Think you can’t afford to hire a celebrity to represent your business? There are all sorts of celebrities out there—including YouTube stars, who are more likely than mainstream celebrities to help market a small business. With the average consumer watching 20 hours of online video per month, YouTube stars could be even more familiar to your customers than Channing Tatum. Here’s why reaching out to YouTube stars can benefit your business:
- They’re one of us. YouTube said it best: “On YouTube, we root for the people who are sort of unpolished, a little weird even. We connect with them because they show us their authentic selves, because they are accessible to us.” As a small business owner, being real is your edge over the big guys. It makes sense to add a real person from YouTube to your marketing mix.
- They’ve got millions of followers. Thousands or even millions of viewers anticipate, watch and share their favorite YouTubers’ videos. To get started, you need to become a fan. If you don’t have time, enlist your favorite Millennial to vet YouTube stars for you.
- They confer cool by association. Having a relationship with a YouTube star makes you cool in the eyes of fans. Reach out to the star about showcasing your product or service in one of their segments; find out what the terms are and how much it will cost. YouTube stars are used to being approached by companies, so you’ll likely deal with an agent or lawyer. Make sure both parties benefit from the relationship, and YouTube could make your business a star, too.