Tag: views

How to Make Money on YouTube in India: A Comprehensive Guide

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 9 August 2023

In recent years, YouTube has become more than just a platform for entertainment; it has evolved into a lucrative career opportunity for many.

With the internet boom and the increasing accessibility of digital devices, YouTube’s popularity in India has soared.

As of 2021, India has the second-largest online market, making YouTube an appealing platform for content creators to explore.

I use VidIQ to maximise my channel growth. It has helped me grow from 12K subscriber to over 50K since 2021!

This guide outlines the steps, strategies, and insights for making money on YouTube in India.

1. Understanding YouTube Monetization

YouTube offers multiple avenues to monetize content, including:

Ad Revenue: Through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), creators can earn money from display ads, overlay ads, skippable and non-skippable video ads, and more.
Channel Memberships: Offer exclusive content and perks to subscribers for a monthly fee.
Super Chat and Super Stickers: Engage with your live stream audience by offering paid comments and stickers.
YouTube Premium Revenue: Share in the revenue generated from YouTube Premium subscribers watching your content.

2. Joining the YouTube Partner Program in India

The YPP is central to making money on YouTube. To be eligible, Indian creators must:

Have at least 1,000 subscribers.
Accumulate at least 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months.
Follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and monetization policies.
Have an approved AdSense account.

3. Identifying a Niche

Understanding the target audience and identifying a niche can set a channel apart in India’s diverse market. Some popular niches include:

Bollywood and Entertainment: Reviewing Movies, Music, and Celebrities

Overview

India’s love affair with Bollywood and entertainment is well-known. As a YouTuber, tapping into this passion can lead to substantial engagement.

Content Ideas

Movie Reviews: Provide insights into the latest movies, their storylines, performances, and overall ratings.
Music Analysis: Analyze music videos, lyrics, and musical compositions.
Celebrity Interviews: Engage with celebrities or share insights about their lives, careers, and upcoming projects.
Entertainment News: Cover latest happenings, scandals, and trends in the entertainment industry.

Challenges and Opportunities

Competition: This field may be saturated, so uniqueness and creativity are essential.
Engagement: An enthusiastic audience is ready to engage with this content, making it a promising niche.

Education and Tutorials: Providing Guidance on Academics, Software, or Hobbies

Overview

Educational content and tutorials are in high demand in India. With a young and tech-savvy population seeking to upskill, this niche has great potential.

Content Ideas

Academic Lessons: Teach subjects such as mathematics, science, or languages.
Software Tutorials: Provide guidance on software like Photoshop, coding languages, or web development.
Hobby Classes: Teach skills like painting, dancing, or cooking.

Challenges and Opportunities

Diverse Audience: Catering to various age groups and interests requires adaptability.
Demand: The ongoing need for educational content creates sustainable opportunities.

Food and Cooking: Sharing Recipes and Culinary Techniques

Overview

India’s diverse culinary landscape offers endless content possibilities. From traditional recipes to fusion cooking, this niche resonates with a wide audience.

Content Ideas

Regional Recipes: Showcase unique dishes from different Indian states.
Cooking Techniques: Teach specific culinary skills or kitchen hacks.
Food Reviews: Review restaurants or street food.

Challenges and Opportunities

Diverse Taste Preferences: Catering to the varied taste preferences across India is both challenging and rewarding.
Community Engagement: Food often sparks community discussions and participation.

Travel and Vlogging: Exploring Different Places Within India and Beyond

Overview

Travel vlogging is about sharing journeys, experiences, and insights into different cultures and places.

Content Ideas

Destination Guides: Share travel guides, tips, and experiences for different locations.
Cultural Insights: Showcase cultural festivals, traditions, and lifestyles.
Travel Tips: Offer practical advice on budgeting, planning, and packing.

Challenges and Opportunities

Investment: Travel may require significant time and money.
Uniqueness: Offering fresh perspectives can set a channel apart.

Technology and Gadgets: Reviewing and Explaining Tech Products

Overview

With the tech industry booming in India, reviewing and explaining gadgets and technology appeals to a wide audience.

Content Ideas

Product Reviews: Review the latest gadgets, including smartphones, laptops, and cameras.
How-to Guides: Provide how-to guides for using different technologies.
Trends and Analysis: Analyze tech trends and future predictions.

Challenges and Opportunities

Keeping Up: Constantly evolving technology requires ongoing learning.
High Engagement: Tech enthusiasts actively seek out reviews and tutorials, offering strong engagement potential.

Each of these niches provides unique opportunities to connect with Indian audiences, and aligning content with local interests, culture, and needs can pave the way to YouTube success in India.

4. Content Creation and Optimization

Quality content is crucial to success on YouTube. Utilizing SEO, maintaining a consistent posting schedule, and creating engaging thumbnails can boost a channel’s visibility.

5. Leveraging Social Media

Promoting content through other social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can help in reaching a wider audience in India.

6. Understanding Legal and Tax Implications

Indian YouTubers must be aware of tax regulations related to their income. GST might apply to various revenue streams, and creators must comply with copyright laws.

7. Collaborations and Brand Partnerships

Partnering with brands or collaborating with other creators can enhance a channel’s appeal and revenue.

nternet and YouTube Usage in India

Metric	Value
Total Internet Users	700 million
YouTube Users	450 million
Average Time Spent on YouTube	27 minutes/day

Category	Views (Millions)
Music & Entertainment	160,000
Education & Tutorials	75,000
Food & Cooking	35,000
Travel & Vlogging	25,000
Technology & Gadgets	45,000

Top 5 Most Subscribed Independent YouTubers in India

YouTuber	Subscribers (Millions)
T-Series	176
SET India	124
5-Minute Crafts	73
Cocomelon – Nursery Rhymes	127
WWE	75

Earnings and Monetization Opportunities

Revenue Stream	Average Earning
YouTube Ad Revenue (per 1000 views)	$3 – $5
Sponsorships	$500 – $5,000/video
Affiliate Marketing	Variable

Challenges for YouTubers in India

Challenge	Description
Competition	High number of YouTubers in popular categories
Internet Connectivity	Inconsistent in rural areas
Content Regulation	Strict content guidelines and censorship

These tables collectively provide insights into YouTube consumption in India, popular content categories, top YouTubers, potential earning streams, and challenges. Understanding these factors can help aspiring YouTubers to strategize their content creation, monetization, and audience engagement in India.

Conclusion

Making money on YouTube in India is an exciting and viable opportunity. With dedication, creativity, an understanding of the local market, and adherence to platform regulations, Indian content creators can transform their passion into a full-fledged career.

This article offers a foundational overview of the intricacies of YouTube monetization in India. Like any business venture, success on YouTube requires a mix of hard work, strategic planning, and a bit of luck. Keep experimenting, learning, and evolving, and you might find yourself among India’s YouTube success stories.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

What Happened To Miranda Sings aka Colleen Ballinger?

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 5 July 2023

Colleen Ballinger, known for her outrageous and larger-than-life character, Miranda Sings, started her journey on YouTube back in 2008.

This satirical character was created as a mockery of the numerous self-absorbed and seemingly talentless individuals aspiring to be famous on social media.

Miranda’s outrageous persona, characterized by her iconic red lipstick, unusual wardrobe choices, and off-key singing, quickly captivated YouTube viewers. By 2009, her channel started gaining attention.

However, it was in 2010 that Ballinger decided to take Miranda Sings on a live comedy tour across North America and Europe, selling out venues and truly expanding her reach.

Year	Subscriber Count	Total Views
2009	100,000	10 million
2010	500,000	50 million
2015	5 million	1 billion
2021	10 million	2 billion

A Netflix Original: Haters Back Off!

Miranda Sings’ fame grew to such a point that Netflix took notice. In 2016, “Haters Back Off!“, an original series delving into the fictional life of Miranda Sings, premiered.

This marked a significant milestone, not only for Ballinger but also for YouTubers as a whole. It was among the first times a major streaming service had adapted a YouTube character into a series.

However, the show only lasted two seasons before its cancellation in 2017. While some fans praised it for its quirky humor and unique perspective, critics found it less appealing, stating that the character’s charm didn’t fully translate to a scripted show format.

Controversies and Criticisms

While Miranda’s career trajectory had been mostly upwards, it hasn’t been devoid of controversy. In 2019, Ballinger was criticized for sending lingerie to a 13-year-old fan. She quickly apologized, stating it was part of a gag gift and that she didn’t mean to make the fan or his family uncomfortable.

In 2020, Ballinger faced allegations of racism and mockery of mental illness through her character, Miranda. Critics pointed out certain videos where the character appeared to imitate stereotypes and behave in ways that were derogatory towards individuals with mental illnesses.

Each time, Ballinger addressed these controversies head-on, apologizing and promising to be more mindful. However, these instances marked significant challenges in her career and led to a dip in viewership and subscriber growth.

The Decline of Miranda Sings

After the controversies, Ballinger saw a decrease in viewership and subscriber growth, as reflected in the table below:

Year	Subscriber Count	Total Views
2019	10.5 million	2.1 billion
2020	10.3 million	2.15 billion
2021	10 million	2 billion

Despite these challenges, Ballinger continues to evolve the character and remains a key player in the world of YouTube comedy. But the question remains: will Miranda Sings be able to reclaim her previous heights of popularity?

The Legacy of Miranda Sings

Despite the controversies and the ongoing challenges, it’s undeniable that Miranda Sings left a significant mark on YouTube culture. The channel was a pioneer in transforming YouTube personas into full-fledged careers, setting a precedent for content creators everywhere.

Whether she’s at the peak of her popularity or facing challenges, Miranda Sings remains an important chapter in the book of YouTube’s history. Her rise and fall illustrate the potential and perils of digital stardom in the age of social media.

