YouTube remains a preeminent video channel, despite growing competition from Netflix, Hulu, Facebook and other channels.
It boasts 85% of digital video viewers online. Alphabet, the umbrella company that owns it, credits its 22% increase in fourth-quarter revenue increase partly to the video platform. YouTube had 180.1 million U.S. users last year, according to eMarketer’s estimate. The market is saturated. Almost 85% of digital video viewers are YouTube viewers.
Corporate PR departments and bloggers don’t need to become videographers to take advantage of YouTube.
They can embed YouTube videos directly into posts, as well as other web pages. Blog posts with videos are more engaging and generate more inbound links and views, writes social media marketing expert Ana Gotter in Social Media Examiner.
How to Embed YouTube Code in Blog Posts
To get a YouTube video’s embed code, click the share button under the video (or right click on the video), click on embed and copy the code. Paste the code in your blog post where you want to display the video.
Videos don’t need to duplicate the posts themselves. They only need to be relevant. A blog post discussing the merits of a beach wedding could include a video about wedding dress styles, Gotter explains. An overlap adds depth and value to the post.
Videos can improve blog posts offering how-to tips and tutorials. While written content and still images provide value, literally taking viewers through the motions with a video is even more effective, regardless of your industry or business size.
A tailoring company could show brief tutorials about how to know if your clothes fit properly. A fitness studio could show viewers how to perform an exercise properly, and a small boutique could demonstrate multiple ways to tie scarves.
Don’t Just Paste in the Embed Code
While including videos in blog posts can increase views and conversions, writers must do more than just paste in the embed code, warns Rocky Walls, CEO of 12 Starts Media Productions. Walls offer these tips in a Convince & Convert post (which includes a video).
Indicate there’s a video in the post. You can begin the title with the word “[Video]” then write the title as you normally do. Embed your video relatively close to the top of the post. If possible, avoid putting it below the fold.
Provide context. Some blogs publish only a video in the post. That’s a mistake. Introduce the video with a few sentences, and then summarize it in a paragraph. Besides providing context, text adds SEO value.
Customize it. Adjust the size of the video to the width of your blog. The first line of the embed code will starts with <object width=”560″ height=”315″> – make sure the width doesn’t exceed the width of your blog’s content column. Ideally, set the video width to slightly less than the columns width. The height automatically conforms to the width by adding black bars to the top and bottom of the video to maintain the aspect ratio.
Include a call to action. The end of a blog post is a good place to ask the reader to subscribe to newsletter, “Like us on Facebook” or perform another desired action.
While the sharing attitude pervades social media and YouTube, many individuals may object to commercial use of videos they produce and own. Companies and not-for-profit organizations need to be cautious in embedding YouTube videos for commercial purposes without prior permission. And, if you ask in advance, expect many video owners to request payment. If you don’t have permission from the creator to reuse the video, it’s crucial to use Google’s advanced search function to find videos labeled for reuse with Creative Commons licenses. It’s probably best to obtain legal guidance before embedding a video you don’t own in your corporate blog or social media accounts.
Bottom Line: Including YouTube videos in blog posts can attract viewers and add depth to posts. PR and marketing content producers and other types of bloggers don’t need advanced coding skills and don’t need to produce videos themselves.
William J. Comcowich founded and served as CEO of CyberAlert LLC, the predecessor of Glean.info. He is currently serving as Interim CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Glean.info provides customized media monitoring, media measurement and analytics solutions across all types of traditional and social media.
