Before you hit “record”… Here are the 5 biggest mistakes I see new video marketers make:
1. Pointless rambling.
This is so common. It usually happens because you haven’t defined your target demographic well enough.
Who are you talking to? Who are you NOT talking to?
Get wayyy specific. What are the problems/challenges this person is facing that you can help them solve?
Who are they already listening to online? What does that current conversation look like?
Ask yourself… What is this person secretly Googling that they’d be reluctant to tell others they’re secretly Googling late at night when they’re in their #feelings?
What is the language THEY are using in those conversations and searches (not just what you *think* they’re using)?
Once you know, you can keep your content straight to the point and avoid rambling aimlessly on camera.
>> If you’re not totally sure, go browse related forums (Quora, Reddit, YouTube, FB groups, IG comment sections, etc) and find the specific, relevant language they’re already using.
Don’t just assume you know…
Once you know who you’re talking to (and about what), the rest is so much easier. Your videos become intimate, concise, personal conversations with a best friend instead of an empty stage for you to preach on to an invisible audience…
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2. Not doing advanced keyword research beforehand.
You need to know the search metrics around your prospect’s language and whether those keywords are viable enough to invest your time in.
Find relevant keywords in your niche that are high volume + low competition.
Obviously this is the biggest step people skip because keyword research is somewhat complicated and a very technical skill to learn.
But it’s not as hard as you think, and the payoff is HUGE. Especially for long term growth!
>> Don’t skip the keyword research. It should be the main thing that informs your entire content strategy and the first thing you do before you ever hit record.
If you don’t know how to do this or have no desire to learn, hire us and we’ll either teach you how to do it, or just do it for you and save you the headache.
Or reach out and I’ll send you 3 free keyword plugins that will change your life in this category and at least get you on the path to learning…
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3. Skipping past the starting phase of the customer journey.
This looks like jumping right into “mindset” content without first meeting the prospect where they’re currently at, which is usually a much more superficial issue.
People are not online searching for “self love” or “money mindset” …
(lol wouldn’t it be nice if they were?)
They’re looking for things like “how to stop overeating” or “how to make a Facebook ad” or other surface level things because those are the immediate problems that keep them up at night.
They aren’t at that more advanced level of awareness yet to even KNOW that ‘mindset’ is something they need to address.
That’s where you come in. It’s your job to lead them there, but first you need to meet them where they’re currently AT.
Join the conversation they’re already having in their head and release your judgments about how it’s “beneath you” to create content like that…
When you do, don’t be surprised if you start getting messages like “How did you know that’s EXACTLY what I was thinking?”
(um, because I researched your life and your problems, then looked at the data to figure out how I could start connecting with you hehe)
>> Speak to your prospects in their own language and give them what they *think* they want upfront so they can find you… THEN teach them what they *actually* need inside your tiered content, programs & services.
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4. Not understanding how each platform’s unique algorithm works, and how to leverage each for maximum results.
You need to know what TO do, and what NOT to do, on each individual platform. Newsflash – they’re not all created equal.
I know you already know this, so the question is why aren’t you applying it?
Do you even know which platform is the best for you to use and why?
Or are you just doing the easy things that require the least amount of work and growth on your end?
Or worse, are you just doing the things you see your competition doing because “it seems to be working for them”…
One of the most common examples of this is when people just upload their podcast episodes or Facebook live videos onto YouTube without changing a thing about it…
Or send the same template promo message to everyone they’re connected to on LinkedIn…
Yuck.
>> This is not a good strategy. Don’t do it! Pick one or two platforms to MASTER, and go all in. One of the reasons I love YouTube so much is because you can make ONE piece of content that can then be broken down into:
– transcripts for blogs – mp3s for podcast episodes – video clips for ads – GIFs for email campaigns – short form video clips for IG stories, Facebook and IGTV, etc
Pick the platform that’s going to give you the most leverage and help you amplify and “recycle” the content you produce.
Making video content is quite time consuming, so first know why you’re even making the content in the first place and how to get the most bang for your buck before you start.
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5. Cramming way too much info into one video / trying to be everything to everyone.
Google & YouTube are looking for *specific* answers to *specific* questions, not a whole compilation of every FAQ anyone has ever asked you, all crammed into one video.
Should your content be comprehensive? YES.
But should it try to answer every single question under the sun that your prospect might have? NO.
It should effectively answer ONE question with extreme detail, comprehensive coverage and tons of value (plus a CTA) for the viewer.
>> Keyword research really helps you get clarity in this category. Create comprehensive answers, but to SPECIFIC questions (not all of them at once for every single person).
If you try to be everything to everyone, you’ll end up giving nothing to no one. Refer back to #1 again…
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Are you guilty of any of these? If so, it’s okay, you’re not alone.
But if you find yourself making any of these mistakes, it’s time to get a better strategy.
The bare minimum you can do is get the 3 keyword plugins I mentioned above.
YouTube Growth Accelerator Want to Build & Grow a Profitable YouTube Channel? Maybe you’ve gained some traction on social media and you’re ready to expand your horizons… Or maybe you’ve got a sales funnel that converts, and now...
Every great video creator needs to understand how to get royalty free music on YouTube. This post will cover the best places to find royalty free music, why you need it, and how to stay in compliance with YouTube’s copyright laws.
This is a complete guide to using music in your videos on YouTube.
