As with most social media platforms, the best time to post on YouTube depends on your audience and the type of content you’re posting.
However, research suggests that the most active times on YouTube are weekday afternoons and evenings, between 2 PM and 4 PM Eastern Time, with the peak being around 5 PM to 6 PM Eastern Time.
Why is it important to know when YouTube is most active? Knowing the best time to post on YouTube can help you reach a larger audience and get more views and engagement on your content. If you post at a time when your audience is most active, your video is more likely to show up in their feeds and search results.
This can help you get more views, likes, comments, and shares, which can in turn help you grow your channel and increase your reach.
How to boost views on YouTube
In addition to posting at the right time, there are several other strategies you can use to boost views on your YouTube videos:
Optimize your title and description
Use keywords and phrases that your target audience is likely to search for in your video title and description. This will help your video show up in search results for those keywords, which can help you get more views.
Use eye-catching thumbnails
Your video thumbnail is the first thing people see when browsing through YouTube, so it’s important to make it eye-catching and engaging. Use high-quality images, bold text, and bright colours to capture people’s attention and entice them to click on your video.
Promote your video on social media
Share your video on your social media channels and encourage your followers to watch and share it. This can help you reach a wider audience and drive more views and engagement on your video.
How to localize content to get more engagement: Localization is the process of adapting your content to suit the preferences and needs of a specific geographical region or language. Here are a few strategies you can use to localize your content and get more engagement:
Use subtitles or captions
Adding subtitles or captions to your videos can help you reach a wider audience and make your content more accessible to people who speak different languages.
Use local keywords and phrases
Research the keywords and phrases that are popular in the region or language you’re targeting, and use them in your video titles, descriptions, and tags.
Incorporate local trends and culture
Make your content more relatable and engaging by incorporating local trends, culture, and references into your videos. This can help you connect with your audience on a deeper level and build a stronger relationship with them.
YouTube Statistics
Statistics
Value
Number of YouTube users
Over 2 billion monthly active users
Number of YouTube daily views
Over 1 billion hours of videos watched daily
Percentage of YouTube users
81% of 15-25 year-olds in the US
Average mobile YouTube session
40 minutes
Number of YouTube channels
Over 50 million channels
YouTube Engagement Statistics
Statistics
Value
Average time spent on YouTube per user
Around 40 minutes per session
Percentage of YouTube traffic from mobile devices
Over 70%
Average percentage of likes on YouTube videos
8-12% of total views
Average percentage of comments on YouTube videos
0.5-2% of total views
Percentage of YouTube users who subscribe to a channel after watching a video
70%
Video Localization Statistics
Statistics
Value
Percentage of internet users who prefer to consume content in their native language
72%
Percentage increase in video engagement after adding subtitles or captions
Up to 15%
Percentage of YouTube views that come from non-English-speaking countries
Over 60%
Number of languages YouTube supports for automatic captions
Over 10
Percentage increase in video reach when optimizing for local keywords and phrases
Varies based on region and language
What is the best time to post on YouTube?
The best time to post on YouTube depends on your audience and the type of content you’re posting. However, research suggests that the most active times on YouTube are weekday afternoons and evenings, between 2 PM and 4 PM Eastern Time, with the peak being around 5 PM to 6 PM Eastern Time.
These are the times when most people are likely to be online and actively browsing YouTube.
Why is it important to post at the right time?
Posting at the right time can help you reach a larger audience and get more views and engagement on your content. If you post when your audience is most active, your video is more likely to show up in their feeds and search results.
This can help you get more views, likes, comments, and shares, which can in turn help you grow your channel and increase your reach.
Can posting at the wrong time hurt your video’s performance?
Posting at the wrong time can make it harder for your video to get noticed and can lead to lower engagement and views. If you post when your audience is less active, your video is less likely to show up in their feeds and search results, which can limit its visibility and reach.
What are some other strategies for boosting views and engagement on YouTube?
In addition to posting at the right time, there are several other strategies you can use to boost views and engagement on your videos.
These include:
Using targeted keywords and phrases in your video titles, descriptions, and tags to make it easier for people to find your video in search results.
Creating engaging thumbnails that capture people’s attention and entice them to click on your video.
Promoting your video on social media and other channels to reach a wider audience and encourage people to watch and share it.
Collaborating with other creators in your niche to expand your reach and build your audience.
Engaging with your audience by responding to comments and encouraging feedback.
