People watch over 1 billion hours of YouTube video content each day – Sprout Social
Videos evoke emotion in a way that no other form of content can. They have the ability to convert your message into something engaging and dynamic, which leaves a lasting impression in the mind of your audience. While every other business is now on YouTube, growing your channel and keeping your brand above competition is crucial to get noticed in the second largest search engine on the internet.
Here are top 6 tips to grow your YouTube channel –
Choose The Right Keywords
The foundation of every good SEO strategy is the use of keywords, and the same applies for YouTube too. If you want your channel to grow, you have to target the right set of keywords, basis your audience and product/service. This is how you’ll be able to increase the video views and subscribers, and get your videos rank at the top of search results.
Tools like YouTube Keyword tools or Google AdWord Keywords Planner can help you find the relevant keywords for your brand.
Keep An Optimized Profile
The profile should be optimized for the audience, if you’re thinking of growing your YouTube channel. The basic steps include a relevant channel name that hints at the kind of content you put out, to attract people who would be interested in the same. Next comes a well-conceptualized banner image that will hold the viewer’s attention and help you stand out from competition. Last but not the least, a good profile description that includes relevant keywords for viewers to find it easily while they do a keyword-based search.
Create A Good Thumbnail
Thumbnails, though often overlooked, are an important part of YouTube videos, as that is the first thing viewers see while scrolling. A well designed thumbnail can pique the interest of your audience and get them to play the video.
According to YouTube, 1280 X 780 pixels or an aspect ratio of 16:9 is the ideal thumbnail size. As a business, if your objective is to increase brand awareness on the channel, using the brand logo or other branding elements can help strike a connection with the audience. YouTube statistics also state that “thumbnails with branding or brand logos generate 1.2 million more views than the ones without.”
A few quick tips to create an impactful thumbnail
- Try using bold text and brighter colours
- Keep the design simple, avoid adding too much of information/elements
- Ensure that the text is legible
- Choose an image which can stand out among other thumbnails of the similar topic
A Good Title is A Must
Not only the video, but also the video title has to be thought through when you’re trying to grow your YouTube channel. Firstly, include relevant keywords to improve searchability on the platform. Secondly, the title should be catchy enough to hold the viewer’s attention. However, avoid using any clickbait title as it may have a negative impact on your brand. Choose a title that’s short and simple, and conveys the message.
Post Videos At The Right Time
Posting videos when your audience is most active is an important point to consider if you want to grow your YouTube channel. The timing depends on the type of audience you have. For example, if your audience is the office going population, posting a video in the evening would make more sense when they’re returning from work and have some free time.
You can also experiment posting in different days and time, and check insights which day/time brings the most views and engagement. Accordingly, create a posting schedule and follow it.
According to Social Pilot, the average best time to post a video on YouTube is between 2-4PM on weekdays and 9-11AM on weekends.
Engage with The Audience
Interacting and engaging with your audience will make them feel welcoming, and this practice can also help in getting new subscribers. Some of the common ways to engage are:
- Address/answer to the comments left by viewers on your video, it gives them a feeling of being heard
- Encourage viewers to give suggestions on the type of content they expect or want to see on your channel
- Create engaging content like quizzes, polls, etc that would require participation from your subscribers
Having a successful YouTube channel is one of the best ways for online brand promotion. People love watching videos, which makes this platform so popular. So if you want to be where your audience is, YouTube marketing should be a part of your business strategy. At FCS, we’ve developed award winning social media strategies for leading brands that cover both organic and paid media plans. Reach out to us for a free consultation today!