Let's get straight to the point: YouTube views don't pay the bills. There’s no need to worry if you're hesitant to invest resources and time into a channel that doesn't yield immediate ROI. Your concerns are only natural, but there is a solution.
It's no secret that YouTube views and reach help you gain more exposure, and with the right tactics, more exposure can lead to more sales. You will also receive more exposure on YouTube if you make videos that keep viewers interested and on the platform for as long as possible.
Why?
Because despite YouTube’s stated purpose of giving everyone a platform and a window into the world, another one of this company's priorities is to engage viewers for extended periods of time, thereby increasing the number of interactions with advertisements.
In fact, videos that draw in viewers for longer receive higher rankings than those that capture clicks.g
What is the significance of this secondary goal? YouTube suggests videos that satisfy this goal of increasing advertiser exposure, meaning you should get your content creation techniques up to speed.
Creating engaging content could make all the difference in the outcome of your marketing campaign.
According to Facebook's analysis of video viewing statistics from 2016, 45% of people who watch the video's first three seconds stay on it for at least 30 seconds. So you need to immediately captivate your audience in the first three seconds, which you can achieve by using interesting visuals, summarizing what you’re about to present, and inspiring your audience.
Whenever a viewer watches a video for at least 30 seconds on their device after intentionally starting playback, that counts as a view. Simple as that!
Streaming your own video also counts as a view.
If a person views your video multiple times, it will be counted as a new view each time. (However, refreshing repeatedly to attempt to manipulate the system will be detected by YouTube.)
Plus, there's a surprise waiting for you once your video reaches 300 views. YouTube temporarily freezes the view count once a video reaches 300 views in order to make sure those are actually human views.
But why did it choose 300?
Well, the YouTube view count algorithm has long been regarded as one of the most mysterious algorithms of all time. But analysis of YouTube's view-counting system shows that views above 300 could negatively affect the site's quality by clogging up the home page with fake-popular videos.
Although YouTube SEO can be optimized to score top results, if you don't understand how YouTube algorithm and ranking work, SEO won't get your videos on viewers' suggested video lists.
Now that you understand the importance of getting more (authentic) views and knowing the algorithm, let's explore how you can improve your organic reach on this platform.
You may not be able to get quick answers to your questions with videos since you have to wait until the speaker reaches the point you are interested in. (As opposed to a blog post where you can skim.)
The more people leave before they get to the actual point of the video, the worse it is for those valuable watch-time metrics. Additionally, people enjoy engaging with short-form content, such as Instagram Stories and TikTok videos. That’s why YouTube came up with two solutions:
YouTube shorts are vertical videos under a minute long. In today's fast-moving world, shorter, more succinct videos are more likely to convert better than longer ones. Their focus is on capturing the audience's short attention span, which is becoming even shorter as Gen Z takes over.
You could also include timestamps in your videos if you don't plan to make shorts. These links are clickable links within your video description allowing viewers to jump directly to the information they are looking for. Each section's title can be as descriptive as you wish (don't forget keywords!) to make it easy for visitors to find what they are looking for quickly.
Viewing loops encourage people to watch more of the relevant videos you post, keeping them interested (and on your channel) for a longer time. To create a viewing loop, you have three options.
Add end screens: End screens show up between 5 and 20 seconds before the video ends. This video outro offers viewers the option to directly go to another one of your videos.
Add cards: Provide in-video recommendations based on the video. This can include a video, a playlist, additional channels (personal, work, etc.), and even links to other websites.
Create playlists: Playlists allow people to explore a particular topic in greater detail. Creating YouTube playlists also increases your chances of being discovered by those searching for content online.
Through your watch loops, you can easily extend both your session time and viewing time together. There’s also a technique known as the card bridge technique, which essentially enables you to find where retention drops so you can insert a card there and redirect viewers to other videos or channels.
Check one of your video's audience retention reports to find out where exactly viewers lose interest and keep your churn rates low by preventing them from clicking away.
The YouTube search engine is just like any other search engine: it organizes search results based on a variety of ranking factors.
