People are known to be visual creatures, and when we are learning something new, it is easier to remember the information if we are watching a clip compared to reading a book; this is one of the main reasons why YouTube is extremely popular. We can see this as 76% of internet users have a YouTube account – this is around 2.3 billion users.
However, because there is a lot of visual content on this beloved platform, it can be difficult for beginners to create a name for themselves. Although there is a challenge for many YouTubers to have their videos watched by thousands of people, it isn’t impossible.
Want some new ideas about video content creation for your YouTube channel? Be sure to take a look at Video production services for YouTube, next.
In this blog, we will explain some of the many simple ways to optimise your YouTube channel.
YouTube SEO for beginners
YouTube can be seen as another form of a search engine, but its sole purpose is to search just for videos. SEO is an acronym for search engine optimization, meaning taking a piece of online content and optimising it so that search engines, such as YouTube, will show a video towards the top of the page when someone searches it.
A way to ensure that your video will be towards the top is by choosing the correct keywords. This task can sometimes be difficult, as creators on YouTube have to figure out what keywords people would write in the search bar, but there are ways to simplify this task.
What is your video about?
If your video is about you reacting to a singer, one of your main keywords would be reaction video. Once knowing what the focus keyword is, use a keyword research tool to find a variation of your keyword. A couple of popular YouTube optimisation tools are Ahrefs and SEMRush.
Here, you will be able to see which keywords will pull in a lot of searches. But be careful, and try not to choose the keywords that are high competition, as this means other people, who film similar videos as you, are using the same words. You will want to choose a keyword that will pull in a lot of searches but has lower competition, as your video will have more of a chance to be near the top of the searching page.
Your focus keyword will be used in the title, but this will only do so much. When uploading to YouTube, there is a box where you are able to add tags. This is the perfect place to put some of the other keywords, but don’t overload it. Have three to five different words.
Using our previous example, if your video is a reaction, the tags you could add are the singer and song you are reacting to.
The rest of the keywords can be used in the description. It’s vital to remember that you don’t just write the rest of the keywords in your description; you should write a summary of the video, including a few of these keywords.
Doing this is the perfect way to enrich your YouTube SEO, as when your video shows up on the searching page, it will show a snippet of your description. This is why the keywords are vital, as YouTube will be able to register what you have written and compare it to what the users are searching for.
How long should your YouTube videos be?
YouTube likes videos that are longer and more engaging, as viewers are more likely to stay on the site for longer. However, it’s important to remember that humans have a low attention span – decreasing from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8.25 seconds, just fifteen years later (according to Wyzowl). This does mean that no matter the length of a video, users might still click off the video. But, the longer the video is, the more a user may watch before they switch to something else.
For example, if your video is 16 minutes long, a user might watch from five to eight minutes, but if it’s three minutes long, they might not even watch a minute. Meaning the longer the video, the more minutes you receive, and in the eyes of YouTube, this means your channel is popular. And due to its popularity, YouTube will push your video towards the top of the searching page.
But remember, don’t make your videos longer for the sake of it because this will result in bland videos with filler – and YouTube users don’t appreciate that, switching off sooner if they feel they are getting zero entertainment from your video.
Subscribe to similar YouTube accounts
We’ve all seen those comments that say, ‘subscribe for a subscribe’ or ‘I’ve subscribed to your channel, subscribe back’. And these comments are not going to help your channel at all as people do not like being told what to do, they want to be seen as independent, and that they will subscribe to your channel because they choose to. On top of that, don’t go subscribing to every YouTube account.
Subscribe to channels that you have an interest in and also put up similar content. Create a friendly relationship with them, comment your kind thoughts on their channels, and mention your opinions. And slowly, you’ll grow a collection of YouTube friends.
Doing this can benefit your channel, as you can collaborate with each other and this can result in their followers subscribing to your channel.
Viewers are far more likely to look you up and follow your channel as a result of a genuine comment you have made on another channel’s video.
How to promote your Youtube channel for free
Some people believe money has to be involved when it comes to promoting, but that isn’t necessary. Promoting your YouTube is actually simple, especially once you’ve gotten used to it.
Social media plays a huge role when it comes to promoting your YouTube channel. With every new video that is uploaded, share it to all of your social media accounts that you have. This will help reach out to more and new people, resulting in a higher engagement level with your YouTube video.
If you have Tik Tok, the short videos that you upload onto your account should be similar content to what you upload to your YouTube channel. Add snippets of what your video is about to Tik Tok as a form of promotion.
One of the most vital tips to remember is to be patient. Doing this will not automatically change everything within a day, but if you continue with this, you will gain more views. And slowly, your channel can end up being monetised, and you can earn some money on the side through YouTube.
Want to know more about marketing your YouTube Channel? Check out our article Everything you need to know about YouTube marketing.
