With over one billion users under its belt, Youtube has essentially captivated one-third of the internet. But the world’s second-largest search engine isn’t stopping there; with local versions in more than 88 countries, and with 76 different language options in its UI, Youtube has the capacity to serve 95% of all internet users.

 

Such a massive following makes online video marketing an exciting and fruitful endeavor. But the way it’s surrounded by a great deal of unknown factors makes it hard to definitively state exactly how to get more views on Youtube.

 

In order to provide aspiring Youtube creators with a steady foothold on the Social Media Marketing (SMM) field, MVP —through extensive research and experience— has compiled eight (8) tips on how to increase your youtube views.

 

1) Focused Content

When asked what was the key to success, Bill Gates and Warren Buffet wrote down the same word, “focus.” And the focus is exactly what’s needed to forge a successful Youtube channel.

 

There’s a reason why the top Youtube content creators opt to use multiple channels when it seems more logical to funnel all of their videos into their most popular channel. They do this because the Youtube algorithm favors channels that contain focused content.

 

To go one level deeper, the algorithm is set up this way because users subscribe to channels with the expectation of seeing more of the same content.

 

Youtube’s subscription system is one of the features that makes it more appealing than cable TV. Users have a deep sense of control over the content that they see on Youtube, and unfocused brands undermine that sense of control.

 

This is why it’s best to pick a niche topic and stick with it. Businesses that cover a diverse range of fields can still thrive in this environment through the creation of numerous channels. Networking these channels requires additional effort and resources, but it’s better than having a consolidated channel that’s doomed to obscurity.

 

2) Video Keywords

Conventional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques can’t be directly applied to the video format because most of these techniques have something to do with keywords and backlinks. However, this doesn’t mean that conventional SEO doesn’t work with Youtube. In fact, Youtube SEO essentially follows the same principles albeit their application takes a slightly different turn.

 

There is a certain category of keywords that turn up more video results over other content types in the Google search engine results page (SERP). These kinds of keywords are called video keywords and they are usually words that are related to tutorials, reviews, and other instructional or educational materials that are better discussed through a visual medium.

 

Through the use of these video keywords, it’s possible to use search engines as a means of driving traffic to your Youtube Channel. Unfortunately, incorporating keywords into the script or graphics of your video presentation is a useless endeavor considering Google and Youtube can’t watch or hear videos.

 

Instead of incorporating them in the video itself, these video keywords should be inserted in the title, the video description, and the tags of the content that you want to optimize.

 

3) Video Length

Way back in 2012, Youtube made some changes to its algorithm that radically changed the type of content that prospered in its space. In the early days of this platform, videos that were short, funny, and absurd, dominated the rankings.

 

However, in a bid to encourage people to spend more time watching videos, Youtube changed its suggestion algorithm so that it favors longer videos. The evidence suggests that things haven’t changed since then because if you look at the highest-ranking videos on the platform, their average run time is about 15 minutes.

 

It would also seem that video length as an optimization variable has diminishing returns, considering that the video rankings aren’t dominated by the countless hour-long videos that are available for viewing on Youtube. In fact, it’s a general consensus that a video only needs to be 10 minutes long to reap the full benefits of this algorithm attribute.

 

4) Viral Topics

A lot of business marketing firms claim that they have the philosopher’s stone of viral videos and that they can, on-demand, generate a viral hit. But the truth is, not even the creators of viral videos know exactly how they pulled it off.

 

Behind the worldwide connection that we call the internet, lies the collective quirks of human society. If we haven’t even fully grasped how one mind works, how can we accurately predict the reaction of millions of anonymous minds to a certain video?

 

What we can do, however, is to connect the dots and find the similarities between most viral videos. One common factor that these videos share is relatability. After all, it’s only logical for a video to have a shot at being viral if it deals with a situation that the majority of users can relate to.

 

Obviously, there is a lot more to viral videos than relatability. Oddly enough, the next trait that these videos share, seems to contradict what we have just established. Most, if not all viral videos, are incredibly unusual. As paradoxical as it may seem, it is possible to create a video that’s both relatable and unusual.

