Though YouTube is one of the top sites in the world and everybody uses it, only a small percentage of businesses are using YouTube to grow awareness about their businesses. So what are the benefits of using YouTube. Here’s a top 10 list:

1 Submission is easy-Just follow simple instructions on the site

2 Submission is free-A YouTube account and submission is free

3 Universal Search-As universal search expands and takes more positions on Google and other engines, video and image placement will be important to maintaining natural search placement

4 It’s a great branding tool-Even if you don’t think your product lends itself to a video, get creative, It can help people have a great association with your brand if done well

5 It’s a great reputation management tool-When a Dell laptop went up in flames at a conference, the company used video to help be involved and manage the incident and the pr outcome

6 It’s a great way to announce a new product-Use video to grow awareness about a new product or new features of an existing product

7 It’s a great team building exercise-Getting your team involved in a video project can be great team building as well as helping create a cohesive image of your brand internally

8 It’s quantifiable-You can track views and traffic to assess how the medium is helping to grow awareness about your business or product

9 It helps create evangelists for your product-What better way to create a following than to engage your market with video and let them spread the word for you

10 It’s fun-If you’re a small business it allows you to do a commercial you couldn’t afford on a network. If you’re big business, it allows you to be a lot more friendly and intimate than you would on a television commercial.

Bonus: If you’re buying a “softride hitch bike rack” would you also like to watch a video of installation?

So sit with your team, brainstorm some ideas, create a video and try a YouTube submission to help spice up your online marketing plans for the year.