Is your YouTube Channel a brand video graveyard? How to revive it

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by Jacob Solomon May 30, 2023 News
Is your YouTube Channel a brand video graveyard? How to revive it

I have been asked the same question by businesses of all sizes.

I don't know why I should use the video sharing website. How can I use it to my advantage? I would like to be on TikTok.

Many businesses just use YouTube to host their videos. No more, no less. It is a missed opportunity in terms of videoROI, brand awareness, traffic and audience growth.

The C-suite is hesitant to invest in future video projects due to a lack of effort in marketing. They don't understand the value.

For a lot of businesses, YouTube is where their videos end up. It doesn't have to be like that. It doesn't have to be a video graveyard.

Understanding the problem

Businesses and brands don't like to use YouTube for growth. There are a lot of false assumptions in the business world.

  • YouTube is for kids and Gen Z.
  • YouTube is all about clickbait, pop culture and music videos.
  • Being successful on YouTube requires a big budget and professional production equipment.
  • No one will be interested in what my business has to offer.

Business leaders don't understand video, marketing or audiences well enough to make dull corporate brand videos. These don't work well on the video sharing website.

The idea of a video graveyard is brought up. It comes about when brands don't do what they're supposed to.

  • Create engaging content that resonates with their audience. Without engaging content, viewers quickly lose interest and move on to other channels.
  • Optimize the channel and video uploads. Naming a video ‘Our company overview’ isn’t going to cut it.
  • Cultivate a community for audience growth. Often, comments and questions are left unanswered for months or even years.

It is necessary for brands to invest time and effort into avoiding this fate.

  • Understanding their audience.
  • Crafting compelling video ideas.
  • Optimizing their videos for maximum reach and engagement.

Typical causes of YouTube desertion

There are different causes of a channel turning into a graveyard.

A lack of resources can be the reason for it.

Sometimes it's because the brand isn't trying to create content that will engage their audience.

Changes in the brand's strategy or goals can lead to a lack of content.

Time is one of the factors. You don't need a big budget or fancy tech, but you do need time to research, plan, upload, and promote.

Pitfalls of allowing your YouTube channel to go stale

Only you and your employees are allowed to subscribe to the channel. It will not hurt.

Take a picture of it from a prospective customer or client's point of view.

  • Does it look like the brand cares about its public image?
  • Do they appear professional and successful?
  • Would you remember the company or brand if you saw them elsewhere?
  • Do you feel like they care about educating, entertaining or understanding their customers?

When looking at a deserted channel, the answer is definitely no.

Marketing, acquisition and sales aren't as easy as building a website and pushing it live.

The most successful companies use a multi-pronged approach.

If your target market is on the video sharing website, you should be there to answer their questions and educate them about your product.

The message has been understood by marketers, but they don't always focus on it.

The prioritization gap between consumers and marketers was found in a study.

Despite being ranked higher by marketers, YouTube is still a popular platform.

Prioritization gap

Some businesses are not suitable for the video sharing site.

Maybe people don't want to see how a tank is emptied or the life of a roll holder.

Most businesses can find a niche that is interesting and visually appealing.

Why you should bring your YouTube channel back from the brink

Why should a brand bother with a video sharing website? Leave a channel empty and pretend it didn't happen.

There are a few reasons why you should invest time and love into your lost channel.

Have we met before?

It isn't meant to be a one-man show for businesses. Integrating your videos into your online presence will create a cohesive brand experience.

It helps drive traffic to your channel, encourages cross- platform engagement, and strengthens your brand's online presence.

Businesses can use YouTube to create educational and informative videos.

Sharing valuable insights can help establish your brand's authority and expertise in your niche.

Your brand is more likely to be trusted and remembered by viewers who see it consistently.

It's all about engagement on the video sharing website. Businesses can engage with their audience through comments.

Asking viewers to subscribe and like your videos, having clear calls to action, and creating engaging video thumbnail can attract more followers and keep them on your channel longer

One of the most valuable things you can do is to build a loyal, engaged customer base that advocates for your product or service.

The effect of this is that eventually, all those subscribers, interactions and views will make your content more likely to be promoted. Don't lose, win!

Build it and they will buy

The purchasing decisions of both B2B and B2C buyers can be influenced by the video sharing website. It could miss out on reaching key decision-makers if it looks a little unlikable.

It's important that the marketing mix includesYouTube.

  • Up to 89% of people said they purchased a product or service after viewing a video about it, a Wyzowl research found.
  • YouTube users are three times more likely to watch online video tutorials than read instructions, according to Google.
  • As of 2023, 91% of businesses report using video as part of their marketing strategy, according to Wyzowl.

It's no longer an unimportant website. Your audience are waiting for you here.

Search marketers rely on daily newsletters.

How to revive your YouTube channel and attract views

We've seen the pitfalls of turning your YouTube channel into a brand video graveyard and now it's time to explore some effective strategies to breathe life back into it.

You can make your brand's content more visible on the video sharing site by implementing these tips.

