How to Market Your Business on YouTube

Creating standalone video content on YouTube can offer a variety of promotional benefits. In contrast to Instagram Stories and Snapchat’s time-bound videos that expire after a few hours, evergreen videos can be referenced and distributed across platforms, whether you’re including an FAQ video link on your Etsy shop’s About page or creating a 60-second DIY that’s shared across social networks.

Posting videos featuring you, your products, and your production process can help foster a deeper connection with customers, bridging the gap between a handmade small business and the often impersonal nature of online retail. Using YouTube for video sharing can also attract new customers to your shop, expanding the organic reach of your marketing efforts. Read on for five video prompts to help you make your cinematic debut.

Introduce yourself

Especially when starting a new video channel, it’s helpful to create a quick introduction video to give viewers context. Take a minute or two to explain who you are, what you sell, where you’re based, and how and why your small business came to be. Then, share the video across your social platforms to encourage existing followers to subscribe to your new video channel. You can also include a link to the introduction within your press pitch emails to help bring your brand to life.

Share your process

A driving force for many consumers buying handmade products is a respect and appreciation for the creative process. Try capturing the hands-on components of your work at different stages, such as digitizing a pen-and-ink sketch before sending it off to the printer or using a time-lapse effect to capture the process of knitting a hat from start to finish.

Reveal new products

Creating a release video when a new product is listed in your shop is a simple way to create buzz-generating content and garner attention from customers. In addition to discussing relevant details about the item itself, share a bit of background on what inspired the product or what makes the design special.

Address common buyer questions

Any experienced online seller knows how difficult it can be to ensure shoppers take the time to read written policies and FAQs. Take advantage of the multimedia video format to address a handful of common buyer questions quickly—and don’t be afraid to mix in interesting sound effects or visuals to keep viewers engaged.

Videos showing your product in use can also clarify your product’s function and help shoppers envision using it themselves. Research your target market to gauge how they might use your product. This information can help shape how you’ll present your product in your video and preempt relevant questions.

Encourage sharing with value-adding content

Producing original instructional videos attracts viewers to your channel through search and encourages social sharing. To get started, brainstorm content that’s complementary to your brand and products: Can you develop a jewelry display tutorial that integrates your necklaces into the final staging? Or film a “quick tips” series on styling small spaces that features a few of your vintage items within the example shots? Even filming a brief how-to on one of your favorite creative techniques or tools can entice new viewers—and encourage them to buy your finished product!

The key element to shooting a tutorial video is storyboarding, or creating a shot-by-shot plan for how your video will play out. Storyboarding can be as simple as listing out what’s going to happen in the video. Shorter videos typically receive higher engagement from viewers, so consider trimming or speeding up long or boring steps. For each step, ask yourself: What is the important thing that I need to highlight? Be sure to mount your camera in a way that makes what you’re doing in each step clear to the viewer, and zoom in during trickier tasks so viewers can see the finer details. For DIYs, shooting from above often works better than using a front-facing angle, where viewers would need to think backwards to follow along.

Try experimenting with different styles and remember to review your statistics periodically to see how your videos are performing. It may take some trial and error to find your niche, but the key is to create compelling content that's true to you and your business.