How to use YouTube to sell your products worldwide

One of our clients Carl Ahlers from Prof Bunsen Science has recently used YouTube to promote one of his science toys, resulting in sales from across the globe.

Video is an exciting medium that is becoming one of the most popular communication tools on the web today, and YouTube and other video sharing sites like it allow the 'viral effect' to push your video in front of thousands, perhaps millions, of eyes.

Here's Carl's recent experience followed by four tips to help you build your own video content.

We have recently acquired the distributor rights to a science toy, the Fun Fly Sick, that has been awarded "Best Toy" in the USA in 2008. The inventors (two Russian scientists) mentioned to me that one of their online "retailers" in the USA has ordered thousands of the item after posting a simple video on YouTube, demonstrating the item.  They sold out in a few weeks and they ordered in another couple of thousand for Christmas.  Now one might say 'it is America' but it is also important to note that this toy is ONLY sold through online distributors worldwide.  Nowhere is it sold in a 'store front' retail outlet!  The inventor mentioned to me that "It seems that a key to the sales these days is to make a nice video and have it promoted on YouTube."

So off I went and made a short video depicting 13 unusual uses of the Fun Fly Stick.  No Hollywood-style, budget-breaking stuff - just a simple home-made video edited here on my Mac.  I posted it and then the emails started coming in from Spain, Bolivia and other places.  Suddenly we realised that the Web has no borders. Somehow a well-known site such as YouTube stamps some sort of 'authentication' on a product oridea.  Silly!   People are viewing the World as a much more accessible and smaller place due to the speed and efficiency of the Web.  Australia "Down Under" can become Australia "Down the Line".

Carl's Fun Fly Stick video can be viewed above, or on YouTube at: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=TVNpY-Ay_XM

Tips for creating your own online video

So what can we learn from Carl that can help you to build your own videos?

Do something original

A new idea is awesome, even your own unique take on a used idea is good. Carl saw that videos about his product had created interest for overseas sellers, so he made a video with 13 new uses for the fun fly stick. These new uses are not shown in the instruction manuals or other videos, so they will interest not only potential customers but all the people who already own the stick as well as others who are interested in science toys in general.

Make it interesting

Remember that people want to watch what interests them. This doesn't mean your video has to be cool or trendy, especially if your potential customers are over the age of 25. Relevant content is what keeps people watching and coming back. As well as showing uses of the stick to customers, Carl's examples are intriguing and just plain fun!

Don't make an ad

This follows on from the point above. No-one wants to watch a video that's nothing but an ad! Your videos should be informative or funny enough to make people want to watch them in their own right. If they are, the viewers will respect your time and effort and remember you when they next want to buy. Carl has this one covered, providing lots of valuable information and showing his logo and website link prominently at the end.

Don't get put off

Your video doesn't have to get 5 million views to be successful - if you're in a niche market or aiming at local viewers your total views might be lucky to make it over 5 thousand. But if you're targeting that niche effectively they will respond, you'll be busy and everyone will be happy. And as Carl points out, you don't have to be Steven Spielberg to create something that people want to watch – content is still above special effects in the order of importance.

If you've got the spark of an original idea the technology part of it is easy to learn and definitely worth the time. Video sharing sites make it possible to promote your products and services using interesting, informative videos. You might need something special or a lot of luck to truly 'go viral' - but that's not always the point. As a marketing and advertising medium, video has a unique way of attracting viewers and displaying your business to them.

Give it a go. Maybe the next video I'm sent online will be yours!