Ashley Andreis – Page 7 – IFTS, Inc. Blog

How to Set Up Your YouTube Channel for Law Firms

Did you know that YouTube reaches more people in the 18-49 demographic on mobile alone than any American cable TV network?

Setting up a YouTube channel for your law firm is easy and only takes a few minutes. In this article, we are going to walk you through 3 easy steps to set up your YouTube channel and explain how video marketing can benefit your law firm.

Set Up Your YouTube Channel In 3 Easy Steps

1. Sign in to YouTube

Go to YouTube.com and click the sign in button in the top right corner of the page. If you have an existing Google account, use that email and password to sign into YouTube.

If you do not already have a Google account, you can easily create a Google account directly from YouTube by clicking ‘create account’.

Keep in mind that a Google account and a YouTube account are not the same thing. This is a common misconception.

Your Google account can be used to sign into YouTube to watch and like videos or subscribe to your favorite channels. When you are signed in, you will also get personalized recommendations based on your activity.

Now, having a YouTube channel allows you to upload your own videos for your firm to have a public presence on YouTube.

2. Create Your Channel

In the top right corner of the screen, you will see your profile icon.

Click on the circle icon and select “Create a Channel”.

From here, you will be prompted to choose your channel name and profile picture

3. Customize Your Channel

This step will help make your channel welcoming to visitors and help with your SEO.

First, visit the customization tab in YouTube studio.

Layout Tab

Under the “layout” tab, you can select and organize what users will see when visiting your channel. A video spotlight will be the main video that someone will see when visiting your channel. For those that aren’t subscribed to your channel, you can add a channel trailer. This is nothing but a quick video that highlights what you create and what people can expect from your channel.

You can also add featured sections that will allow you to organize your content in any way you’d like for viewers to see when they arrive at your channel homepage.

Branding Tab

Under the branding tab is where you can find the customizable elements such as your profile picture and banner image.

Your profile picture is going to appear wherever your channel is represented on YouTube. Your profile picture must meet the following requirements:

JPG, GIF (not animated), BMP or PNG file
Recommended 800 X 800 px image
Square or round image that renders at 98 X 98 px

If you know what a Facebook cover photo is, a YouTube banner image is very similar. This is a banner that will appear at the top of the page when someone visits your YouTube channel. With this, you can show off your personality and a little more about yourself and your firm.

For the best results, your banner image must meet the following criteria:

Minimum dimensions of 2048 X 1152 px with an aspect ratio of 16:9
Safe area for text and logos at the minimum dimensions: 1235 X 338 px
File size: 6 MB or smaller

Basic Info Tab

customizing basic info on YouTube Channel

Under the basic info tab, you can make edits to your channel name & description, add translations in other languages, add links to sites that you want to share with your viewers (such as your firm’s website) and add contact information if you would like people to be able to email you with inquiries. Make sure to link back to your firm.

After making changes to any of these tabs, always be sure to hit the “publish” button to make your edits live on your channel.

Now it’s time to create content for your YouTube channel!

Most people think that creating a video for their business is really time consuming or that you need expensive equipment to start – Not true! All you need is your smartphone and a location that is relatively quiet with good lighting.

Create and optimize your firm’s YouTube videos to get the most out of your YouTube channel. In this blog post, learn how to create your videos from choosing a location, to finding a topic and editing your video. (We even include a secret step that not many people know about.)

How Video Marketing Benefits Your Firm

Did you know that 72% of people say that they would rather learn about a new product/service by watching a video over reading text?

Video marketing allows you to promote your firm on social channels that can increase overall engagement while educating your audience in a creative way. In other words, it gets more eyeballs on information that you provide.

Developing a strong video marketing strategy for your firm can provide the following benefits:

1. Reach a wider audience

With a large percentage of people preferring to watch an informative video over reading text, you have an opportunity to reach even more of your target customers. Think about the benefit of someone being able to watch you explain the benefits of hiring an attorney to create a will or how a DUI firm helps people get their DUIS expunged from their records by following the proper sequence.

