The Other Search Engines
Google has become so ubiquitous as a search engine that the name itself has become a verb we use to mean looking something up on the internet. For many people Google (or another search engine of a similar style returning results from all around the internet) is still the place we start when we're looking for information, but for a growing number of information-seekers YouTube and now TikTok are overtaking Google by miles.
We'll discuss TikTok in a separate article, as it's mainly relevant to younger demographics and therefore quite a niche and novel platform for businesses to use. YouTube, however, is a content platform that is relevant to all industries and demographics. With over seventeen years of video hosting under its belt, YouTube is the premier platform for this type of content, with free hosting and easy sharing options. Videos can be embedded within your own website and watched on social media platforms and search result pages without having to actually visit YouTube, so it is ideal for any business with scope for creating videos.
We believe that every business has scope for video content creation. Product demonstrations, Q&A sessions and unboxing videos (which are essentially a run-down of all the features and benefits of a product conducted by someone who has bought or been gifted the product in question) are all solid types of video content that every business can make relevant. Interviews with industry leaders, as well as tutorials and webinars are relevant to every industry too; even if you don't have a physical product to tour on a video you can still create engaging content that covers trends, problem solving, new insights and tips that your customers will want to view.
Although Google often returns video results on the first page, there is a separate tab for video search and people also search directly on YouTube if they know they want watchable content. Looking at the keywords for searches relevant to your industry or product can provide new insight on customer search terms and intent that you don't get from conducting standard text-based keyword research. Look at the difference in the autocomplete or suggested searches on the “All” tab in Google, and then in the “Video” tab. You'll see there are new terms in the video option that you may not have known your customers were looking for.
With this new insight into customer search activity and intent you can get inspiration to create content that meets the demands of your customers. This content can then be embedded into your website (for example, product demonstration or unboxing content could be added to the product page), used in your social media campaigns and even used as part of an email marketing campaign.
As well as being versatile for these sorts of intentional marketing activities, video content is also a valuable part of your search marketing strategy. Customers looking to research a purchase and compare products will often look at video reviews and unboxing content as it is more engaging than the same content in text form. Being able to see someone interacting with the product gives an experience close to physically touching the product yourself, while the opinions of trusted reviewers or industry experts is a powerful testimony to the quality of your products or knowledge.
If you haven't taken video marketing seriously yet, get on board with it now, or risk being left behind as YouTube becomes a search engine in its own right.
