Written content dominates the internet in terms of volume. Yet it is not always the best way to reach an audience. Sometimes, people are more effectively reached with other media. Video and podcasts are but two examples. Growing numbers of companies are looking to them as a means of reaching new audiences.
When it comes to video, YouTube is king. Thus, it is the place to start for companies just getting into video marketing. Podcasts are another story. Apple and the iTunes platform have an obvious influence over the podcast ecosystem, but neither is the be-all and end-all. There are ways to get into podcasting without involving either one.
This post will discuss why companies should consider video and podcast marketing. Both are key components to successful enterprise marketing.
YouTube and Video Marketing
Successful enterprise marketing relies on reaching as large an audience as possible within the confines of a company’s target audience. SEO experts accomplish this largely through search. What most companies do not realize is that YouTube is more than a video platform. It is also a search engine – and a huge one at that.
The fact that Google owns YouTube only enhances the search question. Google has branded control over 90% of the search market. Data from 2018 shows just how Google’s dominance is achieved. Their primary search engine is number one, Google Images is second, and YouTube is third.
Yes, YouTube performs better than Bing and Yahoo! in searches by volume. So while companies already focus on Google’s primary search engine, they should also be putting more effort into YouTube before spending time on Bing and Yahoo!.
Salt Lake City’s Webtek points out that links to YouTube videos also show up in organic Google search results. As such, publishing videos on topics that people are searching for increases ranking opportunities. Publishing a high-quality video can lead to multiple shares across social media platforms, increasing traffic and boosting SERPs even more.
Marketing Via Podcasting
Podcasting is largely ignored as an enterprise marketing tool. That’s too bad because podcasting has proven itself very useful over the years. A podcast fills in the gap between organic searches and inanimate content. It offers a company an opportunity to put a name, face, and voice to its brand.
There are a couple of ways to go about podcasting. The first is for a company to create its own podcast. That is not necessarily a good way to start due to the fact that podcasting requires an investment in equipment and time. A better alternative is to seek opportunities to be interviewed on other podcasts.
Podcasters are always looking for quality content. Like writers and graphic artists, they run out of their own material after a while. Thus, they seek to interview others with helpful knowledge and experience. In exchange for being interviewed, podcasters offer their guests the opportunity to do a little promotion using their names, images, and social media/website links.
Getting Beyond the Text
Videos and podcasts work because they get beyond the text. Make no mistake, text-based content still rules the internet. It is absolutely essential for everything from online retail to publishing the news. It rules the day in terms of keywords and organic searches. Yet text only goes so far in its ability to engage visitors.
Enterprise digital marketing does not stop at increasing site traffic. It continues beyond traffic to engage visitors in a way that builds brand loyalty and establishes authority. Videos and podcasts can do that by reaching beyond what people read to affect what they see and hear. That is pretty powerful.