Check out more Rise and Fall deep dives into Alex Day, Onision, CharlieIsSoCoolLike, Toby Turner, Eugenia Cooney and more.

Q1: Who is Miranda Sings?

A: Miranda Sings is a fictional character created and portrayed by American comedian Colleen Ballinger. This character is a satire of self-absorbed, talentless, and fame-hungry individuals often found on social media.

Q2: Who is Colleen Ballinger?

A: Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian, actress, singer, and YouTube personality, known for her character, Miranda Sings. She has expanded her career to include live performances, a Netflix original series, and appearances on various talk shows.

Q3: When was the Miranda Sings YouTube channel created?

A: The Miranda Sings YouTube channel was created in 2008.

Q4: What is Miranda Sings’ distinctive look?

A: Miranda Sings is characterized by her off-key singing, peculiar dance moves, childish demeanor, and exaggerated red lipstick smeared well beyond her lips. She often wears mismatched outfits that add to her comedic appeal.

Q5: What kind of content does Miranda Sings create?

A: The content on the Miranda Sings channel is a mix of satirical tutorials, performances, vlogs, and comedic skits. The character’s off-key singing, over-the-top dance moves, and misguided advice create a sense of cringe comedy.

Q6: How did Colleen Ballinger leverage her YouTube success?

A: Beyond YouTube, Ballinger took Miranda Sings on a live comedy tour and starred in the Netflix original series “Haters Back Off!” She also makes appearances on various talk shows and collaborates with other YouTube personalities and celebrities.

Q7: What is “Haters Back Off!” about?

A: “Haters Back Off!” is a Netflix original series that delves into the fictional life of Miranda Sings. The series focuses on Miranda’s family life and her quest for fame. It ran for two seasons from 2016 to 2017.

Q8: What controversies has Miranda Sings faced?

A: Miranda Sings has faced several controversies, including criticism for sending inappropriate gifts to a minor fan, and accusations of perpetuating stereotypes and making light of mental illnesses through her comedic character.

Q9: How has Miranda Sings influenced YouTube culture?

A: Miranda Sings was one of the first YouTube characters to be developed into a full-blown career, setting a precedent for content creators. Her comedic style has had a significant influence on YouTube culture, particularly in the realm of cringe comedy.

Q10: How has Colleen Ballinger dealt with the decline in Miranda Sings’ popularity?

A: Despite a decrease in viewership and subscriber growth following several controversies, Ballinger continues to evolve the character of Miranda Sings, maintaining relevance in the ever-changing landscape of YouTube comedy. She addresses criticisms head-on and promises to be more considerate in her content creation.

DEEP DIVE ARTICLE HOW TO MAKE MONEY ONLINE YOUTUBE

YouTube Average View Duration, Explained: Unlocking the Secret to Engaging Content

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 20 April 2023

In today’s digital landscape, YouTube has emerged as a go-to platform for content creators looking to share their passions, expertise, and stories with the world.

With over 2 billion logged-in monthly users and a staggering 500 hours of video uploaded every minute, it’s no wonder that understanding key metrics is essential for creators seeking to stand out and succeed on YouTube.

One of the most important, yet often overlooked, metrics for YouTube success is Average View Duration. This vital statistic not only helps creators gauge the effectiveness of their content, but also plays a significant role in how the YouTube algorithm determines which videos to promote. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the intricacies of Average View Duration, discuss the factors affecting it, and provide actionable tips for improving this crucial metric.

So, whether you’re a seasoned YouTuber or just starting your channel, keep reading to unlock the secret to creating more engaging content.

What is Average View Duration?

Average View Duration (AVD) is a metric that represents the average amount of time a viewer spends watching a particular video. It is calculated by dividing the total watch time of a video by its total number of views.

This metric helps creators understand how well their content is holding the viewer’s attention and maintaining engagement throughout the video.

How it differs from other metrics like Watch Time and Views

While Views and Watch Time are also essential YouTube metrics, they serve different purposes. Views represent the total number of times a video has been watched, while Watch Time measures the cumulative amount of time viewers have spent watching a video.

Average View Duration, on the other hand, focuses on the quality of engagement by assessing how long viewers stay on a video on average. A high AVD indicates that viewers are finding the content engaging and relevant, whereas a low AVD suggests that viewers may be leaving the video early due to lack of interest or poor quality.

Why Average View Duration is important for YouTube algorithm and audience retention

The YouTube algorithm uses Average View Duration as a key factor when deciding which videos to recommend and promote. Videos with higher AVDs are more likely to appear in search results, suggested video lists, and on users’ homepages. This is because the algorithm interprets a higher AVD as a sign of quality content that keeps viewers engaged.

Moreover, maintaining a high Average View Duration helps in building a loyal audience, as viewers who consistently watch a significant portion of your videos are more likely to subscribe, share, and engage with your content. In turn, this boosts your channel’s overall growth and visibility on the platform.

Factors Affecting Average View Duration

There are many factors that can impact your Average View Duration. Lets list what these are and deep dive into how and why they can be so influential on your results.

Video length

You need to match the video length to the audience expectations. Nobody wants to watch a 4 hour explainer lecture when they just need a 15 second how-to tutorial.

Pros and cons of short and long videos

Short videos have the advantage of being easily consumable and shareable, often leading to higher view counts. However, they may not provide enough depth or information for viewers seeking comprehensive content. On the other hand, long videos can thoroughly cover a topic and potentially increase total watch time. However, they risk losing viewer interest if the content is not engaging enough.

Identifying the sweet spot for your content

Finding the right video length for your content depends on various factors such as your target audience, the nature of your content, and your presentation style. Experiment with different video lengths and analyze your AVD to determine the optimal duration that keeps your audience engaged.

Content quality

Relevance to the target audience

Ensuring your content is relevant and valuable to your target audience is essential for maintaining their interest. Conduct research to identify topics and trends that resonate with your viewers, and create content that addresses their needs and preferences.

Production value and editing

High-quality production and editing can significantly impact AVD. Crisp visuals, clear audio, and smooth transitions can help maintain viewer interest, while poor production quality may cause viewers to leave the video early. Invest time and effort in improving your production and editing skills to create more engaging content.

Audience targeting and demographics

Understanding your audience’s preferences

Knowing your audience’s preferences, such as their age, location, interests, and viewing habits, can help you tailor your content to their tastes. Use YouTube Analytics to gather insights about your audience and make data-driven decisions to improve your content strategy.

Catering content to their interests

Once you have a clear understanding of your audience’s preferences, create content that speaks to their interests and expectations. By doing so, you’re more likely to maintain their attention and increase your AVD.

Tips to Increase Average View Duration

Lets help to get you more views and keep them hooked for longer.

Grab viewers’ attention in the first few seconds

Importance of a strong hook With the abundance of content available on YouTube, it’s crucial to capture your viewer’s attention right from the start. A compelling hook in the first few seconds can entice viewers to continue watching and increase your AVD.

Examples of engaging openings

Pose a thought-provoking question
Share an interesting fact or statistic
Preview the video’s key takeaways
Use humour or tell a personal story

Optimize video structure and pacing

You need to make your videos more consumable and binge worthy. The easier it is to watch your video the more likely people are to stick around. Here are some ways to make your content more easy on the eye.

Break content into sections

Organize your content into clear sections to help maintain viewer interest and make your video more digestible.
Use headings, bullet points, and visuals to separate ideas and guide your audience through the video.

Use timestamps and visual cues

Adding timestamps to your video description or as a pinned comment can help viewers navigate your content more easily. This allows them to jump to specific sections of interest, increasing the likelihood that they will remain engaged throughout the video. Visual cues, such as text overlays or graphics, can also help emphasize key points and maintain viewer interest.

Encourage interaction and engagement

The more they engage the more YouTube can see they are satisfied with the content and willing to share across the platform to new audience members.

Asking for likes, comments, and subscriptions

Prompting viewers to like, comment, and subscribe not only fosters interaction and community building, but also signals to the YouTube algorithm that your content is engaging. However, ensure that your call-to-action is genuine and relevant to the content, rather than being overly repetitive or intrusive.

Incorporating polls and quizzes

Including polls, quizzes, or other interactive elements can boost audience engagement and encourage viewers to spend more time on your video. These features can also provide valuable feedback on your content, helping you make data-driven decisions to improve your AVD.

Analyzing Average View Duration for Continuous Improvement

The more stats you have the more you can learn from what does well, and what doesn’t. If you are looking to grow on youtube you need to hone in what works and refine those into an ongoing strategy for continuous improvement.

Accessing YouTube Analytics

To access and analyze your Average View Duration data, navigate to YouTube Studio and click on the “Analytics” tab.

Here, you will find a wealth of information about your video performance, including AVD, Watch Time, Views, and other valuable metrics.

Identifying trends and patterns in your data

Analyze your AVD data over time to identify trends and patterns that may indicate what resonates with your audience.

Look for videos with particularly high or low AVD and try to determine what factors might be contributing to these results. Consider the following questions:

Are there any similarities among videos with high AVD?
Does a particular topic or format perform better than others?
Are there specific points in your videos where viewers tend to drop off?

Adjusting content strategy based on insights

Once you’ve identified trends and patterns in your data, use these insights to adjust your content strategy accordingly.

For instance, if you find that your audience prefers shorter videos with a specific format, consider creating more content in that style to boost your AVD.

Continuously monitor your analytics and adapt your approach to ensure that you are providing content that keeps your audience engaged and coming back for more.

YouTube Average View Duration Stats and User Behaviour

Average View Duration by Content Category

Content Category	Average View Duration
Educational	7 minutes
Lifestyle & Vlogging	10 minutes
Tech Reviews & Tutorials	6 minutes
Gaming	12 minutes
Health & Fitness	8 minutes
Travel	9 minutes
DIY & Crafts	5 minutes

*Please note that these numbers are approximations and may vary depending on the specific niche and creator.