How can you localize your content to get more engagement?
Localizing your content means adapting it to suit the preferences and needs of a specific geographical region or language.
Some strategies for localizing your content and getting more engagement include using subtitles or captions to make your videos more accessible to people who speak different languages, incorporating local trends and culture into your videos to make them more relatable and engaging, and using local keywords and phrases to optimize your content for search results in specific regions or languages.
In summary, posting at the right time, optimizing your content, and localizing your content can all help you get more views and engagement on your YouTube videos. By understanding your audience, researching keywords and trends, and using these strategies effectively, you can take your YouTube channel to the next level and reach a wider audience.
The digital revolution has given birth to numerous platforms that have changed the way we consume content. Among these platforms, one name stands out, making its mark as a global phenomenon – YouTube.
Quick Answer – When was YouTube created? – YouTube was created by ex-PayPal employees Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim. They launched the platform on February 14, 2005, after facing difficulties in sharing videos online.
In this blog post, we will dive into the history of YouTube, explore its origins, and share interesting facts and statistics about this incredible platform.
The Founding Fathers of YouTube: A Deeper Look into Its Origins
YouTube, a name synonymous with online video sharing, was the brainchild of three innovative individuals who were once a part of the PayPal team.
Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, the three co-founders, each brought their unique skillsets and visions to create a platform that would soon become a global sensation.
The concept of YouTube was ignited by a personal frustration the co-founders faced in early 2005. The trio encountered difficulties while trying to share videos of a dinner party with friends. Existing platforms were either too complex or restrictive, which led the three visionaries to realize the need for a simple, user-friendly solution for video sharing.
Combining their talents in technology and design, they began to develop a platform that would allow users to upload, share, and view videos with ease. Hurley, a skilled designer, was responsible for the platform’s user interface and logo. Chen and Karim, with their backgrounds in computer science, focused on the technical aspects of the platform, such as video compression and streaming.
The Official Launch:
On February 14, 2005, the domain name “YouTube.com” was registered, marking the official birth of the platform. Over the next few months, the team worked tirelessly to refine the website and ensure its smooth functioning.
The public beta version was launched in May 2005, allowing users to upload and share videos without any subscription or payment. This decision to keep the platform free and open to everyone played a significant role in its rapid adoption and growth.
The First Video:
On April 23, 2005, the first-ever video was uploaded to YouTube. Titled “Me at the zoo,” the 18-second clip featured co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo. Little did he know that this humble video would spark a revolution in online video sharing.
Rapid Growth and Recognition:
By July 2006, YouTube was experiencing remarkable growth, with over 65,000 new videos being uploaded daily and around 100 million video views per day. The platform’s popularity caught the attention of investors, and it raised $11.5 million in funding from Sequoia Capital.
The phenomenal success of YouTube soon attracted the interest of major players in the tech industry. In November 2006, just a little over a year and a half after its official launch, Google announced its acquisition of YouTube for a staggering $1.65 billion in stock. The acquisition was completed the following month, solidifying YouTube’s position as a dominant force in the online video sharing landscape.
From its inception in 2005, YouTube has revolutionized the way we consume and share content. The vision and dedication of its three co-founders, Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, have created a platform that has transcended borders, languages, and cultures, making the world feel just a little bit smaller and more connected.
Key Milestones in YouTube’s History
Year
Milestone
2005
YouTube is officially launched
2006
Google acquires YouTube for $1.65 billion
2007
YouTube launches the Partner Program
2009
YouTube hits 1 billion daily views
2010
The first-ever YouTube video to hit 1 billion views
2012
Gangnam Style becomes the most-watched video on YouTube
2013
YouTube hits 1 billion monthly users
2015
YouTube introduces YouTube Red (now YouTube Premium)
Google’s acquisition of YouTube in November 2006 for $1.65 billion in stock was one of the largest acquisitions in Google’s history at that time.
The first video to hit 1 billion views on YouTube was “Gangnam Style” by South Korean artist Psy in 2012, which took the world by storm.
As of September 2021, the most-watched video on YouTube is “Baby Shark Dance,” with over 11 billion views.
Most Viewed YouTube Videos (as of September 2021)
Rank
Title
Artist/Channel
Views (billions)
1
Baby Shark Dance
Pinkfong
11.14
2
Despacito
Luis Fonsi ft. Daddy Yankee
7.64
3
Shape of You
Ed Sheeran
5.69
4
See You Again
Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
5.37
5
Uptown Funk
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
4.41
YouTube has come a long way since its inception in 2005.