Knowing YouTube SEO, its most important ranking factors, and finding ways to appeal to them can dramatically increase views on your video. After all, YouTube SEO is a direct investment in targeted exposure, as people who search on YouTube are more likely to find your videos.
If you want your videos to reach the right audience, you can optimize various elements, for example, the title, description, video transcript, and additional meta tags.
As a rule of thumb, if you want your video to rank for a particular keyword, it has to appear in the title — preferably at the beginning, as some evidence exists suggesting that it can boost rankings if you start the title with the keyword.
Using pattern interrupts, as YouTubers call them, can help you get more views on your videos.
A pattern interrupt is a small and sudden break or shift in your video that makes the viewer pay attention to what’s happening on the screen again. Such interruptions could appear in the form of a shift in tempo, style, or tone.
Do you follow YouTube trends? If you haven't yet, now is the time to do so, since trending topics can help you dominate YouTube searches.
Staying on top of the latest developments and trends in your industry can make the difference between becoming popular and sinking into obscurity. With a better understanding of what’s happening in the world around them, niche enthusiasts can make relevant and interesting videos for those who are looking for them.
Making trending videos requires understanding which topics are worth embracing. By way of example, math instructors won’t gain much by featuring Wednesday Addams on their video thumbnails.
Remember that keeping your channel focused is often a matter of staying within your niche. It doesn't matter whether a video goes viral or not, the content must be relevant to your audience.
Our next tip follows closely behind this one.
It’s tempting to share anything you like on YouTube, from how-to guides to recipes to your latest experience with Web3. Besides, you own the channel, so what's the harm in doing things differently now and then?
Well, let’s just say that creating videos for everyone will end up reaching no one.
An overly broad content strategy may lead to a few videos doing well, but not others. Your YouTube channel needs to grow at a steady pace, and that can only happen if you make sure that all of your videos are successful.
It’s also not a good idea to create videos on topics you have no knowledge of, as it will only alienate your viewers. A generalist isn't what audiences look for, they prefer specialists! There is a good chance that most people will fact-check your videos anyway, so you will lose credibility if you cover subjects you don't know anything about.
When you have a good understanding of who your audience is, listen to your gut and take a calculated risk. Do not be afraid to test common beliefs since there is a great deal of untested information in every niche.
By taking risks within your expertise, you can showcase your unconventional thinking and find new ways to solve your viewers’ problems.
YouTube is more than just a video search engine; it's a social network, too. So if you want more views on YouTube, you need to treat it similarly to other social networks and interact with others.
And really, this is one of the easiest ways to boost your organic reach, as you only need to ask questions in your YouTube videos to get more comments. You can then like, pin, and reply to comments to engage with others and participate in discussions.
Of course, the objective here is simply to find a realistic, natural, and sustainable strategy for getting more views on YouTube (not necessarily to befriend your subscribers). In fact, “audience engagement” is simply another term to describe building relationships with audiences.
Your viewers feel appreciated when you interact with them. As a result, you are more likely to attract people who want to subscribe to your channel. Also, don’t forget that you get organic reach on YouTube based on your subscriber count.
Having more subscribers will affect how many views your videos get right after they are published, particularly if they have their notifications enabled.
This platform’s algorithm might seem confusing at first, but it really isn't as complicated as it seems. In fact, YouTube is surprisingly transparent regarding the key indicators used in its algorithm. But there are still many creators who look for ways to get higher rankings and more views by “cheating” the algorithm.
The video selection is determined by the YouTube algorithm in the sections below.
Our advice? Don't bother trying to circumvent the algorithm for better rankings. Before you think you have it all figured out, things can change. Matter of fact, YouTube’s algorithm is more known for cheating the creators, not the other way around.
Invest your time in researching keywords for video titles and producing popular video formats consistently. The best way to generate results is to produce content that is congruent with the needs of your market.
For those with the budget, YouTube ads are a great way to increase video views.
YouTube and its video partners provide you with the opportunity to display targeted ads to hundreds of thousands of viewers, based on how they have priorly interacted with your videos or YouTube channel.
Your chances of increasing your return on investment are higher if you share your message with people who have already seen your videos or channel. But, like any other ad type, you need to plan strategically.
