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Welcome to the Pretty Okay Podcast, a chill (but sometimes spicy) small business podcast for people who are crazy enough to have one. Hosted by the Founder of Enji, Tayler Cusick Hollman, we cover everything from basic business practices to small business marketing. We sit down with some of our favorite small business owners and experts who share their stories, real-life experiences, and advice, all while keeping it (very) real and honest.
Tayler - 00:00:04:
Welcome, welcome everyone to this month's episode of the Pretty Okay Podcast. I am your host, Tayler Hollman. And today I have one of my very favorite, very new internet friends who's becoming a real life friend, still undecided, undetermined when we're going to make the universe explode by having us both in the same physical space. But there are a lot of things that have to do with marketing that I know just enough to be dangerous about. And anything that has to do with video and YouTubing is definitely in that space. And so I am so excited to have my friend LaShonda Brown here with me today because y'all, this is her jam. This is her wheelhouse. This is her zone of genius. And so we are going to dive into the ways that you can use YouTube as a service provider, which I'm hoping is going to blow some minds today because I don't think that most of you think of this as a marketing channel that you should be on. So LaShonda, I know that I know you, but will you please give the people the pleasure of getting to know you?
LaShonda - 00:01:13:
Hi, everyone. Like Tayler said, my name is LaShonda, and I am a Tech Educator, a YouTube Coach, and a Speaker. And so I love working with service providers who want to learn how to work less and live more. And that's the thing that a lot of people know me for. I talk a lot about the 20-hour work week and trying to have a slower pace of living to help reinforce the goals that you have in your business by leveraging technology and YouTube to get there. And so that's kind of the good news that I like to preach and share is like, hey, guys, if you can learn how to use YouTube, it will open up the door for you to generate income passively so you don't have to always be actively marketing your business. So super excited for this conversation. It's one of my favorites. So I can't wait to share some more tips with you guys.
Tayler - 00:02:02:
I think the 20-hour work week is life goals. I mean, I am legit living the opposite end of that spectrum at the moment. And so every time... I love being on your email newsletter and all the updates that you share on LinkedIn because you guys, LaShonda is not like all eggs in one basket when it comes to her marketing, which you shouldn't be either. But I love getting those updates about just how your business really fits into your life versus the other way around. And I do love the fact that YouTube has become that channel that you've learned how to leverage really well in order to make that happen. So let's talk about your love affair with YouTube. And out of ignorance, I'm asking this question. Because I'm assuming that that wasn't the one that you really leveraged really hard right out the gate. Am I right in saying that?
LaShonda - 00:02:58:
Yeah. So my background is actually as a corporate film producer. My husband and I own a video production company. And so for over 10 years, we would create video content for other people. And so kind of the thought process of me being the one in front of the camera, and then that becoming my job was not at all on my radar in the very beginning. But by creating content for other people, I was seeing the results that they were getting. And I was seeing how it was helping to grow their business and to tell their stories well. And so I understood the power of video. But I think the dynamic of using YouTube as that top of funnel, as that way of really expressing your expertise and putting it out there for people to consume whenever they want to was a total game changer for me, especially when it comes to live streaming. And so after doing that for 10 years, I thought, you know what? I really am ready for a change and something new. What can I do to utilize my skills from my past life into this next season, and it made total sense to start doing YouTube full-time. And so that's what I've been doing.
Tayler - 00:04:06:
That's amazing. So you mentioned YouTube as a top of funnel marketing channel. When I think of YouTube, again, this is my ignorance talking here because I'm just starting to dabble in it, like just putting my toes in it. But when you think about where YouTube fits in someone's overall marketing strategy, do you agree, disagree that it can fit in multiple parts of the funnel, like super top of funnel content versus middle of funnel or then actually getting down into the, like, you need to buy my stuff. I'm selling you hard. Or is there like, do you like to just leverage it in one part?
