Technically, every blog I own has a YouTube channel except for this and the newer experimental site. But, I don’t really put a lot of effort into using YouTube outside of WriterSanctuary. However, I still view it as a great tool for growing an audience.

I would just like the chaos in my life to slow down some so I can explore what the other channels can do.

Should You Use YouTube to Market the Blog?

Video content of any kind is a prominent way to market virtually anything. In fact, approximately 85% of Internet users watch online videos in the United States. Well, back in 2018, anyway.

I’m sure it’s probably grown a few percentage points especially with the current pandemic running rampant.

This just goes to show how engaged people are at watching videos, and why so many brands invest heavily in Facebook Live, Snapchat, and Instagram Stories. And now, TikTok?

Out of all the video platforms online, though, none compare to the power of using YouTube.

So if you have the time in your week to crank out a video or two of something promoting your blog, it’s a good investment. It helps you branch out to an audience who may watch more than read.

It’s Free to Use

YouTube is a free platform that has a ton of potential. And better yet, you don’t need to have expensive cameras, mics, or editing software to start.

I’ve seen YouTube stars go from using a webcam in a basement to hiring staff, video editors, and renting massive buildings for their shows.

Right now, the only money I spend while using YouTube is the monthly subscription fee for using Adobe Premier. And in reality, there are plenty of free editors that work just as good.

The only real investment in maintaining a channel is that of time. Depending on what you have planned and your audience, it could take less than an hour to record and upload a video.

Mine take considerably longer to create simply because I am a bit of a perfectionist, stumble over my words a lot, and put way too much emphasis on creating something my audience wants to watch.

Yes, it’s a small audience. But I care about providing them with content they’ll find useful. And some days, I feel like I miss the mark.

My point is that using YouTube to market yourself or your blog is a great way to add and build onto your site’s visitor count. It doesn’t take long and shouldn’t take a hefty investment to start.

What Using YouTube Has Done for Me

Most video creators use YouTube as a standalone system to reach an audience, and this is fine. However, my blog came a long time before I created the YouTube channel. So, it was already established and authorized by Adsense.

Not that I did much with the blog a few years ago, mind you.

Initially, I began using YouTube as a way to market the website. The first handful of videos were based on content I’ve already written on the blog. I wanted a way that visitors could either read or watch the content as every video was embedded on their respective pages.

But, the channel began to attract its own audience and become its own entity. And now, both the blog and the channel send traffic back and forth.

The important thing is that my YouTube channel isn’t monetized by Adsense, but the blog is. So using YouTube as a way to advertise the website actually helps the blog make money.

That’s not to mention any visitors who wind up clicking the notification bell on the blog. Some of them may become return visitors.

And while it takes quite a bit more work to produce a video than a blog post, I still feel it’s worth the effort and time.

A More Interactive Audience

I’ve found that the audience using YouTube is far more interactive than on a blog post. I rarely get comments from someone on WriterSanctuary.com. But I get semi-regular comments on every video I upload.

These people ask questions, thank me for creating answers, or just reach out to chat and have fun.

Probably because the person on camera appears more human than just reading text on a screen. You’re going to be more interactive when you’re face-to-face…even if it’s technically on a monitor.

Driving the Most Social Media Traffic

Out of all the social media channels I promote my content on, YouTube brings in more visitors. In fact, YouTube has brought in roughly 60% of the social media traffic. This includes Facebook and Twitter.

Part of this, though, is because I don’t have the strongest marketing strategy for Facebook or Twitter as I often don’t have the time to sit and build one.

Still, having this much of an impact from doing nothing more than adding the URL to the video description and splash screen is not bad at all. Better yet, the bounce rate of the blog is far lower from YouTube visitors than Google search.

This tells me that people using YouTube to find WriterSanctuary.com are actually exploring the site and its content.

Helps in Making Money

Even though I haven’t been able to monetize the YouTube channel yet, it’s still helping me generate income. Between the Buy Me a Coffee donation link and visitors to the blog, the channel has helped bring in a bit over the course of a year and a half.

As I said, the channel isn’t monetized but the blog is. So, visitors to the blog are seeing the Adsense ads and any affiliate banners I have up and running.

One of these days, I’ll actually put more effort into finding some quality affiliates for my audience. I’m just incredibly picky because I won’t advertise something I don’t use or trust.

Will I Work on the Other Channels Soon?

Absolutely. In fact, today is ColoradoPlays day. Which means I am working on gaming content for YouTube and possibly live streaming on Twitch.

I am trying to get back into a good flow of work throughout the week. And giving each major blog its own day for my attention is working, somewhat. As long as XFinity doesn’t drop my Internet connection today, all will be well.

Each YouTube channel has its own specific purpose. In the case of ColoradoPlays, it’s gaming for charity. Crossing Colorado is supposed to be logging in my weight loss journey, but I haven’t had much focus on it for quite some time.

Do You Use YouTube as a Marketing Tool?

I first started the channel as a way to market the blog. Now, I find that they are separate yet the same. While each one seems to cater to a specific type of content consumer, they both work to boost the brand name.

And I find it fun to work on either platform.

So the short answer is yes, I find it worthwhile to use YouTube to drive interest in your blog.