Conduct a channel audit

Start a spreadsheet for your audit. You can download a list of your uploads from the Advanced Mode.

There is analytic data.

Valuable insights into how viewers find and watch your content can be found in the analytics section of YouTube. It is a good starting point.

There are two kinds of data.

  • Channel analytics.
  • Video analytics. 

If you have a video with a lot of views, the latter is a good option.

You will be able to see how long viewers watch for and what percentage of the video they watch.

YouTube analytics
Source: YouTube support

If you notice a steep drop in audience retention at the beginning of your videos, it's time to stop making them.

The title or thumbnail may be misleading. The brand ident is putting people off.

Get to the content by removing it.

There are different content types and categorizations.

You want to have more than a few videos on your channel.

If you want to put your videos into categories, you need to make sure your spreadsheet includes all the titles, descriptions and URLs. There are some things you can do to start.

  • Blog video: Answers a question or explains a topic.
  • Brand/company video: Your company overview, brand advert.
  • Testimonial video: Client(s) saying how great you are.
  • Demo or how-to video: Explaining how to do or use your product or service.
  • Webinar, roundtable, discussion or interview: You discussing a topic relevant to your business with guests.
  • Feature or inspiration video: Promoting features of a product, service or even destination – if you’re a travel company.

Brand videos should be kept to a minimum. They can be used to greet subscribers.

You will have a website, a demo, and videos. People will be searching for these types of content. These are the videos that are entertaining and engaging.

Engage with your community

There is more than one way to communicate on YouTube.

A sense of community can be fostered by interacting with your audience. Answer questions and respond to comments.

The bond between your brand and your viewers is strengthened by this interaction. You should include their feedback into future video ideas.

Don't reply to comments that aren't too old. Pin your own comments to the top of the videos.

Do you want viewers to have questions or give them their thoughts? Direct contact with consumers is important.

It is easy to turn off comments.

If you treat your community as an opportunity to learn, improve and connect, it will help build trust and brand affinity.

  • Acknowledge the feedback: Whether the feedback is positive or negative, it's important to acknowledge it.
  • Thank the person providing the feedback: Showing appreciation for feedback helps to build a positive relationship with your audience.
  • Respond promptly: Responding promptly shows that you value the feedback and are committed to improving.
  • Be open-minded: Approach feedback with an open mind and be willing to consider different perspectives.
  • Take action: Use the feedback to make improvements and show that you are committed to meeting the needs of your audience.

Optimize your videos

It's probably the most difficult task to revive a YouTube channel.

Increasing the discoverability of your videos is dependent onOptimizing your videos.

The higher the quality of your videos, the more likely you are to get organic traffic.

I hear you want to know what I mean byOptimizing.

It's very similar to websiteseo. Most of the principles are the same.

  • Keyword research: Find out what topics in your niche people are searching for. Take a look at what content competitors are creating. What are your clients asking you at both a sales and support level?
  • Metadata: Is your title accurate, informative, keyword optimized, and clear? Does your description include a link to a relevant resource on your website? Your video descriptions can be pretty long, so feel free to be as detailed as you like. It all helps. Viewers may only read the first lines before the ‘show more’ link appears, so ensure the first paragraph summarizes well enough to make sense.
  • CTR optimization: Does your thumbnail accurately reflect the content of the video? Is it eye-catching and engaging, yet still professional?
    • Tip💡: Where possible, try to include a human face in your thumbnail. They tend to encourage more clicks than text or graphic-only thumbnails.
  • Tags: Think of them as “keywords” not to be spammed. Video tags should be specific to each video, whilst channel tags should be broad and relate to the overall niche and seed topic.

Check out this article for more tips on how to get more views on the video sharing website.

Consistency is key

Consistency is required in uploading new content.

Establish a regular uploading schedule and create a content calendar. Trust and engagement are built by consistency.

Setting realistic goals and sticking to them is the key to releasing videos weekly, biweekly, or monthly.

Collaborate with others

Collaborating with other people in your niche can help you get more viewers. Cross-promotion on other channels is possible.

It is possible to introduce your brand to a wider audience with the help of their audience base.

Don’t set it and forget it

Success on the video sharing site doesn't come after a single stint in the spotlight. Many brand channels are stuck in the first place due to a "set it and forget it" approach

A person came along and set everything up.

Involvement, consistency, engagement and relevancy are all part of the performance on the video sharing website. You will be lagging behind if you leave a long gap between uploads.

You can set a goal of uploading and checking. Someone with time and interest should be assigned to the task. It's your audience that deserves it.

Let your YouTube channel thrive

It takes dedication, strategic planning, and a commitment to produce high-quality, engaging content to revive a channel on the internet.

You can transform your channel from a lifeless graveyard into a thriving hub of activity by implementing these tips.

Don't give up on your channel. Take care of it and you will get the rewards of a lively audience.

The guest author's opinions are not necessarily those of the search engine. There are staff authors here.