LaShonda - 00:04:48:
So there's so many different strategies that you can implement with YouTube. And I think that's what makes it so special. And I also try to open people's eyes to the fact that YouTube is not just a place to just upload pre-recorded content. I think that's what we think of as watching a horizontal video that somebody edited and then put on the platform. But there's also YouTube Shorts. There's also live streaming on YouTube. There's also the community tab that gets the least amount of love of all the different surfaces on the platform. And so it really just depends on what you're trying to get out there on the internet to describe what it is that you do to the people that you help the most often. And so I think what's so interesting about the platform is you're not so boxed in. If you have a topic that's going to take you three to six videos to talk about, if you want to do a series, you can easily do that. If you want to do something short to drive traffic to a long form, you can. What's great about long-form content is it gives you that ability to build a relationship with people. And I think people understand that with the podcast. When you think about it objectively, if you're sitting there listening to a 30-minute podcast every week, you're spending time with that person anywhere from two hours to two and a half hours every month. When you think about an Instagram post, you might get a few seconds of their attention. With a podcast, you're getting hours. With a YouTube channel, even if you bring over the video from your podcast, that's more hours of time spent building relationships. And so I love YouTube as a way for people to leverage technology to have that face-to-face interaction. They're watching you. You're talking to the camera. And so it helps people overcome any skepticism that they have about doing business with people online. And so I think that's what's really great about the platform. And teaching people how to be more comfortable on YouTube is also something that helps them to overcome that hump. But it's a fantastic platform. And it allows you to create content now that's going to live for months and months in the future, which will save you a lot of time marketing your business.
Tayler - 00:06:56:
Totally. You know, one of your superpowers is that your background is in the theater. So naturally, you're really good on camera. My superpower is my background is in education. And so I'm used to being in front of a classroom talking to people. And so those are two things that I think are the, a little bit of an asterisk that I'd like to point out that, you know, when you have a background that makes you more comfortable. Just because of familiarity of needing to show up and have a soft smile on your face. Things that you learn, right? Like if the camera's watching, have a soft smile. But being comfortable on camera is something absolutely that everyone can learn how to do and be. And so I just wanted to throw that in there in case anyone is like thinking, I there's no way that you could ever get me to start a YouTube channel because I'm so bad in front of a camera. But we all have to start somewhere. We all have to start with the messy, icky, kind of crappy pieces of content, right? To just learn the mechanics of it. And so everyone is totally capable of becoming really great as a YouTuber.
LaShonda - 00:08:11:
And I think another thing too, Tayler, I want to interject too, just with the idea that people have a misconception about me that I started out showing my face on my channel. For years, I posted videos and never showed my face. And so there are tons of YouTubers that I watch on a regular basis that I could never point that person out from a crowd because they've just been the voice. I've maybe seen their hands. Like one of my friends is a nail art YouTuber. And so she posts tons of videos about her hands, but you rarely see her face. Another friend does video essays, rarely shows his face. So it's important at some point to get up the courage to be able to do that, but it's not something that is going to completely restrict you from doing well on the platform. You can lean into really good voiceovers and music and good graphics to tell the story, or even if you're just talking over a slide deck. But I think thinking that, oh man, I'm not comfortable in front of the camera yet. That means that YouTube isn't for me. There are so many people who are killing it on YouTube where you don't see faces. So you can ease your way into it. And after a while, I got the courage to show my face and obviously I do that now, but I didn't start there. And so I think that's important to share that even with the theater background, talking to a camera was a completely different animal. And so it was something that I had to learn over time, gain the courage. You can start with just your voice and then eventually flip that camera around, show yourself at the beginning and end, and eventually you can be seen the whole time and be just fine.
Tayler - 00:09:49:
That's a really great misconception. So what are the other misconceptions that you see service providers having when it comes to YouTube?
LaShonda - 00:09:59:
I think feeling like they have to post every week or that they have to post a super long video or that they completely forget about YouTube Shorts. So YouTube Shorts is the vertical video option of YouTube. Obviously, it looks a whole lot like Instagram Reels/TikTok. And so you'll see a lot of content repurposed there. But there are tons of YouTubers that actually just have YouTube Shorts. They don't even mess with long form video. And so while that's what YouTube is known for, it does provide the opportunity for people who like to create vertical and horizontal content to thrive. And so really double down on what works well for you. Some people, their brains think in those fast edits and 15 to 60 seconds is all they need. Other people need more time. And so figure out what camp you belong in. But at the end of the day, there's so many different styles that you can choose from.