 

Take Casey Neistat’s viral hit, “THE $21,000 FIRST CLASS AIRPLANE SEAT.” At the time of this writing, this video has been viewed over 43 million times. Its subject matter revolves around something that most people deal with semi-regularly, which is flying. While most people can experience flying at least once in their lives, it’s mind-bogglingly unusual to find someone who’s willing to pay $21,000 dollars for an airplane seat.

 

5) Call to Action

There is this social psychological theory called the Bystander effect. It states that bystanders have the tendency to take no action in an emergency situation; a tendency that grows stronger when there are more people around.

 

This happens due to a diffusion of responsibility, with each person thinking that someone else will help. Most of the time, no one does. A surefire method to break through this phenomenon is by using a “call to action statement.”

 

By explicitly calling someone out to do a specific task, you can bring back the sense of responsibility and urgency that was taken away by the bystander effect.

 

An effect similar to this happens in online communities as well. It’s quite possible to have fans that aren’t subscribed to your channel, not because they don’t want to, but because no one told them to. The solution to this is the same, you have to fashion a “call to action statement” that directly addresses them to click the subscribe button.

 

A larger subscriber pool innately increases the number of views your Youtube channel receives each day but this effect is greater than most realize. This is due to another Youtube algorithm attribute that grants channels with more subscribers greater exposure through the platform’s video suggestion feature.

 

6) Consistent Uploads

Youtube doesn’t have direct control over the actions of its content creators, which would be a problem if the platform doesn’t cleverly and discreetly pushes Youtubers into its preferred direction.

 

Consistency is needed to maintain the immense number of viewers that this platform has accumulated. Youtube motivates content creators to upload videos regularly by boosting the rankings of channels with consistently updated content.

 

Uploading daily is preferable but not necessary for this strategy to bear fruit. What’s important is to set an upload schedule and stick to it, in order to keep the viewers coming back for more.

 

7) Collaborative Videos

Video collaborations have catapulted many Youtubers into the position of power that they now enjoy. Tapping into the subscriber-base of another content creator is one of the best ways to quickly get more subscribers. However, there are a lot of considerations to take and preparations to make in order to ensure the success of a collaborative video.

 

Before choosing the content creator that you want to collaborate with, you should first consider whether their target demographic is the same or at least similar to yours. At the end of the day, it’s the conversion rate that matters, not the initial numbers. If another Youtuber has 100,000 subscribers, you have to ask yourself, “how many of those viewers can I turn into my own fans?”

 

To answer this question, it’s necessary to have a deep understanding of your own brand as well as the expectations of your current viewers. Only with this information, can you successfully choose a collaborative partner whose style and audience demographics complements your own.

 

Finally, logistics should be given ample time and preparation. Be sure to set clear boundaries and responsibilities early on and be wary of creative clashes. Proper pooling of resources is one of the keys to the success of an endeavor like this; so be on the lookout for creative opportunities brought on by the additional skill set, resources, and experience that your chosen partner brings to the table.

 

8) Content Quality and Value

Perhaps the simplest method to get subscribers for Youtube is to create high-quality content that provides value to the viewers. This is obviously easier said than done and Youtube knows this, which is why it’s constantly providing creators with supplementary resources to help in this endeavor.

 

The User Experience Metrics is an evaluation tool that’s invaluable for both content creators and for the Youtube platform.

 

Creators can use this tool to find out exactly when viewers click away from their videos; which videos caused most people to subscribe; and whether or not a certain video is popular due to controversy or quality.

 

Youtube, on the other hand, uses these experience metrics to evaluate the quality and value of videos for the purpose of ranking.

 

The most popular video website has also been constructing Youtube Spaces all over the world. These offices/studios can be used, without cost, by content creators who have amassed substantial followings. These spaces also contain the latest in video production equipment, further helping creators pump out quality content at a consistent rate.