Promotion on YouTube: 12 tricky questions with answers

For some reason, many marketers miss one important channel for product and brand promotion - YouTube. But this is a real "gold mine". Do you think this opinion is erroneous or do not know where to start? Ask, we will answer.

Why YouTube?

Videos on YouTube are watched by everyone, from schoolchildren to pensioners. There are more than a billion registered users in the world and almost all of them are active. And how many people watch videos without registration! On average, each user of a smartphone or laptop spends about 20 minutes on YouTube every day. You will not promote your channel from scratch, but seek support from popular video bloggers. The right choice of a blogger is a 100% hit in the interests of the target audience. Your offer automatically becomes part of the popular content. It will be reviewed and discussed, even if it is intrusive advertising.

Is it possible to choose an advertising format?

Yes, on YouTube, a product or brand is promoted through video. But this does not mean that you are somehow limited in choosing a format for advertising promotion. Here are the main YouTube ad formats:

• promotional video: aired separately from the video, like an ad on TV. There are long and short ones (respectively, you can click "skip" or not);
• viral or creative - they are created so that users are hooked by an unusual idea, and they begin to fumble and discuss it;
• vlogger ads. For the audience, the cult of personality works: everything that the idol says is good and right. Video integration is possible when a blogger only casually mentions your brand. It is possible to create a thematic video dedicated specifically to your products. The product placement option is also in demand, when the product is in the frame, but is not involved in the process itself (like a bar with alcoholic drinks in a superhero movie). Often this option is used for budget promotion. The most expensive promotion option is to conclude an agreement with a blogger to represent your brand. The blogger becomes the face of the company and acts solely in its interests.

Video blogger advertising - what is it?

So, a blogger can only mention a brand or show your product in a frame, or he can create a relevant thematic video especially for you. It is also worth highlighting the pre-roll format, when one of the parts turns into a well-thought-out commercial. Most often, bloggers limit themselves to describing a product or service, and also mention that they are also customers of the company.

Advertising through sponsorship is also possible - for example, a blogger launches a new cool column and constantly mentions that he owes all this only to your company. The most expensive option for such promotion is the launch of contests or other large-scale projects with the participation of several bloggers, as well as PR in the reality show format.

How to calculate costs?

The cost of a blogger's services depends on his popularity and the required advertising format. The cheapest format is product placement, and the most expensive is sponsorship and large-scale projects. Pre-roll, integration and thematic videos are somewhere in between. As for the fame of a blogger, it is determined by the number of subscribers on the channel. Video integration on a channel with half a million subscribers will cost $2,000, and if there are more than 3 million subscribers, then $6,000. Thematic video will cost 2-2.5 times more. If the video blogger is not very popular, then you can invest in 300-500 dollars.

And if you tie the fee to KPI?

Keep in mind that a blogger cannot guarantee sales growth to a certain point. After all, the product is always promoted in a complex way. And here the quality of the product itself matters, and even the efficiency of the work of the manager in the call center. The blogger cannot influence all these factors, which is why he sets fixed rates without reference to KPI.

Aren't there only schoolchildren on YouTube?

No, there is only a tenth of youth under 16 on YouTube. But even this category is actively buying (from the wallet of their parents, of course), and among their purchases are the most expensive gadgets and new technology. It will take 3-4 years and yesterday's schoolchildren will become active independent buyers. And your brand will already be known to them.

What is being promoted?

Absolutely everything is promoted on YouTube - from luxury yachts to cleaning equipment, from children's designers to expensive leather bags. With such an audience coverage, there is a buyer for everything. And for Chinese consumer goods, and for Spanish real estate.

How to negotiate with a video blogger?

There are special agencies cooperating with YouTubers. In this case, you turn to intermediaries, so be prepared to pay a percentage for their services. But there are also special platforms where you can find a blogger on your own. Make sure your target audience really loves what the blogger does. And for those who need regional promotion, look for contacts of the person you need directly on YouTube using the search by city and direction.

How to organize work?

Keep in mind that famous bloggers have their own style, and they will not break it to please your script. Therefore, a simple brief will suffice - what needs to be said, what it is better to remain silent about, how to show and what exactly. Perhaps the result will not correspond to your idea of \u200b\u200bthe “correct” advertising, but it will definitely be. After discussing the brief, you need to specify the terms and make an advance payment. The author certainly coordinates the video with the customer and only then uploads it to YouTube.

Can performance be tracked?

Yes, if you attach a utm-tag to the link leading to your site under the video. Or give the blogger a “secret promo code” and then track exactly how many buyers used it.

What are the trends on YouTube?

The popularity of YouTube is not going to fade. But if you want to be in trend, create complex platforms using several sites at the same time.

What to do next?

Look for a blogger and develop a brief - these are the steps you need to start your promotion on YouTube.