The public has been enamored with videos since well before the advent of YouTube. Think about America’s Funniest Home Videos. That show began in 1989 and is now in its 22nd season! But the breakout success of YouTube (which has only been around for six years believe it or not) means more and more people can now shoot a simple video, make it go “live” and experience the amazement of having their video seen by a number of people.

YouTube’s stats are mind-boggling. The site has 3 billion views a day! “That's the equivalent of nearly half the world's population watching a YouTube video each day," notes Google, which owns the video-sharing site. And people aren’t just watching. Google also notes that more than 48 hours of video are uploaded to the site each minute. That’s incredible! And it’s a huge boon to DIY marketers.

Small-business owners are discovering the power behind those simple videos. YouTube is now the second largest search engine behind Google. That means that people search YouTube for information just like they do Google. They might be searching for candle tips, new home decor or a fun place to visit with their girlfriends, all of which you can offer them with a simple and free video.

YouTube is definitely the number-one online video site. But that’s not the only place you can find videos. Facebook ranks high in video views as well. In fact, video views on Facebook are growing faster than other types of views. And Facebook stats have shown that photos and videos go more viral than regular posts. That means a simple video posted on your Facebook page has the potential to be seen by a much wider audience than just your fan base.

With the quality high-def cameras available today and the ease of uploading videos to the Internet, every small-business owner should consider some form of video marketing. It can be as simple as showing off some new products or a quick tour of your store, or it can be a bit more in-depth, such as a how-to video demonstrating how to create a floral arrangement. One of our favorite retailers, My Secret Garden in Bay City, Michigan, produces fun videos that help promote her store and show off new products (check out this creative holiday video). Ohio Wholesale has been having fun with music videos featuring their employees (watch this Thriller video they created for Halloween). Even we’ve been discovering the benefits of videos. Check out our video page to see some of the videos we’ve shot.

If seeing these few examples from the gift industry has convinced you to try out your hand on video marketing, here’s a great article from Pixability with good tips to get you started. Now just have fun and enjoy! And of course be sure to share your video with everyone on the Smart Retailer Facebook page. We’d love to see it!