Why Create a YouTube Channel – Video Marketing

HandmadeMarketing.org reader Renaissance M. Austin, from Etsy’s Raghouse International and also on MySpace, recently created a valuable forum on Etsy.com aimed to critique item photos within Etsy shops.  In the forum, Renaissance shared a link to her YouTube channel, RenaissanceEra Television.

Our HandmadeMarketing.org team wanted to learn more about why Renaissance created the YouTube channel and what role YouTube has played in her handmade sales marketing plan.

“What’s interesting about my YoutTbe channel, RenaissanceEra Television, is that I had the account for a year before I even did anything with it! I believe I just opened an account to add favorite videos. I wasn’t really thinking along the lines of uploading my own video,” she told us.  “I just liked watching content.”

“My biggest secret is that I am really a home body, traditional and so set in my ways, even though I am still young! I know that it is the determination to succeed and the love for business that forces me to stay updated with modern technology and what’s happening across the world wide web,” she said.

“I say all of this because growing up I always had a problem jumping on some really great bandwagons,” Renaissance explained.  “I always wanted to start my own trend, dress my own way, go left instead of right with everyone else and after a while, in some cases, I realized that that was not always good.”

Renaissance says that YouTube is definitely one of those wagons handmade sellers should hop on now rather than later.

“I must confess, I am a little slow and always deal in “realizations”. So for me I just realized that I needed to get some videos up! I knew that at the top of this year I wanted to finally film the long awaited reality show I had been planning for years and in the past few months, I’ve been able to make that happen.”

But how can YouTube be used for marketing purposes for sellers on Etsy, ArtFire, or other selling platforms?

“Ultimately,” Renaissance explains, “YouTube is the best marketing tool because people are very visual! Not only can I market my Etsy shop, I allow people to come into my life and really see who I am personality-wise, instead of just talking through convos and emails to team members, or fellow sellers. People that know me as a fiber artist, are finding out that I am actually a professional singer too. That brings them even more inside my world of knitting music and fashion together.”

Renaissance thinks YouTube is great for marketing handmade shops because of the instant access to press which would otherwise be hard to maintain.

“My most understood and clear reason for having my YouTube channel now, is because of it’s tagline, “broadcast yourself”. Amazing! I don’t have to wait for NBC or ABC to be the director that I desire to be, to write and have the programs that I’ve always wanted to see on television. It’s not only about who I know anymore that will get me in this or that door. I have the control I need to upload content that I feel the people need to know about, one, that is my Etsy shop, my music, and all that I do. I feel my life and my story is inspirational, one that others should know about and through my channel I can finally exhibit that,” she told HandmadeMarketing.org.

When asked what made her want to create the videos to help other handmade sellers, Renaissance explained that she is “naturally a helpful person.”

“I know what it’s like to not have any help, so I understand when people really need it,” she told HandmadeMarketing.org.  “When I started the photo critiques, I saw that many of the photography issues were the same for a lot of sellers, busy backgrounds and lighting issues and the frustration that comes along with trying to take photos when someone is not even an “amateur” photographer at that. I thought it would be great to turn what I was doing manually into something visual where I would be able to save time and also resolve a lot of common issues sellers were having.”

Another reason Renaissance helps other Etsy sellers with their photography is the enormous role item photos play in actual handmade sales.  “Photos and a branded look to your shop are very important on Etsy.com. This is how people shop online, through vibes and atmosphere, when they can’t physically be there to touch it. Sellers are really struggling and desire to be in Etsy Treasuries and can’t ever seem to get featured because a photo didn’t stand out enough.”

Renaissance said she actually created a Treasury of listings from the shops that she has critiqued just to show them how worthy their photos were.  “For some, it was their first Treasury ever!” she told us.

“There were Etsy sellers who were ready to remove photos from their shop until I came in and told them it was the best photo they had. I was able to bring surety to those who questioned if what they are doing is right. They were so relieved! To always wonder and not be sure is terrible. For some, the things that I told them confirmed what they needed to know in their hearts, and were encouraged. That is priceless!!“

“Also, a lot of photo inquiry threads in the “critique” section of the Etsy Forums don’t really break down specifics,” Renaissance said.  “A lot of questions are not being answered for many sellers. Through my videos, I wanted to let everyone know that all the extra work being put into backgrounds and setup and what not does not have to take place. Beautiful natural light, a simple setup, and focus on the product is what matters the most and that is what the videos are all about.”

