouTube postings rank high in Google searches (no surprise there), and should be a great way to help customers find you and learn more about your shop.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder