If you want to get your video content out into the digital world, you want a YouTube Channel. YouTube is the second-largest search engine after Google. There are more than 1 billion unique visitors on YouTube every month. Think about it: When you go online to search for how to do something, how many times does a YouTube video come up in your search?
If you want your videos to rank higher in searches, there are certain things you can do to make this happen. Below are seven tips on how to optimize your YouTube Channel and its videos so you can get more eyes on your content.
Use keywords everywhere.
YouTube is a product of Google, so naturally keywords are important when it comes to having your content appear in searches. You will want to use keywords in your description, title, and in the video itself.
Create a thumbnail describing your video.
Instead of using the thumbnail that is automatically created when you upload your video, create a thumbnail with the title of your video in large letters. Make the thumbnail stand out by using bright colors and an eye-catching picture or graphic.
Write a description of your video and use those keywords.
Type up a description for your video and use those keywords! You can even include a timestamp outline of your video in your description to make it more user-friendly for your viewers.
Add closed captioning.
Research has shown that many people will watch videos with the sound muted if they are in a place where sound is not appropriate. This is where closed captioning can come in handy. YouTube has a setting when it can automatically create it for you, but it is not perfect. It is important to go through and make any grammatical edits that are needed.
Add cards to cross-promote.
If you have multiple videos on your channel, you can cross-promote them by using cards in your videos. You can include up to 5 cards in one video. This is a great way to get more eyes on all of your content.
Have a call-to-action screen at the end of the video.
What do you want your viewers to do once they finish watching your video? Do you want them to visit your website? Schedule an appointment? Give you a call? Subscribe to your channel? Without a call to action, your video won’t be doing too much for you. Create a slide with information on what the viewer can do next as the last thing they see when watching your video.
Use tags and hashtags.YouTube has a section where you can include relevant tags that support your content to help your video show up in searches. It is important to include 5-7 tags in the section. It is also helpful if you use hashtags in your description. While it may not seem like it, YouTube hashtags are used just like hashtags on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Using hashtags in your description can help your video show up in searches.
Managing a YouTube page can be a lot of work, but if you utilize these tactics the payoff will be well worth it. These simple steps will help to get more eyes on your videos and ultimately more YouTube subscribers.