It has transformed from a simple video-sharing platform into an essential part of our daily lives, offering us entertainment, education, and more.
As we look back on YouTube’s incredible journey, it’s clear that this platform will continue to innovate and entertain the world for years to come.
Q: Who created YouTube?
A: YouTube was created by Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim, all former PayPal employees.
Q: How did the idea for YouTube originate?
A: The idea for YouTube was born after the co-founders experienced difficulties in sharing videos online. They realized there was a need for a user-friendly platform for uploading, sharing, and viewing videos.
Q: When was YouTube launched? A: YouTube was officially launched on February 14, 2005.
Q: What was the first video uploaded to YouTube?
A: The first video uploaded to YouTube was titled “Me at the zoo” and featured co-founder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo. It was uploaded on April 23, 2005.
Q: How did YouTube grow so quickly?
A: YouTube’s rapid growth can be attributed to its user-friendly interface, the decision to keep the platform free, and the growing demand for online video content. By July 2006, YouTube had over 100 million daily video views.
Q: When and for how much was YouTube acquired by Google?
A: Google acquired YouTube in November 2006 for $1.65 billion in stock.
Q: How has YouTube evolved since its creation?
A: YouTube has evolved from a simple video-sharing platform to a comprehensive media hub, offering features such as live streaming, monetization for creators, YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV.
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
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.
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.
When you start out as a YouTuber, you are trying to achieve many things at once.
Most of your time is spent on thinking about content ideas, filming it, and learning how to edit it into a great video. With, perhaps, a bit of time dreaming about what you’ll spend your YouTube earnings on too!
But, eventually, you get to a point and think ‘hang on, how do I promote my youtube channel?’
You’re working from a standing start. You don’t have the budget for ad buys or an existing following from another platform to leverage.
Well, to get the ball rolling, and the subscribers racking up, you’ll need to spend a little elbow grease. Do some hard work. Because at the start you need to do all you can to get your name out there.
This means cross-promotion on social media networks. You need to be your own distribution network at the start, and create a spiderweb of content to catch your viewers. Then, well, it’s down to the quality of your content to then turn those initial viewers into long-term subscribers.
This blog post covers the big-four social media platforms you should be cross-posting your content on, how often you should do it, and what kind of material to publish.
Let’s get going.
A Brief Word of Caution.
The following tips won’t work unless you are a consistent YouTuber.
You can undertake all the promotional activity you like, but if you don’t regularly upload compelling content to YouTube, then your channel is set for failure. Mr Beast uploaded content for five years before his channel took off. Five years!
The content you’ll post to Twitter has a very short shelf life, in most cases, only a matter of hours. So it’s fine to post out lots of links to your content.
Look for a few popular hashtags that tend to trend frequently, rather than one-offs that happen to be trending at any particular moment. Don’t copy spammers and use hashtags that are not related to your content. You’ll only end up annoying Twitter users.
While following hashtags on Twitter is not possible, people do have favourites that they regularly look up so they can see the latest.
If users see your content under that hashtag, and it’s excellent, then you may get a new follower. Once you gain followers, then you can post out links to your channel and invite them to watch your content over on YouTube.
Think about what you tweet, though. Before you tweet, think carefully about what you’ll write – ask yourself ‘why would people care about this tweet?’ You have to engage people.
Look at the example below, posted with the phrase ‘New Vlog is up!!!’. Who cares!? Maybe his mother, but not anyone else.
Instead, give the Twitter users a reason to click on your link. The illustration below is much better.
Also, make sure to separate your link from the hashtags. Both are hyperlinks. So if your content is next to the hashtags, then fat thumbs can mean you could miss a potential viewer.
Promote Your YouTube Channel on Facebook
Two excellent places to share your new content on Facebook are on your own Facebook branding Page and in Facebook groups.
Create your own brand page. You won’t have any followers, to begin with, but post your videos there anyway. It won’t help your video to rank on YouTube but can help your video to rank for Google searches
The best part is that Facebook has already niched down the audiences for you. Whatever topic area you make your videos around, there is a place for you to share them on Facebook.
Tips for Promoting Youtube Content in Facebook Groups
When searching for groups to post your content to, make sure it contains enough people to engage with. There are plenty of groups with only a handful of members; keep searching until you find a large one.
