How the Streamy Awards Show Digital's Reaching Influence

In the inbound marketing industry, we talk a lot about how your company’s digital presence should be more than just a side thought in your marketing strategy. Even if you already know you need to maintain your Facebook page and Twitter account, you could be leaving out a major player: YouTube. YouTube is much more than a place to kill time or watch your favorite movie clips, it is a key place for your business to have a strong following and maximize the ROI (Return on Investment) of your web presence.

YouTube has over a billion users, almost one-third of all people on the Internet. Every day, people watch hundreds of millions of hours on YouTube and generate billions of views. And as they watch their favorite YouTube sensations, they could be seeing your brand as well. And while YouTube marketing is critical for modern businesses, you don't need to be a marketing genius to figure out how to be successful on YouTube. For further proof, consider the recent Streamy Awards.

The Streamy Awards honor the best in online video and the faces behind it, like the Oscars do for the best Hollywood films of the year. This annual event brings together the biggest names in online video for a night of celebration, and it’s a big deal. The whole event is broadcast on Vh1, a popular cable network. This is more than just a fun fact; the popularity of The Streamy Awards tells you all you need to know about YouTube marketing:

Your Online Presence is No Longer Separate

There was a time, not so long ago, where people’s online activities were totally separate from their “real life.” It is no longer the case. The Streamy Awards weren’t just another video put up on Youtube or just a small thing where the winners weren’t sent a congratulatory e-mail; the awards were broadcast on a major television network. Top recording artists like Future and Hailey Steinfeld performed and after parties were hosted at major LA nightclubs. All of this was done to celebrate people who have never acted in a Hollywood film, sang a song on the radio, or been featured in a TV show.

YouTube Generates Money

Performing artists, a stage in LA, crystal trophies… all of that means one thing: YouTube is making money, both for themselves and those creating videos. In fact, the number of channels earning six figures per year on YouTube is up 50% year over year. Read that statistic again. A lot of the people featured at The Streamy Awards are making big bucks from their videos.

It’s All Inbound Marketing!

How are people making so much money off their YouTube videos? By narrowing down their demographics and creating relevant content for those people. A YouTube channel should be treated exactly like a blog or other inbound marketing campaign. Better, targeted videos mean more subscribers to your channel, and more subscribers mean more profits- either by direct purchases or ad revenue. Include your channel on your email signature, your company’s blog, and your social media pages so everyone knows about it and your views are sure to start rising.

Are you relying on your blog to do all the work? Don’t miss out on a huge amount of potential profit because you aren’t using YouTube to your full advantage. With remarkable videos featuring content of substance targeted at the right viewers, you can enjoy more YouTube subscribers and a greater influence in the digital realm. If you need a few more expert tips, download our free eBook Mastering Social Media for Business.