2. Increase revenue

Did you ever think that creating videos could put more money in the bank? Businesses that implement a video strategy increase their revenue 49% faster year-over-year than those that do not use video. Many law firms are not yet utilizing these methods, so put yourself ahead of the competition and be a familiar face to your clients even before they meet you.

3. Increase number of shares

Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and image content combined. By creating quality video content, you have a better chance of passively raising more awareness for your firm. With YouTube users sharing 400 hours of new video every minute, your firm is set to establish a connection with users and therefore, drive leads.

4. ‘Humanize’ your firm

Let’s be real… Some of those who are looking for answers to frequently asked law questions may find it ‘boring’ or will most likely be unenthused as they search for answers that have to do with divorce or bankruptcy etc. With video marketing, you can answer these questions in a video format, letting a possible prospective client put a name to a face as you help answer their questions. This can ultimately instill a feeling of trust in that individual and you may have just scored yourself a new client!

These are just a few of the benefits of law firm video marketing. It can’t be stressed enough that it is important for your firm to stay on top of evolving video marketing trends to remain relevant in the digital world as more and more people turn to online video for information and advice in addition to entertainment.

YouTube is not just for cat videos anymore!

Need help setting up your channel or getting started with video marketing? Give IFTS a call at 412.715.6266 and set up a free one-hour video roadmap session. We’ll look at what you have done so far in the video space and set up a roadmap for you to follow to get yourself in front of more clients fast!

What Social Media Platforms Should My Painting Business be Active on?

Is finding customers online proving to be quite the struggle? If it is, then social media would be the remedy to that.

Traditionally, painting businesses have predominantly relied on word of mouth to gain new customers. While this is still a very valid – and constructive form of marketing, modern-day digital advertising is gaining more and more ground thanks to technology. The Internet particularly gives companies an array of opportunities to reach wider audiences and control their reputation. One such tool is social media.

And to be fair, it’s one of the best tools for businesses.

Social media platforms are not just places where business pages and profiles are housed. They are hubs for people to communicate, share their opinions, make recommendations, and express their likes or dislikes — now doesn’t that sound a lot like word-of-mouth marketing?

So how do you select the right social media platform for your business?

It all comes down to each platform’s rules and restrictions, content specifications, marketing options and available audiences. It also boils down to your personal preference, and how you prefer to showcase your services, promote your business, and interact with customers.

In this article, we are going to list the top 5 social media platforms and reveal the specifications of each platform.

The Top 5 Social Media Platforms for Painting Businesses

YouTube

YouTube is the second largest search platform globally after Google. It appeals to an audience of 18 to 65 years and has more than 2 billion active users.

This platform is video-based and has other sections that allow you to share photos, go live with an audience when premiering videos, and build a community. Want to show off your painting skills? Or maybe share a DIY tutorial on how to paint like a pro? If you want to go the video route, YouTube is your best option.

YouTube’s algorithm, however, like all other platforms, periodically changes to keep up with consumer needs. Hence, when making content for YouTube, keep it informative and in line with the platform’s rules. Keep the videos short, interesting, and high quality.

Facebook

Facebook is one of the platforms that have continually changed its settings to accommodate business needs. It has more than 2 billion active users globally, most of whom are between 18 and 65 years old.

Creating a Facebook Business Page is a top choice for all types of businesses. You can utilize it to create a wide range of content aimed at attracting, nurturing, and retaining clients. Facebook allows you to post text, images, videos, contests, events, and build an e-commerce page on the platform where you can sell products/services or book appointments.

With Facebook, you can also automate a good number of marketing activities and take advantage of targeted advertising and paid ads.

Instagram

Instagram is relatively newer than Facebook and has more than 1 billion active users globally. It attracts a younger crowd than Facebook, and has quickly grown into the easiest platform to advertise services to a younger target audience. But who ever said that young people aren’t homeowners or ever in need of painting services? Many people like to spend time on Instagram looking for new ways to spice up their home, especially DIYers.

