Youtube is the largest video-sharing platform in the world and the second in line as the top social media platform, with 2.68 billion monthly active users globally.
More than 122 million people visit the platform daily and consume a mind-blowing amount of 1 billion hours of videos. I could go on, but these facts alone are enough to mark the importance of Youtube.
Businesses and digital marketing teams pay special attention to Youtube as videos are the most effective content in the advertisement industry.
(Data Source DemandSage)
But just making videos is not enough; people should be able to find and watch your videos quickly and engage with them to make a difference.
Akin to Facebook reach, Youtube views have been a hot topic among strategy meetings, with everyone asking the same question, How to get more views on Youtube?
To answer this question, we must find out what a view counts as on Youtube.
What counts as a YouTube view?
Views on Youtube mean the total number of times people watch videos on a channel. Users must watch the videos for at least 30 seconds to register a single view.
A rewatch is also counted as a view if a viewer watches the video for 30 seconds, refreshes the page, watches it again, and so on.
Some people try to outsmart the system by watching videos several times to accumulate views. The algorithm used by YouTube can detect these maluses and mark the views as spam.
All that time spent to best a bot was wasted. Instead of going the wrong way, you can use simple techniques and tips to boost your views legally.
What is the importance of YouTube views?
People don’t spend hours making videos just for the sake of making videos. There are different agendas and goals behind crafting an attractive video.
In the case of YouTube, these goals can only be met with a lot of views. For example, if you have started a YouTube channel to make money, you need to enable monetization and to do that, you need views and subscribers.
YouTube monetization eligibility criteria require a minimum of 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours in the last 12 months and in the case of shorts, 1000 subscribers and 10 million public views on Shorts over the previous 90 days.
Moreover, if you are an artist or a brand aiming at carving an impact on the masses, you need maximum exposure, which translates to getting the maximum views possible.
If you want to find the answer to How to get more views on YouTube, here it is.
How to get more views on YouTube?
Getting views on YouTube is possible by two methods, organic views, and paid promotion. This guide will explore how to get views without spending your hard-earned dollars.
Carve out your audience.
First thing first, you need to get your priorities in order. YouTube has billions of unique views visiting the site for different purposes. If someone thinks they can target the entire audience, they couldn’t be further away from reality.
Giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi have a designated audience and know whom to target and whom not to. That is why it’s essential to look in the mirror and ask yourself what you can offer to the people and who can benefit from it.
If you are a basketball expert sharing wisdom, your target will be American youth and college students who are active in sports, and then you will cater your content according to them.
Use the same tone of language, same slang, resonate at their level, and make them feel comfortable watching your videos so that they can come again for more.
Research the market and find out what you are good at and what sells easily and quickly, then focus on creating relevant and engaging content.
Write an engaging and relevant title.
Titles of the video are the first tangible touch point of the process for customers. It is imperative to write a title that explains your video in a precise manner.
The attention span of social media users is a bare few seconds because they have a consumable amount of content at their disposal. Hooking the views in the first few seconds with a carefully crafted title is crucial.
According to most of the research, the best title must be between 55-70 characters, the sweet spot. Avoid click-baiting the viewer, as it will drastically damage your channel’s ranking.
The viewer will click on the video and find out that the video is irrelevant, he will bounce back, and the YouTube algorithm will be triggered.
The intelligent way is to use your keywords and description of the video and cram them in the sweet spot of 55-70 characters and help the viewer find your content. Listicles and tutorials starting with “How-To” work best in catching the viewer’s attention.
Enhance video meta for high ranking.
YouTube is not just a social media platform; it’s a search engine and must be treated as a search engine to get more views. Pay special attention to finding out your keywords and use them wisely.
Once you have written an attractive title, now is the time to create an optimized description according to the format below.
Use the first few lines to list your keywords and tell viewers about your video and what they can expect. Bring your best game, the best punch line for these couple of verses, and then move on.
Next, you can add other data about the video, the creator, and the channel and give your social links. Adding your links in the description is a great way to reach your other social media platform more and engage with your viewers at another level.
Use your keywords in tags and the synonyms of the keywords along with other related words. For example, if you share a recipe, you can add dinner, dessert, fun, and dining, along with your primary keyword, cooking.
Alluring thumbnails hook the viewer.