This isn’t just a style and video composition thing… It’s a legal thing too.
Using music in the background of your videos can enhance your video production quality immensely, but you need to make sure you utilize it the right way…
… Without breaking the law, and getting all your hard work shut down, flagged, reported or removed by YouTube.
Using royalty free music for YouTube ensures that your account will not violate any copyright laws.
If you want to stay in good standing on YouTube (which you should), this post will help you gain a thorough understanding of how & why to use royalty free music in your videos.
Why Use Royalty Free Music on YouTube?
According to YouTube’s policies, most music in the world cannot be legally used in your videos because you do not own the copyright to these songs.
Creators and producers of music are protected by copyright laws that keep their creative assets safe.
Think about it… If you were to put a ton of energy into writing, recording and publishing a song, would you want someone to just rip it from you for their own benefit?
Probably not.
Or worse, would you want someone to take your creation and use or alter it without your permission?
Of course not.
This is why copyright laws exist. And the good news is, you’re protected by them too!
If you ever find that someone has stolen your content and uploaded it as their own, you have just as much of a right to file the copyright violation and reclaim your stolen assets.
In general, unless you have acquired the express written permission to use a song from the copyright holder directly, you cannot use protected songs, even if they’re modified.
This is where royalty free music comes in.
What Is Royalty Free Music?
Royalty free music includes any song that was created for public use.
In other words, it’s music that anyone can use for any reason without getting in trouble or violating anyone else’s rights.
There are a few ways to access royalty free music for use in your videos.
First, you can license music.
This is the best way to find and utilize royalty free music long term.
There are several sites that allow you to purchase music licenses so that you can use a variety of songs and sound effects freely without the need to attribute the works to their creators.
The best sites for music licensing are outlined below. In general, purchasing a license to use a variety of songs gives you a ton of flexibility over time.
If you’re producing a large volume of videos and need to make sure they are not all using the same song, this is the way to go.
Second, you can download any music labeled “royalty free” instead.
This is a great option if you’re only wanting to use one or two songs in your videos and really don’t need much variety.
Consider only using songs that are distinguished as “royalty free” on music platforms.
This will help ensure you stay compliant with YouTube copyright policies.
YouTube Copyright & Fair Use Explained
Under certain circumstances, you can occasionally “reuse copyright-protected material without getting permission from the copyright owner” according to YouTube’s policies and the Fair Use doctrine.
It’s always advised to seek legal counsel before using other people’s content in your own. But in general, fair use allows for the limited use of copyright-protected content in works of “commentary, criticism, research, teaching, or news reporting.”
Different countries have varying rules about fair use and when it is okay to use another creator’s work without permission, so be careful!
The easiest way to avoid copyright violations and flags on your account is to only create 100% original content.
So how do you make sure it’s all 100% original content?
How can you get music on your YouTube videos that you don’t need to worry about?
And how much will it all cost?
Let’s go a little deeper…
How To Get Free Music on YouTube Videos
There are a few places you can find royalty free music for your videos.
Get started quickly and find the best royalty free music below.
Let’s dive in!
YouTube Audio Library
The YouTube audio library has a range of royalty free music to choose from and sound effects you can use in your videos.
This royalty free music YouTube library lets you easily sort selections by genre, mood, instrument type, duration and attribution requirements.
Some of the songs in the library require that you credit the copyright holder in your video descriptions while others require that you split any ad revenue earned from the video with the copyright holder.
Other songs don’t require any attribution at all.
You can tell if a song has attribution requirements by selecting the individual track and seeing what its usage requirements are:
It will either say “You’re free to use this song and monetize your video” or…
“You’re free to use this song and monetize your video, but you must include the following in your video description: [Song Info] is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (link to license) Artist: [Artist Info].”
Choose your favorite music selections from the YouTube music library selectively based on your needs.
Then simply download them for use when you’re ready to edit!
The Best Places to Find Royalty Free Music for YouTube Videos
Beyond free options, if you can afford to invest a bit into your music selections, you’ll get a much better overall production out of it.
Set aside a budget for monthly licensing (options below) or individual song licensing. Doing this is definitely your best bet!
Below are the best royalty free music platforms out there.
Epidemic Sound
This is by far where you can get the best music for YouTube videos!
Epidemic Sound is the leading YouTube music supplier, and with licensing costs starting at only $15/month, it’s very affordable too.
Audioblocks
Audioblocks is another great option for music licensing, although the quality of the music on this platform isn’t always as good.
However, it does have a wide range of options for royal free music, including sound effects as well.
Starting at only $12/month for licensing, Audioblocks is another great option for beginners who want to add music to their YouTube videos.
iTunes Apple Music
Last but not least, you can always do a search in Apple Music for “royalty free songs” or “royalty free pop song,” “royalty free hip hop music,” etc.
iTunes Apple Music provides the smallest range of flexibility when it comes to music for YouTube, but it also is a reliable way to get music in your videos quickly.
Just make sure that each song you select is labeled “royalty free.”
To make more royalty free music YouTube videos, check out the resources above.
Hopefully this article helps you make your YouTube videos better with legal music that you can keep for the long run!
If you enjoyed it, feel free to share it with someone you know.
Media & Speaking Events As a YouTuber, I’ve had lots of practice perfecting my speaking skills. After all, you get pretty good at it after editing thousands of hours of your own mistakes for the last 7 years… 😉 I love sharing my video marketing...
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