Why Your (Web Hosting) Business Needs a YouTube Channel

March 16, 2016 by Staff Writer

Let’s face it.

Running a small business – regardless of whether it is a web hosting business or not – is hard work.

You have enough on your plate.

You are doing the marketing, setting up the products, getting in touch with customers...

Your ‘to do’ list keeps growing, and growing, AND GROWING!

Why on earth would you contemplate setting up a YouTube channel for your business and spending all that time messing around with video cameras?

Well, there are a number of reasons, and some of them are quite compelling.

Of course, the main reason is the number of users. YouTube is popular – very popular indeed.

Let’s look at some facts:

- 4 Billion YouTube videos viewed daily
- YouTube receives 800 MILLION unique visitors monthly
- 60 hours of video are uploaded every MINUTE

According to Alexia the most popular websites globally are:

1. Google.com, 2. Facebook.com and 3. YouTube.com!

Those stats alone mean you simply can’t miss out on YouTube as a marketing avenue. But beyond numbers here are some other reasons why having a YouTube channel for your business is a compelling idea:

1. Global accessibility

There are only 23 countries that have ever censored YouTube, and aside from countries like North Korea or Iran, the level of censorship it has received has been limited.

That means YouTube is available in the vast majority of countries and for companies with global aspirations – or, like in web hosting, a company in a business that is global in nature – it offers substantial opportunities.

2. A compelling medium

Nobody forces you to watch YouTube.

The only reasons people visit YouTube are entertainment and enlightenment.

Think of what YOU use YouTube for...

Personally, I seldom use YouTube for entertainment because hamsters falling off a piano don’t do it for me anymore.

The last occasion I looked at a YouTube video was to fix my mobile phone.

Before that to find out how to do something on Word 2007 (yes – 2007! And the videos are still there!)

Each time I hit a branded channel that addressed my needs.

If you are in a business like web hosting that relies on technology, what better way would there be to show people how to do something.

Is it better to write instructions on how to reboot a server, or simply show people?

And yes – when I visited those channels I mentioned before, I watched other videos.

And I clicked on the links.

3. YouTube offers excellent advertising opportunities

When you watch a video that is of interest to you, you can click on a link and visit the website of the company that made the video.

Depending on which statistics you look at, upwards of 80% of video viewers do just that – compared to other advertising medium such as pay-per-click advertising, this is a phenomenal return.

Despite such effectiveness and the enormous numbers of people who use YouTube, the advertising opportunities available through YouTube are curiously inexpensive.

If you have YouTube channel, it's fairly cost-effective to generate a reasonable following.

4. Demographics: EVERYONE uses YouTube

Your target audience probably uses YouTube.

Whereas in the past its demographic was firmly the young, these days YouTube is the domain of every age group – grandparents uploading videos of their grandchildren, kids uploading videos of their scout camps – everyone is there, without exception.

One of the reasons for this is YouTube is no longer bound to the PC.

It’s accessible through mobile devices and these days people are just as likely to be watching YouTube on the move or on their living room's smart TV.

5. YouTube directs users to the content they need or want

Regardless of advertising, by its nature, YouTube directs users to the content they want or need.

Google’s algorithms are particularly good at determining what type of advertising you might click on, and likewise with YouTube – use YouTube for a couple a weeks and the “Suggested for you” videos you receive really are the type of videos you might be interested in viewing.

Chances are if there is something specific in your channel that a certain group needs or wants, they will be directed to it by YouTube.

6. YouTube is designed for business

YouTube also has a clear focus on business – for instance, why does it need analytics?

How many people log in to their YouTube analytics to see how many people saw that video of a mouse frightening a cat?
Probably very few.

As with Google Analytics, YouTube’s analytics functions can let you know where you customers are and what they are interested in - invaluable data.

7. YouTube is designed for browsing

As I implied earlier, the chances are if someone hits your YouTube channel, they are going to shift through some of the other videos you have uploaded.

That might lead to them visiting your website... and that might lead to a sale!
It’s worth the risk!

8. YouTube makes an impact

A picture paints a thousand words, but a moving picture?

Just what sort of impact does watching a video have on a consumer?

The answer is fairly obvious. Would you prefer to buy a mobile phone after reading a description or viewing a videoed demonstration?

Yes, of course, quality matters and many videos produced for branded YouTube channels are often extremely well produced and have good visual quality – and cost a pretty penny.

But, remember, these days entire short films have been filmed on a single IPhone 5s device - really!

So long as the quality isn't poor, a video offers a high degree of impact at nominal cost.

9. YouTube offers a human touch

Informing people how to do something via video also shows the people that work for your company.

It gives them names and offers visitors background.

In a world of auto-responses and waiting in queues for calls to be transferred, a YouTube channel can show the real people that make up your organization.

10. Your competitors don't have a YouTube channel

Simply put, if your website has a link to a YouTube channel and your competitor's website doesn't, that kudos to you!

11. Instant customer feedback

As with Facebook, YouTube allows you to 'like' something, but unlike Facebook, you can also 'dislike' something as well.

Put your products in videos and count up the 'likes' and 'dislikes' and you have a pretty good idea of what's going to be popular and what's not.

View comments and you can find out why people like or don't like a certain product.

Final comments...
Of course, nothing is ever that simple, and a YouTube channel takes some maintenance.

For example, you have to optimise your channel so it stays on top of certain keywords, but generally, a YouTube channel is a cost-effective and fun way to engage customers.

But for a global industry that doesn't have the luxury of shop fronts like web hosting, I believe a YouTube channel is an absolute must.