Viewer Retention by Video Length

Video Length	Viewer Retention
Under 2 minutes	70%
2-5 minutes	60%
5-10 minutes	50%
10-15 minutes	40%
15-30 minutes	30%
Over 30 minutes	20%

*These percentages represent the average proportion of viewers who complete watching videos of various lengths.

Table 3: Impact of Viewer Interaction on Average View Duration

Interaction Type	Average Increase in View Duration
Likes	10%
Comments	15%
Shares	12%
Polls & Quizzes	18%

*These values represent the estimated increase in Average View Duration when viewers interact with a video in various ways.

Please note that these statistics are approximations based on available data and may not be universally applicable. They should be used as a starting point for understanding trends and patterns in YouTube user behaviour. Always analyse your own channel’s data to make informed decisions about content strategy and optimization.

And finally…

As we’ve seen throughout this blog post, Average View Duration is a crucial metric for gauging audience engagement and ensuring success on YouTube. By understanding and optimizing your AVD, you can create more compelling content that resonates with your audience and captures the attention of the YouTube algorithm.

To improve your AVD, don’t be afraid to experiment with different formats, lengths, and styles. Analyze your data, identify trends, and adapt your content strategy based on the insights you gather.

Now that you have a better understanding of Average View Duration and its importance, it’s time to apply these insights to your own YouTube channel. Keep your audience engaged, monitor your analytics, and watch your channel grow as you unlock the secret to creating more engaging content.

Q: What is Average View Duration?

A: Average View Duration (AVD) is a metric that represents the average amount of time a viewer spends watching a particular video. It is calculated by dividing the total watch time of a video by its total number of views.

Q: How does Average View Duration impact YouTube growth?

A: A high AVD indicates that viewers are finding the content engaging and relevant, which helps creators build a loyal audience. Additionally, the YouTube algorithm uses AVD as a key factor when deciding which videos to recommend and promote, leading to increased visibility and growth for channels with higher AVDs.

Q: Can a video with a high view count but a low Average View Duration still be successful?

A: While a high view count can contribute to a video’s overall success, a low Average View Duration may indicate that viewers are not fully engaging with the content. This may negatively impact the video’s visibility within the YouTube algorithm, as the platform prioritizes videos with higher engagement levels.

Q: How can I improve my Average View Duration?

A: To improve your AVD, focus on creating engaging, high-quality content that caters to your target audience’s interests. Experiment with different video lengths, formats, and styles, and analyze your performance data to identify trends and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Q: What is the ideal Average View Duration for my channel?

A: There is no universal ideal AVD, as it depends on your target audience, content niche, and presentation style. However, a higher AVD generally indicates better audience engagement and content quality, leading to increased growth and visibility on YouTube.

Q: How do I access my Average View Duration data?

A: To access your AVD data, navigate to YouTube Studio and click on the “Analytics” tab. This will provide you with a wealth of information about your video performance, including AVD, Watch Time, Views, and other valuable metrics.

Q: Can I increase my Average View Duration by making all my videos shorter?

A: While shorter videos may lead to a higher AVD due to their easily consumable nature, it is important to strike a balance between video length and content quality. If your videos are too short, they may not provide enough depth or information for viewers seeking comprehensive content, which could negatively impact engagement and audience retention.

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A Deep Dive into the YouTube Category List: Relevance and Importance in Today’s Meta Landscape

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 24 March 2023

YouTube is home to a diverse range of content, spanning across numerous subjects and genres. To help viewers find videos that align with their interests, YouTube organizes its content into categories.

But, do these categories still hold significance as metadata in today’s YouTube landscape?

The YouTube category list remains relevant, albeit less prominent in today’s metadata-driven landscape. Although categories may not be the primary factor influencing discoverability or search rankings, they still offer value to creators, advertisers, and viewers alike.

In this deep dive, we’ll explore the YouTube category list, discussing each category and analysing their importance in the current meta landscape.

YouTube Categories

Category	Description
Film & Animation	Contains animated films, live-action films, and other film-related content.
Autos & Vehicles	Features content related to cars, motorcycles, boats, and other motorized vehicles.
Music	Showcases music videos, concerts, and other music-related content.
Pets & Animals	Offers videos featuring pets, wildlife, and other animal-related content.
Sports	Highlights sports events, interviews, and content related to various sports and activities.
Travel & Events	Showcases travel vlogs, destination guides, and event-related content.
Gaming	Dedicated to video game content, including gameplay, reviews, and live streams.
People & Blogs	Contains personal vlogs, lifestyle content, and opinion pieces from various creators.
Comedy	Features stand-up comedy, sketches, and other humorous content.
Entertainment	Showcases a variety of entertaining content, such as TV shows, interviews, and performances.
News & Politics	Contains news broadcasts, political discussions, and content related to current events.
Howto & Style	Offers tutorials, DIY projects, and style-related content.
Education	Features educational content, including lectures, documentaries, and instructional videos.
Science & Technology	Contains content related to scientific discoveries, technological advancements, and innovations.
Nonprofits & Activism	Showcases content related to nonprofit organizations, social issues, and activism.

The Reason for YouTube Categories

Categories serve several purposes in organizing and classifying YouTube’s vast content library. They help viewers find videos that match their interests and preferences, making it easier to navigate the platform. Additionally, categories can help creators target specific audiences and tailor their content to resonate with viewers in that category.

The Importance of Categories as Metadata

In the early days of YouTube, categories played a vital role in metadata and content discovery. However, over time, the platform has shifted its focus to other metadata elements, such as keywords, tags, and video descriptions, to better serve its recommendation algorithm.

Today, categories still hold some significance but are no longer the primary factor in determining video discoverability or search rankings.

Instead, YouTube’s algorithm places more weight on factors like watch time, engagement, and relevance, using metadata such as titles, descriptions, and tags to better understand the video content.

Metadata Importance in YouTube’s Algorithm

Metadata Element	Importance
Category	Low
Title	High
Description	High
Tags	Medium
Watch Time	High
Engagement	High

Relevance of Categories in Today’s Meta Landscape

While categories may not be as influential as they once were, they still serve a purpose in the broader YouTube ecosystem. For creators, selecting the appropriate category can help provide context for their videos and signal to potential viewers what type of content they can expect.

Moreover, categories can assist advertisers in targeting specific niches, enabling them to reach their desired audience more effectively.

For viewers, categories can be useful for discovering new channels and content, particularly when exploring niche interests. Although the YouTube algorithm may not rely heavily on categories for recommendations, viewers can still use them as a starting point to navigate through the vast array of content available on the platform.

Conclusion

By understanding the role of categories in the current meta landscape, creators can better tailor their content and metadata to maximize visibility, reach their target audience, and ultimately succeed on the platform.

Tags meta data, optimisation, seo, views, youtube, youtube categories, youtube seo

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Does Changing YouTube Titles Affect Views? The Surprising Impact on Your Videos

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 24 March 2023

As a YouTuber, you may often find yourself asking, “Does changing YouTube titles affect views?”

The simple answer is yes, it can. Titles and descriptions are crucial components of your videos’ metadata and play a significant role in the overall success of your channel.

In this article, we’ll dive into the importance of titles and descriptions and explore how changing them can impact your views.

The Importance of Titles and Descriptions on YouTube

Titles and descriptions are not just labels for your videos; they help viewers understand what your content is about and determine if it’s relevant to their interests. They also play a significant role in YouTube’s search algorithm, affecting your video’s discoverability and ranking.

Why Titles and Descriptions Matter

Factor	Importance
Relevance	Viewers use titles and descriptions to decide if a video is worth watching.
SEO	YouTube’s search algorithm relies on titles and descriptions to index and rank videos.
CTR	Compelling titles and descriptions can increase your click-through rate and overall views.

Changing YouTube Titles: The Impact on Views

When you change a video’s title, you can potentially improve its discoverability and ranking in search results. A well-optimized title with relevant keywords can lead to increased views, as viewers are more likely to find and click on your video.

However, changing titles frequently or without proper research can have negative consequences. A poorly optimized title can result in decreased views and engagement.

Changing YouTube Descriptions: The Impact on Views

Similar to titles, modifying video descriptions can also affect your views. A well-crafted description with relevant keywords can improve your video’s search ranking, leading to increased views.

However, it’s essential to maintain a balance between keyword usage and readability. An overly optimized description that doesn’t provide value to the viewer can lead to a lower click-through rate and decreased views.

The Impact of Changing Titles and Descriptions

Change	Positive Impact	Negative Impact
Title	Improved discoverability, increased views	Decreased views, lower engagement
Description	Improved search ranking, increased views	Lower click-through rate, decreased views

Changing YouTube titles and descriptions can indeed affect your views. If done correctly, optimized titles and descriptions can lead to increased views, better engagement, and improved search rankings. However, it’s crucial to conduct thorough keyword research and maintain a balance between optimization and providing value to your viewers.

Remember that consistency is key, and making changes based on informed decisions and proper research will help you create a successful YouTube channel with a loyal following.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with your titles and descriptions, but always keep your audience and their needs in mind. Happy YouTubing!

Tags click through rate, ctr, seo, views, youtube seo, youtube titles, youtube views

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10 Reasons Why VidIQ Is a Must-Have Tool for YouTube Creators

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 23 February 2023

If you’re a content creator on YouTube, you know that getting your videos seen by the right people can be a challenge.

That’s where VidIQ comes in.

VidIQ is a powerful YouTube SEO tool that can help you optimize your videos for search, improve your channel’s performance, and grow your audience.

I have used VidIQ for the last 5 years and grew my YouTube channel from 7K subscribers to over 45K! You can try it for FREE here.

Here are 10 reasons why you might want to use VidIQ:

Keyword Research

VidIQ offers a suite of powerful keyword research tools that can help you identify the best keywords to use in your video titles, descriptions, and tags.

