It’s the third week in our blog series ‘Use YouTube to your advantage: A Marketing Manual’ and we are providing you with everything you need to know to organize your videos for YouTube.
Have you ever heard of YouTube’s ‘hero, hub, hygiene’ content strategy? It’s a concept that many people do not know about, but it is a new approach to brand storytelling that goes beyond traditional marketing strategies. So, why is it important for your business?
Well, by creating videos that fall into one of these categories (hero, hub, hygiene) and developing a programming schedule based on these, you encourage viewers to return to your channel, increase your brand awareness, and at the same time grow your business.
‘Hero, hub, hygiene’ videos serve different purposes, and for this reason, should all be used differently. But, in order to develop a successful programming schedule for your channel, you should create and organize your content to include all three categories.
We have provided explanations and examples of the ‘hero, hub and hygiene’ for you to consider when creating your own content for YouTube…
1) Hygiene Content:
To draw viewers to your channel, you need to capture their interests. Once you determine what your target audience is searching for on YouTube, create video content that answers their questions directly while also establishing that your brand offers the solution. These videos, which draw in new viewers and subscribers, fall under the hygiene category because they are relevant to your customers all year round.
2) Hub Content:
Hub refers to consistently published content that encourages viewers to subscribe and return to your channel on a regular basis. The most effective forms of hub content are episodes, often featuring the same voice or personality so that each video is identifiable to your channel. These videos give a fresh perspective on your target audience’s passions.
3) Hero Content:
Once you have established a loyal audience for your channel, it’s important to include “tent-pole†videos – larger productions that are expected to be a hit and will draw viewers to content from the same brand. These videos are categorized as hero content and can include live-streamed company events, collaborations with other YouTube personalities, and viral video productions. Make sure your hero content is effective by advertising and promoting its release several days in advance. Create a pre-buzz among your audience so they will spread the word.
Remember! Once you’ve created or planned video content that covers all of these three categories, develop a calendar that publishes the videos evenly over the course of a year. This is the best way to make the most out of your content strategy – with hygiene videos drawing in new viewers, hub videos encouraging them to subscribe and return, and hero videos boosting brand awareness and audience growth.
Make sure to check out next week’s post which will show you how to format your video so you can promote it through paid media.