Tayler - 00:10:57:
Do you have a sort of general rule of thumb to help someone figure out if they should lean more into short form or long form content on YouTube. Because when I think of YouTube, I think of shorts as being the extra that you can do. And I, in my mind, when you said, oh, there are people who literally just do YouTube Shorts on YouTube. I was like, what? You don't have to do long form content on YouTube. I mean, it's a great misconception because I even like fell prey to that. If someone is starting to get warmed up to the idea of this is, do you have any suggestions as to this type of content is really great for short form, you know, YouTube Shorts versus, you know, if you're wanting to achieve X, Y, and Z, you should really lean into the long form stuff.
LaShonda - 00:11:49:
So I think what tends to happen with YouTube Shorts is the YouTube Shorts are kind of self-contained. They tell a story all by themselves. And so I think a misconception is like, oh, I'll just take just a straight up clip from my long form content and put it on YouTube Shorts. You really want to create content that if they never watch the long form piece that it came from, that it makes sense by itself. And your audiences are going to be different on either platform. A lot of the folks who watch YouTube Shorts are looking for more entertainment. You know, I bet you didn't know. Here's a facts that's not super well known. And so I think that the YouTube Shorts audience is really looking for a quick win versus the long form content is looking to build a longer form relationship. The interesting thing about YouTube is both are considered a video on the channel. And views from both count toward the views on your channel. And so you can post Shorts simply as a way to reach a new audience with some quick wins to build your channel up in terms of views and use that long form content to build more of a relationship. So I think it just depends on what your goal is. But like I said, I'm seeing people use both and perform really well.
Tayler - 00:13:11:
That's super cool. I mean, I think that a lot of people are sitting there like, okay, well, okay, so I can do the short form stuff. I'm used to the mechanics of recording, using my phone, having it vertical, needing to think of a story from tip to tail in a 60 second period. Because that is when YouTube Shorts has a hard stop at the 60 seconds.
LaShonda - 00:13:37:
At 60 seconds.
Tayler - 00:13:38:
Yeah. So, that's one of the good things, the skills that we've all kind of through osmosis learned via Reels and TikTok is that I think we've all become pretty good storytellers in that short format. And so knowing that your Shorts on YouTube should follow that and be a self-contained, this makes sense, standing on its own two legs. And if it doesn't, then you probably could do it better. That's one of the things that's going to stick with me and live on. I won't quite write it on my forehead so that I see it, but I'm going to keep it filed in the front of my mind. Are there any other misconceptions that you see service providers having about this marketing channel and how they can use it for their business?
LaShonda - 00:14:30:
I think just forgetting about the longevity because we're so used to how, you know, other social media platforms work. You know, you create a video and you don't realize like someone may literally be watching that video a year from now, two years from now, five years from now. And so you want to make sure as you are scripting out your content and you're writing those descriptions that you're directing traffic to a place that's probably not going to change anytime soon. Because I think early on when I would use YouTube, I would say things that were like time sensitive, that it would only be relevant for like a month. And I wasn't thinking about, wow, someone may continue to refer to this. And so I was shocked to see that, if I go into the back end of my YouTube channel, my top videos are, some of them are a couple of years old. People are still consuming this content. And so I think have that in mind that YouTube really thrives, especially with those horizontal videos. When you think evergreen, what is something I can communicate that's going to continue to be relevant past, you know, this month, maybe even this year, because if you can do that, then it's really going to turn your YouTube channel into a passive income engine. And that's what we really want to see.
Tayler - 00:15:46:
Yep. I love that. So YouTube, long form YouTube content is not disposable content. Okay, check. Check and check.
