Incorporating video into your marketing strategy is becoming increasingly essential. Video is the future and if you are not doing it, you are falling behind, says Designer Denise Butchko, Butchko & Co. Research from Cisco Systems reveals that two-thirds of mobile data is video and pictures. Whether for education or entertainment, this is how people consume content, she notes.

According to Butchko, research shows that 7 out of 10 people view brands in a more positive light after watching an interesting video from the company. Not only do videos create a positive perception but when posted on landing pages they can increase conversions by approximately 86 percent and make it more likely for viewers to connect on other mediums. Since YouTube is the second largest search engine site behind Google (its parent company), and people consume approximately one billion hours of video a day on the site, creating a YouTube channel should be one of your first steps.

Below are tips from Butchko on how to customize a YouTube channel:

1) Customize the banner using photos, logo and/or individual photo.

2)  Add custom links to drive traffic or increase opt-ins for an email list.

3)  Write a description. This section is searchable so make sure to include key words and the web address.

4) Add industry-related feature channels or YouTube will automatically fill this section with popular channels.

5) Organize videos into playlists.

 Basic videos can be created using services like Animoto, which allow you to create a video with photos. Also, videos can be made using smartphones or DSLR cameras. Accessories such as a lavalier mic or a shotgun mic are helpful for quality audio and purchasing low-cost lighting can also enhance a video.

For more information or to see additional marketing and design tips from Denise Butchko, visit butchkoandcompany.com.