Over the years, YouTube has gradually become a leader in content delivery, so much so that more people turn to the platform for their news about the world more than traditional journalism. It’s become a versatile space where content creators of all kinds can explore the possibilities of their imaginations and reach precisely the people who will enjoy their style. However, its growing popularity as a money-making platform has caused an uptick in creators that are constantly fighting to overcome the obstacles of the algorithm and maintain visibility to their target audiences. Optimizing your YouTube videos in a few key ways can make a big difference in how many people find and watch your content. By following a few basic tips, you can improve your videos’ visibility and reach the audience you’re looking for!
#1 - Create a descriptive and keyword-rich title
Your video title is the first step to a plan and one of the most important factors in getting people to click on and watch your video. Make sure that your title is descriptive, captivating, and includes relevant keywords that accurately but alluringly describe the content of the video. A truly effective title uses the nuances of human emotion to draw people in, meaning that it should appeal to something that your target audience desires or struggles with. Keep in mind the importance of revealing your purpose while maintaining a sense of mystery and curiosity!
#2 - Write a detailed and informative description
The video description is a vital piece of metadata that helps the audience find your video in search engines. Write a detailed and informational description of your video, and be sure to include keywords and links to any other platforms you’re looking to promote yourself on! Make it as easy as possible for viewers to reach and understand you and your purpose. The description should ideally be a couple of brief paragraphs long and provide a summary of what viewers can expect to be discussed in the video. On top of that, it should serve as something of a video syllabus that lists any resources or credit that needs to be mentioned for the purposes of complying with copyright laws and applying more credibility to yourself.
#3 - Add relevant tags
Tags are keywords that help YouTube’s algorithm understand what your video is about and what audience it belongs to. The option to add hashtags to your video grants the opportunity to specifically choose your audience with pinpoint accuracy, so make sure to take full advantage of this by using the tags that are most relevant to what you do and who you want to see it. To make sure you’re making the most efficient use of this opportunity, you can use websites like this one to find the most well-used and high-performing hashtags out there for your subject and style of content!
#4 - Choose an attention-grabbing thumbnail
Your video’s thumbnail will be the first thing viewers pay attention to when they come across your video on YouTube, as the human mind is more attracted to colors and imagery than it is to language at first glance. You can either use a still from the video itself that looks appealing, or you can take a more creative route and customize your thumbnails with graphic design based on the message you’re looking to send. We recommend the second method! Putting extra attention and care into the presentation of your thumbnail adds more credibility and quality to your reputation. Make sure to use bright, contrasting colors in order to make it eye-catching, use high-quality images (avoid anything too pixelated or unclear), add easy-to-read text overlays, and above all else, try to include a human face! Including an image of yourself or whoever may be the topic of discussion in your thumbnail aids in creating a connection between you and your audience, making the content more trustable in their eyes.
#5 - Keep your video length between 3 and 5 minutes
While many have a struggle with this concept because of YouTube’s monetization standards (which imply that your video is most effectively monetized at around 8 minutes), the length of your video should be somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes in order to perform well in terms of being the algorithm’s favorite. The average human attention span is around 8.25 seconds, which means that 3-5 minutes can be a stretch even for some! This is why so many platforms have taken to providing short-form content like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels after the wild success of TikTok’s content delivery methods. Anyone looking to provide hefty messages that are too extensive for Shorts needs to take into consideration how expansive or concise they need to make their content in order to maximize the video’s performance. This isn’t saying that longer videos can’t perform well, but bear in mind the reality that quickly digestible content is prioritized on social media platforms.
#6 - Engage with your audience
Engaging with your audience is vital for building a loyal following on YouTube, which is all about cultivating strong communities in a creator’s channel. Encourage viewers to like, comment, and subscribe to your channel, as well as to participate in any other endeavors you’ve got going on like contests, giveaways, live tours, etc. Respond to comments on a regular basis and engage in various ways to build a powerful sense of community around your channel. Your audience will find a lot of value in feeling genuinely connected to you, your personality, and your message and this creates a loyalty response that can outlast a lot of potential setbacks! Having an audience that will stand behind you when things are tough is a unique part of YouTube success that keeps creators on the up.
#7 - Share your video on other platforms
All social media platforms go hand-in-hand as promotional tools. Once you’ve optimized your video for YouTube, it’s time to share it with the world however possible. Link your video on other social media accounts, your website, or any other relevant platform to increase visibility and drive more and more traffic to your channel. You can also promote your video through email marketing or paid advertising on YouTube, but be sure to make the most of the options you have available and maximize your efficiency by taking advantage of your self-promotion capabilities.
Good luck!
Creating success on any kind of creative social media platform is a challenge for those just starting out, but if you have the right knowledge and tools under your belt, you can reach the audience you want to connect with and achieve the success of your dreams! If you’re looking for ways to boost the speed of your success, then check out the links below.
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