Whether you’re a newbie to YouTube or have been running your channel for a while now, the dilemma of how to get more views on YouTube is always a challenge for content creators. Cracking the algorithm of YouTube is no small feat, and for smaller channels, it can feel like a never-ending uphill climb when building your view count. I know all about this, but I’ve done my research and through a lot of trial and error, have worked out what you can do to boost those views on YouTube. 

How to Approach YouTube

Before we look at my tips and tricks to show you how to get more views on YouTube, let’s quickly introduce YouTube as a content marketing channel. Video content is one of the best forms of content marketing nowadays, and despite the rise of Instagram Reels and TikTok, YouTube still remains a huge player. Brands and companies from all industries can benefit from building a YouTube channel, but it needs dedication and effort. 

When it comes to building a YouTube channel, you need to have patience and be consistent with your content. Many companies use their channels as a dumping ground of sorts for any videos or adverts that they make, but being intentional about what you post on YouTube and creating series that add value to your viewers’ experience is how to build sustainable growth there. 

Is YouTube Social Media?

Technically, yes YouTube is a form of social media. And this is important to keep in mind when you come to make a video or build your channel because your actions on there do need to bear some resemblance to how you’d act on Instagram.

When it comes to engagement and growth, YouTube works in a similar way to other social media platforms. The higher your engagement, the more likely you are to rank higher on a search, and be suggested to people watching similar content. 

So now you understand how YouTube works, let’s look at the things you can do to boost that view count. 

Pick Compelling Topics

First things first, your videos need to be attractive to potential viewers. This means choosing topics that they’re interested in, or that you can provide a unique or expert take on. Your ‘watch time’ or how long someone stays on your video before moving on, is a key factor when it comes to pleasing the YouTube algorithm. So your videos need to capture, and keep, your viewer’s attention. 

Get Your Thumbnail Right

The thumbnail is the picture that shows up on YouTube when your video comes up in a search or recommendation. It provides a snapshot of your video to potential viewers, so you need to make it good. Bright, dynamic images with clear and readable copy will attract viewers to your content and win you that click.

Remember, the size of your thumbnail needs to be 1280 x 720 pixels. 

Craft an Engaging Title

A little bit of clickbait never hurt anyone. And when it comes to YouTube, it’s a genuine necessity for an engaging video. The title of your video should be eye-catching and intrigue your audience so that they click on your video. There’s a good formula I use when I come to create my own video content, and that’s: keyword + emotional trigger = clickable title. 

Keyword + Emotional Trigger = Clickable Title

Let’s look at each part of the formula to understand why it’s so important and effective when coming up with ideas for engaging video titles. Firstly, is the keyword part. If you’re using a bit of YouTube SEO here, then go with your chosen keyword. And if not, this part is still highly relevant. Any good title needs to inform, as well as intrigue, its viewers. So include a word or phrase that actually tells your viewer what the video is about. Whether it’s digital marketing or a makeup tutorial, include an informative word or phrase in your title. 

The emotional trigger is the part that will intrigue your viewer enough to click on your video! From words to inspire action, joy, intrigue or shock, picking the right one will create the emotional response you want your viewer to have when they consume your content. 

When these two parts come together, you’ll have a clickable title every time. 

Use YouTube SEO

SEO isn’t just for Google! The search function on YouTube means that it’s got its own built-in search engine. And where there’s a search engine, there’s an opportunity for optimisation. If you use SEO tools, then they’ll likely have a YouTube function where you can search for your keywords as you would with a blog. 

Alternatively, the predictive search on YouTube also serves as a good source of information when it comes to finding out what people are searching for. Simply enter in the beginning of your search query and you’ll see a number of searches that people are likely to put into the search bar. 

Titles of videos that contain an exact match to search queries are more likely to rank higher, and therefore be viewed more, so YouTube SEO can be a powerful tool in getting you those all-important views. 

Fill out YouTube Metadata

Another thing you can do to help you get more views on YouTube is filling out your metadata properly. This means the title, description, and tags on your video. If you’ve chosen a keyword, make sure to include it in each of these areas. 

For your description, it’s useful to include the following information:

• The title of your video 
• A summary of what your video is about
• Timestamps (where relevant)
• Hashtags
• Other social media information
• A link to your main website

Remember ‘Like and Subscribe’

Whilst it might feel a bit forced, it’s important to encourage your viewers to like your video and subscribe to your channel in each video. You can do this after your initial introduction on the video, and remind them at the end too. 

Post at the Right Time

It can be difficult to know when is the best time to post on YouTube. According to the social media experts, it’s best to post in the afternoon during the week, specifically between 2 and 4pm. But another factor to consider is when your audience is active. If you know that most of your viewers will be looking for new videos at a certain time in the day, you can coordinate your uploads around them. Be aware of the long upload times for YouTube though!

Consider Google

Did you know that your YouTube videos can generate twice as much traffic if they rank on Google? That’s why considering Google when you’re making your videos is so important. If you’re optimising your content on YouTube for SEO, then chances are you’re already doing what you need to do for Google too. When you’re looking for keywords on YouTube, it’s also good to check that they’re good search terms for Google too. 

Your descriptions on your YouTube videos come into play here, giving you the potential to rank on Google with your video content. 

Organise Your Content

A disorganised YouTube channel is not one that will generate many views. Show users that you’ve thought about what content to create for YouTube, and make their experience easier by categorising your content into playlists. It’s also a good practice to have some uniformity across the content for each playlist, whether that’s in the title or thumbnail of each video. 

Make Use of Buttons and Cards

When you come to the end of any YouTube video, there are the cards and buttons that appear on the video encouraging you to either watch another video or subscribe to a channel. These are absolutely essential things to include in your videos, as if someone’s made it to the end of your video, they’re likely to be engaged with your brand. Encouraging them to either watch a new video or subscribe to your channel gives you vital engagement and can boost your views. 

Promote Your Content Elsewhere

 Getting word out about your latest video is super important for drumming up those views. So make sure you promote your YouTube content on other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and even places like Reddit! Taking a multichannel approach to your promotion strategy is how you can maximise views by bringing in viewers from other platforms. 

Engage With Viewers

From simply replying to comments to liking and subscribing to other creators’ channels, engaging with viewers and other creators on YouTube is a good way to drum up engagement and encourage people to view your content more. 

Collaborate with Other Creators

Collaborations are a great way to boost your views on YouTube. You can both benefit from each others’ followings to get more views and elevate your reputation and presence on YouTube. 

Make Your Videos Accessible

It’s really important that all YouTube users can access and consume your content, so make sure you include captions on your content! 

I hope these tips help you when you come to create your next YouTube video. And speaking of YouTube, head over to my channel to see my tips and tricks in action now!