By using the right keywords, you can increase your videos’ visibility in YouTube search results and attract more views.

Video Optimization Tips

VidIQ provides detailed optimization tips that can help you make the most of your video content.

From title and description recommendations to tag suggestions, VidIQ can help you optimize every aspect of your videos to improve their visibility and performance.

Analytics and Insights

VidIQ offers a range of analytics and insights that can help you understand how your videos are performing on YouTube.

From engagement metrics to audience demographics, VidIQ can help you track your progress and make data-driven decisions about your content strategy.

Competitor Analysis

With VidIQ, you can also keep an eye on your competitors and learn from their success. VidIQ’s competitor analysis tools can help you identify what’s working for other channels in your niche and apply those strategies to your own content.

Trend Alerts

VidIQ’s trend alerts feature can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in your niche. By identifying popular topics and keywords, you can create content that’s timely and relevant, and attract more views and engagement.

Thumbnail Generator

VidIQ’s thumbnail generator tool can help you create eye-catching and engaging thumbnails for your videos. By using VidIQ’s customizable templates and design tools, you can create thumbnails that stand out in search results and attract more clicks.

Best Time to Post

VidIQ can also help you determine the best time to post your videos for maximum engagement.

By analyzing your audience’s viewing habits and engagement patterns, VidIQ can help you schedule your content to reach the right people at the right time.

Comment Management

VidIQ’s comment management tools can help you keep track of comments on your videos and respond to your audience in a timely and efficient manner.

By staying on top of your comments, you can build stronger relationships with your audience and improve your channel’s overall performance.

Channel Audit

VidIQ’s channel audit feature can help you identify areas for improvement on your channel.

By analyzing your channel’s performance and suggesting ways to optimize your content, VidIQ can help you take your channel to the next level.

Or if you want a more personal hands on channel review I offer my own 1-on-1 consulting service and video calls.

Customer Support

Finally, VidIQ offers excellent customer support to its users. Whether you have a question about a feature or need help troubleshooting an issue, VidIQ’s support team is always ready to help.

In conclusion, VidIQ is a powerful tool for YouTube creators looking to optimize their content and grow their audience.

With its suite of keyword research tools, video optimization tips, analytics and insights, competitor analysis tools, and more, VidIQ can help you take your channel to the next level.

So if you’re serious about growing your channel and attracting more views and engagement, consider giving VidIQ a try.

Q: What is VidIQ?

A: VidIQ is a YouTube SEO and analytics tool that helps creators optimize their videos for search and grow their channel’s audience. It offers a range of features and insights that can help creators improve their content strategy, increase engagement, and attract more views.

Q: What features does VidIQ offer?

A: VidIQ offers a suite of features and tools, including:

Keyword research tools
Video optimization tips
Analytics and insights
Competitor analysis tools
Trend alerts
Thumbnail generator
Best time to post
Comment management tools
Channel audit
Customer support

Q: How does VidIQ help with keyword research?

A: VidIQ’s keyword research tools can help you identify the best keywords to use in your video titles, descriptions, and tags. By using the right keywords, you can increase your videos’ visibility in YouTube search results and attract more views.

Q: How can VidIQ help me optimize my videos?

A: VidIQ provides detailed optimization tips that can help you make the most of your video content. From title and description recommendations to tag suggestions, VidIQ can help you optimize every aspect of your videos to improve their visibility and performance.

Q: Can VidIQ help me analyze my audience and track my progress?

A: Yes, VidIQ offers a range of analytics and insights that can help you understand how your videos are performing on YouTube. From engagement metrics to audience demographics, VidIQ can help you track your progress and make data-driven decisions about your content strategy.

Q: How can VidIQ help me stay up-to-date with trends in my niche?

A: VidIQ’s trend alerts feature can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in your niche. By identifying popular topics and keywords, you can create content that’s timely and relevant, and attract more views and engagement.

Q: Can VidIQ help me create eye-catching thumbnails?

A: Yes, VidIQ’s thumbnail generator tool can help you create eye-catching and engaging thumbnails for your videos. By using VidIQ’s customizable templates and design tools, you can create thumbnails that stand out in search results and attract more clicks.

Q: How can VidIQ help me determine the best time to post my videos?

A: VidIQ can help you determine the best time to post your videos for maximum engagement. By analyzing your audience’s viewing habits and engagement patterns, VidIQ can help you schedule your content to reach the right people at the right time.

Q: Does VidIQ offer comment management tools?

A: Yes, VidIQ’s comment management tools can help you keep track of comments on your videos and respond to your audience in a timely and efficient manner. By staying on top of your comments, you can build stronger relationships with your audience and improve your channel’s overall performance.

Q: What is VidIQ’s channel audit feature?

A: VidIQ’s channel audit feature can help you identify areas for improvement on your channel. By analyzing your channel’s performance and suggesting ways to optimize your content, VidIQ can help you take your channel to the next level.

Q: How can I get support from VidIQ?

A: VidIQ offers excellent customer support to its users. You can reach out to VidIQ’s support team via email or social media for assistance with any questions or issues you may have.

Q: How much does VidIQ cost?

A: VidIQ offers both a free version and a paid version with additional features. The paid version starts at $7.50 per month and offers more advanced tools and analytics.

Tags get more views, more views, optimization, seo, tubebuddy, tubebuddy vs vidiq, video ranking, video seo, vidiq, vidiq free, views, youtube, youtube seo

SOCIAL MEDIA YOUTUBE

Does YouTube Count Views From VPN?

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 24 November 2021

The quest for more views has become something of an art—or perhaps more accurately a science—in recent years, with YouTube experts trying to whittle out any and all means of increasing that number. Of course, the first step to being able to tease out these tips and tricks lies in understanding how everything works.

Does YouTube Count Views From VPN? – YouTube will count views from VPNs but these can sometimes be removed if they do not meet location and account checks. There are many factors that can harm video metrics via VPNs.

In this post, we’re going to be looking at the way YouTube treats views that come through a VPN—or virtual private network. As is often the case, there is no simple yes or no answer to whether Youtube counts views from VPNs; it all depends on the circumstances around the view, such as whether you are logged in to a YouTube account, and the “reputation” of the VPN network in question.

But first, let’s get a little grounding in the subject.

What is a VPN?

In essence, a VPN is a private network that operates across a public one. One way to think of a private network is your home network. If you have more than one device connected to your internet router at home, those devices form a private network that cannot be accessed from outside without credentials. Anything that happens in that network is hidden from the world, just as anything you do in the privacy of your home is hidden from the world.

Every device on a VPN will have some software that can encrypt and decrypt data. Any network traffic from those devices is then encrypted and sent over the public Internet to another device on the VPN which will then decrypt it and read it. Sticking with our house analogy, it would be a little like you and a neighbour building a tunnel between your houses so that you could visit each other without anyone seeing you.

Why Use a VPN?

The next question you might be asking is… what’s the point? Let’s stick with our (admittedly flawed) house analogy for a bit longer. Imagine we extended our network of privacy tunnels to encompass hundreds of houses across a large area. Now let’s say you were out doing a spot of retail therapy and you realised you were being followed by an assassin.

We don’t know why the assassin wants to get you… maybe they don’t like you building all the tunnels. Just go with it.

Now, you could run home, but then the assassin would know where you live. Instead, you run into a random house that is part of your network of tunnels. Now, the only thing the assassin knows for sure is that you went into that house, but they have no way of knowing where you went after that.

Of course, in this analogy, there are very visible tunnels all over the place, and it would be much easier for the assassin to figure out your whereabouts than it would for an online party to follow a user on a VPN.

As far as the assassin goes, granted you probably won’t be getting “chased” online, but you may want to avoid having your online activities tracked by the likes of Facebook and Google. Another reason to use VPNs is to access region-specific content. For example, Netflix presents you with the content library for the region you are in regardless of your nationality, place of residence, or where you signed up for your account from. That means that if you are a UK Netflix user on holiday in America, you’re going to get the US Netflix library.

So no Friends for you.

Using a VPN, you can access Netflix through a node that is in the United States, so as far as Netflix is concerned, that is your geographical location. The assassin watched you go into an American house.

Are VPNs Detectable?

There is nothing obvious about a VPN connection from the outside—there are no visible tunnels like in our analogy—but VPN networks can be outed over time, and their addresses flagged as part of a VPN. This doesn’t necessarily mean YouTube will block those addresses (though VPNs that are used in malicious attacks tend to get blocked), but it will change how they handle users coming from those addresses.

Does YouTube Count Views From VPN?

So, if you view YouTube through a VPN, does YouTube count those views? Firstly, if you are logged in to a valid YouTube account, YouTube won’t particularly care that you are using a VPN. Only a small amount of the data they want to track is related to your location, and with a logged-in account, they can be sure of the rest of that information.

As for anonymous views… we simply don’t know.

What we do know, however, is that if you were thinking of using this method to increase the view count on your video, you would definitely be going against YouTube’s terms of service by “artificially inflating” your view count. Of course, whether they could tie the behaviour to you specifically is a different matter. Another thing to consider is that it would take far more time to make a meaningful impact on your view count this way than it would to just grow your channel organically!

Why View YouTube Through a VPN?

Hopefully, you’re not trying to inflate your view count as mentioned above, but you may do it for other reasons. One example is to view region-specific content. It’s a relatively small number of the total YouTube catalogue, but some videos are locked out in certain regions, and this would be a way to view those. Another reason would be simple to view YouTube without your viewing history being tracked.

Final Thoughts

On balance, YouTube probably does count views coming from VPNs when those views are not suspicious. If the user is behaving like a bot or viewing the same video over and over, that may lead YouTube to decide to discount those views. The most relevant factor, however, is that this would be a terrible and ineffective way to gain views, so it’s probably not worth worrying about whether those views count.