Start by defining the objectives for your advertising campaign. And remember, paid ads should aim to reach new clients who are similar to your current viewers but haven't heard of your brand before.
You can’t just throw your video out there and hope for the best. Therefore, YouTube ads need to be customized based on keyword research, audience demographic, affinities, and similar-audience targeting.
Whether you're a YouTuber or not, now you know how tough it is to keep your videos interesting enough to get more views on YouTube. Whether it's an idea for your video or editing and promoting it, there's no end to the work.
In a world where more than 500 hours of video content are uploaded every minute, you need to do something unique to grab the attention of the viewer. We live in a time when “try not to cringe” videos and skateboard-riding parrots are a thing of the past.
Today, YouTube also serves as a marketing platform.
Your business can reach thousands of potential customers through YouTube, the largest video content platform on the internet. But getting people to watch your YouTube videos is another story.
Plan your YouTube video marketing campaign in a way that keeps content creation consistent with your audience's growth. Your audience will switch to another source if you stop posting for a long time. The key to (any) marketing campaign’s success is consistency.
After posting your video on YouTube, you can also embed it on your website if you think it contributes to your brand identity. But, as a general rule of thumb, you should not stop at just your site. If you want to reach as many viewers as possible, you must also distribute your video on as many other relevant channels as possible.
If you think that all power comes from the video, then you’re not seeing the woods for the trees. Video marketing is all about creating engaging videos, and for that, you need to be able to predict and understand your audience's behavior, interests, and search queries.
By leveraging content strategy and analytics, our team helps you reach your target audience by crafting, publishing, planning, and promoting interesting and relevant content to increase your conversion rate.
How do we do that? Through data-driven approaches cultivated over years of research.
Our team of experts will develop a custom plan to improve SEO, enhance visibility, and expand your reach to thousands of potential customers.
Every video is strategically designed to boost CTR, and our demographic data analysis ensures your content reaches the relevant audience when they need it. After all, you can't consistently meet your marketing goals if you don't have a healthy number of leads at the top of the funnel.
Our YouTube video optimization services include identifying your target audience, establishing your brand voice, increasing your following, and driving engagement. Contact us and we'll tailor the perfect strategy for your brand.
Did you know that 62 percent of companies upload video content on YouTube? YouTube is the second most visited website in the world and has over two billion monthly visitors — that’s about a third of all web users worldwide.
In fact, YouTube is so popular that in the early days of the Covid-19 outbreak, during which global residents were advised to stay indoors, YouTube had to lower video quality temporarily to prevent the website from crashing.
So you can be sure that no time or effort put into YouTube video marketing will go to waste. But if you still need more reasons to start creating inspiring videos today, here are a few.
Today, video ranks highest among all content marketing formats, surpassing even blog posts and infographics. HubSpot reports that landing pages with videos generate 80% more conversions. There's more to it than that, though.
There are many benefits to using video content, including:
You can also use videos to make your email marketing campaign more effective. Rather than sending the video by email, place a link instead. A simple addition of the word "video" to an email subject line can result in higher open rates.
Each video is a unique piece of content that can be repurposed for your website, social media, and other online platforms. By redistributing existing videos in new formats, you can lower your cost and attract more viewers while improving your search engine ranking at the same time.
YouTube boasts over one billion hours of video watched per day, making it imperative for content creators and marketers to make the most of the platform.
If you can encourage people to watch your video for a longer period of time, YouTube will notice that you have quality content. And YouTube prioritizes videos with higher Watch Time, increasing your chances of appearing on the “recommended” list.
In order to increase brand affinity, you need to develop content that increases your brand's visibility, and now you know how using YouTube video optimization services will give you just that.
Are you ready to increase your views on YouTube by creating engaging YouTube feeds?
Our YouTube optimization services will help you optimize your YouTube channel to get more views, shares, likes, comments, and subscribers. Driver Studios’ research and data-driven approach has been refined over years of experience. Our strategies promote brand awareness, drive traffic to websites, and facilitate online sales and lead generation.
Let's work together to drive your YouTube channel toward success today. Get in touch.