LaShonda - 00:15:58:
And you'll just find yourself in a position where you're like constantly updating the description. Like, hey, this has changed. So sorry, that's closed. And it's not saying that, you know, you can't ever post a time sensitive thing. But just understanding that people will continue to refer to it is something that really sets it apart.
Tayler - 00:16:16:
Yeah. So in my, from where I'm sitting and like the, the wheels that are starting to put things together, it's more similar to how you would think about your blog versus how you would think about your Instagram content, right? Like Instagram is that quick kind of dopamine hit of short-term, time-sensitive stuff. And your blog is where something that you're really wanting the internet to understand and put in front of people who are looking for a specific solution. And like you said, there's no, there's no time box around that. Like if you produce really great content that is helpful for folks, it's helpful at any point in time, not just today or tomorrow. Like you said, it could be five years from now that someone is still getting a lot of value out of that YouTube video. So-
LaShonda - 00:17:06:
I love that. Well, yeah. And thinking about YouTube as a search engine versus a social platform is the simplest way to put it. You know, when people go to YouTube, they're coming in with a problem and they're looking for a solution to their problem, typing it into that search bar, and then YouTube is serving up the best results that they have on that topic. And so just like you would optimize your blog posts for Google search performance, you're wanting to optimize your video for YouTube search performance. And in some cases, the two worlds collide when it comes to the video search results on Google. So if you're ranking on YouTube, I would not be surprised to see that video also show up on Google. And so thinking more SEO-friendly content is really going to help you to reach people who don't even know who you are, which is a fantastic thing about the platform.
Tayler - 00:17:56:
So here's an off script question. I've already asked you a couple off script questions, but here's another one. So, when you are coming up with topics for your long-form content, this is a little bit of a chicken or the egg question. Does the keyword or key phrases that you're going to optimize the video and content around come first, or does the topic come first? Or is it just kind of like by feel? Sometimes it's one, sometimes it's the other.
LaShonda - 00:18:29:
Yeah, you can alternate between the two. And I think the strategies are different. You know, I'll give a good example. Did you ever hear of the app Busker when it came out years ago?
Tayler - 00:18:40:
I don't think I did.
LaShonda - 00:18:42:
Yeah, Busker did not have a long shelf life, let's be honest. But essentially what it was, was an app designed for people who would essentially live stream and be tipped by live stream viewers while they were performing. Because that's what busking is. Those street performers are buskers. And so ultimately what the platform would do is to allow people to get those tips. I think it may have connected to PayPal. This is long before people were in the habit of sharing their Venmo or Cash App or whatever. And so I remember when that app came out, I said, okay, when someone searches for Busker on YouTube to figure out how to use it or what the platform can do for them, I want them to find me. And so I specifically said, okay, I want to rank for the keyword Busker, Busker app, what have you. And so that was the vision going into creating that specific content. So that would be something where the keyword came first. It's like, okay, I want to dominate that keyword. So when people are looking for that, they find me. In other cases, you may have a situation where you want to talk about a topic that's super important to your business. You're like, okay, it's super important that people understand this aspect of what I do. Then you can do the topic first and then use a tool like TubeBuddy or vidIQ to optimize the description and the title of your video for the search. So search could come first and define what you create, or you could decide this is just a great video idea. How can I optimize it for the search? It can go in either order.
Tayler - 00:20:26:
Very cool. And I mean, I can think of personal reasons that I would do one or the other and shocker, spoiler alert, it's always tied to your goals, right? Like what's the purpose of this video? Is it to help you get found on the internet purely because you want to rank for a certain keyword or is it because you're trying to serve your audience and you want to make sure you're putting out helpful content and just supporting it with the fact that you've optimized it? Because folks, if there's literally no reason to put out any content, if it's not optimized, at this point, you're wasting your time if you're not going through those motions, right?
LaShonda - 00:21:04:
I'm a huge fan of optimizing as well.
Tayler - 00:21:06:
Yes. Optimize everything. Todos los cosas. So, okay, when we think about the ways that service providers can leverage YouTube, what do you think they should be doing? How should they be thinking about getting themselves into this space and really leveraging this marketing channel?
