The Art Of Diverting Traffic Away From YouTube.
In terms of users searching for a specific subject or niche YouTube is now considered to be the second biggest search engine online, with YouTube being used for over 73% of all video related searches.
YouTube videos are well indexed within Google and other search engines via their titles and tags, YouTube videos are indexed within hundreds of smaller or specialist video sites, and YouTube videos can be embedded freely (unless otherwise requested) within the websites, blogs etc. of other webmasters. Not only can this be used to create a decent amount of backlinks to your own website, but if done correctly can also divert or direct a substantial amount of eyeballs towards your desired content directly from within YouTube.
After all; you spent a lot of time creating your video, and while it’s nice to watch the views counter rise, and to receive those encouraging (and otherwise) comments, why not try to harness a little of that traffic, and convert them into members / customers, etc. Videos receiving hundreds of thousands of viewers on YouTube or even millions are not rare, although most receive a more modest amount of hits, you have nothing to lose by taking a few simple steps to cream a little of that traffic off for yourself.
(Note) – You will have far greater success if the video is relevant to the content to which you are sending your viewers.
Example images for using YouTube to create traffic
Driving YouTube traffic to your own site
I use two simple methods through which to do this:
(1) Most video editing packages including ‘Microsoft Movie Maker’ that comes with Windows allow you to import and insert static pictures very easily within the video or storyboard as simply as importing your picture and dragging and dropping it where desired. So using Microsoft Paint or your photo editing software of choice simply create a static picture featuring your website address, maybe a picture displaying your product etc. and possibly a little bit of advertising blurb to sell it. This when your video is uploaded will tell your viewers where your website is, and chances are if they were interested in your video you may have spiked their curiosity enough to pay you a visit.
(2) The other way by which to direct traffic away from YouTube and towards your own site is via the description box by which you are able to add a few details regarding your video prior to or after uploading it. By adding your link as the very first thing within this box before going on to describe your video your link to your website will be visible at the top right of the YouTube screen every time a viewer watches your video. This is pretty much the only way to add a direct link to your website within YouTube (except for the one you can add within your profile), however few visitors may notice it sat up there all on its lonesome, and ignore it completely. So it’s time to stand up and be noticed, remember those big flashing neon signs you see pointing you towards restaurants and clubs, just letting you know they’re there, they don’t always work, but often they will. So perhaps you dropped the image created in step one in at the start of your video, why not create a second image, but in this one utilise the all important arrow -----> because some people just need a little direction. Place that arrow in the top right corner of the static image, try to line it up as closely as possible so as to make it point towards your link, include a call to action statement such as ‘Click here to see…’ Then drop this one in at the end of your video.
YouTube Traffic
These techniques may come across as a little spammy to some, but if you have a useful resource to offer then why not direct your viewers towards it, after all these are people who are specifically interested in and searching for that topic (you don’t get traffic any more qualified than that!)
Utilising just the second of the two methods used above depending upon the video, I am usually able to divert (direct) between 10-30% of my viewers away from YouTube and towards my own content (where MY adsense and products are), and my video making skills are amateur at best. With the huge and rising numbers of viewers browsing YouTube for any conceivable type of entertainment with just a little effort, whatever your niche, you can get your very own little piece of that pie, and remember some of the videos on YouTube receive literally millions of views so converting 10-30% of those viewers into visitors to your own site really is worth the time and effort.
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