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YouTube Entrepreneurs. Make Millions Without Leaving Your House [Infographic]

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Zoe Sugg and Michelle Phan

Over the past few years social media stars have made a fortune online, using YouTube to create their own brand. Take a look at how they’ve made their careers and the money that they’re making. From top YouTubers to the celebs you’d forgotten started their careers online, here we take a look at the secrets to online fame and fortune.

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Youtube Entrepreuners? by Moneypod.

The ROI of Finding The Right Digital Platform to Market Your Business Online by @DinaArsenaultPR

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by Dina Arsenault | Featured Contributor

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The ROI of social media is your business will still exist in 5 years.” – Erik Qualman

A statement that rings truer today in 2017 than it ever has before.  But, the answer is not simply to have a presence online, it is to have the right presence on the right social media platforms that best suits you and your brand values. Understanding and discovering  every facet possible surrounding who your target audience is, is paramount for you and your business to succeed online.  What are their likes, dislikes, demographics, age, gender, socio-economic status, do they prefer cream or milk in their morning coffee – You name it!  In having this understanding you can then determine which social media platform they tend to use and more importantly HOW do they use them.

Yes you read that right, how they use them – Either for personal social sharing, for discovering businesses to engage and possibly do business with or both.

A prime example of this, is the general assumption that Millennials have abandoned platforms like Facebook, and only use ones like Snapchat or Instagram.  Well, this is only partially correct.  It is true that Millennials have flocked to Snapchat, the very creative, in the now social media platform that allows for real time communication mixed with fun and interactive filters for both picture and video.  Talking with their friends and colleagues on a personal level has never been more creative and enjoyable.  So yes, it is true that Millennials have abandoned Facebook for personal social sharing but, when it comes to checking out businesses or products they are interested in purchasing or doing business with, they definitely still use Facebook.  In fact, it has been reported that over 41% of Millennials still use Facebook daily.

A demographic who has grown up in a technological age, they have become quite accustomed to using social media to determine if a business they are interested in, is worth their time and or money.  How long does it take for a business to answer an inquiry left on their page?  Do they respond to comments?  When was the last time they posted? Does what they post provide value or does it constantly sell or broadcast; what we at a Cue Creative Consulting like to call it.  All of these elements play a part in determining if a prospective individual will want to do business with you.

In essence, your social media platform is generally the very first customer service experience prospective clients will have with you.  What If we were to flip the script and concentrate on ROR – Return on Relationship rather than ROI – Return on Investment?  Can you just imagine how much better of a first, second or one hundredth impression you will be making with your target audience?  It really is a no brainer – Build those relationships online and the sales will come, guaranteed.  It might not happen instantly but it will happen I promise.

But, how do I choose which social media platform to build those relationships on?

To help you make this decision I will break down the basics of each platform.

Here we go.

Facebook

Facebook really is a must have for any and all businesses online.  It still is the powerhouse when it comes to online social media marketing.  Now with the advent of Facebook LIVE video streaming, the doors have been swung wide open for businesses to uniquely market and connect with their audiences online and build those all so important relationships.  Let customers get to know the people behind the logo, and in turn, they will become your biggest cheerleaders online.

Twitter

Is a platform centered around the art of the conversation.  Unlike Facebook, Twitter really is centered around the landscape of being ‘in the moment’.  It really is perfect for those businesses who have things to say frequently and want to engage directly.  Ideal for breaking news or current events.

Instagram

Is a perfect platform to reach the younger generation online through the art of visuals.  It shows no sign of slowing down while it continues to gain traction with the 30 to 45 yr old demographic.  The recent addition of Instagram Stories helps take the customer/user experience behind the scenes of you and your business allowing them to get to know, like, and trust you and your brand in a much deeper way than ever before.

YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search engine and the third most visited website world wide just behind Google and Facebook.  This makes it a perfect tool for marketing through google search engines.  Simple how to videos, behind the scenes clips, product demos etc are all perfect examples of how to utilize this platform.  It really is suitable for most businesses, especially those that are in creative or visual fields.

Pinterest

Typically it has been reported that the majority of its users are under the age of 40 and are typically female. They generally have an income over $100 k per year.  It really is an important tool to keep you in the know of what the current or upcoming trends are.  Pinterest tends to influence customer purchases, especially with the addition of buyable pins directly within the platform.

I hope this breakdown gives you some basic insight of what each platform has to offer and how you can utilize them for you business.  Ideally, no business can or should be on all platforms.  I suggest that you pick the top 3 that would best suit your needs and devote the time, energy and commitment needed to really make social media work for you and your business.

Bonus Tip:  If you find even if after reading this blog you are still not sure how to figure out which platform is best suited for you and your business – Check out what your competitors are doing online.

What platforms are they using?  What kind or reaction or engagement are they getting, ie. likes, shares and or comments they are getting on their posts?  And more importantly, what are they doing right to build those relationships online and what are they doing wrong?  Identify where they are falling short and you have found a niche that you can fill.