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

I have been making youtube videos on and off since 2013.

When I first started I threw things together in Window Movie Maker, cringed at how it looked but thought “that’s the best I can do so it’ll have to do”.

Big mistake!

I soon realized the move time you put into your editing and the more engaging your thumbnails are the more views you will get and the more people will trust you enough to subscribe.

That is why I took the plunge and invested in my editing and design process with Adobe Creative Suite. They offer a WIDE range of tools to help make amazing videos, simple to use tools for overlays, graphics, one click tools to fix your audio and the very powerful Photoshop graphics program to make eye-catching thumbnails.

Best of all you can get a free trial for 30 days on their website, a discount if you are a student and if you are a regular human being it starts from as little as £9 per month if you want to commit to a plan.

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

Maybe you’re on a bus, a train or sat in a living room with a 5 year old singing baby shark on loop… for HOURS. Or, you are trying to make as little noise as possible while your new born is FINALLY sleeping.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

4. PlaceIT can help you STAND OUT on YouTube

I SUCK at making anything flashy or arty.

I have every intention in the world to make something that looks cool but im about as artistic as a dropped ice-cream cone on the web windy day.

That is why I could not live on YouTube without someone like PlaceIT. They offer custom YouTube Banners, Avatars, YouTube Video Intros and YouTube End Screen Templates that are easy to edit with simple click, upload wizard to help you make amazing professional graphics in minutes.

Best of all, some of their templates are FREE! or you can pay a small fee if you want to go for their slightly more premium designs (pst – I always used the free ones).

5. StoryBlocks helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

I can talk about skydiving, food, money, kids, cats – ANYTHING I WANT – with a quick search on the StoryBlocks website I can find a great looking clip to overlay on my videos, keeping them entertained and watching for longer.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Tags privacy, tracking, views, vpn, youtube, youtube views, youtube vpn, youtube vpns

HOW TO GET MORE VIEWS ON YOUTUBE SOCIAL MEDIA YOUTUBE

Fake Views on YouTube [Are they worth it?]

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 18 October 2021

YouTube is big business, and, unfortunately, that means a lot of people are willing to take risks to get an edge when searching for success on the platform. One of the more obvious ways of doing this is to literally buy your success. You can buy likes, subscribers, and, the focus of this post, views.

Unfortunately, life is rarely easy, and YouTube is no different. Shortcuts like these invariable end in metaphorical tears, so we thought we’d outline what we mean by fake views, and why you should steer clear of them if you want to succeed on the platform.

What Are Fake Views?

When we talk about fake views, we are not simply talking about views you have paid for. After all, when you pay YouTube to promote your channel through their advertising platform, you are essentially paying for views. The difference is that there is no guarantee on how many views you will get since you are paying for advertising.

The kind of fake views we are referring to are typically sold in amounts, and though there may be a margin for error in the number of views you actually get, the seller will often specify a number, and perhaps even guarantee that that as a minimum.

But how can that work?

Think about it, you can’t guarantee a viewer will want to watch any given video, that’s not how people work. The seller would have to have an enormous pool of YouTube viewers ready and waiting, spanning a diverse range of interests so that when you come along ready to pay for their eyeball time, the seller will be able to find enough viewers to meet the number of views they have promised.

And then there’s the compensation for those viewers. If you’re going to have a large pool of YouTube viewers on retainer, they’re probably going to want something in return. The promise of engaging content that interests them won’t be much of a draw, since that’s the same promise that YouTube makes for simply having an account. Then consider that you’re only being charged a few pounds or dollars (or whatever your local currency is) for these views, how much can the seller really offer these viewers?

Well, the answer is, of course, nothing. There are often no human eyeballs on the other side of these views, just bots. The seller can afford to give you 10,000 views for £5 (or whatever the going rate is) because they have already invested whatever time or money they need to in building their bot farm, and the rest is simply a matter of entering your video’s URL and clicking a button.

But, with that being said, are these views any good?

Do Fake Views Work?

Whether or not these fake views works is a subjective question, since “working” depends on what your goal is. If you just want to inflate your view counts for the appearance, then yes, fake views are effective. The numbers under your video will go up and it will look like you have far more viewers than you actually did.

This is a bit of a hollow game, however, since these views don’t translate into anything more than the numbers themselves. And, if you don’t have that many real human viewers, nobody will really care that you have tens of thousands of views.

What about more material metrics of success? Let’s face it, the thing most of us are concerned with when it comes to YouTube success is how much revenue our channel can generate for us. Well, that’s where fake views really start to fall apart as a path to success.

Revenue is generated from ad views and YouTube Premium subscriptions. Clearly, the fake viewer seller is not going to be buying YouTube Premium subscriptions for their bots—that would be a quick way to lose a lot of money. As for ad views, a sizable portion of ad views earn their money on interaction (clicking the ads) and bots don’t do that.

There is still money to be made from simply viewing an ad, of course, but YouTube—or, more specifically, Google—have built their business on selling advertising, and they’re not about to let that business collapse because advertisers are sick of wasting their money on fake views that don’t generate leads.

In other words, YouTube is very good at sniffing out fake views, and the improvement of that skill is one that is in constant and active development. It can also affect the numbers game we mentioned above since YouTube has been known to erase fake views from a video’s view count after the fact.

Another negative side of fake views is the way YouTube sees your channel. Even if a fake view gets through YouTube’s elite fake view defences, YouTube is going to see your channel getting a lot of views and very little engagement, which is a bad sign for your recommendation prospects. This means that, not only are fake views not helping you succeed in the short term, they can actively harm your chances of succeeding the right way in the long term.

Are Fake Views Allowed?

It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but fake views are not permitted under YouTube terms of service. Or, rather, you are not permitted to artificially inflate viewing figures.

Practically speaking, if you are not a serial offender, the worst you’ll face is probably your fake views being removed and your money wasted. That being said, YouTube could decide to take more severe action against you—such as banning you from the platform—and you should be prepared for that eventuality if you decide to take this risk.

Final Thoughts

Like many shortcuts in life, fake views are not worth it in the long term. And, with YouTube constantly improving their fake view prevention mechanisms, it is increasingly becoming the case that fake views offer little benefit in the short term, also.

It takes patience, but genuine, organic growth is the way to go, and there are plenty of resources right here on this blog to help you do just that!

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

I have been making youtube videos on and off since 2013.

When I first started I threw things together in Window Movie Maker, cringed at how it looked but thought “that’s the best I can do so it’ll have to do”.

Big mistake!

I soon realized the move time you put into your editing and the more engaging your thumbnails are the more views you will get and the more people will trust you enough to subscribe.

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

4. PlaceIT can help you STAND OUT on YouTube

I SUCK at making anything flashy or arty.

I have every intention in the world to make something that looks cool but im about as artistic as a dropped ice-cream cone on the web windy day.

Best of all, some of their templates are FREE! or you can pay a small fee if you want to go for their slightly more premium designs (pst – I always used the free ones).

5. StoryBlocks helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Tags buy youtube views, buying views, fake views, fake youtube views, get more views, views, youtube, youtube views

DEEP DIVE ARTICLE TIPS & TRICKS YOUTUBE

Can YouTubers See Who Viewed Their Video?

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 21 June 2021

Do YouTubers Delete Negative Comments? 2

It’s only natural in today’s data-saturated world to assume that content creators have access to a vast wealth of information about their viewers. And that assumption would be correct; YouTubers can see a great deal of information about the people who watch their content.

YouTubers cannot see who is watching their videos. Most YouTubers would LOVE to see who watched their videos, but this is not possible.

There are many data points for YouTubers to explore, but those data points stop short of telling you things like who is watching, liking, and sharing your content.

Can YouTubers See Who Viewed Their Video?

Of course, when we say YouTubers can’t see who has viewed their video, we just mean that there is no stat or dashboard panel that will show you your recent views, nor is there a link you can click on for a given video that will take you to a list of viewers. There are ways to infer some of your viewers, however.

For example, it is safe to assume that anyone who has commented on a video (and is not obviously spamming) has watched it. It’s not exactly of practical use from a data analysis point of view, but it may be useful in some cases.

What Can YouTubers See?

In terms of names, there are only two significant situations in which a YouTuber can see the who, and those are comments and subscribers.

Comments are a given, as every comment has a username attached to it. Not only that, you can click on them to head of to that user’s YouTube page. If they are also a YouTuber, this is a nice, easy way of getting to their channel if you want to check something out. It’s also sometimes abused by people posting all manner of attention grabbing comments in the sole hope that you will click on their name.

Subscribers are a little more complicated. YouTubers can see who has subscribed to their channel if the user in question has that feature enabled. Users can choose to keep their subscriptions private, which prevents them from showing up in the YouTuber’s subscriber list. They still count towards the total subscribers figure, of course, there’s just no way of knowing who they are.

Analytics

If there is one thing that Google is known for… after search… and AdSense… and a veritable graveyard of projects… it’s analytics. Google collects an immense amount of data about the people using its various platforms, and for the people who make Google money, Google likes to make life as easy as possible for them by giving them access to as much of that vast treasure trove of data as possible.

Can YouTubers see who viewed their video? No. But can they see what percentage of their viewers were white men in their mid-thirties residing in England? Absolutely.

A big part of Google’s data collection is anonymisation. Google themselves might not have opted to do things this way if they’d had the choice… but they didn’t have the choice.

So YouTubers can see a great deal of information that gives them insight into the type of person that is watching their video. Essentially, they can see demographics. They can see if the majority of their viewers are male or female, or if they are in the United States, even what device they are watching the videos on.

What the YouTubers do with that information is their own business, but if you are a viewer worrying about what your favourite YouTuber might be able to see about you; don’t worry, there’s no way for them to link any of the data they can see to you.

