How to Incorporate YouTube into Your Content Marketing Plan in 2023

Jan 23

After seven (and counting) years of singing YouTube’s praises, it somehow still isn’t clicking with people that it’s well worth the investment.

And sure, while I did recently decide to give up my title as “YouTube coach”, it had nothing to do with how well the platform worked. Spoiler alert — it worked pretty darn well. In those seven years, I haven’t onced relied on expensive Facebook ads for growth (have I used them? Sure. But they’re never been a key piece of my marketing strategy, ever.).

Not only that but I recently hit the seven-figure mark in my business…as someone who uses YouTube as the main *thing*.

I’m not trying to toot my own horn, but I am trying to show you that it friggin’ works! And if you still don’t believe me, pretty please just make it to the end of this post, and you’ll see why.

DISCLAIMER What YouTube will NOT be able to do for you

Before I dig into all the reasons why I love YouTube (and why my bank account does too), I think we need to talk about what YouTube can’t do for you.

YouTube channels don’t blow up overnight. It’s going to take some time for it to grow because YouTube is .

And yes, while creating that content takes time, there’s an investment that needs to happen if you plan on outsourcing an agency like mine that will plan the title, script, and edit all your videos for you (or really, even just a video editor in general). That will make it take some time to see the return…but it will come if you stay consistent and strategic.

Now let's crack on into the benefits!

The benefits of using YouTube

I could write a novel about how much I love YouTube, but I won’t. Instead, I’ll just list out why, so you can quickly get the idea.

Searchability: It’s much easier to find your content when you’re using a platform backed and owned by Google
Evergreen Life Span: Unlike Instagram, YouTube has a pretty long shelf life and can continue to bring you views and clicks for years to come
Repurpose Power: You can use that one long-form piece of content to drive everything else you create
Community: It’s a great way to connect with and engage your audience
Credibility/Visibility: Speaking to what you know in length can help you find more opportunities to speak on stage, be on podcasts, or interviews, in general

How’s that for some benefits? Can Instagram or TikTok do that for you?

How to start using YouTube as a part of your content strategy in 2023

Did I convince you yet? Good! Let’s talk about some ways to start using YouTube as a part of our content strategy in 2023 (because the days of Jenna Marbles and sketch comedy videos are no more…it’s time to get strategic).

Break up the niche mold

I’ve been a big advocate for niching in the past, but that was the past. The problem in 2023 is that a lot of us are niching so hard that it makes it difficult to even reach a new audience.

For example, my niche has always been business owners using YouTube. But I’ve had a hard time even reaching people who didn't know YouTube was an option, or they just weren’t interested at all. So I stalled out, bored myself, and became unmotivated because my audience wasn’t liking what I put out there (and yes, I did pivot FYI — you can read more about that here!).

That’s what happens when you over-niche. Now, I’m not saying to just go out there and talk about anything and everything. But the super-niching has got to stop.

Promote your stuff

Why are you worried about being salesy if mentioning your products and services is what’s putting money in your bank account?

But hey, I get it, that’s been me forever, so one thing I'm changing this year is to get a little more strategic about my content and always promote something in my video, even if it’s just a small CTA. You don’t have to make a full-on ad out of it, but incorporating those CTAs where it fits may help you generate some leads.

Make juicer content

The tips, tricks, hacks, and how-tos aren’t going to cut it on YouTube anymore. It’s not going to build a loyal following because the content is too surface-level to make any real connections (something you need to build an audience).

And if they aren’t watching your stuff, they will find what they want/need elsewhere. You don’t have to give it all away in a 10-minute video, but provide content that takes your topics a little bit further than you used to.

Script out your videos

I don’t mean scripting things out word for word — what I really mean is to have a game plan. I script out every single video I post with bullet points and notes so that whenever I turn the camera on, I’m ready to go, which makes editing a breeze.

And when small things like this are easier to do, you free yourself up mentally and time-wise to have more creative energy to produce your best ideas!

Get started on YouTube today!

These tips are great — but they’re just the start. If you want to see my entire process for getting started with video content including my YouTube script template and my workflow…then check out Going Video!

Inside, I also share how I turn my YouTube videos into reels and how I edit those Reels. You’re basically getting a glimpse into a 360 video content strategy that utilizes multiple platforms, including YouTube! If you are ready to get serious with video content, follow me here to grab the course for just $37!