This site supports photos and short videos; using the right hashtags when posting these may draw in more followers than you expect! The platform also offers various tools that allow you to run surveys and polls, create longer videos, and share something interesting from within the platform. You can also integrate Instagram with other platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter.

To win on Instagram, you need to have good quality images and videos and be consistent in your posting schedule. Make the content interesting, and use paid ads whenever you need to reach a bigger audience. You can also make use of IG influencer marketing as it has done wonders for numerous businesses.

Twitter

With more than 330 million active users, Twitter is a platform that appeals to businesses and experts of all sorts. It particularly attracts an audience aged 18 to 49 years and is more formal than Facebook and Instagram.

If you are looking for a formal way to communicate with your audience, Twitter is a good option. Text content on Twitter is limited to 280 characters. As such, if you have a longer message, you can create a thread or use other platforms to pass the message across.

If you want to grow your market using Twitter, be sure to optimize your business profile and use such tools as hashtags, retweets, mentions, and replies.

When it comes to professionalism, LinkedIn takes the cake. It is the one social media platform where formality is the order of the day. However, you won’t see business pages with a lot of action on LinkedIn; rather it’s the business owners and their employees who are more actively and constantly in pursuit of connections. B2B networking is a big thing on LinkedIn.

The audience you will find on this platform aged between 25 and 64 years – and most of them have a higher education and several degrees to flaunt. But that should not deter you, especially if you are looking to make connections with other companies — and you never know what that may bring your business down the line…

It is not necessary for your business to be present on every single one of these platforms to become noticed on social media. Some sites are increasingly gaining popularity within a short period of time, that it’s only natural that others slip through the cracks.

To make your decision easier, think about your marketing. All the social media platforms we mentioned come with inbuilt statistics that show the return on investment (ROI) for organic and paid marketing efforts, and some of them come with inbuilt ad campaign management tools you should learn to be savvy at — but if it all sounds like too much to stay on top of, you can turn to us at IFTS for advice.

Your success on any platform depends on the audience you want to reach, the type of content you post, and your understanding of the platform’s algorithms. Remember that these algorithms change periodically, so you need to always be at the top of your game.

Download our free guide, The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect. This guide will walk you through 7 simple steps to bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond!

The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect

Get a FREE download of our 7 simple steps that will bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond.

Ready to roll?

If you would like more information on the best social platforms for your business specifically, Give IFTS a call at 412.715.6266 for a free consultation.

How To Build a Website for Your Painting Business + 5 Alternatives

A professional website is an essential element for every business’s brand strategy. Apart from being an authoritative platform on which the company communicates its brand, it also helps considerably with engagement and conveying your services.

Having a website makes it very easy for people to find you and discover what you do. It also makes you stand out as a professional in your field.

Then, there’s marketing. Through website analytics, a business owner can quickly tell the demographics of those who show interest. On-page and off-page SEO also goes a long way in building online visibility and search engine ranking.

But how do you actually build a website? And what are other options if you can’t afford one?

Before we get started.. We have 7 simple steps that will help you get your business in front of the right customers, downloadable as a free guide.

The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect

Get a FREE download of our 7 simple steps that will bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond.

Ready to roll?

How Do I Build A Website For My Painting Business?

There are various ways to go about building your painting business website. And frankly, anyone can create a website these days with a good Internet connection. Here are your options:

Template-based website builders

These require no design or development skills at all and are exceptionally popular when it comes to building a website on a low budget. Some of the best website builders out there include:

Do keep in mind that you will still need to pay for things like a domain name, business email, hosting, and customized themes. There’s also photography to take into account, or the purchase of stock images. You will additionally need to put in some time and effort to learn the platform of your choice. WordPress, in particular, is the trickiest but also the best when it comes to ranking on the search engines.

Seek out a freelance web designer/developer

It is not a secret that you can hire freelancers online these days for a fraction of the price you would pay your local creative agency. This again applies to those on a small budget who are also short on time and other resources.

