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Maybe you've heard that video is the thing right now. But if you're a small or midsized business, you might be wondering how to go about this even if your budget or manpower might be a little slim, or if you don't have a fancy in-house studio and videography team. Worry not, because you can still master the platform and see incredible results. We'd like to recommend seven YouTube tools for SMBs that will help you get the most out of the platform to send traffic to your website, grow your email list, and increase your conversions.
1. TubeBuddy
TubeBuddy is a browser extension/plugin that offers a number of tools on top of what YouTube offers. This includes analytics, an SEO tool, keyword explorer, a video topic planner, tag lists, and a comments section where you can reply to everything on one page, among other features.
You can even use it to create video thumbnails without ever needing to leave YouTube (even though we also love Canva for this task, which integrates within the Eclincher platform — more on this in a minute).
To be honest, natively and through YouTube analytics, the platform already offers pretty decent tools and resources for growth. But TubeBuddy takes it one step further. What a lot of creators do wrong is when it comes to the subjects they cover, they shoot in the dark. There's no real process or strategy behind what they record and post.
But this research phase is one of the most important, and that's where TubeBuddy really comes in clutch. It helps you narrow down topics and keywords that your target audience cares about, so that you can create relevant content that really resonates with them. In fact, I might even say that it's one of the best YouTube keyword tools that you can rely on.
Now, as for pricing, TubeBuddy offers a free version that could be more than enough to get you started. After that, the plans are $9, $19, and $49 a month. It might behoove you to start with the free plan to get your feet wet, familiarize yourself with the tool, and experience what it has to offer. This is what I did, and I only recently upgraded to the $9/month plan.
If and when TubeBuddy wins you over, consider upgrading as I did. It's such a reasonable monthly expense for what it provides, so it's worth the investment.
2. Canva
Canva makes it quick, easy, and fun to create eye-catching, attractive YouTube graphics. Because it already has the correct dimensions pre-set, all you need to do is select which graphic you're working on, such as your channel art, icon, or a video thumbnail.
I know that Photoshop is one of the go-to YouTube tools when you want to create graphics, and if you know how to navigate it, then go for it! However, many people don't. Especially if you're an SMB and you need something simple, straightforward, and affordable, then Canva is an excellent option.
Let's talk numbers. Canva does have a free account — start there, because it's already pretty robust. However, you might enjoy it so much that you want access to even more. This is a good time to consider upgrading. The Pro plan is just $9.95 a month (billed yearly) — a small price to pay for the countless features, filters, stickers, background, fonts, and so much more that Canva offers.
3. Camtasia
TechSmith's Camtasia is a screen recorder and video editor, and it works on both Windows and Mac. You don't need a huge budget or expert video editing skills to use it, making it one of the more user-friendly options for video editing.
After recording your screen, using Camtasia, you can add effects (including music and audio), quizzes, titles, callouts, annotations, pre-built and custom templates, transitions, and more. It's especially handy for tutorials, how-tos, demos, webinars, presentations, and other kinds of instructional videos.
Before you commit, try their free trial. After that, you can purchase the business license starting at a one-time payment of $249.00. If you need more than one license, the price goes up. They also have plans for individuals, nonprofits, and educational and government institutions.
True, it's a heftier investment upfront, but there's a reason that well-known names like Coca-Cola, eBay, Netflix, Google, and Amazon use it.
4. vidIQ
When it comes to YouTube SEO tools, vidIQ is another winner.
It helps you research the best keywords, descriptions, tags, and playlists. Furthermore, it guides you in better understanding what your competitors are doing well, so that you can aim to outrank them in YouTube search results. Because remember, YouTube is a search engine — the second biggest, only after Google, its owner!
The goal is to improve your rankings for keywords you care about, and also get you to show up more in suggested videos. These are the two biggest sources of traffic for YouTube videos, so leveraging and maximizing the possibilities is important to your survival and growth on the platform. Be sure to read out post on how to get more youtube traffic with a few simple tricks.
