Youtube can be a great platform for your social media strategy. It can help you raise buzz for your products or services and boost your audience.  Also, like all social media platforms, it can be fun – after all, you get the chance to interact with people. Here are some steps that can help you make it happen.

Take your time to test and learn

If you have never tackled video marketing, take a bit of time to study and learn. Don’t just rush at getting thousands of subscribers – there will be plenty of time for that later on. The look and feel of your channel can be tweaked and changed without breaking the bank, so study a bit and learn what will work and what won’t for your brand and company.

Don’t over-commit

I can’t stress this enough. Just don’t. Outsource or hire someone to do the video uploads, comment moderation, network with people, ban trolls, accept or deny friend requests and what not. However, don’t just hand the job over to an intern or a random dude on Digital Point. Look for a specialist, someone who fully understands the Social Media phenomenon and can truly represent your company.

Don’t bore your audience

The same goes with all social platforms, but your Youtube subscribers need more entertainment than any other social media “junkies”. For example, it’s alright to post your latest TV commercials on your Youtube channel, but don’t also upload ten variations of the same video (“the making of”, “director’s cut”, “PG-13 version” and so on) unless each of them has a legitimate value.

Upload videos in various resolutions

People access Youtube these days from their cell phones as well as plasma TV’s. Make your videos accessible for all devices and connection types. Have 240p versions as well as 1080p. Granted it may take you some extra time to convert your video to each format, but you will gain more subscribers in the long run.

Interlink your social media platforms

Don’t let your Youtube channel just lie there. Post regular updates from your Twitter account, embed videos on your blog or other Web 2.0 properties and link your Youtube channel to your Facebook account. Cross-linking will help you maximize your reach.

Don’t forget to have some fun

It’s more than alright to post videos from your latest team building, last year’s Christmas party or just how people in your company hang out during the lunch break. Such videos will make your customers and prospects feel closer to you when they see your “human” side. You just have to make sure the videos don't contain any content that wouldn't line up with your corporate message.

Grow rather than launch

I do advise you against launching a blog with only one or two articles, but when it comes to videos you can advertise a somewhat “empty” channel. Web video is the only social media field where “grassroots movement” can catch on with the public. Be patient and let your audience grow naturally rather than expecting zillions of subscribers overnight.