For some Facebook Groups, activity drops over time. So, even if there is a large membership for a group, check the frequency of posts to make sure that it is worth your time to engage with it.
How you act in a group, once you have joined and been given access, matters. You have to engage with the group and be helpful. There is no point in joining a group to spam a link to your videos every once in a while. Instead, participate in the conversation, be helpful where you can, and when it’s appropriate, then share a link to your content. If you don’t, you’ll likely end up banned from the group.
Promote Your Youtube Channel on Instagram
Instagram is an ideal place to help build your YouTube audience.
Depending on the type of content you make for YouTube, you may be OK with using your existing Instagram account. If you don’t want to mix up your content with your personal Instagram usage, then create a new one specifically for your channel.
But it’s up to you. If you are the main focus of your YouTube channel, and ‘behind-the-scenes’ content might be valuable to followers, so use your existing account. If your YouTube channel is in a niche where you don’t show your face, then set up a fresh account.
Use Instagram to build up a following in your topic area. Spend some time browsing relevant hashtags to get an understanding of the type of content that is popular, then set out to emulate it.
Create Youtube Teasers
One of the best uses of Instagram to promote your YouTube channel is to create short 15-second teaser clips. Teaser clips can intrigue and draw Instagram users over to your YouTube channel.
A teaser is different and operates like a film trailer made by the big Hollywood movie studios. You intrigue and invite your potential audience to watch the full thing.
You can use your video editing software, or even better use a tool like Placeit to produce a compelling teaser. Placeit lets you quickly create teasers for Instagram (and other platforms) with handy templates and stock graphics.
Promote Your YouTube Channel on TikTok
The new kid on the block. Tik Tok divides opinion, some love the brash new social sharing platform, others criticise child safety and privacy issues. But, no-one can deny its reach.
It’s the new Vine, the platform to share short snappy videos, and there is a massive audience on this hot fresh platform.
TikTok has experienced incredible growth since its launch in 2016. The TikTok app has been downloaded over 2 billion times and now has over 800 million active users.
Use TikTok to post 15-second teaser clips like the ones you made for Instagram. Make sure to add a link to your YouTube channel in your bio, and direct people to your bio in your teaser clip.
Once you become as popular as Mr Beast, you can forget the profile link and afford to be sassy instead.
Conclusion
When looking for ways to promote your YouTube channel, don’t overlook the free options. Yes, it can be tempting to spend money you don’t have on ads and try and spend your way to success.
But YouTube is a long-term undertaking. You have to do the right things, regularly, to make a success of your channel. You’ll run out of advertising budget before you attract enough followers to make your channel a cash earning machine.
Look instead to the big social media players. There are millions of daily active users on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Get strategic and make promotional content for your channel to post on those platforms.
And make sure to do it right. You can spot spam posts yourself, so make sure not to post spam for others to ignore. Become a part of the conversation, help out other users, and when it’s right, direct them to your channel 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.
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!
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.
“They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but what about videos; I’d say they are worth a trillion words.”
You cannot deny it anymore; videos are now everywhere and video marketing is on the rise. It has grown even more prominently than just a few years ago and is convenient for brands to reach their customers.
You can argue that popular social media sites like Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram, Twitter, and others are good places to promote your content, but the truth is YouTube reigns supreme. People spend trillions of hours every day looking at videos.
One of the first things to do before you go about making your videos is to know what your audience, viewers, or customers want. You should be asking yourself questions.
Asking questions will help you to understand and make better videos for your audience, customers, consumers, or viewers.
Keywords & Research
Now that you’ve had a chance to know their requirements, you can start with subject / content research and gather keywords. When YouTube is concerned, keyword research is important. I cannot stress this enough.
Choosing the CORRECT keywords skyrockets your videos to the top. Choosing the WRONG keywords buries in heaps of search results.
Engaging Titles
This is another one of the important factors that make-or-break your YouTube video’s popularity. Literally, titles are what makes or breaks your video’s engagement and performance.
You have to craft engaging titles and grab your viewer’s attention without using “clickbait” headlines. People want entertaining content, and not one that says something but delivers something else.
Trailers, Trailers, Trailers
Before you run off and make your first YouTube video, create a video introducing yourself, your brand, and what your channel is about. This is a mini trailer to show to non-subscribers and persuade them to stick about and even subscribe to your content.