If you have any questions about social media or how to determine which platform would best suit you and your business.  I invite you to give me a shout, and I would be more than happy to support you in your digital marketing needs!

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Dina ArsenaultDina Arsenault Digital Media Strategist and the undisputed reigning Madame of creativity, community and connection for the Ontario Chapter of http://acueconsulting.com/.

A celebrated and sought after speaker and writer, Dina is a caffeine fueled and food delighted ( locally sourced of course) Community Builder, Relationship Nurturer and all around Small Business Supporter. Dina’s online expertise is driven by her desire to promote your business online while connecting and elevating others in the process to foster community and the all around ‘good feels’.  If you want to be visible, connected and engaged with your community (and exposed to great food and fun) Dina is your gal!

Connect with Dina: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Snapchat: dinaarsenault7

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Can I Use My YouTube Videos on Facebook? by Angela Moore of @SixDegreesDM

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Can I Use My YouTube Videos on Facebook?

by Angela Moore | Featured Contributor 

Can I Use My YouTube Videos on Facebook?

This is a really great question. And it’s actually changed over the years.

In fact, we used to add links to our YouTube videos in Facebook posts. We wanted to increase the views to our videos on YouTube.

But we don’t anymore.  Don’t get me wrong. We still want to increase our video views on YouTube, but Facebook is just not the way to do that.

I can’t remember when we quit linking to videos on YouTube, but at one point we realized it was far better to upload video natively to Facebook.

Video on Facebook

Now most of the time, we still use the same video. However, that’s changing now too.

Why you ask?

Here’s the thing. Video shared natively on Facebook is different than video uploaded to YouTube. You’ll also get more engagement when you share video natively on each platform.

While the goals are similar- branding and leads- the approach needs to be designed around each platform.

Here’s what to consider for YouTube videos:

  • Your videos can be longer in length.
  • Videos will almost always be viewed with sound on.
  • Viewers may watch more than one of your videos at a time.
  • You can have multiple links embedded in your video.
  • Videos are available for viewing continually.

 

Here’s what to consider with Facebook videos:

  • Shorter videos are better on Facebook.
  • Not everyone watches video with the sound on – because of that you want to have text in your video so the viewer can “read” what you have to say.
  • You can’t link to previous videos so a “series” may be a little more difficult to pull off
  • Videos have a shorter shelf-life.

Video views

You can read a report from Tubular and Ogilvy here.

So it’s ok to use the same topics for your videos on both sites. You just may want to change them up a bit if you have the resources to do so.

If you don’t have the resources to make two different videos, then stick with the strategy that gets you the most results.

If you haven’t really gotten started with YouTube yet, then just focus on video for Facebook.

If your goal is to rank video or you plan on doing video ads in YouTube, then go that route.

It’s also ok to test each strategy separately and see what brings you the best bang for your buck, so to speak.

Video advertising

Another thing to remember is that you can also use retargeting ads on both sites.

But Angela, what if I don’t have a very big following on Facebook and even fewer subscribers on YouTube?

Well friend, I’m glad you asked.

You see, video ads are going to be a great way to build up both. Here’s my recommendation for you.

What type of problems does your market have that you can help them with in short tutorial videos?

Think of not only your frequently asked questions, but also questions that you know your customers should be asking.

Now start brainstorming which of those you would be able to answer with great short video tutorials.

How-to videos

However, make sure you are focused on offering value, not on sales.

One great place to look for questions that people have in your industry is Quora. I love that site.

It’s free market research!

Want to know another secret weapon? If you take the questions you find on Quora and make a video answer, you can post that on YouTube and then…drum roll please… post that video link in an answer post in Quora.

Talk about a double whammy!

Hope you found some value here and some tips for your video strategy. Let us know what questions you have in the comments.

Until next time…

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Angela MooreAh the Bio section. Let’s change this up and start with a quote. “Don’t adjust your dreams to accommodate your reality, adjust your reality to accommodate your dreams.” Yep I wrote that. I’m Angela Moore, Founder and President of Six Degrees Digital Media. We launched the company in May of 2010 and have the good fortune to still be helping others. We love creating awesome video over at Six Degrees as well as e-Courses and websites. If you need help telling your story, we’re here for you.

Also, I’m a mom of two awesome kids, which I believe is my real legacy. And if you’re still reading this, I’ll throw in that I’m a huge fan of Disney (movies and the park), as well as superheroes. I’d love to save the world but right now I’ll settle for saving the Internet one byte at a time.

Connect with me anywhere you like.

 


5 Social Media Platforms to Be On (that Aren’t Facebook or Twitter!) by @BBorowicz

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by Brittney Borowicz | Featured Contributor

Social media has become a huge player in business promotion and engagement over recent years. With so many different social media platforms to choose from, many businesses don’t know where to start and5 Social Media Platforms to Be On That Aren't Facebook or Twitter by Brittney Borowicz therefore start EVERYWHERE.