Some of the most popular freelance outsourcing sites include:

While this is an affordable option, finding the right freelancer will take some time and effort. To streamline the process, make sure you create an ad with specific details about what you want, so that the freelancer can bid on it knowing all the specs of the job.

Don’t hire someone simply because they’re cheap; check out their profile and portfolio first and have a look at what projects they are currently working on (you would want to avoid anyone already working on 27 other projects!).

Before you decide to hire, hop on a video call with your candidates to verify that they are not scammers or fake profiles — unfortunately, this does tend to happen when there is no supervision or control over who creates a profile.

Hire an agency

Agencies will be your best option when it comes to creating a professional-looking, fully functional website.

They won’t limit your options with template designs and quick fixes, and they usually consist of specialists, in which case you may be able to get a full package of web design, marketing, and branding services by a team of real experts who know what they’re doing.

But do be aware, these professional services come at a higher cost due to the quality they offer, and a website alone could cost you anywhere from $500 to $10,000!

As a small business that requires an uncomplicated website with only a few pages, consider putting aside $1000-$3000. If you’re serious about your painting business, you will not hesitate at making such an important investment.

At IFTS we work with our clients to make customized solutions for your website development and marketing needs.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you are considering creating a professional website for your painting business.

5 Alternatives to Building a Painting Business Website

Are you hoping to avoid the whole website-building hassle altogether? If you are, you can still build your online brand and presence. It’s only the platform that will be different.

A website is not the only tool that a business can utilize to create an online presence. There are various alternatives you can look at which are much less pricey, too. Below are some of the most commonly sought after alternatives for painting businesses:

1. Google My Business

A Google My Business page is an all-in-one listing management tool. This tool displays your business information and your business’s location will also appear on Google Maps.

You can also take advantage of other tools, like Reviews and Insights. You can even create a DIY site if you like and promote events and special offers. It will boost your visibility on the search engine results page when a relevant query is placed.

A GMB page is responsive, mobile-friendly, and can be optimized for SEO.

Need help creating or optimizing your Google My Business profile? Check out our Introduction to Google My Business for tips on how to set up your profile correctly and accurately.

2. Online Local Business Directories

Yes, you can pay for a listing on your local online business directories such as Yellow Pages and Foursquare.

These online directories allow you to optimize your listing for SEO and showcase as much information about the business as you can. You can also just list the basics – name and contact information of the business and services and working hours, and you’re good to go.

3. Review Sites Listings

Review sites such as HomeAdvisor, Yelp, and Angi are well-optimized for search results. Hence, a listing on these sites will allow you to take advantage of their undeniably impressive business-boosting functions.

The best part of registering your business with review sites is that clients tend to trust any review they read on them! And if you’re low on reviews, you can always invite your current customers to these platforms and have them give their two cents.

Want to know how to win over customers with your online reputation? Here, we discuss proactive tactics for online reputation management to get more clients.

4. Facebook Business Page

Facebook has over two billion active users. It is one of the few platforms that are continuously improving their B2B offerings and helping new businesses promote themselves.

With a Facebook business page, you can create an ecommerce store, accept payments, book appointments, share content through posts, create promotions, announce events, set up ad campaigns, and do pretty much anything you need to attract and retain customers.

You can also use Facebook for SEO purposes or targeted advertising. The possibilities are endless!

5. Online Marketplaces

Online marketplaces perform well on the search engines, and a listing on them can significantly boost your presence and sales.

They are also a great starting point for small niche businesses, as you can position your business in front of your target audience without the need to resort to advertising.

For home services business, your go-to marketplaces should be Handy, ProReferral, and Serviz.

Regardless of the options you choose, you must maintain a professional online presence at all times.

Be sure to craft an online marketing strategy and implement, review, and improve your online marketing efforts constantly.

Click the button below to download our free guide, The Painter Marketing Broad Brush Effect. This guide will walk you through 7 simple steps to bring in more painting customers than you can handle in 2021 and beyond.

If you need help creating a website for your painting business, or figuring out a marketing strategy that drives results, feel free to ask us any questions! Give IFTS a call at 412.715.6266 for a free consultation.