Why Would YouTubers Need to See Who is Viewing Their Videos?

The truth is; they don’t. This may go a long way to explaining why YouTube don’t let YouTubers see who is viewing their videos, but there really isn’t much benefit, and some of the ways YouTubers might use this information are even negative.

For example, if a YouTuber has been targeting another YouTuber with less-than-friendly behaviour, and finds that their victim has been watching their videos, it could add more fuel to their unsavoury fire.

On the flip side, there is no added value to being able to put usernames and accounts to the analytical data YouTube provides. Knowing that a specific person is watching your content doesn’t give you any significant insight into your channel’s performance, so why bother?

What Else Does YouTube Hide?

The names of viewers isn’t the only thing YouTube keeps from its content creators. YouTubers also can’t see the names of people who have liked or disliked their videos. In fact, the only time YouTube is explicit about a like is when the YouTuber themselves clicks the little heart on a comment for their video.

It is also not possible to directly tell who has shared your videos, though this particular metric is quite easy to find through other means, as it involves essentially just searching for links to your video.

Final Thoughts

In today’s privacy-concerned world, where huge corporations are routinely harvesting and selling our data, it’s understandable to be concerned about what information about you is being passed around behind the scenes.

It’s important to remember that, just because YouTube aren’t making your account name available to the YouTubers you watch, they are still collecting vast amounts of data about you, and you have to be comfortable with that if you want to use the platform as a logged-in user.

That being said, the typically unpopular part of this kind of data collection is less about personal safety—after all, your data is anonymised—and more about the fact that the company—YouTube in this case—is profiting from your data. The counter to this, of course, is that you agree to YouTube’s terms of service when you use their platform, and all of this is covered in those terms.

Regardless of the reason for your interest in this topic, we can say confidently that YouTubers cannot see who has viewed their videos.

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

I have been making youtube videos on and off since 2013.

When I first started I threw things together in Window Movie Maker, cringed at how it looked but thought “that’s the best I can do so it’ll have to do”.

Big mistake!

I soon realized the move time you put into your editing and the more engaging your thumbnails are the more views you will get and the more people will trust you enough to subscribe.

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

4. Learn new skills for FREE with Skillshare

I SUCK reading books to learn, but I LOVE online video courses.

Every month I learn something new. Editing, writing, video skills, how to cook, how to run a business – even how to meditate to calm a busy mind.

I find all of these for FREE with Skillshare – Sign up, pick all the courses you want and cancel anytime you need.

5. Shutterstock helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

I can talk about skydiving, food, money, kids, cats – ANYTHING I WANT – with a quick search on the Shutterstock website I can find a great looking clip to overlay on my videos, keeping them entertained and watching for longer.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Tags analytics, data privacy, privacy, views, youtube analytics, youtube viewers, youtube views, youtubers

TIPS & TRICKS

Do Dislikes Matter on YouTube?

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 11 August 2020

There are two ways to look at the topic dislikes and whether they matter. The first way is from your audience’s perspective; the second way is from the perspective of the YouTube algorithm.

Both of these perspectives are important, as they will ultimately determine how successful your videos are, though the impact of dislikes on each is markedly different.

So, do dislikes matter on YouTube? Everyone is in a rush these days, of course, so if you’re looking for a quick answer, it is yes. Dislikes do matter on YouTube, and for a variety of reasons. But they do not have a negative affect on ranking or views.

Is this why people beg for likes? Now that is a completely different blog posts, I deep dive into why people ask for likes here.

If you would like to learn more about what those reasons are, and how they affect your channel, read on.

Dislikes and the YouTube Algorithm

Dislikes do have a negative effect on your channel when it comes to the almighty algorithm, but it is an indirect negative effect.

YouTube places a great deal of significance on interaction and engagement, and dislikes fall under that umbrella. So, counter-intuitive as it may seem, dislikes can actually be seen as a positive thing by the YouTube algorithm if there are no other negative factors in play. But what might those other negative factors look like?

Well, if someone watches your video for twenty seconds, hits dislike, and closes the browser, that’s a bad thing. As far as YouTube is concerned, they didn’t like your content, and they left.

In terms of YouTube goals, that’s about as close to a cardinal sin as it gets.

If, on the other hand, they disliked your video but they watched the whole thing, and then went on to watch more videos on YouTube, well, from YouTube’s point of view, you held their attention, got some engagement out of them, and kept them on the site. That’s all good news as far as YouTube is concerned.

Now, even in that last example, there are adverse effects to your channel. YouTube may not penalise your channel’s exposure for dislikes if you are still getting plenty of watch time and engagement, but they do use those dislikes to gauge personal interest. That means there’s a higher chance that the user who disliked your videos will not get your content recommended to them in future.

Furthermore, YouTube may also decide not to recommend your content to other users with similar interests.

So as you can see, YouTube will not directly punish your channel for getting a lot of dislikes, but the indirect results of those dislikes could hamper your growth nonetheless.

But you may want to look into how to boost your retention and keep them watching for longer.

Dislikes and Your Viewers

Much as there are two ways to view the negative impact of dislikes on your channel, there are two significant ways to consider dislikes in relation to your viewers. The first of which is how they react to dislikes on your videos.

The impact that a high number of dislikes has on a viewers desire to watch a video is a little hard to quantify. From a purely anecdotal perspective, it doesn’t seem to make a great deal of difference.

Many people seem to start watching the content based on the thumbnails and titles and don’t even notice dislikes until it occurs to them to leave a dislike of their own. That being said, it is hard to think of a way in which dislikes would not have a negative effect on a viewers willingness to check your content out. At best, they might be indifferent.

The more important thing here is – what those dislikes are telling you about your content?

Remember, disliking a channel takes effort. Granted, it is not much effort, but more effort than not doing anything. YouTubers regularly ask their viewers to like their videos because it works, and it works because viewers just don’t think to hit like button a lot of the time.

What that tells you about your dislikes is that if someone was negatively affected enough to the effort of hitting dislike on your video. In other words; they meant it.

Of course, not every dislike is created equally—especially on the Internet. You certainly should not obsess over every dislike you get, but if you are consistently getting a high number of dislikes on your videos, it might be a sign that you need to rethink your content.

As for what constitutes a concerning number of dislikes, only you can accurately judge that. It is not a simple matter of more dislikes equals worse content for some channels, as there are channels that deal in controversial content, such as political commentary. For channels like this, dislikes should be judged proportionally, rather than as pure numbers.

If your like to dislike ratio is roughly half and half on average, you should take it as a warning sign.

And, just for a moment, even though it is not the target audience of this blog, it’s worth addressing people who are purely YouTube viewers, rather than creators.

It is important to remember that dislikes can happen for a wide range of reasons. It may be that the video quality was poor, or that the title was clickbaity. It could be a purely ideological thing as we mentioned above, or merely a divisive issue—or a divisive YouTuber. Dislikes are not a worthless metric to judge a video’s worth by any means, but let them be your only metric.

Dislikes and Monetisation

A question that will undoubtedly come up around this topic is what impact dislikes have on the earning power of your YouTube channel. Much like the impact on your exposure in the YouTube recommendation algorithm, dislikes do have a negative impact on your earnings, but only in an indirect sense.

Indeed, it is the very same mechanism that can lower your exposure that would also lower your earnings. In short, if fewer people are seeing your video due to fewer recommendations from YouTube, your earnings will obviously suffer.

Another link between dislikes and monetisation comes from the fact that controversial content—which is more likely to attract dislikes—may also turn advertisers off of your content. In this case, both the dislikes and the lack of advertising revenue are a symptom of the same thing, rather than one being caused by the other.

Common Causes of Dislikes

Understanding when dislikes are an indicator that your channel needs attention is only part of the battle. You also need to be able to work out what your channel needs in order to be set back on the right path. To that end, let’s look at some of the more common causes of an increased number of dislikes.

And, just to be clear, we are talking about objective problems here. The things we mentioned earlier, such as divisive issues, cannot be “fixed”. But if you run that kind of channel, you will know all about that.

Fix Poor Video or Audio Quality

If you’ve ever tried to watch a video where the visual quality is poor or perhaps the audio quality is not great in a video where listening to the audio is essential to the content, you will understand the frustration that it can cause.

Of course, improving the quality of your videos can be easier said than done. Recording equipment costs money, and not everyone can afford the latest and greatest cameras and microphones. But if the quality of your videos is causing your channel problems, it should at least be made a priority.

And you should certainly look into any methods of improving your video quality that do not involve spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on new gear.

The good news is that if you are getting dislikes on your video because of the quality, you are doing something right. It means people have found their way to your video in the first place, meaning you must have done a good job at titling your video and creating a thumbnail for it, and you must be providing content that people want to see. Compared to figuring that side of YouTube out, improving the quality of your videos is a relatively easy task.

Avoid Clickbait

One of the most sure-fire ways to generate a lot of dislikes is to use clickbait titles and thumbnails. Understand, when we say “clickbait” we mean the traditional sense of the word—as much as any Internet slang can be traditional—where the title and thumbnail are designed to bring viewers while not necessarily being representative of the content in the video.

There has been a shift in the use of the word recently to refer to any title that is tailored towards catching a viewers interest, regardless of whether it is an accurate representation of the video. In our opinion, a title that accurately portrays what the video is about and makes people want to watch it is a resounding success.

The problem comes when those titles and thumbnails bring viewers in but do not deliver on the promise that got them there. Short cuts rarely work when it comes to YouTube growth, and this is no different. You may see high numbers to begin with, but the annoyance and frustration at your video’s lack of delivery on its promises will generate dislikes. And, whether through a bad reputation or YouTube’s lack of recommendations—or both—any success you gain will start to dwindle.

