In today's digital landscape, it's more important than ever to stand out from the crowd. With the right strategy, YouTube can become a powerful platform for building your brand and reaching your target audience. In this episode of Vaamazing Sales, Marika Baltscheffsky Landgren, CMO at Carla and previously named "Marketing Manager of the Year," shares her best tips for succeeding with video advertising on YouTube.

The Importance of Standing Out

Marika emphasizes that the most important thing when building a brand is to be distinct and stand out from the crowd. "It doesn't matter if you have ads all over town. Nobody cares about you, nobody will see your ads, nobody wants to hear from you if you don't stand out," she says.

To succeed with this, Marika recommends focusing on the following:

1. Create clear decoding elements that make your brand recognizable in a millisecond.
2. Ensure that your ads cannot be confused with those of your competitors.
3. Don't be afraid to be different - coolness is secondary to being seen and remembered.

YouTube as a Marketing Tool

Marika highlights YouTube as one of the most effective tools for building a brand and reaching a wide audience. Here are some of her best tips:

1. Utilize different formats: Test both traditional ads and shorter "shorts" to see what works best for your brand. Guide for creativity on YouTube from Google
2. Focus on the first five seconds: Since many users choose to skip ads after five seconds, it's critical to capture the viewer's attention immediately.
3. Use humor and surprise elements: Content that evokes emotions, especially humor, tends to perform better and be remembered.
4. Test different target audiences: YouTube offers sophisticated targeting tools. Experiment with different settings to find your ideal audience.
5. Utilize A/B testing: Always run at least four different ad variations to see which ones perform best.

Practical Tips to Get Started

For those new to YouTube advertising, Marika gives the following concrete advice:

1. Start by boosting your existing content to build a follower base.
2. Use Google's "ABCD guide" for effective video advertising as a starting point for your creative process.
3. Create a short video following the guidelines, focusing on capturing attention within the first five seconds.
4. Test different formats and content types against each other, for example, a sales pitch versus a more entertaining video.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Marika warns about some common pitfalls in marketing and brand building:

1. Imbalance between production and distribution: Make sure you have a plan for how your content will reach out, not just how it will be produced.
2. Trying to be too "cool": If you're not a market leader, focus on standing out rather than being aesthetically pleasing.
3. Perfectionism: Don't let the pursuit of perfection prevent you from getting started and testing different approaches.

A Concrete Action to Take Away

As a final call to action, Marika gives the following challenge to the listeners:

"Take your latest communication - a LinkedIn video, an ad, or an email message - and put your competitor's logo on it instead of your own. Ask yourself: Could this be from the competitor? If the answer is yes, you need to add something that makes it unique to your brand."

Summary

Successful video advertising on YouTube is about daring to stand out, capturing attention quickly, and continuously testing and optimizing your content. By following Marika's advice and utilizing YouTube's powerful tools, you can create an effective strategy for building your brand and reaching your target audience in a cost-effective way.

Remember: it's not about being the coolest, but about being seen and remembered. So let go of perfectionism, start experimenting, and let your unique brand shine through in every ad you create.

‍