How to Get More Views on Your Youtube Channel
June 7th, 2021
Getting more views on Youtube requires patience and hard work. Be prepared to respond to viewer’s comments, attention-grabbing design for the thumbnails, create video playlists, and more.
Did you know that Youtube is the second most-visited site on the web? Two billion users are looking for content to watch, so let’s get your killer content in front of them! Not to mention, 70% of people in a study by Google bought from a brand after seeing their content on Youtube.
Enough with the stats; if you aren’t convinced Youtube is an excellent investment, then damn, what else do I have to tell you about to prove it’s legit?!?
For the Newbies
If you are relatively new to Youtube, let’s make sure you have mastered the basics before expanding your reach. If you are already comfortable with your setup, you can skip this section.
Startup Tips:
- Have a clear vision of your channel: People are much more likely to subscribe to a channel that posts consistent content. If there is too much variation or the content feels scattered, your channel will not draw in subscribers.
- Set up a brand account: Professionals on Youtube use brand accounts vs. basic accounts. Brand accounts give you access to the analytics you wouldn’t typically be able to see through a standard account via Youtube Analytics. You will also be able to add team members to the channel for easier collaboration.
- Write a compelling description: Always make sure you have filled in the “About” section. Potential subscribers always look here first to see what your channel will be about and what kind of content they can expect. The more interesting, the more likely they click that Subscribe button. Also, make sure you are using relevant keywords to make your channel easily searchable.
- Design a strong visual identity: Your account needs to look professional and polished. Pay attention to the recommended dimensions for images on Youtube. This way, you can avoid any stretching or warping of your banners/profile pictures/thumbnails. All images should be eyecatching and on-brand.
Once you have all of this nailed down, we can focus on building your views and engagement. Remember, it is all about the foundation you create before you can launch yourself into viral fame.
Youtube Algorithm – the machines are taking over!
Consider the algorithm your marketing master. As with all social media platforms, to increase views and engagement, being familiar with how the algorithm works are critical to growing your brand presence. For example, on Youtube, 70% of viewers’ time is spent watching algorithm-recommended videos. Ensure that your content will make the cut by building playlists. As with Netflix – once one video in a playlist ends, the next one automatically plays, keeping the audience in the same place.
The algorithm also prioritizes outside traffic, so make sure you share your content on Twitter or Facebook to make the video more discoverable.
Finally, the algorithm also favors channels that post often. So you should be aiming to post videos at least three times a week to increase your position on Youtube’s search rankings.
Improve your organic reach
Alright, let’s get down to business; we love organic reach just as much as we love organic options at the grocery store.
Publish often
As mentioned before, the Youtube algorithm favors consistency. The frequency of your uploads and quantity of videos factor into the algorithm and the home screen especially (where Youtube will place all of its personalized recommendations for the user). Of course, be careful of increasing your quantity and losing the quality. It is essential to find the proper balance.
Stick to what works
Leverage success on Youtube. If one of your videos ends up being a big hit, maybe turn it into a series. Paying attention to analytics and what your audience is looking for will increase your subscribership, therefore, your views.
Upload your videos when your audience is watching
Take a look at your Youtube Analytics to see when the optimal time to post for your audience is. For example, is there a day of the week or time of day where you have a spike in viewership? Use that to your advantage and make sure you are scheduling your videos to go public at this time. When people subscribe to your channel, Youtube will notify them when you make a post. An excellent tactic is to time the video going public when they are already looking for something to watch. Also, the recency of the post is a prominent factor in the algorithm.
Engage with your community
TALK TO YOUR PEOPLE. Seriously, on every social media platform, this is ESSENTIAL to earn favor with the algorithm. Not to be creepy, but the algorithm will also tell if you are having a meaningful conversation with commenters or just barely interacting to receive points. So you gotta put in the effort.
If you are in the position of having too many comments on a video (lovely work), consider uploading an appreciation video, and respond to as many comments as you reasonably can.
Video description text – don’t half-ass it
Please don’t be lazy when writing your video descriptions. Under your video title, the block of text is not just a place to copy and paste your social links (though you should still include them) or a throwaway line. Consider it more of a metadata description. You want to include keywords in your first sentence, so when people are searching for similar content, your video will pop up. This helps optimize your Youtube SEO.
A tip from us – Pick two keywords and make sure they are repeated in both the title and the description. However, be careful not to turn your description into a keyword salad; no one wants to read that.
The top strategy – Youtube SEO
Remember, Youtube is both a social media platform and a search engine. The top strategy to getting more views is optimizing your videos for the search engine. When your ideal viewer is typing in keywords that match your brand, you want to know that you will rank high enough to catch their attention.
You need to know what your audience will be looking for. Ranking high in the search results is the best way to get new eyes on your videos, not just subscribers and people who are already consistently viewing your channel.
Use metadata to get recommended after popular videos. Look at the most popular videos within your niche. Youtube’s goal is to keep people watching. Therefore it looks to recommend one fabulous video after another to capture the attention and time of viewers.
To do this properly, ask, How can your video add value to the video the viewer just watched? Are there questions that need to be answered or details that can be expanded upon? Be clever with how you position your video. No one wants to watch the exact same video on a different, lesser-known channel.
Viral Marketing – when you don’t have the time, we do
Let’s be honest, social media is time-consuming and involves creating A LOT of content. However, it is also the best way to get your brand in front of an incredible amount of people.
Luckily for you, Nowadays has mastered the art of viral marketing. We will modernize your message and inject it into the social media landscape. As a result, your content will end up in front of the right people, at the right time, over and over again.
As Miley Cyrus once said, “we can’t stop, and we won’t stop.”
Are you ready to create a party in the USA around your brand? Then send us a message.
Sources:
Top 100: The Most Visited Websites in the US [2021] | SEMRush
From Video action campaigns to shoppable features, YouTube helps drive action. | Google
YouTube Analytics – YouTube Help | Google Support
Manage your channel branding – Android – YouTube Help | Google Support
CES 2018: YouTube’s AI recommendations drive 70 percent of viewing | CNET