Soo, we stopped at the Directorii and Roofing Insights Headquarters at Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and asked some questions you might’ve had in mind for them. Dmitry Lipinskiy has proven himself an expert on digital marketing, YouTube content creation, and branding, particularly for roofers.
So, we thought it fit to learn a thing or two from him and his team. You stand to gain everything and lose nothing learning from the best! Let’s feast!
On Creating “Hooking” YouTube Thumbnails
Tim Brown: “What is the secret to a good YouTube thumbnail? What have you guys seen really perform well?”.
Here’s what the YouTube Marketing boss had to say about creating mind-blowing thumbnails:
Dmitry: “It’s not about what you think or what you like; you have to show the team and let them vote and decide which one is better. Like every time I do a thumbnail, we usually have anywhere from three to thirty versions, and I’ll come to Igor or text him and ask which one is better”.
So in creating and selecting your next thumbnail, don’t forget to ask your team “Which video would you click on?“.
- Use Contrast: With thumbnails, you should always use bright colors and high contrast so that way it really pops out against the background of YouTube and any other thumbnails that are there.
- Don’t Say Too Much : You also don’t want to overload the viewer with too much information; you want to give them just enough so that they’re intrigued by the video, but they don’t feel like they know what the video entails.
So if you’re putting your entire title in the thumbnail of the video, they’re going to feel like they’ve already gotten everything that they need.
But if you put just enough that it intrigues them and makes them think, “I want to know what else this person has to say or what else this story is about“, then that’s gonna make them want to click on the video and keep watching.
Dimitry, especially, has always done this very well, where he puts an open loop in your mind, and it’s like if you don’t watch that video, you’ve missed out on something. He also talked about the whole process being a team effort.
On Pictures for Thumbnails
Tim Brown: What Do You Think About Making a Picture Specifically for the Thumbnail? Do You Think That That Usually Performs Better?
Dimitry: “We usually have photo sessions for this, and then, at times, I’ll send about ten different pictures to my guy to pick. Usually, you wanna show sad emotions, happy emotions, and mad emotions; there are like 5 to 6 emotions, and you want to have good pictures of that higher quality that are easier to work with”.
For your YouTube thumbnail, you have to make some kind of facial expression, and use bold, bright text; just to grab viewers’ attention.
On Brand Standards
Tim Brown: “Typically, we see a consistent look in your branding. So do you guys have brand standards that you stick to, or do you go outside to get a brighter look?” How stringent are you on brand standards?
Ryan: “Occasionally, we go outside our brand standards. Dimitri built this brand by following quality over quantity, and there is that part of the brand that he always wants to look professional and grab attention, so that’s important”.
On Podcasting
Tim Brown: How did you come up with a great podcast setup?
For his podcast setup, Dimitri searched a lot of YouTube channels for the podcast setup looks he liked. It’s all about finding what you want on the Internet. You’ve got to make use of:
- the right lens
- the proper lighting
- the proper backdrop lighting
- An appropriate background, etc.
You can also customize your background and make it feel even more natural.
On Winning More Clients
Tim Brown: Finally, how do you get more people to do business with you?
Dimitri: “People don’t just do business with you because you’re the best. You cannot convince people that you’re the best. You have to be different and position yourself as a different person. People will connect with you way faster than if you try to set yourself as being the best”.
Roofers should feel free with diving into trends! When there’s an interesting trend and your content flows with it, folks will surely come aboard the ride, meaning more good business for you!
Conclusion
We’re sure to have answered some of the questions folks have been asking. However, feel free to hold on to points relevant to your roofing business. Remember, always position yourself and your business as “unique“.
Simply put, do things differently than other businesses. With that in mind, your YouTube channel, podcasts, and overall branding will send the message of quality to your leads.Thank you for reading and see you next time!
Here at Hook Agency, we have he skills and expertise to help your roofing business glitter like the star that it is. Let’s hear your thoughts today!