The truth is, not every social media platform is right for your business or consumers. Rather than be on every social site, it is important to choose only a few platforms to focus your efforts on so that you can generate the most consumer engagement, and ultimately, sales for your business.

So which social media platform is right for your business? Here is a quick snapshot of five of the top social media platforms to be on that aren’t Facebook or Twitter. (Although I happen to love both of those as well.)

LinkedIn

Best business uses: Networking to reach potential clients.

How to maximize your reach: 

  • Join LinkedIn groups that relate to your business or industry. Once you’ve established yourself in a group, work to answer questions and foster conversations, which will boost your reputation as an expert and help others get to know your company.
  • Engage with others in your network. This is the best way to network with people both in and outside of your industry and the best way to find new, potential clients.

How not to use it: 

  • Don’t spend too much time pitching your products or services. Instead, promote news and information about the industry your business is in.
  • Don’t mistake it for Facebook. Funny memes and games may be appropriate on Facebook, but they can come off as unprofessional on LinkedIn.

Google+

Best business use: Promoting your brand with Google integration – which carries significant weight in terms of SEO and organic search visibility… to put it simply, Google <3s Google.

How to maximize your reach: 

  • Google+ has a large variety of communities to choose from (similar to LinkedIn) that you can get involved with in order to network with people in your industry.
  • Google+ Hangouts is a great, free alternative to other webinar services. You can only have 10 participants actively on video but you can stream the video to an unlimited number of viewers using YouTube.

How not to use it: 

  • Posting only about your product. Google+ encourages engagement with your customers. Only about 20% of your posts should be about your product/service while the other 80% about your customers and their lifestyles.
  • Ignoring “Circles.” Google+ Circles allow you to segment and target specific messages and posts to specific people (Ex: Customers vs. prospects vs. industry professionals vs. partners.)

YouTube

Best business use: Building credibility by showcasing your knowledge and skills.

How to maximize your reach: 

  • Make a list of the 10 most frequently asked questions about your industry and film yourself answering them. Think of the kind of queries that people sit down to Google. Next, think of the top 10 questions your potential clients SHOULD be asking you but aren’t. Film yourself answering those questions too. This provides you with easy-to-make and valuable content for your viewers.
  • Because YouTube videos show up in Google search results, make sure to optimize the videos with as many keywords as possible.

How not to use it: 

  • Don’t post longer than necessary videos — keep them under a minute and a half. Focus on one question or issue per video to keep your message on track otherwise your viewers may quickly lose interest.

Pinterest

Best business use: Promoting your brand to a female-skewed audience, specifically mothers. (Although, men are increasingly beginning to use Pinterest.)

How to maximize your reach: 

  • Use good SEO practices when titling your boards and filling out Pins and descriptions. It’s important to name your boards with phrases people will search for.
  • Check Google Trends. If people are searching for something related to your business or industry, create a board or Pins around the topic. For example, if your business helps people monitor their indoor air quality and a common Google search is “yoga,” make a board highlighting how indoor air quality affects your breathing when doing yoga.
  • Read “7 Quick Tips for Starting Your Business on Pinterest.”

How not to use it: 

  • Keep personal Pins highlighting your favorite books, fashion and travel photos separate from those linking to your company’s URL. You can “hide” your personal boards or keep them on a separate Pinterest profile.
  • Never use copyrighted pictures to create Pins.

Instagram

Best business use: Promoting your brand via stylized images to a largely twenty-something audience.

How to maximize your reach: 

  • The revenue generated by an Instagram follower is 10 times greater than that generated by a Twitter follower, according to data analytics firm, SumAll. Take pictures of what makes your business unique or helpful to its consumers. Take pictures of both products and especially of people using your products.
  • Instagram allows you to connect to Facebook or Twitter so that you can cross-post your pictures.
  • Use hashtags to help your customers find your products and services across all three platforms.

How not to use it: 

  • Don’t let your account go dormant. Update it with new pictures at least every other week to keep people interested.

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Brittney BorowiczBrittney Borowicz is an integrated marketing professional with a strong communications background specializing in journalism, public relations and social media. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Brittney has spent the past few years working with entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Chicagoland area to enhance their marketing and social media efforts.

Prior to her current role as the Marketing Manager for an embedded networking company, Brittney realized her affinity for all things media and marketing while working in radio and television and as a professional presenter. Later, she began working at a couple of small marketing agencies in Chicago as a Public Relations and Sales Director and Account Manager, which required her to be well-versed in coordinating specialized public and media relations strategies, creative marketing initiatives and cohesive sales process implementations.

As a strong believer in intimate consumer/brand involvement, Brittney helps her clients create content that engages and educates brand audiences while establishing each individual or company as a thought leader in their industry.

Twitter – LinkedIn – Personal Website