Recent stats show that over half of all marketing professionals feel that video offers a higher ROI than any other form of marketing. What is more, over 40% of the general public would like to see more video content from business owners. Unfortunately, many marketers don't use this effective offsite marketing tactic because they don't know how to make great YouTube videos.

Thankfully, creating top notch video content for you YouTube channel isn't as hard as it may initially seem. Following are some tried and proven tips to get you started.

Choose Your Target Audience

Your videos must have a specific target audience. Your choice of audience could be gender-based, income-based, age-based or based on geographical location. What matters is that you know who you are creating video content for. Creating content for “everyone” isn't good enough as people have different needs, desires and tastes which means that not everyone is going to like your videos.

Choose a Subject

Once you know who you want to reach, take some time to consider what your target audience would want. If you have a business blog, look over your posts for the last year to see what topics are the most popular. If you still need ideas, use your social media channels to ask your readers for input. You may be surprised to discover new ways to reach current and potential customers.

Choose a Format

There are many video formats to pick from. Here's a short overview of your options:

Webinars

Webinars are ideal if you want to appeal to professionals and/or business owners who would appreciate more information about your field of expertise.

Animations

Animations aren't just for little kids. Short, animated video content is a great option if you want to appeal to young people or those who don't understand complicated industry jargon.

How-To Videos

If you are putting out a new product or promoting particular old products, consider creating short how-to videos with tips and advice on how your products can be used for particular jobs or hobbies.

Getting to Know You Videos

Videos featuring a short chat with the business owner or a peek into what your employees do each day can help customers get to know you better. These videos make you relatable, helping people connect with you instead of viewing you as just one more business owner.

Funny Videos

Be careful when using humor; it's easy to make a mistake and offend a lot of people. However, don't hesitate to use humor to make a point when warranted. People enjoy content that makes them laugh, as is evidenced by the thousands of funny videos that are shared on just about all social media channels.

Charity Advertisements

If your company supports a local charity, make video content explaining why and how you help the NGO of your choice. Invite customers to get involved by either purchasing certain products, coming to a business event you are planning in support of the NGO in question or simply spreading the word about the good work the NGO is doing.

The Practical Steps Involved in How to Make Great YouTube Videos

The next step in how to make great YouTube videos is to get together the supplies you will need. If you want high quality videos and/or intend to create video content on a regular basis, then buying a high quality yet inexpensive video camera is a must. You will also need some way to light your set so that the video content is neither too dark nor too light.

You will also need some type of video editing software to touch up your video, add sound effects and/or animations or include pictures to highlight what you are talking about. You can find free software of this nature online and using a free program can be a good place to start if you are creating videos for the first time and/or do not have a lot of tech experience. However, be prepared to upgrade if you need a program that offers a lot of features.

If you want to make great YouTube videos, these tips provide a great starting point. However, bear in mind that learning how to make great YouTube videos is a step by step process. Don't expect your work to become an instant hit. Try out various types of content, check your stats to see what type of content performs best and then create new content based on what you have learned.

You may also want to consider partnering with a savvy internet marketing company to promote your video content. Brandgy offers a variety of marketing services under one roof, including local SEO marketing, content marketing and offsite marketing. Get in touch with us to find out how we can help turn your company into a household name.