By Jill Kurtz, Owner, Kurtz Digital StrategyOnline video attracts a lot of attention. While it is easy to think of YouTube as simply a great place to store your videos, it is a valuable social media platform in its own right. Channels are receiving a growing number of views and followers. You don’t want to miss any opportunities to engage with your key audience there.Step 1: Create a complete profile.Establish your channel on YouTube. Complete all the fields. Be sure to link to your website and other social channels. Make sure your presence reflects your brand and fits in with all your other communication and marketing efforts.Step 2: Post some videos!Make a commitment to sharing content on YouTube. Decide on the timing that works well for you – daily, weekly, monthly, or some other cadence. Like any social channel, the key to attracting followers is to have interesting content and to keep your account active.Keep in mind that you want your videos to have good reach, which means you want to encourage people to share them. For this reason, make sure every video you post is a standalone package that is connected to your brand, any particular call to action, and to your website. Make sure that no matter where someone sees your video, he or she can find their way back to you.Step 3: Build a following.Once you have a complete profile and some content, invite people to visit and follow you on YouTube. Add a link to your website, other social channels, and anyplace else you are online. Talk about your channel in your offline communication and marketing collateral.Consider running a contest with rewards for people who follow your channel. Every follower increases the reach of your effort on YouTube.[author]About the Author: Jill Kurtz founded Kurtz Digital Strategy to help clients see the communication potential of the newest trends and technologies. She is an expert at website strategy and redesign, social media planning, and developing exceptional content. [/author]