Creating a video channel on YouTube can be great for your art business. In fact, it can be one of the most effective marketing, and social media decisions, you ever make. However, you won’t get a good return on your investment if you don’t take the time do it right.
Here are 8 tips for making your YouTube video channel into a powerful marketing tool:
1. Stay away from posting off-topic videos
Don’t mix your home videos with videos about your art business, and don’t upload anything that doesn’t directly align with your marketing plans or goals as an artist.
If you have no intention of teaching others how to create art or improve their income as artists (for instance) then avoid sharing videos that relate to those subjects. Once you start teaching, you’ll get bombarded with questions that deter you from your REAL goal of selling more paintings.
Instead, share stories about how your art has healed, answer your buyer’s most frequent questions, explain how you package your art so that it arrives undamaged, and show art collectors the best way to frame your art for various décor styles.
You can also educate buyers about the commission process, visit the homes of past buyers to show your work in real-life settings, or invite art buyers to your next gallery opening by showing them how fun a past gallery opening was.
2. Avoid sounding like an advertisement
Your videos should be entertaining, educational, and enlightening, but they should not be blatant advertisements to buy your art. Leave the sales pitch for the end of the video, and keep it brief and under 30 seconds.
3. Get real and personal
Don’t worry about wearing your Sunday best, or speaking proper English, and definitely ditch the power point presentations. When creating your videos, think about your best friend asking you about the topic you’re about to discuss, then speak into the camera as though you’re talking to that best friend.
4. Keep your videos short and sweet
The ideal video length is under 5 minutes, so unless you’re teaching a technique, use speed painting to share your creative process. (Here’s an example of that.) And instead of sharing several ideas in one long-winded video, break your ideas down into bite-sized chunks—share just one specific thing per video.
This means if going to talk about framing options, make one video about framing art that will be hung near a large, open window and another video on framing art that’ll be hung in the kitchen or bathroom.
5. Optimize your video channel
Use keywords in the title of your video, in the description of your video, and even during your video recording. (View our entire category of articles on SEO for more search engine optimization tips.)
6. Select a better thumbnail
YouTube allows you to choose one of three thumbnail options. Choose the one that looks the most interesting, that has the clearest image, and that comes closest to matching the title of your video.
7. Link to your main website
Besides including your main website address in the video itself, include it in the body of your video description. If your video talks about your shipping process, include a direct link to the page on your website that discusses your shipping and handling policy.
The same sort of thing applies if your video talks about how to commission a piece of art. Include a direct link to the page on your website that discusses the terms of working on a commission basis. If your video is a speed painting of your latest work, include a direct link to a page where viewers can buy prints of that piece, as well as the original.
8. Add new videos regularly
In order to receive a good return on your investment, you need to consistently produce and market your YouTube channel. You don’t have to create a new video every day, or every week for that matter, but you should figure out a publishing schedule that works best for you and stick with it.
As you continue to grow your video channel, take the time to pay attention to which videos receive the most views, likes, and comments. They’ll give you a good indication of what your viewers want to see more of.
Remember, creating a video channel about your art today won’t result in immediate sales. . . but if you work at it consistently, you CAN create a solid fan base over time. The larger your fan base, the more likely you’ll be able to sell your art just as quickly as you finish it.
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