I’ve been working on creating videos for one of our clients’ YouTube channels, during this process I’ve become aware of some tips to increase engagement and grow your audience.
Now, these are not all quick fixes but more a long-term strategy for you to implement. These tips will help you start out on YouTube, build a channel, encourage engagement, grow your audience as well as make the most of your content.
One key thing you can do straight away, for better engagement, is make your own thumbnail for the start of the video, use this alongside a standout graphic or punchy title and people will click on your video straight away, the next challenge is to keep them watching!
Make sure the video is good quality, if it’s not people will not stay watching your videos. You may still receive good viewer statistics but your watch time will be significantly lower than it should be.
Sound is 50% of your video, so make sure the quality is good and people can hear what you are saying.
Is the content useful? Will people share with others via social media? This is the best way to get extra views. Some great examples of high performing content worth sharing are ‘How to’ videos and ‘Inside Looks’.
How will your videos get seen? By latching on to trending topics your video will become current and of the moment, or by talking about evergreen topics your video will have better longevity.
Can your channel be sustainable? is there enough content to talk about for future videos. Also do you have the time to make the videos? By filming multiple videos on the same day and then scheduling them for the next few weeks, you can save yourself time and energy.
Can every episode be understood without watching the whole series? This is key as it allows new viewers to understand any video you have published. By collaborating with other YouTubers you can build a bigger audience through a mutually beneficial trade, such as guest appearing or reviewing their channel in one of your videos.
Speak directly to the viewer and look into the camera so the audience is engaged with you through eye contact, even if you are conducting an interview look into the camera, every once in a while, to add a layer of engagement.
Involve the audience in your videos, ask a question that they can reply to in the comments. Also, you can use this to find out what your viewers are most enjoying in your videos.
Have a face of your channel so that people get to know the brand through one or two people. Also use the same introduction segment, thumbnail style and tag lines as this allows the viewer to get to know the order of your show. Posting at regular intervals and times also builds consistency to your channel.
Who is your audience what do they want to see more of? What do they search for? People often want to go for a wide audience, but it’s better to find a niche audience who will come back to view your content again and again. Identifying these people will allow you to target an audience that is more engaged with your channel.
So there are my 10 tips for starting out on YouTube but there are plenty of other things you also need to consider and YouTube Creators is a great place to obtain even more information about effectively starting a channel.
I hope this will help you on your YouTube journey, if you’ve any questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch as Naturally Social offer 1:1 and team workshops and we can help you on your way.
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