Having a captivating thumbnail is the basics of uploading a video on YouTube. When visitors are looking for something, they might overlook your text, but a standout thumbnail can get their attention turning visitors into viewers.
Giants of the industry, like BuzzFeed, use BOGY thumbnails to grab the viewers’ focus. You might be wondering what BOGY means; BOGY is a word made with the initial of colors used to create standout thumbnails,
- Blue
- Orange
- Green
- Yellow
YouTube’s theme uses white, red, and black colors; using BOGY colors to highlight videos makes sense.
Another way is to use your protuberant face making some odd expressions with highlighted text to lure in the viewers. The optimal way is to apply multiple techniques to create the right thumbnail.
Make sure that your title and thumbnail align with each other, and avoid trapping the customer with clickbait, as it will not only alert the algorithm but also damage your reputation.
Optimize YouTube SEO
Youtube is the world’s second-largest search engine after Google. Around 70% of the top search results are YouTube videos on Google, especially when looking for recipes, tutorials like How To, listicles, etc.
Creating a game plan according to the platform’s algorithm is vital for maximum reach and views. Perform a thorough research on keywords, competitor analysis, what kind of titles work, and what you can do to get visible.
Getting into the recommended videos can help channels get more views from their competitors if they plan. The YouTube algorithm works by checking the videos that are watched together, the videos usually watched by the user, and relevant videos based on keywords.
Technically we can’t do much about the first two factors, but if we focus on the third point, we can get into the “might also like” videos section and get extra views.
Market your videos across multiple platforms.
Create awareness of your channel by posting across other social media channels like Facebook and Instagram—the more, the merrier; direct viewers from multiple platforms to your videos.
YouTube algorithm will consider new views directed from other platforms in the same way as watching videos on the YouTube app or website.
Post at peak times for maximum exposure. Schedule on social media with Adublisher to get more views on your videos.
While posting, keep a few things in mind, don’t use the conventional method of posting the link or an image (thumbnail) with the link. Like YouTube, other social media platforms want to keep their viewers private. Posting a link with a thumbnail will not be ranked appropriately.
Opt for a more innovative way, make a snippet or teaser of your video, and ask the viewers to visit your channel for a complete video. Add links in the video’s description as a CTA and direct viewers to your channel.
Engage with your audience.
Creating a community on social media is the key to success. The first step in creating a loyal fanbase or community is to make them feel special.
Engage viewers by enabling comments, regularly replying, showing appreciation to fans, respecting critics, and learning from suggestions to refine your content.
Go live on YouTube and share your thoughts and lifestyle with your viewers. Answer their questions and reply to them in the live chat feature to develop a bond and a sense of loyalty.
Posting on social media is another way to connect with your audience and share your social self. To get extra views, schedule on social media with Adublisher at peak times to maximize engagements.
Offer promotions and Giveaways.
Everyone loves free stuff, whether a mobile phone, a beauty product, or even a free online lecture. Social media influencers have been using giveaways and promotions to gain followers quickly.
Youtubers can use the same technique to get more views for their videos. Make a video, and in the video, tell your viewers to participate in the giveaway by liking, commenting, subscribing, and sharing your video with a few friends.
Likes and comments boost engagement. Sharing videos with friends can attract new subscribers and viewers. Promotions work similarly, providing viewers with promo codes for discounts.
Do collaborations with fellow creators.
Collaborate with other YouTubers in your niche and share the audience between both parties.
People invite professionals or friends with channels for guest appearances in their videos to share insights on specific topics.
Collaborating with brands is another method that can be used in the Promotions and Giveaway technique mentioned above. Upload a video reviewing a product, include a promo code or product link in the description to facilitate viewer purchases.
Creators get a commission from the sales made with their link, and brands get more sales, so it’s a win-win for both parties.
Use annotations and end-screen to your advantage.
End screens and annotation are potent features to bring viewers to your less popular videos. Go to the YouTube studio and head over to “customize end screen,” you can add up to four CTAs.
The best strategy is to use videos and a subscription tab for optimal results. When adding videos to your end-screen and annotations, ensure they’re relevant and complement the watched content.
Conclusion
In summary, don’t treat YouTube as a social media platform but as a search engine. Bring your A-game to the field and use the best SEO techniques in writing titles, meta, tags, and high-quality videos.
Engage with your audience, use multiple marketing channels, grab viewers’ attention, and be consistent in your posts.