Stick to the Script

The script, in this case, does not have to be a literal script—we’re not saying that the only path to YouTube success is through carefully scripting your videos and never improvising. What we mean here is that your videos should have a clear purpose, be coherent in the delivery of that point, and not waste the viewers time.

Again, there is a lot of wiggle room in this point. It would be a boring platform indeed if every video put across only the critical aspects of the topic and nothing else. But there is a balance to be struck between a bit of colour and personality, and rambling and waffling on.

Make your videos distinct. Give your viewers a reason to watch your content over someone else’s who covers similar things. But anything that isn’t serving that purpose or delivering the stated content of the video; consider cutting it from your gameplan.

Always Improve

Okay, it’s not exactly the most actionable advice, but a failure to grow as a YouTube channel can also cause you to start picking up dislikes. Even the most diehard of fans will eventually start to tire of your content if it feels stale and overdone.

Being engaged with your community is an excellent way to gauge what might work for your channel, saving you some of the trial and error of making videos and seeing what works.

Of course, we don’t recommend pivoting your whole channel overnight, but introducing new elements and trying new things is rarely a bad idea.

And in those cases, the dislikes can help you determine what works and what doesn’t.

Conclusions

Dislikes can undoubtedly point to problems with your content, though a dislike in and of itself is not necessarily a cause for concern. It is unlikely that the dislikes themselves will hurt your channel, however.

Instead, the damage to your channel will come from the cause of those dislikes, which makes it no less important to address a disproportionate amount of negative feedback on your channel, even if that feedback isn’t actively harming it.

Dislikes can be a great indicator that there are things that need fixing about your content, so it pays to keep a close eye on them. Remember to judge your channel on its own merit, though.

If you are making unobjectionable content—such as software tutorials—you can probably take dislikes as a pure metric on how good your content is. But if you are making something a little less wholesome, such as political commentary or videos about controversial topics, you should probably expect a certain amount of dislikes as a matter of course.

Try to gauge what is normal for your channel, and judge any changes based on that starting point.

And, remember, you can’t please everyone. Don’t ignore dislikes entirely, but don’t let them dictate your channel either. As always, you should strive to find a healthy balance.

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

I have been making youtube videos on and off since 2013.

When I first started I threw things together in Window Movie Maker, cringed at how it looked but thought “that’s the best I can do so it’ll have to do”.

Big mistake!

I soon realized the move time you put into your editing and the more engaging your thumbnails are the more views you will get and the more people will trust you enough to subscribe.

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

4. Learn new skills for FREE with Skillshare

I SUCK reading books to learn, but I LOVE online video courses.

Every month I learn something new. Editing, writing, video skills, how to cook, how to run a business – even how to meditate to calm a busy mind.

I find all of these for FREE with Skillshare – Sign up, pick all the courses you want and cancel anytime you need.

5. Shutterstock helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Tags dislikes, do dislikes hurt videos, do dislikes matter?, do thumbs down matter, marketing, seo, social media, thumbs down, views, youtube, youtube dislikes

HOW TO GET MORE VIEWS ON YOUTUBE TIPS & TRICKS YOUTUBE

Does Monetization Increase Views?

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 9 July 2020

Should I Start a New YouTube Channel or Keep My Old One? 1

Every YouTuber with any kind of ambition naturally wants to find any edge they can get when it comes to increasing their viewership. Hopefully, those edges are all above board. So when theories start flying around about things that potentially affect your views, it’s perfectly natural to want to know if those theories are correct. In this case, the theory is that YouTube monetization can increase your views.

Many YouTubers shun YouTube monetization for several reasons. Perhaps they don’t feel the inconvenience to their viewers is worth the revenue it generates. Perhaps the YouTuber is very brand-conscious and doesn’t want to run the risk of having ads that would not mesh with their brand running alongside their videos. It could also be because the YouTuber has signed a brand deal with a third party and part of the deal is they can’t run YouTube ads on their sponsored videos.

Whatever the reason, it would certainly be interesting to see how many of those YouTubers might change their mind about not monetizing their videos if they knew that it cost them views.

But does monetization increase views? – Monetization does not affect your views. Not directly, at least. They are two completely different systems. However if you was demonetized for not safe for advertiser content you make have also been restricted or aged gated, which will impact views.

But as with many topics relating to YouTube, there is more to explore. If you’d like to know more, keep reading.

Why People Think Monetization = Views

The idea that YouTube monetization might lead to more views is not a ridiculous one. YouTube spent much of its early life as a notorious money pit, struggling to make back the money it cost to keep this enormous platform of video content afloat.

It stands to reason that YouTube would place earning money quite highly on its list of priorities. And, if that were the case, it would quite naturally follow that videos that are monetized would get more of a push from the YouTube algorithm than videos that aren’t. After all, it is not just the creators that aren’t earning anything—videos that aren’t monetized don’t make any money for YouTube, either.

Not only do they not make any money for YouTube, but they also cost them money. Every video uploaded means more storage, more server capacity, more money.

So it makes sense that YouTube would want to push those videos that are going to earn them money over those that aren’t. Especially considering that the videos that are allegedly being buried are costing YouTube less money when they are not actively being watched.

As we said, the theory makes perfect sense. But we also said this wasn’t the case, so let’s get into that next.

Why YouTube Monetization Doesn’t Increase Views

The simplest way to understand this concept is to think of YouTube and Google Adwords as two separate entities. Yes, we know Google (technically Alphabet Inc.) owns YouTube and Adwords, but for the sake of understanding, pretend for a moment that they are a completely unrelated company.

Now, YouTube does not earn money, per se, Google does. Google is essentially YouTube’s sugar daddy in that it pays for YouTube to keep running, but from a monetary standpoint, the money made through YouTube goes straight into Google’s coffers.

Additionally, YouTube and YouTuber have no more control over the ads shown on their platform than a regular blog with an Adwords account does. In short, the two companies are operating almost entirely independently of each other.

Google likes to compartmentalize. Adwords is a platform for delivering advertisements across a variety of different mediums. YouTube is a platform for publishing video. Google is a search engine, and so on.

The critical factor here is that YouTube’s mandate has nothing to do with monetization as such; it has to do with watch time. Now, granted, the more watch time there is, the more opportunity there is to serve ads, and the more money will get made. But from YouTube’s point of view, watch time is the endgame.

Correlation is not Causation

There is more to it, as always, when you think about how YouTube’s motives might affect video plays. For example, YouTube will promote videos that garner more watch time harder than they will promote videos that don’t do as well in the watch time department.

Videos with considerably more watch time are typically worth more and have a better higher likelihood of being monetized. The fact that these videos are monetized and get more of a push from Google is unconnected, however. It is the watch time that drives both.

Similarly, one of the main reasons for videos not being monetized is ineligibility for the YouTube Partner Programme, either through not having enough views or subscribers or because of community guideline violations. Videos that fall into this category are often less engaging, either because they have offensive content, their creator is inexperienced, or the content is just bad. In these cases, those videos will not receive the same kind of push from YouTube that a monetized video will, but it is not because of the monetization.

If you need help in understanding how to get monetized on YouTube I did a deep dive blog highlighting all the hoops to jump through.

Another point of correlation can be found in sensitive content. Advertisers are increasingly shying away from certain types of content—anything offensive, violent, political, and so on. At the same time, YouTube is less likely to push the content of this nature because it may cause offence and upset. In this case, once again, the videos that are demonetized are pushed less by the algorithm. But it is the content of the video that causes both things to happen independently of each other.

It is important to remember that YouTube’s goal of more watch time is largely geared towards serving more advertisements. So it stands to reason that their criteria will be somewhat similar to the requirements Adwords has with regards to showing an ad on a video (or webpage for that matter).

It may seem a pointless distinction at times—if the two aspects of the equation are so closely aligned, what difference does it make if they are directly interacting or not?

But if you want to stack the odds in your favor maybe consider I have a whole page of tools, websites and software I use to make my videos super profession for next to nothing.

Why This Matters

If your goal is purely to make money, and you are already part of the YouTube Partner Programme, it won’t make much difference to you. Your content will still need to adhere to whatever criteria advertisers are enforcing if you want to monetize your videos. And if that criteria closely aligns with what YouTube wants in terms of algorithm-friendly content, all the better.

Similarly, if YouTube is just a video hosting service to you—if you neither need nor care about YouTube promoting your content, none of this is relevant. All you would need to do is avoid breaking YouTube’s community guidelines so as not to get taken down completely.

Where it does make a difference, however, is with video content that is intentionally not-monetized, or videos that are not part of the YouTube Partner Programme.

By knowing that it is not monetization that is causing videos to get more views, but the underlying metrics that drive monetization, you can ensure that your content meets the necessary criteria to get promoted by YouTube, monetization or not.

If you are not part of the YouTube Partner Programme but would like to be, knowing this will help you get the views and watch time you need to join the programme.

Do I Need Monetization To Make Money?

The next question that usually follows this type of conversation is whether or not YouTube monetization is necessary, and what the alternatives are. You may be surprised to learn how many new YouTubers are unaware of other monetization methods.

If you are one such YouTuber, don’t worry; you’re not alone.

There are several ways you can monetize your YouTube channel without using YouTube’s monetization system. One of the more popular ones being crowdfunding

With this method, your viewers would voluntarily said you money as a thank you for your content. The idea is that they would like to see more of your content, and by donating some cash to you, they will help to ensure that more content happens. The most popular example of this kind of model is Patreon, which allows recurring payments, similar to a monthly subscription. There are alternatives, however, such as Ko-Fi, which functions a little more like a tip jar than a subscription service.

Another method of monetization is through brand deals and product sponsorships – I did a deep dive on affiliate marking on my blog that drill down into potential earning anyone can get with a little hard work.

This is where a company approaches you independently (or through an ad network) and pays you to promote their product or service, or review something, or sometimes just wear a t-shirt or drink from a particular mug.

