Should Your Business Have a YouTube Channel?

With over 2 billion monthly active users, YouTube is a hugely popular platform with immense reach. A staggering 5 billion videos are watched on YouTube every single day, and that number is only increasing.  While many people use YouTube for entertainment purposes, it is also the second most popular search engine in the world.  People flock to it for how-to videos and to get opinions from thought leaders and experts.

So, should your business have a YouTube channel? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

Pros of Having a YouTube Channel
There are several compelling reasons to start a YouTube channel for your business. First, YouTube is a great way to build brand awareness and reach a wider audience. With over 2 billion monthly active users, your business has the potential to be seen by millions of people. You can use your channel to create valuable content that educates, entertains, and inspires your viewers.

In addition, YouTube is an excellent platform for showcasing your products or services in action. It’s not just for watching videos of cats! A well-made video can be very persuasive, and it allows customers to see your offering in a new light. Finally, YouTube can be a great way to forge deeper relationships with your customers. By creating engaging content, you can encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel and opt-in to receive notifications when you upload new videos.

Another great thing is that the entry barrier has come way down. Starting a YouTube channel is relatively inexpensive and easy to do. It used to be that you had to invest in video production equipment and learn how to use it properly (or hire someone who can do it for you). Today you don’t need expensive equipment or video editing software to get started—a decent smartphone will suffice in some cases.

Cons of Having a YouTube Channel
There are also some potential downsides to starting a business YouTube channel. First, it takes time and effort to create quality videos that will engage viewers.  Maybe it’s time that could be spent on other tasks related to running your business. In addition, you’ll need to promote your videos through other channels (such as social media) to ensure that they’re seen by as many people as possible.

If not done properly, a YouTube channel can also damage your brand’s reputation. Poorly produced videos with low production values can make your business look unprofessional. In addition, if you’re not regularly uploading new videos, viewers may forget about your channel entirely.

There’s no easy answer when it comes to whether or not your business should start a YouTube channel. It depends on several factors, including what kind of business you have, how much time and money you’re willing to invest in video production, and what kind of return on investment you’re hoping for. Ultimately, only you can decide if starting a YouTube channel is right for your business, but we do recommend it to most of our clients. There almost always seems to be some way in which they would genuinely benefit from having a channel.

If you do decide to give it a try, think about using a content creation agency to save you time.  By using our interview-based content strategy, we’re able to produce videos that show your expertise and deep knowledge.  We can make the kind of videos about subject matter and topics that people are searching for, and help you get discovered.  We can also repurpose that same video content into other formats like blog articles or social media posts so that you have reach on other platforms beyond YouTube, saving you even more time.