Currently, YouTube caters to nearly 2 billion users all over the world! Hence, YouTube is the ultimate search engine for video content. Naturally, given its popularity, there is also a need to stand out from all the competition and gain visibility. It is the ultimate goal and a real challenge to have a monetized YouTube channel for every YouTube user. Thus, merely knowing how to shoot videos is not enough, you will also have to learn how to edit videos for YouTube to make it more appealing to the audience.
After you cover all the basics, it is only a matter of promoting your video content to gain a large following. But how does one do that? Can you simply get on a YouTube intro maker and start with a catchy intro to make the cut? Naturally, you need to pair your content creation skills with some video content marketing strategies that will attract a strong following on the platform.
Here are the top seven tips for driving more traffic to your YouTube channel:
Nail Your Thumbnails
The YouTube layout is simple – you have the video icon paired with the title. Consider you have captured a video reviewing the latest iPhone. Sure enough, you will find several other YouTubers who may have already beat you to it!
So when your video is displayed alongside your competitors’ videos, it is now up to you to make your video content stand out. For starters, you can use an intriguing thumbnail to catch your viewer’s eye. Your video thumbnail should be click-worthy, so skip the usual routine of having preset thumbnails and opt for something more personalized and catchy. However, do not overdo it, using something that qualifies as clickbait will only defeat the purpose. You will lose subscribers, and your content will get disliked en masse for being misleading.
Post an Interesting Title and Description
Follow the above approach with your video title and description as well. Try to make it creative and unique so that viewers are instantly attracted to your video. You can also learn how to edit videos for YouTube. At the same time, research on the keywords that your ideal viewers may enter in the YouTube search engine while looking for content.
Incorporate these keywords organically in your video title and description to rope in these users. While you may not have a lot of freedom to add keywords to your video title, you can pack your video descriptions to make up for it. Through this technique, you can reach a wider audience base.
Feature Your Best Video Content
Do you have a particular video that you want your viewers to see? Grant it greater visibility by making it your “Featured” video. Typically, your latest YouTube video shows up as the featured content. However, you can get your best stuff to occupy the slot, especially when you produce video content too frequently or too rarely.
To place a video in the featured spot, navigate to your YouTube Creator Studio page. Locate the channel settings at the tab on your left, and choose the “Featured Content” option in the menu. You can choose your latest video, or pick your favorite content as your feature. You could select between playing the entire video or sharing a teaser with the viewer by manipulating the display time. Plus, add a custom message to add a CTA encouraging the user to take the desired action (like subscribing to your channel!)
Read the Comments
Yes, the comment space over any internet platform is scary, to say the least. However, it is also the place where you can get useful insights from your users and followers.
Once you report or delete comments to filter out all the trolls, you will find a wealth of information on what your viewers expect from your channel. Who knows, you may come across an excellent video idea right in the comments thread!
Adapting your content based on reasonable feedback will make your viewers feel seen and appreciated. In addition to the changes, take the time to respond to all the comments personally. It makes the viewers feel involved and important. Engaging your audience will get you more followers!
Maintain Visual Consistency
If you want to establish a brand, you need to set yourself as a brand!
Try maintaining visual consistency to achieve this effect. Through this approach, you select a consistent color palette, theme, and typography, and use it repeatedly until your audiences start relating these visual elements to your brand.
Customize your headings and thumbnails to reflect the uniformity, which will make it easier for viewers to connect with your content and identify it amongst the search results page.
Create Playlists!
YouTube users are big fans of playlists, and rightly so. Playlists make it easier for audiences to look for similar content without having to search it for themselves. Plus, the video cluster may contain an array of videos posted by different channels!
Hence, if you wish to keep your viewers hooked to your channel, consider creating a playlist with your video content. Categorize the content on a common denominator and assign a name that clearly translates the purpose of the playlist. It allows your audience to sift through new and old content without having to browse!
Make it to “Suggested Video”
Almost every video contains a comment about how a user started watching even the weirdest content simply because YouTube recommended it to those users. Thus, snaking into people’s YouTube feed through suggested videos or recommended content is the quickest hack of growing on Youtube.
Once your channel gains a decent amount of viewership through this route, you will gain higher visibility, which will again push your reach! It is essentially a positive feedback channel with growth at every iteration!
Observe your competitor’s strategies, steal their tags, and match it with popular content to feature in someone’s suggestions; it is all history from there!
Final Thoughts
Even the slightest amount of effort can push your YouTube channel in the long run. The above tips are surefire ways to enjoy more traffic and fast-track your YouTube channel’s growth. Now that you already have your recipe for success, try them out!