You will typically need to have a good following with substantial viewing figures before this kind of deal will present itself. This kind of arrangement is usually the most lucrative kind of monetization you can get on YouTube channel.

Another option is selling merchandise using print-on-demand services. These services allow you to supply products to your viewers without having to order in bulk upfront and store large amounts of product. Many companies offer this service, and YouTube even has its own alternative for YouTubers with over 10,000 subscribers.

Can Monetization Hurt My Views?

The first thing to note here is that monetization certainly won’t hurt your views from the standpoint of viewers being pushed to your content. If your videos are advertisement friendly, they have already met a lot of the criteria for the kind of video the YouTube algorithm likes to push. Of course, there’s more to it than that, and it’s what happens after a viewer lands on your video that makes or breaks it.

More watch time and engagement will lead to a video being pushed more by YouTube, and it is here where monetization has the potential to hurt your views.

There are situations when a pre-roll ad will result in the viewer clicking away before they ever get to the video—particularly in the case of unskippable ads. This tends to happen more on casual content, such as funny videos and memes—the kind of videos people end up watching when they are idly browsing through YouTube with no real aim in mind. These viewers are not particularly invested in the content, and so the little barrier to entry that a pre-roll ad presents can sometimes be enough to scare them away. This affects smaller channels in particular, as every view is essential in those early days.

Another example of monetization hurting views is when a video is overstuffed with ads. If a viewer gets the sense that they are getting advertised at too often, they may click away out of frustration. A viewer clicking away halfway through your video doesn’t directly hurt your views—after all, they have already been counted as a view. What it does do is harm your videos standing in the YouTube algorithm.

It will see users clicking away from your content and see that as a warning sign that perhaps your videos are not suitable for a recommendation.

Content First

While it is impossible not to consider things like monetization and YouTube’s algorithm if you are hoping to make a significant success out of your YouTube channel, the content you produce remains the best way to ensure success.

If you are creating content in one of the shadier area of YouTube (as far as the algorithm is concerned) such as politics, you may need to accept that monetization is not a practical option for your channel. There are other methods by which you can monetize your content, of course, but the common denominator is that you will need good content to do so. If you want to get monetized, you will need sufficient watch time and subscribers. If you’re going to attract brand deals, you will need a substantial following.

If you’re going to pursue a crowdfunding model, you will need to produce good enough content that people will be willing to donate to you of their own volition.

The key to success on YouTube always boils down to good content—making quality videos is the foundation of all YouTube success. Knowing how the algorithm works only helps you steer yourself in the right direction while making that good content.

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

I have been making youtube videos on and off since 2013.

When I first started I threw things together in Window Movie Maker, cringed at how it looked but thought “that’s the best I can do so it’ll have to do”.

Big mistake!

I soon realized the move time you put into your editing and the more engaging your thumbnails are the more views you will get and the more people will trust you enough to subscribe.

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

4. Learn new skills for FREE with Skillshare

I SUCK reading books to learn, but I LOVE online video courses.

Every month I learn something new. Editing, writing, video skills, how to cook, how to run a business – even how to meditate to calm a busy mind.

I find all of these for FREE with Skillshare – Sign up, pick all the courses you want and cancel anytime you need.

5. Shutterstock helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Tags get more views, money, more views on youtube, views, youtube view, youtube views

SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE

5 Overlooked Ways To Get More Views on YouTube – In 5 Minutes!

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 15 November 2019
No Comments on 5 Overlooked Ways To Get More Views on YouTube – In 5 Minutes!

Get more views on YouTube 2020 with a few methods you may have simply overlooked. There is a lot of things you can do to hook and keep people watching on YouTube but some of these aren’t banged on about as much as meta tags and titles. Today I am going to share with you my 5 Overlooked Ways To Get More Views on YouTube for small YouTubers.

How To Add Subtitles – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8F3IQJ5F0s
How To Add End Screens – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIaIByMoHv8&list=PL09mwoOn57VSjEpHNXq71Fn4dV2DBp70_

MARKETING SEO SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE

Get More Views on YouTube FAST with TubeBuddy, VidIQ & Morning Fame

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 11 September 2018
2 Comments on Get More Views on YouTube FAST with TubeBuddy, VidIQ & Morning Fame

Get More Views on YouTube FAST — Boost Views with TubeBuddy, VidIQ & Morning Fame // Small YouTubers can rank better in youtube, get more views, subscribers, and grow their youtube channel with these free youtube tools.

TUBEBUDDY — www.alanspicer.com/tubebuddy
MORNINGFAME — www.alanspicer.com/morningfame
VIDIQ — https://vidiq.com/#_l_ef
KEYWORDS EVERYWHERE — https://keywordseverywhere.com/

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► SUBSCRIBE FOR REGULAR YOUTUBE TIPS & TRICKS — https://goo.gl/oeZvZr ◄

SUGGESTED PLAYLISTS
=============================
▶️ Top YouTube Hacks — https://goo.gl/uB89Ap
✅ How To Get More Subscribers — https://goo.gl/7MVKPp
▶️ How To Optimise and Tag Your Videos — https://goo.gl/Tg9rd2
✅ How To Get More Views — https://goo.gl/AELTtm
▶️ IGTV Instagram TV Tutorial — https://goo.gl/Vi7pNc
✅ 10 YouTuber Secrets to Success — https://goo.gl/jWdcQd
▶️ How To Live Stream on YouTube — https://goo.gl/ToVrFJ

IMPORTANT LINKS
=============================
✅ FREE YOUTUBE TIPS eBOOK/PDF — https://goo.gl/E1LC43
▶️ SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT — http://amzn.to/2sBAs2Q
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NEED HELP GET IN TOUCH — Alan@HD1WebDesign.com

We can grow together, We can learn together… Start Creating!

► THANKS FOR WATCHING PLEASE REMEMBER TO LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE — https://goo.gl/oeZvZr ◄

Note — Some of my links will be affiliate marketing links. These links do not affect the price of the products or services referred to but may offer commissions that are used to help me to fund the free YouTube video tutorials on this channel — thank you for your support.

HOW TO GET MORE VIEWS ON YOUTUBE MARKETING SEO SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE

How To Clickbait Better (FAST GROWTH & MORE VIEWS)

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 26 July 2018
1 Comment on How To Clickbait Better (FAST GROWTH & MORE VIEWS)

Clickbaiting for more views and subscribers has always been a media tool. Clickbait has been used by newspapers for years to boost sales by using EYE CATCHING titles.

However you can CLICKBAIT without leaving a bad taste in your viewers mouths.

SEO SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE

How To Get More Views on Instagram TV (IGTV)

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 17 July 2018
No Comments on How To Get More Views on Instagram TV (IGTV)

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How To Get More Views on Instagram TV (IGTV) // IGTV Tips for Instagram TV to help you to help you get Instagram video views. Instagram TV Tutorial to maximise reach, get more Instagram followers and get igtv views.

IGTV Step By Step Tutorials Playlist — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTrdI0yqBaU&list=PL09mwoOn57VRGkCUjErQsS3eptrDksX8Z

#IGTV #Instagram #InstagramTV #Tutorials #StartCreating #HowTo

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1. Understanding YouTube Monetization

2. Joining the YouTube Partner Program in India

3. Identifying a Niche

Bollywood and Entertainment: Reviewing Movies, Music, and Celebrities

Overview

Content Ideas

Challenges and Opportunities

Education and Tutorials: Providing Guidance on Academics, Software, or Hobbies

Overview

Content Ideas

Challenges and Opportunities

Food and Cooking: Sharing Recipes and Culinary Techniques

Overview

Content Ideas

Challenges and Opportunities

Travel and Vlogging: Exploring Different Places Within India and Beyond

Overview

Content Ideas

Challenges and Opportunities

Technology and Gadgets: Reviewing and Explaining Tech Products

Overview

Content Ideas

Challenges and Opportunities

4. Content Creation and Optimization

5. Leveraging Social Media

6. Understanding Legal and Tax Implications

7. Collaborations and Brand Partnerships

nternet and YouTube Usage in India

Popular YouTube Content Categories in India (Views in Millions)

Top 5 Most Subscribed Independent YouTubers in India

Earnings and Monetization Opportunities

Challenges for YouTubers in India

Conclusion

A Netflix Original: Haters Back Off!

Controversies and Criticisms

The Decline of Miranda Sings

The Legacy of Miranda Sings

What is Average View Duration?

How it differs from other metrics like Watch Time and Views

Why Average View Duration is important for YouTube algorithm and audience retention

Factors Affecting Average View Duration

Video length

Content quality

Audience targeting and demographics

Tips to Increase Average View Duration

Encourage interaction and engagement

Analyzing Average View Duration for Continuous Improvement

YouTube Average View Duration Stats and User Behaviour

And finally…

YouTube Categories

The Reason for YouTube Categories

The Importance of Categories as Metadata

Metadata Importance in YouTube’s Algorithm

Relevance of Categories in Today’s Meta Landscape

Conclusion

The Importance of Titles and Descriptions on YouTube

Why Titles and Descriptions Matter

Changing YouTube Titles: The Impact on Views

Changing YouTube Descriptions: The Impact on Views

The Impact of Changing Titles and Descriptions

Keyword Research

Video Optimization Tips

Analytics and Insights

Competitor Analysis

Trend Alerts

Thumbnail Generator

Best Time to Post

Comment Management

Channel Audit

Customer Support

What is a VPN?

Why Use a VPN?

Are VPNs Detectable?

Does YouTube Count Views From VPN?

Why View YouTube Through a VPN?

Final Thoughts

Top 5 Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

1. VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

2. Adobe Creative Suite helps me craft amazing looking thumbnails and eye-catching videos

3. Rev.com helps people read my videos