LaShonda - 00:21:28:
I think a lot of us understand what we can do in person to kind of sell somebody on our service, right? Whether you are operating a booth at a conference or you're sitting down at a coffee shop with your target customer, you kind of know the things that if you communicate these things well, then people kind of put two and two together and decide, not only do I need help, but I need help specifically from you. When you create content on YouTube, that's essentially what you're doing for people who cannot be in the same room with you. And so sometimes that means sharing your heart and communicating your values. Why do you do what you do? Sometimes it's sharing a case study of you had a client come in with this problem or just simply wanted to hire you for something and this is what you were able to do. I think we forget people love a good before and after story. So whether you are a brand designer or a web designer or you're designing for a wedding. I mean, people love where did it start, what was the vision and what were you able to accomplish? Case studies are a fantastic way for you to communicate that. And then to be able to just simply send a link in an email to tell that story. You could capture client testimonials and put that as a video. And so there's a lot of different ways that you can use the platform. But I think going back in your mind and saying, okay, what are the things that I really want to communicate to show people that I am the right person to help address their problem. Those are the types of topics that you should be addressing on your channel.
Tayler - 00:23:02:
Yeah. You know, one of the things that I'm currently figuring out how to fit into my not 20-hour work week, is I am going back and because SEO in general and organic content is very important for Enji at this stage of the game. I mean, 10 years from now, it'll still be important. But when the proverb, like, no one really knows we exist is the, when I cut to the chase, like, that's just the truth of being a very brand new business. Whether you're software or a new service provider, or you have a new brick and mortar shop. When you first open, no one knows you exist. So when I'm thinking about how I'm going to start leveraging YouTube moving forward, we've got a pretty, not like a super deep blog, but it's got about 100 articles on it, which is pretty good for being just over a year old. And so my thought here is, is that I'm going to go and I'm going to find the blog posts that have been performing the best organically already, and then repurposing that content by creating a YouTube video that's about that same topic that then I can embed in that blog post. So then I have content that's sort of pointing toward one another, but satisfies whatever itch someone wants to scratch. Do they want to watch the video? Do they want to skim through the article? So I think that's one of the things that a lot of service providers who have been doing a lot of digital marketing probably are super comfortable with blogging. And then this is, I think, a really great way for folks to start to bridge the gap without having to necessarily come up with brand new ideas all of the time. So do you have any other tips to help people?
LaShonda - 00:24:56:
Well, and I was going to say, it can go both ways, right? So you can take a blog and you can turn that blog into a YouTube video, but you can also take a YouTube video, transcribe it, and now that becomes the blog. So I think it definitely goes both ways. And I think utilizing that platform to say, I want to reach my target customer in a way that feels deeply personal. I think that's the thing that we have to keep reminding people of is when they watch that YouTube video, they are going to feel like you are talking directly to them. And so the more that you can communicate, like, I understand your struggles, I understand your pain, or even just connect with them on just a personal level, right? Just sharing more about who you are and why you do what you do. That's something that the blog can't really speak for you. Like if you're a great writer, that's awesome. And people can kind of get your heart from your words, but there's something super powerful about being able to see that person or just to hear their voice. And that's why even if you get an audio message from someone you've never met in person, there's something different when you go to the DMs on Instagram and they've sent a voice note versus just text, right? As soon as you hear that human voice, you're like, oh man, I deeply connect with that person in a way that I wasn't just from the written word. So I just think when it comes to YouTube, I also would encourage you all to try live streaming. And I'm just a fan, guys. I am a fan of live streaming. And I know like when things are live, like, live can happen. But I think what's so special about that is it gives your audience a chance to engage with you in real time. If they have a question in the moment, being able to ask you in the moment and get an answer is a super powerful thing that you can add. And I think that YouTube does live streaming better than any of the other social platforms because it's so easy to repurpose it and share it afterwards. So if you haven't considered live streaming, it makes it easier so you don't have to edit. And it's a really fun way to create content on YouTube.
Tayler - 00:27:03:
So is the headline for this live streaming is the new webinar?