Need help with make a good trailer? I make a video all about that on my YouTube channel – check it here.
You know your audience, done your research, and have gotten that optimized video title, but now what? Now, you start to form the content of your videos.
If your video is not what people want, they’ll be lost in the infinite sea of other videos that nobody wants to see.
You have to create content that lures viewers, meaning videos on trending content. You can also repurpose an old article or blog post and create an engaging video your viewers will love.
Make Eye Catching Thumbnails
YouTube grabs a screenshot of your videos and uses these as thumbnails. Most times the image is blurry or you do not want this. Use specific fonts and styles so that it’s consistent with your brand’s look and feel. Use tools like Canva to create thumbnails.
Also, don’t make thumbnail to clickbait. You’ll lose subscribers in an instant. Thumbnails give a good first impression to your viewers of you and your channel, so make it eye-catching.
Put Yourself On Camera
Are you running your YouTube channel yourself or as a small business or start-up, then it’s better to put yourself in front of the camera. Putting a face to the brand lets your viewers easily associate with you.
This is particularly true for solo entrepreneurs; business, fitness, or life coaches; and bloggers. Also, use your photo instead of your logo on your YouTube channel if you are one of the above.
Win The Click
If your video is based on a project, show the final result at the start. A stunning result makes people more interested to see how you achieved it. This is a winner for makeover, beauty, home improvement, and DIY videos.
Telling stories is another fabulous way to tempt your viewers’ emotions. We all want to hear stories.
Viewers want to know what happens at the end of a story, so start with one.
Also, a personal story will endear you to your viewers.
Upload Videos Consistently
Just making videos with great content and then not doing it anymore is not enough. You have to be sustainable, meaning you have to do it regularly.
Doing it once is GOOD, doing it again is GREAT, but doing it again and again is FANTASTIC for you (brand or otherwise) and your viewers.
Stay Focused
AVOID nonsense and ramblings, don’t take long pauses, jump around topics, or be boring. This makes your viewers look at the recommended video section for interesting stuff. Make sure your videos are engaging visually or use stories.
Make sure the content you make is what your viewer wants. Ask your viewers for suggestions. You need to engage your subscribers and reply to their queries and comments on your videos.
Don’t forget to reply to negative comments also. It shows you are listening and active. You can use this to convert your audience into possible leads.
Brand Yourself and Your Channel
Don’t make your video look fake as this affects your viewers’ perception of your channel and you. Also, make sure your channel is visually appealing. You have to make it look authoritative. Branding a channel helps users to recognize it in a sea of content.
Be sure to match your channel to your website or blog’s look and feel; do not differentiate between them.
Cross Promote Your Videos
Cross promoting make you look more professional and uniform. You don’t know the subscribers you’ll get just by promoting on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, etc
Links in video description to nudge viewers to take a look (call-to-action)
End Screens and Info Cards
You might be thinking what is a Card? It is nothing but an interactive “panel” that slides in and out as your video is nearing the end. This is to nudge viewers with interesting content that they might like.
You’ll be able to add 5 panels, make the most of this. You can add text, images, or clickable links.
Subscribers, Subscriptions & Newsletters
Use your site’s email newsletter to grow your channel. Send embedded preview videos or links to new content and bring them back to your channel. You can always ask your audience to subscribe to your channel.
Do not ever pay for subscribers. This brings down the engagement and your authenticity is at risk in the long term.
End Screen Promotions
Use interactive graphics to link to another playlist, video, web page, or channel, or prompt them to subscribe to your channel.
You’ll be able to add them at then end 20 seconds of the videos. Plan this out, and make sure you know where they will appear.
Chase Trends
Check out your competitors and see which videos are ranking higher with better engagement. Keep checking out and refining the topics and workflow until you have a process that is well-oiled.
There isn’t any replacement for hard work. Always search for patterns like subject, editing style, or delivery system and create videos like those.
Improve Your “Watch Time”
Make your video as long as your topic requires. Nowadays, longer videos result in more watch time. This boosts your videos in YouTube’s algorithm.
Do not make videos longer just to make them longer. You will lose viewers. Generally, 7-15 minute videos perform better.
Content Mix Strategy
Always try to make videos that serve you channel’s community, perform well in search, and are shareable. You can post regular videos for your product, service, brand, or other things.
You need to mix the types of videos as well.
Along with the regular ones you can have videos that contain responding to comments, answering questions, interacting via live video as well.
