Is your print on demand business profitable? That’s a question many sellers are asking at the outset of a new year. If you’re looking for some proven strategies to boost your conversion rates and make your print on demand store a bigger revenue generator, you could do a lot worse than YouTube; not only is this one of the most visited websites in the world, but it provides unique marketing value for those working in the print on demand space.
In this post, we’ll provide some YouTube print on demand marketing tips, including suggestions to increase your audience and build your business.
7 YouTube Print on Demand Marketing Tips
1) Always have a next-click strategy.
First and foremost, remember that each video you post to YouTube is part of your larger strategy, and thus should guide viewers toward the next piece of the puzzle. Be sure that every video includes a clear call to action, directing viewers on what their “next click” should be. This may simply be viewing a related video, or subscribing to the channel. Then again, it could also be clicking through to a particular product page, especially if the product was prominently featured in the video itself.
2) Try long-form videos.
More and more marketers advocate for long-term videos. (What do we mean by long-form? Aim for something at least eight or 10 minutes, in some cases even longer.) Longer videos not only help engage the viewer, but they tend to fare better in the YouTube search algorithms, as well. As for specific content ideas, consider:
- “Unboxing” videos where you show off several products.
- How-to or tutorial videos that use your products.
- Q&A sessions or interviews where you discuss some of your designs in depth.
3) Create playlists.
Keep in mind that YouTube’s ultimate goal is to keep people watching videos for as long as possible. One of the ways in which YouTube achieves this goal is through playlists, where various videos are sequenced together due to shared subject matter or themes. Creating playlists for your print on demand brand is, again, a smart way to boost engagement and to excel in YouTube SEO. This, in turn, means more views, greater brand awareness, and potentially higher rates of traffic and of conversions.
4) Target niche audiences.
Defining your audience is an essential step in any marketing endeavor, and YouTube is no exception. Before creating video content, think about who you’re trying to reach, understanding that defining your audience more narrowly can often be the best way of developing content that really connects. For print on demand sellers, we recommend carefully evaluating your customer database for some clues as to which demographics you should tap.
5) Try YouTube Ads.
YouTube is ostensibly a free platform, so some print on demand sellers are understandably hesitant about investing any money running paid ads. And yet, even if you begin with a modest budget, YouTube Ads can be a great, cost-effective way to build your audience, even pursuing viewers who fit the audience criteria you defined in the previous step.
6) Leverage YouTube Creators.
YouTube Creators are truly the superstars of the platform; you could just as easily call them “influencers.” There’s no harm in reaching out to them about having some of your products featured in their videos. Offer to send some free samples, and you might luck into some truly expansive coverage.
7) Don’t forget SEO.
Finally, print on demand sellers should remember that YouTube is fundamentally a search engine, and that boosting conversions assumes a decent amount of traffic. There are some basic steps you can follow to ensure good YouTube SEO, including keywords in the title, keywords in the meta description, full transcripts or summaries, and well-chosen thumbnail sketches. (Here again we’ll note that longer videos and playlists can also help with YouTube SEO.)
Learn More About YouTube Print on Demand Marketing
YouTube can be an invaluable tool for growing your print on demand business, but only when it’s leveraged strategically.
To learn more about smart, practical ways to grow your print on demand business, connect with one of our Solutions Consultants today!
