For most attorneys thinking about social media marketing, the task of starting a YouTube channel for their law firm isn’t often top of mind. Oftentimes we think of YouTube as being reserved for younger generations to watch everything from makeup tutorials to cooking videos and everything in between.
With that being said however, YouTube’s platform is actually a great place to market your law firm and its service offerings. It is actually the second-largest search engine after Google, with 1.9 billion monthly active users. Here are a few tips and tricks your firm can use to successfully run a branded law firm YouTube channel.
- Set Up a Branded Channel
Setting up a branded YouTube channel for your firm is your first step toward getting started on the platform. This process begins by creating and using a Google or Gmail account. Doing this the standard way, however, will only allow the channel to be connected through one person—the account holder of the Google account. By creating the channel through a Brand Account, multiple authorized Google account holders can access your law firm YouTube channel and login simultaneously.
To create a Brand Account, you’ll first need to create a Personal Channel. After this, YouTube will prompt you to create a secondary Brand Account for your firm. This will be where you will upload your videos to advertise the firm and its services.
- Make Sure Your Content is Concise and to the Point
No one likes feeling like they’ve wasted time. This also comes into play with creating video content for your firm. When sitting down to plan out how you want your videos to go, ensuring they are consistent and to the point will help you avoid rambling and/or getting off topic.
For instance, if you are discussing a specific practice area, such as personal injury or commercial litigation, it’s best to stick to how your firm can help potential clients in these specific areas. If your firm creates a general “About Us” video on the practice as a whole, stick to discussions of the key players at the firm and why they are essential.
- Promote Your Content by Using Ads
Utilizing YouTube’s ad services is a great way for your firm to further its reach on the platform. YouTube has a variety of ads to choose from in order to get the best bang for your buck.
- TrueView Ads
TrueView ads come in many different varieties. One of the most popular versions of TrueView ads are the opening advertising videos that play at the beginning of YouTube videos, but can be skipped (are “skippable”). These are versatile in that they allow you to advertise your services with how-to videos, demos, and client testimonials, among other topics.
You also have the option to utilize TrueView In-Stream ads, which can play during a YouTube video and can be up to three minutes in length. While these In-Stream ads play, a companion banner will appear at the top right portion of the screen, prompting the user to click through to your firm’s website for more information.
Finally, TrueView Discovery ads are much like the display ads you typically see at the top of a Google search page. They appear at the top of the YouTube homepage as recommended content.
- Non-Skippable YouTube Ads
There are two types of non-skippable YouTube ads: pre-roll ads, which play at the beginning of a video, and mid-roll ads, which appear at the mid-point of a video 10 minutes or longer in duration. These non-skippable ads are especially effective for increasing brand exposure to target audiences.
- Bumper Ads
Bumper ads are shorter non-skippable ads, which typically only last around six-seconds in length. They appear at the end of YouTube videos; and, because they are so short in length, they are ideal for watching on mobile devices.
Want to Learn More?
If your law firm is interested in learning more about setting up and optimizing a YouTube channel, contact the experienced social media marketing team at Stacey E Burke, P.C. today. We can help ensure your video marketing efforts on YouTube’s platform are up to par with the latest trends and best practices, to ensure your firm reaches its ideal audience.
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