Module 5: Publishing everywhere it matters

YouTube: setup and search

YouTube is a search engine that happens to play video — and it's the second-largest search engine in the world. Create a channel with your business name, complete the About section with what you do and your website link, and upload consistently. The title carries the SEO weight: put the exact phrase your buyer would search first ("How much does a roof replacement cost?"), keep it under 60 characters, and write a 150–250 word description with the key points, timestamps, and links.

Your first 10 YouTube videos should target specific buyer questions, not broad topics. "How much does X cost?" "X vs Y: which is better?" "How long does X take?" These are the exact phrases buyers type, they have low competition, and the viewer is already close to buying. One video that ranks for "cost of [your service] in [your city]" can generate inquiries for years. Search intent beats subscriber count every time for business.

Social formats: vertical, short, native

Social video has its own rules. Vertical 9:16 for Reels, TikTok, and Shorts — shoot vertical or crop deliberately (never let the platform auto-crop your face in half). Under 60 seconds for discovery clips — one idea per clip, hook in the first 2 seconds. Native uploads — upload the file directly to each platform rather than sharing a YouTube link; platforms throttle external links and reward native video.

Study what the algorithm rewards right now on each platform — it shifts. Currently: watch time and completion rate matter most, original audio outperforms trending sounds for business content, and posting consistency beats posting volume. But don't chase the algorithm at the expense of your buyer. A clip optimized for virality that attracts the wrong audience is worse than a quiet clip that reaches ten perfect prospects.

Video on your website: where it converts

Website placement is where video directly makes money. The homepage trust video goes above the fold or just below the hero — visitors decide in seconds whether to trust you, and your face answering that question beats any headline. The explainer video goes on your services or pricing page, right where price objections form. Testimonial clips go on every page where doubt lives.

Measure the placement: compare conversion rates on the page before and after adding the video. A homepage video that lifts inquiry conversions even 10–20% pays for its production cost hundreds of times over. That's the metric that justifies video number two, three, and thirty.

A/B test your video placement: run the page with the video for a month, then without (or vice versa), and compare conversion rates. Most businesses are surprised — sometimes the video lifts conversions 30%, sometimes it does nothing because the page's real problem was the offer, not trust. The test tells you where video actually earns its keep, so you invest in placements that pay instead of decorating pages that don't need it.