When asked how she thinks her YouTube channel has impacted sales, Renaissance said she has not seen an increase in sales per se, but she has noticed an increase in response to what she does.  “That’s very important as well,” she told us.  “Besides my YouTube channel is still very young. It all has to be built one brick at a time and by the effort and time I put into it.”

Renaissance’s work helping other Etsians has paid off.  “I received a sale from an Etsy shop who’s photos I critiqued. That was great. Not only that, I was featured in an Etsy Treausry with other “helpful” sellers on etsy. I was very happy because that meant a lot to me and was very unexpected. I’ve also built up repoire and relationships with the shops that I’ve critiqued.”

We wondered what Renaissance thought about other handmade sellers who seem to be nervous to start their own YouTube channel.  Was it lack of knowledge? Do they think it won’t be effective for their marketing plan?

“I will say this,” Renaissance said, “Youtube is really the defining factor to all the social networking. There are handmade sellers who are on Ning.com, MySpace, Facebook, and the next new social networking site.  I feel YouTube brings it all together. Your face becomes connected to your product, your shop, your brand.”

She agrees that the problem may be a lack of knowledge in many ways.  “Some handmade sellers just are private people and do not want to be exposed worldwide. Some, like me, are just old school, traditional, and have to get caught up and may not know what it all entails. Some are unsure and really don’t know what to do and feel it is a huge undertaking. But you learn as you go.”

“YouTube helps to develop, what I like to call, “personal virtual relationship”. I may not be right in your presence, but you can still see me visually and experience my personality and brand without me being there,” Renaissance explains.

“To know if YouTube is effective mainly just takes research and development. That’s a large part that us creative types miss. That is the key to all of our businesses. I am learning that if I just upload a video and let it sit, it may not get views, but if I “outsource it” to my MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and email, I will get a lot more views. You can upload, but you still have to spread it around. Promote, promote, promote. That’s all it is. Etsy sellers can easily use there channel in a DIY kind of way.”

Renaissance tells us big dreams are now within reach for many handmade sellers.  “Have you ever thought about having your own show like Knitty Gritty? Well, you can on YouTube,” she explains.  “There are lot of film students that would be happy to professionally film a show for you. Student photographers that would love to take images for a slide show. You have to collaborate and make it a group effort to make a successful YouTube channel.”

Need more ideas for how to break into YouTube?  “A seller can create slide shows of what they do. People are really into tutorials. Those can be created for viewing pleasure.”

“If some are worried that their original designs will be stolen, patent it, but also know that psychology is really huge in business and marketing as well and the truth is many people, and really many, will not even attempt to sell handmade crafts. I’ve been told by others how much they love to crochet or knit, but they would never do what I do. They just don’t have the patience or motivation to do it. It really is a special sense for all of us who sell on etsy and take our craft seriously. Not everyone can do it. Not every will do it. Not everyone will sell it. Not everyone has the wherewithall to live handmade. So I would encourage desingers not to worry about stolen patterns or artistic works.”

Renaissance’s RenaissanceEra YouTube channel is a great example of how YouTube can be used to broadcast your brand, and connect with potential buyers while doing it!

“Overall, YouTube is great to put the name, face, brand, and product together in one place,” she said.

Another big thank you to Renaissance for sharing her thoughts with HandmadeMarketing.org.  You can read about her recent press in Venus Diva Magazine or hear her awesmoe tips for how to get involved in local craft fairs.

Have you utilized YouTube in your marketing mix?  What challenges do you think face handmade sellers selling online?  How have you found you can reach potential buyers online?

Like Renaissance, you can share your ideas with HandmadeMarketing.org.  If our editors like your tips for how to sell online, we’ll publish you in an article and link to you shop, blog, or other site as the source.  Please share your ideas under our “Join” tab!