Video plays an important role in driving consumers' purchase decisions: 79% of consumers say they would be willing to spend more money on a product after they watch a social media influencer's video about it, gen.video has found. So using your YouTube channel could be a perfect option for you to drive sales. At the same time, you may face some challenges in converting your subscribers into customers.
In this article, you're going to learn three ways to turn YouTube subscribers into valuable customers.
1. Create customer-testimonial videos
People trust other people: 89% of consumers say the most effective type of content is customer testimonials, according to Lithium. Make the most of that fact by producing customer-testimonial videos regularly and sharing them with your YouTube subscribers.
Having your clients or customers attesting for you gives your brand more credibility. It shows prospective customers proof that those who have chosen your brand were able to benefit from their decision. When your subscribers view testimonial videos, they come to trust your brand more and get closer to making a purchase.
In other words, customer testimonial videos are a way to show social proof through YouTube. FreshBooks does a great job of this. It regularly shares videos of customers who explain how FreshBooks has helped them in their business.
For example, here's a testimonial by an interior designer who found it easier to work on projects and manage her invoices using the platform:
2. Show your product in action
Another excellent way to win over your subscribers is to show them your product in action, being used by customers. These types of videos will give your viewers a better look at all the ways your product can be used. And rather than trying to sell the product, they will "sell" a story and an experience, encouraging your subscribers to try your product or service.
This type of video differs from customer testimonials in that it uses visual storytelling over customer-spoken narratives. IBM effectively showcases how IBM Watson works by creating short videos that tell a story of "Watson at Work." These stories help viewers understand the use cases of the product in an entertaining manner.
For example, one of IBM's videos is about winemakers who use Watson to improve the quality of their grapes by determining which areas of the vineyard need less water:
You could also follow the lead of GoPro, which uses YouTube videos created by influencers to showcase its products in action. For example, here's a video taken by GoPro athlete Marshall Miller using the brand's camera as he skydives:
The video clearly shows the capability of the camera and makes a compelling case for it. Subscribers watching the video could easily see visual proof of the product's quality and may be more inclined to buy it.
3. Publish educational videos
You could also use your YouTube channel to provide your audience with educational content relevant to your industry. The video could be anything from product-explainer videos to tutorials that can help viewers achieve a certain result using your product.
If you're selling a service, you could publish educational videos to guide viewers on certain subjects. Doing so will demonstrate your skill and expertise, which could compel subscribers to sign up for your service.
The goal of educational videos on your YouTube channel would be to ensure that you provide value to your subscribers, which is crucial to turn them into loyal fans and eventually convert them into paying customers.
In the case of product-explainer videos, you would demonstrate how the product works or how to perform certain actions using the product. This approach is especially useful for more complicated products; some prospects may want to learn its functions before they invest in it.
When people understand your product better, they have a clearer understanding of how it can be of value to them. And that may be enough to convince them to make a purchase.
The Ninja Outreach YouTube channel regularly publishes tutorial videos. For instance, one video guides people on how to find someone's email address using the platform, and there's one that teaches how to use the platform to get links with infographics.
You can also follow the example of HubSpot, which uses its channel to provide educational content that its target audience would value. Instead of creating videos only about its products and services, however, it publishes videos that are of help to the channel's viewership, many of them marketers and business owners.
Many of HubSpot's videos are directed toward that audience. For example, it published a video on how to shoot video using an iPhone:
Don't forget the basics
The tips in this article can help you turn your YouTube subscribers into customers. However, you still need to keep the basics in mind, such as adding a clear call to action at the end of the video, prompting subscribers to take the desired action.
You should also include easy access to a relevant landing page to drive conversions. You could include a link in the description and mention it in your CTA. Or you could embed the link in the form of a CTA button at the end of the video. You could even do both, so subscribers can easily access the link.
