What I do to relax on a Sunday might surprise you.
It usually has nothing to do with social media.
I unplug from all my online accounts, brew a cup of coffee & do whatever I can to unwind.
But last Sunday, I spent the whole day on YouTube -- looking for lessons I could apply to my blog.
I went to every channel I’ve subscribed to & watched as many videos as I could -- and they weren't all puppies & kittens!
I follow hundreds of YouTube channels related to:
Fitness
Business
Cooking
Comedy
News
Sketch
Movies
Tech
And I've been a fan of most of these channels for a long time.
The people who run these channels have cracked the code when it comes to marketing their content.
I was searching for blogging tips, so I revisited each channel to see what compelled me to subscribe in the first place.
Here's what I found:
I Watched YouTube for a WHOLE Day and Learned These 4 Blogging Tips
- Entertain Your Audience
The most obvious thing all these channels do is entertain their audience in a unique way.
Each channel has its own:
Voice
Style
Method of Presentation
Personality
I watched some of these channels for more than 15 minutes -- and didn't get bored.
But "entertaining" is a subjective word. It's impossible to entertain everyone -- so don't even try.
The way to entertain your audience while blogging is to write conversationally -- as if you're actually speaking to someone.
In other word, be YOU!
I was told by somebody years ago that I shouldn’t be writing because my work wasn’t "business-sy" enough. He said my writing needed to feel more professional.
I took that advice & nearly fell asleep writing my next article.
I quickly went back to my original style -- and haven't looked back!
- Publish Consistently
Consistency is KEY!
During my YouTube binge, I came across a video on a channel I didn't recognize. That's probably because the last time the channel pushed new content was over 3 months ago.
I decided to unsubscribe.
Compare that to Jimmy Tatro & Life According to Jimmy -- he's produced a video every Monday for the past 3 years.
He doesn't need to produce more than 1 video a week because I can count on Jimmy publishing something new every Monday -- which keeps me coming back for more.
The best bloggers on the web also maintain consistent content calendars.
That's how readers find your content & it's why they return to your site.
- Stay Focused
I subscribe to some YouTube channels because they focus on specific topics.
About a year ago, I subscribed to a channel dedicated entirely to hairstyles. But one day the guy running the program decided to start talking about relationships & love.
Unsubscribe!
If he kept discussing fashion I might still be a subscriber. But hairstyles & relationships were just too far apart -- so I left.
I was no longer interested in his content.
It's best to start a new channel instead of changing the focus of an existing, successful YouTube program.
That's what Epic Meal Time did. Their audience grew so much that programmers now have YouTube channels dedicated to video games & movie shorts -- and they're pretty good.
This lesson also applies to blogging.
Master 1 topic to get recognized in your industry, then branch out to other subjects.
The expertise you gained in the beginning will help promote your new ideas.
- Book Guests
Many YouTube channels have regular appearances from guests -- no matter the industry.
This usually happens in 1 of 2 ways:
The channel invites industry experts to appear & share expertise
Channels partner to have guests appear on each other's programs
The same can happen on your blog.
Invite industry experts to write articles for you while you seek opportunities to write for other blogs in your space.
Guest blogging helps you gain exposure for your writing while also letting you share your expertise with new audiences.
What Bloggers Can Learn from YouTube
The most popular channels on YouTube entertain their audiences with awesome content.
You should do the same on your blog!!!
The success of top marketers on YouTube shows us we bloggers should:
Entertain our audience
Publish consistently
Stay focused
Partner with guests
Will these tips help make your blog better?
Please add your suggestions in the comments below.
VIEW COMMENTS (2)