EP29: 4 Ways to Thrive with Video and YouTube in 2021 with Joy Michelle
“…It wasn't pretty, it wasn't smooth, it wasn't eloquent, but I started because I just really believed in the power of video. … And I, as a content creator and as somebody who doesn't have thousands and thousands of dollars to be marketing myself constantly everywhere, that's what I need…
- Joy Michelle
Joy is a wedding photographer, educator, and youtuber from Annapolis, Maryland. In 2017, she started a YouTube channel where she teachers photographers, how to combine their passion with business knowledge so that they can become profitable, and make a living from what they're doing as a creative.
The success of her YouTube channel then lead to the creation of the online Facebook community called Photo Boss, courses, coaching and all the things after that.
What Got You Started in Video?
“…I was a one-woman show. I didn't have an elaborate team or any employees. And so I had this feeling like I was a little bit stuck on a hamster wheel of creating content and I wanted my content to matter and make an impact, but I didn't have time to be on every platform and show up every single day. And so I kept hearing about video and how impactful video is, and that it could help further my message in a stronger way than almost any other medium. And I think that's what's so impactful about video, is that it's the closest we can get to an in-person real life interaction while still being online and still being scalable, which is incredible…”
“… And so when I heard this kind of stats about the video, I just I knew that to ignore it would just not be the wisest thing I could do as a solo preneur, and especially as a creative. And so like everyone watching or listening, I had a message to share and information I wanted to get out, but I really wanted it to make an impact. And I decided I'm just going to give YouTube a whirl…”
- Joy Michelle
Facts About Video
According to Forbes, people who have video on a webpage, their visitors are staying 80% longer. This impacts your SEO, and your ability to be found.
Video has a longer shelf-life. And one really interesting way to look at this is each platform that you post on, kind of has a lifespan of that post.
Facebook post will last an average of three hours and seven minutes.
On Twitter, you have an average of a minute or less.
Instagram, you might get a day or two, depending on the algorithm.
Video is four years.
Commit To A Posting Schedule
Commit to a posting schedule that you feel like you can actually follow through on. This will help your aidoence know when to tune, when to expect new content, and that builds trust as well. By being consistent, you are supporting the growth of an online community and the opportunity to build connections and promote conversations.
Ask Your Audience
Ask your audience and listen to your audience when you're thinking about content ideas. A lot of times YouTubers or anybody creating content are very focused on getting new eyes on their business, getting new subscribers, but sometimes we can forget about the audience we actually have. It’s important to note that the audience you currently have on YouTube is going to be the one that's notified when you upload, and will probably be watching more of your content. They know who you are, they know what to expect, and they're going to watch more minutes of your content, which really matters on YouTube in terms of retention and watch time.
Making sure that you mix in some content that's for your existing audience to nurture them is is really going to take you further when it comes to your content strategy overall. In other words, mix in content that's going to get you discovered, without forgetting about about the people that have already raised their hand and said, "I want to hear from you again…”
Create Series-Based Videos
Make series videos that continue along in a series. By serializing your content, you can pre film, you can work ahead. These can often have increased viewership, because it gives people yet another reason to come back. So if you say, "This isn't all that I have to say on a topic," you're just reinforcing the comeback, subscribe, like comment and engage, which YouTube loves.
Have a Repurposing Plan
You have to have a repurposing plan. Think critically about your plan for how you can repurpose that video, whether it is sending it out to your email list and repurposing it into a blogpost, creating a pin for Pinterest, or just formatting it a little differently and throwing it up on IGTV. This is 10, 20, hundreds, thousands of more people seeing the same message because they're definitely not all going to see it on every platform.
…”And I would say for the effort that you put into video, you should spend an equal, if not greater effort, recycling that content…”
- Joy Michelle
In conclusion… you definitely want to go into with that strategy in mind that you know who your audience is, you know your schedule and what is realistic to you. The important thing is just to be consistent and as you continuing growing and moving forward. Plus, you can always share bonus content as a way to over deliver to your audience. And don’t forget, to have a plan for repurposing your content.
CONNECT WITH JOY
Online : joymichellephotography.com
YouTube: Joy Michelle Photography
Instagram: @joyymichelle
Facebook Group: PhotoBoss