If you’re expanding your company’s social media marketing in the coming year, be sure to add video as a marketing tool. Adding content to YouTube is one way to boost your small business. The popular video platform is more social and influential than ever before, so it’s a great place to start. Here are five ways to make sure you are using it effectively.

1. Update Content

YouTube’s most popular channels have high volumes of content. If you want to use video as a marketing tool, keep adding them on a regular basis. Use different types of video content for your small business, such as short tutorials or product demonstrations, corporate profiles or company history videos, and interviewing the owners, staff and customers.

2. Include Calls to Action

Links in your video’s description are beneficial, but you should also start thinking about how you want viewers to respond before you post the video. Make sure your calls to action are included in the video itself. These can include contacting your business for more information, asking viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel, leaving feedback, or sharing your video on their social network channels.

3. Put Thought into Your Titles and Descriptions

Titles are weighed heavily on YouTube, so don’t give your videos long boring ones. People search YouTube the same way they would on Google—with keywords and phrases. Video descriptions should be short and informative. Write a sentence or two (using your top keywords), and be sure to include a link to your business website or blog so people will be able to learn more.

4. Get Interactive with Your Audience

After people view your videos, some will leave comments. Make sure to monitor and respond to all feedback in a timely manner. Try to personalize your responses to each visitor because using an automated reply could be even worse than no reply at all.

5. Don’t Confine Your Videos to YouTube

After you set up your YouTube channel, spread the word. When you post a new video that you want people to see and share, write a blog post about it, tweet the link, or post it on Facebook. Be sure to also embed videos on your website, especially tutorials and product demos.

Are you currently using YouTube for your small business?