Why Marketers Will Rediscover YouTube in 2022
When you think of social media marketing, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are typically the platforms that come to mind. But are they the best platforms to advertise on? With organic reach on Facebook sitting at 5.2% and engagement at 0.25%, many are searching for a better platform to reach their audience. Experts suggest social media marketers will turn to YouTube in 2022.
Online Hub for Videos
Since its first appearance in 2005, YouTube has become the online hub for videos. In fact, more adults use YouTube than Facebook and Instagram. Users come to learn, be entertained or just to browse. With a wide range of videos for both ages and interests, YouTube is able to capture a wide audience. This is good news for social media marketers, who promote a wide range of products and services.
Does your ideal customer need to learn how to create a website, build a bunk bed or plant a succulent? There’s a video on YouTube for them. If not, there’s an opportunity to build yourself as a thought leader on the platform. Either way, you have the opportunity to present your products and services right as they’re looking for a solution. This is similar to search engine advertising, but appears in a more engaging video format. YouTube is releasing some awesome new features, making it even more engaging and primed for growth in 2022.
YouTube Shorts, Chapters and More
Whether you have a company YouTube channel already or need to build one, here are the latest trends to take advantage of.
In response to the popular TikTok platform, YouTube has created YouTube Shorts. Shorts appear on a new section of YouTube dedicated to videos less than 60 seconds. The format and features of Shorts mirror the increasingly popular videos created on TikTok and Instagram Reels. To encourage growth, YouTube released the ‘YouTube Shorts Fund’ with plans to distribute $100 million to their most active creators. This is apparently their first step in monetizing shorts even more in the future. Something other short video platforms are still trying to perfect. Get in the game early and establish your content to be ready for this trend to grow.
Other content creation and follower engagement tools have also arrived. The chapters feature allows YouTubers to create sections for their longer videos. This makes watching a tutorial, list or story easier. The YouTuber can keep viewers engaged throughout long videos by providing value in each chapter.
The new premiere feature allows YouTube channels to schedule a ‘premiere’ for their pre-recorded video. Before the premiere, the page will appear as an upcoming video with your release date and time to create anticipation. At the time of the premiere the video will play and a chat box will be available for viewers to engage with. After the premiere the video appears as a normal upload. This feature allows brands to generate excitement for an upcoming release or announcement and encourages engagement with your channel.
Finally, there is a new community tab available to any channels with over a thousand subscribers. In the past, video comments have been the only way a YouTuber could engage with their viewers on YouTube. Now you can post polls, text, images, and more. Use this feature to post updates, run polls for future content or share with your subscribers.
Advertising on YouTube
If you aren’t ready to manage a YouTube channel or you’re looking for another way to advertise on YouTube, consider YouTube ads. This isn’t a new feature of the platform, but it is a growing trend. Ads on YouTube grab more attention than ads on TV. Ads are also the perfect opportunity to present your product and services as the solution to a problem consumers are currently searching to solve.
With the addition of YouTube Shorts as well as new content creation and follower engagement tools, YouTube continues to be a clear competitor in the social media space. It’s up to you to decide whether your company is ready to manage a brand YouTube channel or to curate paid ads for the platform. Or optimize your exposure by strategizing for both. Either way, promoting your company on YouTube is a social media marketing trend in 2022 you can’t afford to ignore.
