It is possible that you are creating amazing video material and running a fantastic YouTube channel, but only if you are not afraid to publicise your accomplishments. Obtaining new subscribers is a difficult endeavour.
It’s similar to a funnel. In order to become a subscriber, you will need to refer someone or search YouTube for your video in order to do so. If they find it interesting enough, they may decide to subscribe to your YouTube channel.
It is natural for people to “fall off the waggon” at any point in their lives. Let’s say that out of ten people that come across your video, eight of them decide not to watch it. Six people will continue to watch it until the conclusion, and three people will subscribe.
This post offers facts that I have accumulated during the course of my research.
Here are some recommended practices that will assist you in increasing the number of people who visit your YouTube channel.
This is something you can do for free as well.
Write relevant titles and descriptions
Communication with your audience in their own language is essential, and while you may want to be creative with your titles, you should utilise the exact terms you want your video to appear for. Because YouTube’s search engine operates in a similar manner to Google, be particular and utilize the terms that your prospective viewers would use to find you.
Are you unsure of your word choice or the subject matter? Go to Google Trends and type in your ideas to see how much interest there is in each of them compared to the others.
Similarly, descriptions are believed to have little impact on optimization, yet, it doesn’t mean you should not care about them or simply use them to repeat your keywords.
For instance, type “10 breakfast recipes” in YouTube search, and you’ll see dozens of videos with the same title . Chances are, your video will also end up surrounded by uploads on the same topic. In such a case, the first line of video description is the great way to stand out . Use it to explain how your video is different, and why it’s worth watching.
Create custom thumbnails
Many newbie YouTubers believe thumbnails aren’t important because they have no influence on the search engine and will not help a video appear on the first page of YouTube.
However, just like descriptions, thumbnails have a tremendous impact on your video click-through rate . In other words, it often depends on the thumbnail, whether a person chooses to watch one video over another.
Organize videos into playlists
There are two unobvious benefits of creating playlists. First, along with thumbnails, playlists make your channel organized and easier to navigate . That means, viewers are likely to spend more time on it exploring the topic they are interested in. Second, playlists bring optimization value and help you appear in search results .
Think of it this way – a title and a description of a playlist is an additional piece of information for YouTube algorithm to understand what your videos are about. Why would you miss an opportunity to repeat keywords and increase chances of getting discovered?
Start videos with a bang
Have you heard about the attention span of an average person today? It’s between 8 and 12 seconds, to be exact. For the video blogging industry that means if you don’t capture a viewer’s attention in those first seconds, consider him lost .
To see how attention-grabbing your videos are, go to Creator Studio – Analytics – Audience retention. The graphic shows the percentage of audience dropping off as the video continues. In the graphic below, 40% of viewers lost their interest after a minute, and just a little over 20% watched the video till the end .
The industry benchmark is 50% , which means the majority of videos are only watched halfway through. Yet, if you notice a large audience drop-off in the first 10 seconds or so, that means your introduction needs to be improved.
Get to the point right away
Don’t waste time with a protracted introduction or a rambling speech. Using a “PPP formula,” which stands for Preview, Proof, Preview, according to Brian Dean, an SEO and content marketing expert, is highly recommended.
After someone watches the first 15 seconds of your video, there is a good likelihood that they will continue to watch it to the finish, according to Brian. To accomplish this, use those precious seconds to tell the viewers what your video is about, explain why they should trust you, and provide a little teaser or sneak peek to pique their interest and encourage them to watch all the way through to the conclusion.
Special effects should be avoided if at all possible because they are typically distracting. Instead, use sparse contoured lettering and fluid transitions to express yourself. If you’re on a tight budget, look into free non-linear video editing programmes to help you get the job done.
End with a Call-to-Action
Here is what every successful marketer knows: if you don’t ask, people won’t react. Remember about the attention span and the world of constant distractions we live in? This is exactly why call-to-action are needed.
Even if someone enjoyed your video, there is a chance they would simply forget to give it a thumbs up or subscribe to your channel . So, it’s up to you to remind them. You’ve worked hard to create this video and provide value for the viewers, so there is no reason to be shy about asking for a little love in return .
Annotations used to be a nice additional tool to get subscribers, but a personal request is always more efficient. Motivate viewers to become a part of your audience by saying what they should expect from your next videos, and what it is there for them.
Make use of end screens and cards
Annotations were discontinued in May however, you’ve already heard about end screen and cards. If you haven’t employed them for your channel yet, it’s about time, because the combination of cards and end screens is a five times more powerful and authentic way for keeping viewers engaged with your content. Best of all, they are mobile-friendly and work in YouTube app.
The best practice here is to avoid video interruptions and screen clutter. Stick to a minimalistic approach and don’t link to more than two videos on the end screen.
To make sure your end screen strategy is efficient, go to Creator Studio > Analytics > Interaction reports > End screens . You’ll be able to see how many clicks each end screen element gets versus how many times it is shown.
Thoughtfully reply to every comment
Trolling aside, leaving a comment actually takes some time and dedication – be it YouTube or any other social network. Your responsiveness means you appreciate the effort and you care. Encourage discussions in your videos, ask questions, create polls (you can use Cards for that), and interact with every comment you receive.
Besides, there is a nice bonus here: comments, along with the number of likes and subscriptions are signals to YouTube search engine that your video deserves attention . Yet, please don’t try to game the system by leaving meaningless comments just for the sake of quantity. It is miserable and likely to turn your prospect commentators away .
Cross-promote your videos through social media
Cross-promoting your content on various platforms is a tremendous way to get discovered by new audience. The truth is, you never know how your next subscriber will find your channel: clicking a referral link, browsing Twitter hashtags, or scrolling Facebook newsfeed . Therefore, being present on multiple platforms is beneficial for growing a community.
Your promotion workflow may include embedding a video into a blog post, sharing it via Twitter, publishing on Facebook and Pinterest . It’s all about repurposing. If you want to sound authentic – craft your messages differently for each platform. It probably takes just extra 10 minutes, yet, pays off in the long run.
To analyze how well your cross-promotion strategy is performing, go to Creator Studio > Analytics > Traffic sources > External . You’ll see the exact volume of traffic coming from websites linking to your videos, or having them embedded.
Pro tip: If you have a Facebook page for your channel, you can experiment with promoting your posts for new audiences for as little as $5 to see if it works for you.
Be an active member of niche communities
Whether you are a drone video blogger, a makeup artist, a gamer, or a language teacher – there are forums and communities for every field . Start participating in your niche community.
Your goal is to make sure people know what you’re working on , without being a spammer. Don’t just share links to your videos, but rather provide your opinion and advice, while having a link to your channel in your bio or signature .
Collaborate with other YouTubers
It is critical for YouTubers to collaborate since it is a great method to gain exposure to a new audience while also being a fun and enjoyable experience.
Make contact with YouTubers that you believe can bring value to your audience’s viewing experience. To work with other YouTubers, seek for individuals that review applications or mobile accessories; if you discuss makeup trends, you could wish to collaborate with fashionistas; DIY YouTubers can successfully collaborate with one another… You’ve gotten the gist of it.
You may also ask your subscribers what other channels they watch in order to gain a better understanding of what they are most interested in seeing.
Conclusion
Regardless of how you look at it, promoting a YouTube channel is not a simple task to complete. Furthermore, you’ll have to figure out which combination of strategies works best for you - which is always a learning process that involves trial and error. Creativity and drive are quite beneficial, and I hope that some of the concepts discussed in this essay will be beneficial as well.
Leave a comment below and tell us about your favourite zero-budget promotion strategies!