The largest search engine in the world is Google. The second largest is YouTube... which is owned by Google. :) Do you still consider YouTube just as a placeholder for your videos? Don't miss the opportunity to get potential clients from this mega platform. Regardless if you are looking for people to hire you as a performer, or more students to come to your class (physical or online), YouTube can serve as an amazing tool as long as you remember about a few basic but important rules:

Keywords are important. Treat YouTube as a search engine, and include main keyword in your video: title, description and tags. The YouTube algorithm will use this information whenever it decides which video to show on each request.
Use an eye-catching thumbnail. You can upload a nice photo as a thumbnail instead of relying on random screenshots. Do not overwhelm it with too much information or small letters. If you include text, make sure it's to the point AND easy to read even on a small screen.
Forward people to your main page. If you have a website, include a link right in the TOP line of the description, don't expect people to press "Show More" to find this information. Also, make sure to keep the link clickable by adding https:// in front of the url.
Include a call to action. Sometimes we simply forget to ask peopler a certain action. What's your goal? Do you want them to call you and book a show? Do you want them to check a website of your belly dance school? Don't be shy to include a call to action as a pop-up link (within the first 30 seconds of the video), AND end-of-the-video card.
Make sure it's clear where your services are located! Include clear and obvious information about your city, or if it is online. YouTube will use this info too, so that you can reach a more targeted audience.
Keep your channel active and engaging. YouTube will appreciate consistent, high quality work from your end, and will support by recommending your videos more often. You can post videos of your shows, vlogs about dance life, tutorials and tips, creative dance videos, etc. Imagination is your only limit.

If you want to dig deeper on this topic, I highly recommend to check out my Business Course for Belly Dancer which talks more in depth about all possible tools of promoting your dance business.

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Author: Iana Komarnytska
Photographer: Pedro Bonatto