If you’re not already a YouTube creator (or #star) it can seem a bit daunting to leap into the world of video–especially if you’re an introvert or a bit camera shy. That said, it’s a medium that isn’t going away anytime soon.
It’s also a medium that–once mastered–can help you with pretty much any business goal, including building your list with dream ideal clients.
Here’s the thing: People trust other people when they can see and hear them. As humans we connect on a stronger level when we can watch a person’s body language and hear how they speak. Your audience will be more inclined to listen to what you have to say and feel more connected with you, your brand and your message via video than via text alone. (Studies have recently confirmed this information, too.)
So if you’re already utilizing YouTube to build your audience, you’re a step ahead. And even if you haven’t, it’s definitely not too late to jump on the video train and start creating captivating videos for your audience that will simultaneously grow your email list.
Let’s take a look at exactly how to make this work for your business.
First things first, you need a YouTube channel. You need to get clear on your niche and overall channel topic. What does your audience want to learn about? When you have a few keywords in mind, you can use those keywords to search. Scroll through the first few videos that pop up and choose a couple creators to check out. If they seem like your vibe, then take a look at the creator’s page. Filter the video views to “most popular” and take a peek at their ‘most viewed’ videos.
It may seem counterproductive to produce videos about content when there are already successful videos out there, but the opposite is true. There is clearly a demand for those topics, and if you create content in that same vein (with your own unique spin and knowledge layered in, of course), you can increase your chances of your videos getting found on YouTube. And ‘getting found’ is the first step in getting subscribers–to both your channel and your email list.
All that said, even if you already have lots of videos on your channel, you can still use them to explode your email list.
Next, you’ll want to make sure that all your video descriptions are optimized for email subscribers. Inside each video description, be sure to add a call-to-action to sign up for your freebie and be sure to provide a link. If you have multiple freebies, include a link to the one that is most relevant to the video topic. For example, it would make more sense to drop the URL to your “Affiliate Program 101 Checklist” over your “How to Write Your Website’ freebie under a video titled, “How to Create an Affiliate Program for Your Business.”
You can also add a freebie link in the card at the end of the video. You can even mention the URL within the video itself–so be sure to make the URL easy to read and remember or use a text overlay to display it over your video.
Alternatively, you can drop the link in the video comments and pin the comment to the top so when people “run to the comments,” it’s the first thing they see.
You can also create a dedicated Welcome video talking up (and linking to) your main freebie or create a video all about your lead magnet that entices people to sign up for it by explaining what it is, why it matters and what it can do for them. (You can even include screenshots of testimonials from people who’ve used your freebie to get results.)
Lastly, one other option is to put the URL right on your channel’s banner. Easy, peasy–and highly visible.
YouTube can be a great tool to help build that email list and it only makes sense to use all the tools at your disposal to keep growing that list. Lights, camera, action!