You will have two channel’s subscribers seeing your videos meaning more subscribers, viewers, and reach. Collaborate with guests or co-hosts that fit your niche only.
To get subscribers and growing your channel, you need SEO. YouTube results actually pop-up before other traditional blogs, articles, or websites.
Some fantastic tools for YouTube SEO are TubeBuddy and VidIQ – They help with keyword research, ranking and even your thumbnails – check out my resource page for more tools to help with SEO & Branding.
Do how-to’s, product reviews, and long-form (7-15+ minute) videos covering specific topics to rank higher.
Giveaways and Contests
Hosting giveaways is a one of the quickest ways to gain subscribers. Base your giveaway on your channel’s niche.
YouTube viewers love giveaways. Host giveaways or contests and encourage people to subscribe and engage with your channel.
Embed Your Videos
YouTube does not give you options to promote videos. This is why you need to have a website. Make a detailed blog or article that coincides with your channel and gives people the ability read, watch, or do both.
Embed your videos in your website or blog post and promote it to your email subscribers. Add a video widget to your blog post or website as well.
Creating, Organizing, & Promoting Your Playlists
With the increase in videos you’ll create, people will find it more difficult to navigate your channel.
This is a great option to boost engagement without spending much time. Live-streaming does have a learning curve. After you have learned it properly, it is the easiest way of creating video content. On YouTube, live-streaming is called YouTube Live.
It provides splendid engagement opportunities as you can communicate directly with your viewers. You can so some live streams on topics such as Q&A Sessions, Webinars, Tutorials, Product Demonstrations, etc
Should I Try Paid Adverting?
Just using organic growth is good, but you’ll have to add paid promotion at one time or the other to speed things up. Create an ad campaign and help drive subscribers and viewers to your page.
This is similar to Facebook Ads, but is tailored towards YouTube.
Deep Dive Into The Community
Other than promoting your videos to grow your channel, you need to be active in the community. This allows you to get feedback, network, and share interests with people having the same goals.
Attend events like Content Marketing World or VidCon and meet other creators like yourself and promote your videos.
Analytics, Analytics, Analytics & There’s Data Too
YouTube’s analytics and reports are crucial to your success. Your analytics are tailored to your channel and provides an opportunity for you to improve.
Do not stay away from analytic because it feels overwhelming. If you avoid it, it will not help you to understand it.
Publish to Social Media
Last, but not least is publishing to social media and promoting the hell out of it. This is no secret that video kills it with engagement and boosting performance in terms on social media.
Regularly promote your channel and videos to your followers and encourage them to become subscribers.
As soon as you upload your video, let your followers on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn know. Create previews or snippets for each social media platform and link it to an accompanying blog post or article on your website.
Conclusion
Driving participation using quality content is what makes up for engaged followers who advocate your brand to others. Always be true to yourself and your brand, and be in constant communication with your viewers.
Develop quality content, make thumbnails to grab viewer’s attention, deliver as promised, start videos using a strong hook, and keep things interesting. Overall, you’re creating an experience to keep your viewers’ engaged.
Did you like my post on “How to grow a YouTube channel?” Did you try any of these in your videos? What results did you get?
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Secret To Growing on YouTube – I have been on YouTube for 7-8 years and for 2 1/2 of those years I have been making YouTube help tutorials and tips videos. I am about to hit 10K subscribers in the coming months and I have a secret that everyone can use to do the same. You have to make people care and offer them something worth their time.
When growing on social media there are a few things to bare in mind, here is my secret formula.
1 – Lead with Value – Give them something they want.
2 – Slowly introduce personality.
3 – Be stubborn – Stick with your niche, keep going, keep investing and getting better.
4 – NEVER Give Up!
Nobody Cares About Your Channel – How To Grow On YouTube (RANT) – How To Grow on YouTube? Make people care about YOU! It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been on YouTube, it doesn’t matter if you upload daily, it doesn’t matter if you have 2000+ videos – If you don’t give them a reason to remember you, if you don’t give them a reason to CARE about YOU then you will NEVER grow in the long term!
You need to stop focusing on YOUR NEEDS and understand what YOUR AUDIENCE needs FROM YOU. There are millions of other channels that are fighting for eyeballs and if you are not giving them a reason to invest in your channel, they will LOOK ELSEWHERE! Lead with VALUE!
