by Seth Stacey
Why YouTube matters for small businesses in Alaska
People go to YouTube to learn how things work. How to get a house ready for winter. What a kitchen remodel really involves. What to bring on a fishing trip. When they're done learning, a lot of them want to hire somebody who clearly knows what they're doing.
That's where a small business in Soldotna, Kenai or Anchorage can stand out. If your video answers the question, you're the one they already trust.
YouTube videos also last. A post on most platforms is gone from people's feeds in a day or two. A YouTube video that answers a real question can keep getting found for years. Google owns YouTube, and videos often show up right in Google search results too.
What your YouTube channel needs first
- A channel name that matches your business
- A profile picture and banner that match your branding
- A short description that says what you do and where
- Links to your website and your phone number
- A few videos up before you start sending people to it
What to make videos about
The best ideas are already in your inbox and on your phone.
- The questions customers ask. If people ask it before they hire you, it's a video.
- What to expect. Walk people through how a job, a visit or a trip actually goes, so they feel ready before they call.
- Finished work. A walkthrough of a job you're proud of, with you explaining what went into it.
- What changes the price. You don't have to post your prices. Explaining what makes a job cost more or less builds a lot of trust.
Give each video a plain title using the words people would type in. "What to expect on a fishing charter out of Homer" will get found. "Our summer" won't.
Long videos and Shorts
YouTube has two kinds of videos. Longer videos are for real answers, walkthroughs and how tos. Shorts are quick, tall videos, the same kind you'd post on TikTok or Instagram.
Both are worth doing. Shorts help new people find you. Longer videos are what make them trust you. If you're already filming short videos for TikTok, those can go up as Shorts too.
You don't need a studio
A phone and a steady place to set it are enough to start. Film where the light is good, and make sure people can hear you clearly. People will put up with a plain picture a lot longer than they'll put up with bad sound.
Talk the way you'd talk to a customer standing in front of you. That's who is watching.
Put your videos to work
A video shouldn't just sit on YouTube.
- Put it on the page of your website it belongs to
- Share it on your Facebook and Instagram
- Send the link to customers when they ask the question it answers
A video that answers a question you get every week saves you from explaining it every week.
Keep track of what's working
- Which videos people actually watch, and for how long
- What people searched to find them
- How many calls and messages came from YouTube
- How many customers say "I watched your video"
If a video keeps bringing in calls, make more like it.
YouTube is one piece of the system
YouTube works best when it's connected to everything else. Your videos live on your website. Your channel matches your Google Business Profile and your social pages. The people who reach out after watching get answered and followed up on, instead of getting lost.
That's what we help small businesses in Soldotna, Kenai, Anchorage and across Alaska put together with our social media work. We run a small business too, so we know what it's like to find time for video on top of everything else.
We'll never promise a video will take off. What we will do is tell you the truth about what's worth making and help you build something you can keep up with.
If you'd like help getting started on YouTube, reach out below. We reply personally.
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