LaShonda - 00:27:09:
I mean, I mean,
Tayler - 00:27:11:
I think that might be the title of this episode.
LaShonda - 00:27:19:
And to be honest with you, I use the same software that I live stream with for my webinars. So it's literally that interconnected for me.
Tayler - 00:27:26:
Yeah. And I mean, if you are a listener, dear listener, if you have not tuned to one of LaShonda's live streams, they're always so good. I mean, I know that I'm a little bit biased because I've had the opportunity to be a part of some of the roundtables that you've put together. But honestly, there's so much thought that you put into all of your YouTube videos. But then when you get to witness them live and engage with them live, you feel it differently. It impacts you differently. It hits you differently. It just makes more of the ding, ding, ding, ding, ding go off. So it's a really amazing marketing tool that we all have at our disposal. And I really encourage all of you to look to LaShonda as a really great example and a mentor of what's possible. And take what you love about her approach and figure out how to spin it for your own business. Because at the core, LaShonda, you are a service provider, right? So you are doing the thing that someone who's listening to this podcast is trying to do. It's just wrapped up a little bit differently.
LaShonda - 00:28:39:
Yeah. And I think at the end of the day, we're all in, whether you're selling a product or a service, we're all in a position where we're trying to be people helping people. And so we're all going to take different approaches to that. But ultimately the heart is just to serve and to help those who have a deficit in their business or in their life, and they just want our help to kind of fill the gap. And so that's what I really try to do with my content, with my workshops, whatever I'm doing to teach online, the goal is to serve and to help.
Tayler - 00:29:10:
That's amazing. That's why we all love you, LaShonda. So, okay. I hope that I have thoroughly convinced everyone that they need to have you in their universe. And so when someone's like, okay, LaShonda, how do I follow you? How do I connect with you? How do I learn all the things? Where do you want to point them?
LaShonda - 00:29:29:
So I have two different URLs that I want to tell you about. So if you want to see all the things in one place, you can always go to lashondabrown.com. That's my home base. That's where I live. That will help you to choose your own adventure and decide how you would like for me to help you. But if you go to bootstrapbizadvice.com, you will be able to join my community, which I'm really excited about. I have an app now. And so that's going to give me the opportunity to coach people one-on-one, to talk with them in real time about their YouTube questions, and to also bring in other friends to teach workshops every month to help you to keep growing as a business owner. So go to lashondabrown.com or bootstrapbizadvice.com.
Tayler - 00:30:13:
That's amazing. And one last little, if I can praise you one more time, you know, you are, I think, I love that the fact, I love the fact that like you think really big about your business, right? Most of us are like me and stuck, currently stuck on the hamster wheel of working way too many hours. And I love that you're like, no, I'm thinking big and I only want to work a 20-hour work week. Also, I know that I'm a service provider and this has been my, my zone of genius for a while, but no, I'm going to think big and I'm going to make a freaking app, right? So I also want everyone to take a little bit of just a little sprinkling of LaShonda's grandeur and take that and really just hold it. I know for people who are listening, you can't see me holding my, my hands to my chest, but if you're watching this on video, you get to experience all of the weird faces that I've made, but I really want you to take that as a, I can do this, right? You know, there are other people who have paved the way for us and our models of inspiration. And so LaShonda, you are in my world of people who drive me to really strive for something that sometimes I think is totally crazy. But, you know, if we don't reach for those crazy ideas, like, then we're just going to stay where we are. So that's my non-YouTube related thing about LaShonda because she's good people, folks. So thank you so much for spending this time with me today, LaShonda, and helping us all get better about thinking about how we can use YouTube and inspiring us to think really big about our businesses. Show notes will be up on the website, prettyokaypodcast.com. Your girl is doing a good job of being consistent on Instagram @PrettyOkayPodcast. And if you are watching this on YouTube, please give it a like and comment with your favorite takeaway and subscribe. You know, do your girl a favor with that. But we will be back next month with another episode of the pod. And until then, I will see you all around on the internet. Bye. See you later, friends.