Facebook? Check. Twitter? Yep. Instagram? Haven’t really posted in months but they’ve got one. Most partners we work with hit the check box on the “Big Three” social media platforms. FB, IG and Twitter have become a necessity for just about all small business or start-up companies in America. The most overlooked and undervalued platform for many of the partners we work with, however, is YouTube.

Working in digital media, we certainly understand and appreciate the platform that’s been around since 2005. However, it’s a difficult one for the average business owner to justify investing in. That’s where we come in.

For the better part of a year, one of our youth sports partners’ YouTube channels went relatively unused. In nine months, we had posted just one time. So for six weeks, we committed ourselves to more video content. Thirty-six videos in fact, and while that only netted us about 1,500 views and 6,500 impressions initially, the effects of our efforts were felt for the next six months. It was 11,000 impressions. Then 14,000 impressions. Then 33,000 impressions. Those 36 videos led to more than 23,000 views and 100,000 impressions — and continue to compound with each passing day.

Unlike Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, YouTube’s content is evergreen. The “Big Three” content is typically a flash in the pan; flares up for the day in terms of engagement and impressions, and gone into the ether after that. YouTube, on the other hand, is the world’s second-largest search engine with three billion searches per month, according to Forbes.
The channel’s most popular video — The Filthiest ‘07 in Russia? — has received 9,161 total views since being posted in July, 2021. In the first 100 days after being uploaded, though, it produced just over 1,500 views and just 6,000 of it’s 54,728 lifetime impressions.

Like a fine wine, it gets better with age!

I think YouTube can be intimidating to the average person. Video content requires a certain level of skill and finesse that maybe the “Big Three” don’t; a more polished finish than a tweet or photo.

For us in this instance, it was user-generated highlights and sizzle reels that promoted upcoming events. For others? It could be podcasts or how-to videos or screen-sharing tutorials or testimonials. There’s plenty of ways to maximize your partner’s content for YouTube purposes. While it may require more effort on the front end than simply sharing a link on Facebook or photo on Instagram, the impact of YouTube content can be felt for years. Unlike the week-to-week or month-to-month social media content calendars, one good month of YouTube content can set you up for success for the rest of the year.