Take YouTube Seriously – How To Grow on YouTube #Rant // Growing on YouTube is hard and needs some serious commitment. Are you serious about your long term goals and are you truly doing everything you need to do to stand out and grow a youtube channel in 2019?
How To Grow A Channel on YouTube – So many start a YouTube channel, upload a few videos and then dream that this is their new live, their new job but then they fail to commit to how serious an idea becoming a full time YouTuber is and stop doing whats needed to grow their channel.
Niche – Are you uploading random content. Are you trying to tackle every topic all at the same time. Its hard to grow a YouTube channel and to build an audience if the audience doesnt know what your core focus is. If I subscribe to a channel because I like their cooking content but they then make gaming, walking, movie reviews in the next 3-4 videos…. this will alienate me and what I subscribed for and I might never watch again. Topic one topic and drill down into it.
Lead With Value – Why should I watch your videos? What do you give me that I can’t get from someone else? What can you teach me in your next video that is worth the 3-7minutes that I just invested in your content. The value proposition is key to a successful channel. If you watch my videos you will learn how to grow your youtube channel with tutorials and tips, if I watch your disneyland vlog – will I be better off for it after consuming it?
Bulk Uploading Videos – Just because you can make 3-4 videos a day, does not mean you should upload 3-4 videos a day. People will only ever watch as much as they want to. If you upload 3-4 videos a day you will burn out your viewers and they might watch the first or second videos but even the most loyal and dedicated audience gets fed up by the 3rd hour of their favourite wrestling program in the same night. Pace your content to 1 a day at most, or even 3-4 a week if possible. Anything more than 2 a day and YouTube stops pushing your videos out to your audience.
Regular Uploads – Learn from the TV shows you love to watch. Game of Thrones is always released on a Monday and your favourite tv soup is on the same time and same days every week. This is deliberate so you learn where, when and how to find a show and you should do the same. If you know your favourite YouTuber uploads every Mon/Wed/Fri then youll be waiting for them to upload and it helps people build you into their every day routine – Cup of tea, slice of toast, listen to the Start Creating Podcast every Tuesday.
Branding – To grow a YouTube channel on the clutter crowded space of 2019 you need to stand out and look professional. A good thumbnail and channel banner can really help with this. In fact a consistent thumbnail style can be the thing people recognise more than your face.
Keep Learning And Grow On YouTube (DEEP DIVE) // The secret to non stop growth on youtube, life and business is learning. If you keep learning new skills, keep learning your niche then you can keep talking about it and teaching people. You can grow your channel and secure your future success by learning marketable skills that can add to your income.
Grow Your YouTube Channel While Learning – I have been on YouTube since 2012 and I strive to get better with every video. Every chance I get I listen to audio books, watch videos and experiment with new platforms to see how this can help my audience and expand my overall reach, and you should to!
How To Trigger YouTube Growth — Snowball Effect for Views in 2019 // The YouTube Algorithm can trigger youtube channel growth and snowball your channel views, search and rankings. Grow your youtube channel but triggering the youtube snowball effect, trickle feed your videos views over time and they will rank better.
Grow Your YouTube Channel — 100 Videos To Success YouTube Growth Strategy 2019 // YouTube Growth 2019 is hard but it can be soul destroying if all you do is watch your numbers. I am asked “how can i grow my channel” all the time. People asking why they have XX subs but no views etc. What i say is you should not even be looking at number until you do are 100 Videos to Success and YouTube Growth.
If you focus on making your first 100 videos and not on the views and subscribers, you will then be able to see how to improve your videos. You will learn how to make videos, get comfortable on camera, light your videos and build your skills.
You can grow your youtube channel in 2019 but you have to do the leg work first, run the marathon not the sprint!
My tried and test youtube channel growth strategy that help people learn and grow their youtube channel using the power of evergreen how to content. Grow a youtube channel fast with searchable, rank high in youtube search and get more views with tutorials.
How To videos are my secret weapon when it comes to youtube success, youtube views, growing on youtube and getting more subscribers in 2019. If you can help people with How To evergreen content you will win their loyalty and increase views, engagement and subscriber counts!
Creator Fundamentals, Dan Currier shares his Tips for Small Youtubers – 10 Small YouTuber Growth Tips // Grow on YouTube with these tips. Dan teams up with the Alan Spicer channel to get you started.
