How to Make YouTube Videos a Functional Part of Your Business Strategy

YouTube can't make your company money on its own. Between the still lingering effects of its "Adpocalypse" and the shrinking percentage of returns, it's just not an efficient money maker, especially once your team grows beyond two or three dedicated content creators. But that doesn't mean it's time to let your YouTube channel stagnate.

Instead, you have two basic options:

1. Use YouTube as a marketing platform to redirect viewers to your site or shopping platform.

YouTube is still a free video platform tool. You don't have to pay for airtime. As long as your content is clever enough to hold an audience's attention and well-performing enough to keep getting onto the Trending list, you have a wide array of viewers just a click away from your actual money maker.

But you have to be careful about which videos or "shows" you keep in production. You definitely want to keep the ones that offer the highest direct conversion rates from video to ecommerce site. However, those aren't the only valuable videos. Dive deep into the analytics to find the shows that might not directly lead viewers to your site but which bring in brand new viewers to your channel.

2. Find accompanying sources of revenue to support YouTube video creation.

If you are a YouTube creator first and foremost, it's not necessarily time to pack up and start refining your resume. Instead, differentiate your sources of income so you aren't just dependent on ad revenue. Incentivize your viewers to support you on Patreon. Advertise merchandise that is an accompaniment to your videos rather than the primary product.

You have to be smart so you don't alienate your audience with too much promotional material, but most audiences know you have to make money somehow.