YouTube has 1.9 billion monthly active users and is the second largest search engine in the world. More and more brands are uploading content to the platform, hoping to make a sound about their products and services.
Entering this market can be intimidating. If your YouTube presence isn’t focused on delivering value with engaging content, viewers can spot it right away.
Fortunately, there are tons of brands you can search for inspiration on YouTube; most of them are in niches that don’t immediately shout “fun”.
Check out these five companies that do YouTube marketing Right.
5 unexpectedly great YouTube channels from brands
1. Purple
Purple’s YouTube channel is basically a master class in YouTube marketing. Who thought videos about beds could be this popular?
Purple is known for its clever and witty commercials. Let’s take a look at one of the most popular examples…
“Did Your Bed Pass the Human Egg Drop Test?” with 44 million views. One of Purple’s most successful marketing videos.
It’s basically a weird lab experiment: A man with unbroken eggs on his back is laid on a mattress, and the eggs remain intact.
The comments section on this video is overwhelmingly positive. In fact, the Human Egg Drop Test was so popular that it inspired a wave of videos showing people trying Purple’s experiment—successfully!—at home.
Besides being fun and informative, the Human Egg Drop Test includes all the elements of a well-optimized YouTube video:
- An interesting, provocative title ✓
- A keyword-rich video description with relevant links ✓
- An eye-catching image and a thumbnail with text summarizing the video ✓
- Cards to other videos on Purple’s YouTube channel ✓
takeaways
Purple’s YouTube marketing is incredibly successful as its ads don’t feel like ads.
If you plan to use YouTube as a funnel, prioritize entertainment value. If every video sounds like a hard sell, people won’t be subscribing or sharing your content nearly as often.
Look at your demographic and they will really benefit from watching with fun, engaging, informative videos. This is how you build brand loyalty.
2. Ikea
Ikea’s marketing game has always been on point, and their YouTube presence is as well crafted as their shopping experience. The Swedish furniture company has a knack for jumping on trends and making them their own without cheating.
ASMR videos
IKEA turned to the ASMR video trend as part of their “Strange IKEA” marketing campaign, and the result is incredible:
The autonomic sensory meridian (ASMR) response is a chilling, comforting emotion triggered by certain sounds and visuals. ASMR videos are huge on YouTube. More than 5.2 million uploads have been uploaded to the platform and are watched all over the world.
IKEA’s marketing team was smart at using ASMR to sell dorm furniture. What better way to showcase a relaxing bedroom to Gen Z college students?
… and cat videos
It may seem a little cliché now, but IKEA bounced back when it was at the height of the cat video trend. While the video is no longer on their channel, probably because it’s so old, I couldn’t help but chase after this little IKEA marketing history from 2010:
takeaways
IKEA’s marketing team constantly finds and adapts viral trends that naturally fit their brand. So how can you do the same?
Consider exploring your subscribers’ favorite channels for inspiration when planning YouTube content. Watch their videos to better understand your target market and what they want to see.
You don’t have to worry about your own videos going viral; A salute on a popular train is often enough. Focus on consistently creating good content and your YouTube channel will grow.
3. Warby Parker
Warby Parker has made a name for himself by challenging the conventions of eyeglasses shopping, and they’ve seamlessly translated the brand to YouTube.
Working with influencers
A large part of Warby Parker’s marketing strategy involves partnering with influencers and other brands. They’ve worked with everyone from Virgil Abloh, Kanye’s creative director, to luxury stores like Nordstrom.
Warby Parker’s YouTube channel features video profiles of creative professionals who proudly wear the eyewear brand. Each one has been carefully selected to reflect the sense of effortless coolness for which the brand is known.
Check out the “Wearing Warby” playlist. This is fully aligned with the company’s mission and values: “to lead socially conscious businesses while delivering designer eyewear at a revolutionary price.”
takeaways
When marketing your product on YouTube, partner with influencers or other interesting people who are enthusiastic about your brand and fit your target demographic.
You don’t have to stress about working with big celebrities either. In fact, niche influencers can prove to be more effective for your brand. Just take a look at this Google infographic that shows how YouTube creators develop closer relationships with their fans than traditional celebrities.
Another lesson we can learn from Warby Parker is that it’s okay to experiment with your brand and even make the occasional misstep.
Earlier this year, Warby Parker teamed up with Arby’s to create “Warby’s.” Yes, it was an April Fool’s joke and not everyone got it. Still, the “Warby’s” joke shows Warby Parker’s willingness to be creative and have fun with their brand, and it’s never a bad image.
4. Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay is a big TV star but did you know he killed it on YouTube too?
His YouTube channel has around 8 million subscribers and close to 1.3 billion views. Featured is a mix of Ramsay’s trademark restaurant rages delightfully paired with recipe videos shot in the chef’s home kitchen.
Everything about Gordon Ramsay’s YouTube presence is fun, but there is one particularly important point about his channel to consider. Each video has been carefully selected to create a balanced portrait of the famous restaurant owner.
We know from TV series like Hotel Hell that Gordon Ramsay can get a little angry sometimes. But when you watch YouTube videos, you see the softer side.
Gordon Ramsay’s one-on-one recipe videos are surprisingly candid, without any of the rage you see. Kitchen Nightmares. When he’s teaching you how to make granola, it’s easy to forget that he spends most of his time making the chefs cry.
This is how you take a personal brand to the next level on YouTube.
takeaways
Gordon Ramsay took advantage of his hot temper to build a multi-million dollar culinary empire. The YouTube channel is developing a different image of Gordon Ramsay that shows there’s more to him than his fiery temper.
If you’re hoping to build a personal brand on YouTube, be sure to show various aspects of your personality through your content.
Doing so will help you establish a deeper connection with your subscribers, who will feel like they know you better every time you post a new video.
5. Nintendo
Japanese game company Nintendo is among the top 10 brands on YouTube with nearly 5 million subscribers. The company started getting serious about YouTube marketing with the release of the Nintendo Switch, and it’s been at the center of its most successful marketing campaigns for years.
Connect with your fan base
Nintendo’s YouTube Live events are a big reason for their success on the platform.
Unlike other big players in their industry, Nintendo generally doesn’t have a large presence at game fairs. Instead, the company hosts a short (30-60 minute) YouTube Live event every few months, known as the Nintendo Direct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-kQWJrjRV4
Taking place several times throughout the year, Nintendo Directs are extended news events where fans can get an inside look at what’s on the horizon at Nintendo. After trailers and commentary, fans are invited to attend a separate livestream called Nintendo Treehouse, where a panel of presenters play the game live together.
Nintendo Directs are exclusive to subscribers because everyone experiences major revelations at the same time without having to attend a convention.
This YouTube strategy is (so far) Nintendo specific and extremely effective, Great engagement on social channels after every event (memes are real).
takeaways
Nintendo has built an incredibly strong, unique brand over the years; Even without YouTube, they would have a large following. What’s interesting is how they use YouTube Live events to create excitement and drive their fans crazy.
Nintendo plans and announces Directs ahead of time, so there’s plenty of time to build excitement. When that happens, fans are given a huge amount of information to review and review on Twitter and Reddit, and the excitement train is in full swing until release day.
Well-timed videos and regularly scheduled content work wonders to foster an engaged and passionate YouTube audience. Monitor your analytics to see when your subscribers are most active and schedule new video posts during those times.
Make sure the content you post on YouTube offers unique value that your subscribers can’t get on your other channels. Create a content calendar and dedicate some of your bigger announcements to YouTube. Give people reasons to come back to your page!
Plan and schedule your YouTube content with Moyens I/O. It’s easy to quickly post your videos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; all from a single control panel. Try it for free today.
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