If reality television taught us that people would do just about anything to appear on TV, YouTube taught us that deep down everyone really wants to direct. Which is to say, the popular video-sharing website has given anyone with a webcam the ability to create, produce, direct, and distribute their videos across the Internet. And, based on the more than 30 hours of video uploaded every minute, people are taking advantage of the easy-to-use free service.

So how can you market your business on YouTube without having to first find a talking dog or hilariously cute baby to help your videos go viral and pull in millions of viewers? Here are some tips …

Start Small and Stay Small: If your goal is international stardom and a guest spot on a late-night talk show, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If, however, you set your expectations a bit lower, you may be surprised at the results. That means, making videos that appeal directly to your prospects, potential clients, and partners. Having informative, interesting, and entertaining videos to share with your business contacts is more important than having six million views. Besides, you’re not going to get six million views. Know that in advance.

You’re Gonna Be In Pictures: Creating content for videos shouldn’t be any more difficult than coming up with blog posts or updates for your social-media pages. In other words, anything you’re writing can be turned into a video. Answer frequently asked questions, address customer concerns, discuss pertinent industry and regional news, or upload a slide show or screen cast. As with any other social-media marketing, your sales pitch won’t make for a compelling video. Try to avoid, or disguise, your sales message. Keep it interesting, informative, and entertaining and, most importantly, aimed at your business audience.

Curate Rather Than Create: Say you’re technologically challenged or having a hard time developing and producing your own videos. Well, starting your own YouTube channel is simple and allows you to add videos you’ve found and would like to share with your clients. That’s right. You needn’t produce all the content yourself. Search for videos that pertain to your industry or region and share them through a playlist on your YouTube channel. Then link it to your blog or Facebook page to syndicate your videos across your social network.

The Ibis Network / www.theibisnetwork.com