YouTube and Vimeo are household terms today, just like Google and Facebook. YouTube is the second largest search engine on the Internet. If you and your business are not taking advantage, you should be.

How Do I Get Started?
If you aren't already using YouTube (or Vimeo), you're behind the 8 ball. Interactive businesses are producing videos to teach, inform, and share knowledge. I understand it may be intimidating to begin, but it's easier than you think. Setting up a new account is easy, but it is also very important to do it correctly. You want people to be able to find you, after all.

Account/Channel Name
• Choose a name that resonates with your target audience.
• Create a unique name that is easy to remember.
• Include your business in the name, but try to keep it short.
• If possible, incorporate a relevant keyword or two, just don't make it spammy.

Profile Photo/Avatar
• Post a photo that shows individuality; something no one could confuse for another business.
• Company logos, mascots, or personalities are good for creating an image.
• Make absolutely sure your photo is the correct size and resolution; don't look sloppy!

Create a Network
• Take some tips from Erin in her YouTube marketing post.
• Don't forget to include friend requests, channel tags, and paying attention to feedback.
• Don't go on a friend rampage and get spammy; keep your friends relevant and important.

I Have a Channel; Now How Can I Use It?
Creating videos is sometimes the most nerve-wracking part of sharing information on YouTube and Vimeo. I see channels set up all the time with a good network, great tags, and no videos. Don't let creating videos make you nervous; follow a few simple guidelines and have fun with them.

• Have fun! When you're excited, it shows in the video and engages your viewer.
• Introduce yourself. Viewers like to know who they are watching.
• Titles are fine, but make them quick. Too long with no action and viewers will "flip the channel."
• Don't ramble on. Break your videos up as you would break a paper into paragraphs.
• Keep your videos between the 2-3 minute mark if you can. People have things to do; stay succinct.

I am a Video Master! But No One Knows It...
Now that you have radical videos posted, you need to let the world know. There is some great SEO for YouTube advice available out there. There are also lists of SEO tips for YouTube scattered around the Internet. Lucky for you, we like to research this stuff and condense it into one blog post. So, let your community know about your videos with some great SEO advice we've compiled:

• Title your video well. This may be the most important aspect of video SEO. Use relevant keywords and include "video" whenever plausible.
• Use keyword-rich sentences when filling out the description of the video. Include links to your sources and your website. You can even put the links in the beginning of the description to make them stand out.
• Include links to other social profiles such as Facebook and Twitter. This will expand your communities on all channels of communication.
• Encourage participation. Views and comments mean higher rankings for your videos. Invite comments, questions, and the like to create engagement.

Live Long and Prosper
You're well-equipped to begin video broadcasting, so dive on in. I encourage you to keep up with your progress using YouTube Analytics and try different tactics to increase traffic and reach.

Have you used any other techniques that have been successful? Have you noticed a specific technique that does NOT yield results? Or, do you have any thoughts or questions? We'd love to hear them!

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