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It seems that the issue of getting your brand noticed online becomes more intricate every single day. As little as five years ago, business success on the internet was about little more than developing a decent website. Around two years ago, it became essential for every business to have pretty strong social media incentives. Most recently, we’re seeing more visual mediums coming to the fore. Instagram is forever gaining in business potential at the moment, and YouTube is entering the playing field, too.

And, it’s this latest newcomer we’ll be focusing on today. The fact is that this video streaming platform has got a lot of business owners stumped right now. While it’s changing the way we reach our audiences, it’s also draining many a profit margin. Why? Because making videos isn’t as simple as writing a status update, or even paying for a domain name. Instead, it takes both time and equipment to get right. And, given it’s a reasonably untested domain as it stands, that can cause real issues. Indeed, business owners who are spending big on their efforts here are fast finding that they don’t see any return on their investment. Thus, video marketing = lost profits for them.

But, that doesn’t mean you can cut the world of YouTube from your marketing efforts altogether. While it’s easy to spend more than you see back here, any platform is worth making the most of. All you need to do is make sure that you aren’t spending the Earth on productions fit for Hollywood. In truth, staying simple here is the key to seeing a return. And, we’ve got a few pointers to help you do just that.

Turn to an outside company

If you’re a video novice, you may find turning to an outside company like Flood Social is your best bet for success. That way, you’ll only need to worry about paying one flat fee for all your marketing needs. Thus, video needn’t cost you anything extra at all. Such companies are also skilled in finding marketing ROI.  As such, they’ll continually track your returns from each platform to ensure you aren’t paying more than you get back. Even if you only use this as a short-term option, it’s a fantastic way to build an audience here without spending a fortune. A stint with an outside company can also be an excellent way to determine whether video marketing would be worth your while in the long-term. Don’t hesitate, then, to do your research and start contacting potential companies as soon as possible. The faster you jump on this growing medium, the more chance you have of being at the front of the wave.

Use what you have

Whether you use an outside company or not, there may come a time when you want to embark on video making alone. That’s fantastic news as long as you remember one essential thing; you don’t need high-end cameras to make this work. Too many companies make the mistake of thinking they’ll see high returns on efforts here. As such, they jump the guns and stock up on cameras which cost thousands. Unsurprisingly, they then have to put years into this pursuit to see any real profits from it. The thing to remember is that, while important, video marketing is a lot like a social media presence. It can create leads, but it’s only a sideline to your business. It’s a marketing effort which you should spend as little on as you can. All the better for seeing decent returns. With that in mind, then, focusing on filming what you have. iPhones are most worth a mention here. Most of us have one of these in our pockets, and they have fantastic filming capabilities. Without needing to spend a penny, then, you’ll find that you can create high-quality videos as soon as you fancy. Equally, asking around your team may reveal that you already have access to plenty of YouTube-worth cameras. Remember that you don’t need movie-quality soft focus or zoom capabilities. All you need is a decent quality picture and a reasonable sound. And, they don’t have to cost anywhere near what you would expect.

Trust basic editing equipment

There’s also a temptation to turn to complicated and expensive editing equipment to get a good finish. Again, though, this is rarely worth your time. For one, it’s another waste of good money. High-end editing equipment easily ranges into the hundreds. What’s more, complex programs can take a lot of work to understand and get right. So, you’ll increase those costs even more by having to dedicate a lot of time to editing even simple videos. Consider, instead, that there are plenty of good-value editing software programs to choose from. iMovie, for instance, comes free on the majority of Apple products. This is ideal if you’re filming on your phone, as it’ll enable you to edit on there as well. You can even use this if you’re uploading from other cameras. The easy to use interface of programs like these ensures you can edit top-quality videos in no time. You’ll undoubtedly find you and your team get the hang of something like this faster than those complex programs you were going to pay a fortune for.

Create your backdrops

Sadly, the potential expenses here don’t end there. Do you see now why so many companies overspend on this venture? An excellent looking backdrop is about as essential on a YouTube video as a hashtag is on Twitter. As such, many business owners make the mistake of spending money on video-specific studios or expensive white screens. In truth, though, you can create a perfectly good DIY backdrop for no money at all. The only thing you need is a plain white wall, and perhaps a print of your company logo. You may also want to make use of pretty office chairs, or a plant for appearance sake. But, a little thought should reveal that you have everything you need around the office already. Whatever you do, then, don’t go out spending unnecessary money on this.

Only put in what you get out

So far, we’ve focused on saving money when you start making videos. If you want to, you can keep costs down for the duration of your YouTube journey. If you see real success here, you may want to up your game by buying some of the expensive equipment we advised against. In truth, there’s nothing wrong with doing this, especially if you see decent returns. The thing to remember is that you don’t want to be in debt to your marketing campaign. It that happens, you won’t benefit from the interest you gain. To make sure that doesn’t happen, then, take time to understand how much revenue your videos bring. You can then set about only spending your profits from this field on expanding your efforts here. That way, you only spend money your work has already earnt. Doing this also ensures that your company doesn’t ultimately end up out of pocket.

A final word

No one can deny that video is the next big thing for companies. With the introduction of Instagram TV earlier this year, that only looks set to become even more the case. As with anything, though, you need to keep profits at the forefront of your mind here. Don’t spend, and keep your focus on saving. Get that right, and you’re sure to see decent success here in no time. Hollywood, here you come!