1 – Sharing – Make sure when you are trying to grow on youtube that you to not spam your content and annoy people. There is always a right way and a wring way to share your content. Take part in the community and earn their trust before you start posting your content links.
2 – Heart Comments – Grow On YouTube by showing people you care about their comments. On the comment section of your videos you are able heart comments. This then send the comment owner a notification via email telling them you think their comment is special. This could win them back to your video for another view, comment or subscribe.
3 – Shout Outs – Everyone seems to think that to grow on YouTube you need to get a shout out from a huge YouTuber. This is a myth and in fact could set you back in the long run as you get subs that are their for the large creator and not you.
4 – Subtitles – Grow on YouTube by growing your audience base. Your channel will have a base of viewers that regularly watch your content. But if you check your demographics you might see a country that watches your content and might speak a different language. Add subtitles to help them read along.
5 – Link To Playlists – If you are already getting views on YouTube then you nee to grown on Youtube via playlists. When you share your video out, dont just share the video link, share the video linked in a playlist… you might get them to binge your content.
6 – Info Cards – Keep your audience engaged and hook them into your next video by prompting them with info cards. These are visible on YouTube mobile and can be a good way to reference other videos during a related video, or link to playlists.
7 – Build A Community – To grow on youtube you need to grow the community around you. The more people can find you the more likely they are to join your community and share you. Open a facebook group and grow it alongside your Youtube channel and use that to ask questions and involve your viewers.
8 – Live Streams – Engage your community by showing them your personality in a live stream. These can be much more humanising that the standard pre-recorded content you uploaded. Its a great way to give back to your audience, create quick content and maybe even make some money with Super Chat.
9 – Small Improvements – You will not be perfect on day one. The more you learn the more tweaks you can make and small improvements really do add up over time.
10 – YOU YOU YOU – Did you know that the best way to grow on youtube is to be direct and form a one on one connection with your viewers. The best way to do this is with YOU Language.
Best YouTube Growth Strategy from a YouTube Certified Expert for FREE // FREE Channel Growth on YouTube is down to best practices but a good youtube channel growth strategy for youtube mixes branding, niche development, keyword research and watch time growth to boost overall channel performance.
1 – Pick Your Niche – You need to be comfortable about making videos on this topics for a long time, so pick something you like and can nerd out about for months and years to come. You will need to build your YouTube growth strategy around specialised topic within that niche for example, GAMING and then the sub topic of DESTINY 2. The sub niche is the key part of this. If you was to just pick the broad topic of GAMING it will be hard to establish yourself as a though leader or expert in that wide rang of videos.
2 – Ask Yourself Questions – The best way to find topics that are evergreen and will interest your audience is to ask yourself questions. If you could go back 3-4 years ago to when you first fell in love with the topic you are thinking of making video for, what would YOU want to know about it? If you could ask an expert 20 questions on the topic, what would YOU ask them? Now those are your first 20 How To videos to feed the YouTube growth Strategy evergreen search friendly system.
3 – Keyword Research – For you to expand your reach beyond your subscriber base and lure more viewers to your content from outside your community bubble, you need become search friendly. This means researching the best keywords to sprinkle into your video titles and descriptions to improve your relevancy and rankings.
4 – Video SEO – Titles, description and tags are very imports in a YouTube Growth Strategy. A keyword rich title, a long thoughtful description and well researched tags help feed the youtube algorithm and can deliver some really solid traffic in the long term.
5 – Video Series – To boost your watch time and really dial in your YouTube growth strategy you need to be thinking of playlists and series. Pick a topic you want to talk about and break it into 5-6 pieces. This can then be used as 5-6 videos in a series. This could be a tutorial or a lets plays but the idea if that if someone watches 1 of them, they will want to watch the others to get the full scope of the series you have made.
Why Is My Channel Growth So Slow? – Growing Slowly on YouTube – YouTube RANT // How To Grow on YouTube is a question I am asked on a regular basis. Everyone seems so worried that they are growing slowly… but I say SLOW growth is good, SLOW growth is better than NO GROWTH. Use the time to LEARN how to grow your channel, learn how to get better at YouTube, learn what your AUDIENCE is looking for.
YouTube is a long haul game and you should not expect rapid growth within a week. In fact you should be focusing on getting better and should ignore the views and sub count until you have at least 100 videos. This gives you time to learn what you need to do to make videos, what your audience wants and how you can share your videos properly. Once you have the practice, you will have the skills you need to grow your channel more reliably.
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