In terms of pricing, you can get started with the basic plan for free. The next option is Pro, starting at $7.50 a month.
5. Ring Light
Thus far, we've focused on digital tools, software, and platforms. Let's talk about equipment/tangible YouTube tools for a moment. If your video content is going to center around you or another person speaking on-camera, then you're going to need a high-quality and reliable lighting source.
Worst case scenario, you can always use natural light, which works like a charm. Set the camera up so that the person speaking is facing a window, and it'll give them a bright but soft glow. (Note: Do not have the window behind them! This will put them in a gloomy shadow.)
If you're ready to spring for something a little more professional — not to mention a lighting source that you can control — ring lights get the job done beautifully. Yes, they can get expensive, but there are also plenty of affordable options out there. Here's one on Amazon that, as of right now, is $53.99.
What's great about ring lights is that there's minimal setup. You don't have to worry about where to place numerous pieces of lighting equipment, or what height to place them at. With a ring light, it's one source that you're dealing with, and the ring should line up with the speaker's face. Simple.
Plus, some ring lights (like the example above) are built with a few color settings and also allow you to control the brightness of each.
This is a great option for SMBs because it's affordable, compact, and anyone can manage it, but it's going to make a huge difference in the quality of your videos.
6. Lavalier Lapel Microphone
Similar to a camera's visual capabilities, when it comes to audio, its built-in microphone can get the job done under the right circumstances. If you're recording in a totally silent environment, indoors, then you've got the control you need.
However, this isn't always the case, so an external audio source will be helpful. This cuts down on any background noise, instead letting the speaker's voice be the main focus. It also helps to eliminate any weird echos that happen as a result of the type of room you're recording in. For example, if you're recording in a room where there isn't any carpeting, there's often a slight but very noticeable echo.
A lapel mic is a common choice because it's simple, affordable, compact, and portable. In fact, if you're using your phone to record videos, you can plug the mic directly into it.
There are plenty of options if you look on Amazon. Approximate investment: $40.
Note that when it comes to both lighting and audio, you have many forms to choose from. What we're showing you here are examples of proven equipment that are reasonably priced and easy to operate — perfect for SMBs.
7. Repurpose
This tool isn't just for YouTube. It's for video content in general.
Like most other things you do on social media, when you create something, you want to post it everywhere. But as you know, you want to optimize it appropriately for each channel. Videos are a little more challenging, though, since editing them requires more than editing a static image does. Repurpose can help with that.
It makes is faster and easier to automatically upload your videos to your platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. You can also take content from Facebook Live and easily post it to YouTube. Furthermore, you can even turn your videos in podcasts.
Essentially, it helps you share your video content more, plain and simple. The idea is to help you reduce the time you spend on the technical stuff so you can spend more time getting creative and connecting with your audience.
You can start with a free trial, and after that, it's $12.42 per month (billed annually) for the Podcaster plan and $20.75 a month for the Content Creator plan. Here's one woman's experience with the tool:
Use a Social Media Management Tool Throughout Your YouTube Journey
Of course, you're going to want a social media management tool to help you along the way. That's where Eclincher comes in.
Because we've integrated with Canva, you can create all of your YouTube and other social media images right within the e-clincher platform, saving you time and avoiding the need to have to keep signing into multiple accounts online.
What's more, you don't hit Publish on YouTube and then wait for the views to start rolling in. Promotion is key. Eclincher makes it easy to consistently promote your YouTube videos across your other channels.
Using our in-depth analytics, you can determine which videos are really gaining traction on social media, giving you a better idea of what your audience loves (and what they don't really care about). These metrics are everything. It's the only way you can truly know if your digital marketing strategy is paying off.
Having a reliable and robust social media management tool is going to be crucial to creating and growing a loyal online following. With Eclincher, you can update your audiences in a matter of a few clicks.
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