Given the simplicity of YouTube, increasing video views and engagement sounds like it would be a basic process, i.e., create good content, set it live, and alert consumers. Right?
Wrong.
Like anything that sounds simple, changing a tire, getting a colonoscopy, spending an afternoon with your mother-in-law, etc, increasing video views and engagement on your YouTube Channel is easier said than done. Why? Because people often overlook key features when setting up a YouTube Channel.
To avoid a similar trap, here are some tips that can take your video views from good to great.
1. Strategically Select A Category
In other words, choose a category that is appropriate for your video content. Simple? Yes, but important. There are only fifteen categories to choose from on YouTube and you can only pick one, so think smart. You may be a health care brand, but since there isn’t a health category, you may need to be creative in how you categorize your video.
If the info you’re presenting is educational, you will want to select the education category because that’s what the content of your video most closely aligns.
If you want a lot of eyes on your video consider the category that will get the most views on a given date or time period.
For example: If your video is going to be shown during the Super Bowl, selecting the sports category is the appropriate choice. The sports category will have more eyes on it because there’s going to be a lot of people on that channel following the game. Even though the video might not mention anything about sports, it’s still a relevant category with a strategic spin.
It’s important to select a category that will provide the most exposure for your video so if it’s a highly competitive category where your content can’t compete (for example, music is very competitive with top music videos), it’s recommended that an alternative category be selected as long as it’s still appropriate.
2. Allow your video to be embedded on external sites
By enabling this option you are increasing the number of channels you can appear on and allowing for greater exposure. If you have relevant websites or blogs in mind that you want your content to appear on reach out to them as well and provide them with the embed code to make it simple for them to re-post your content.
3. Enable comments and ratings
By enabling the comments and ratings options you are increasing interaction with the social aspect of your video and therefore starting a conversation as well as opening up the possibility for your video to win awards and honors such as Top Rated and Most Discussed video of the day.
There are options to allow comments with approval only as well. If you have content that could possibly elicit questionable conversations you will want to have control to approve each comment before it appears on your page.
4. Make your content available on mobile devices
This is an option you can select in the edit section on YouTube. More and more people are viewing video on their mobile devices and if this option is disabled you are losing potential reach and may also not be found if people are searching for you on a smart phone.
5. Promote your content with paid media
By utilizing a paid search campaign or a YouTube Promoted Video campaign, you can capitalize on consumers who are searching for your brand terms or terms related to your video and direct them to a relevant video on YouTube.
An additional benefit of utilizing paid media on YouTube (in the form of YouTube Promoted Video ads) is that overlay call-to-action ads are provided as a value-add. This allows you to include a hyperlink to your brand’s website or other social channel within the video, increasing the likelihood that they will complete a desired action such as connecting with your brand on Facebook, purchasing a product or signing up for an email newsletter.
Content selection, embed options, comments, and mobile availability are all key factors in creating an optimized YouTube channel that will encourage video views and engagement. And though setting up your YouTube channel for success will require strategic planning, time and energy, we promise it will be easier than an afternoon spent with your proctologist.]]>
Given the simplicity of YouTube, increasing video views and engagement sounds like it would be a basic process, i.e., create good content, set it live, and alert consumers. Right?