Whether the goal is an advertisement or just sheer popularity, the compelling reason anyone might want to have their content go viral is awareness. When the awareness now leads to a monetary turn-over or the “I’m feeling myself” statement, that’s the seemingly secondary goal but the actual benefit. Before delving into the numerous ways or tactics that can help increase video reach on YouTube, it is best if one knows that views can be bought on Socials up, and these save one all the stress that might come with other ways or tactics.
Some people handle the process of getting this, and they are referred to as marketers. As a marketer or not – Creative or Social Media – there are a host of ways one can increase their reach on YouTube. Before these ways are explained, the question on anyone’s mind is, “why YouTube?”
Showing that YouTube has a whopping 2 billion logged-in users plus other reputed statistics – not less than 23 – that make it count as an app where people look to for trusted, well-curated contents, Hootsuite gave a well-buttressed explanation of these using research some by Pew Research Center.
The Tactics That Really Work
Before a marketer, creative or social media influencer seeks these tactics, all of the basics of a YouTube account are put in place. For example, no one will be cracking their heads to know what an account is about if the “about us” section is empty. The audience must also be understood; hence, all steps taken to get them must include their unique unsaid demands or interests. Now that these foundations have been laid, to the tactics:
Thumbnails: Feed the Eyes with Beauty and Clarity
Whether a user searches or he/she comes across one’s video on the homepage or explore page, the first thing their eyes will be drawn is the visual – thumbnails. Thumbnails are not just shouting visuals and texts that are reaching for every corner of the audience’s eyeballs, but they are meant to be calm and uniquely crafted to meet the audience’s needs. For example, a comedy skit should have a humorous thumbnail. It just makes sense.
Metadata and More: Do the Research for Their Search
YouTube wants to users on the app; hence there is a ranking system for videos, similar to Google Search Engine Optimization, that is out in place. And this is because searches are done on YouTube, so YouTube is not just a Social Media but a search engine as well. All of these prompts the need for marketers, creatives and social media influencers to do their research for keywords. They could go through their comment section for them to see what people are saying or check similar videos to theirs. In all, since Google is now in a deep alliance with YouTube (this is clear as YouTube music is now the new default music app for Google), It is only wise to use an app by Google to get these keywords: the Google Keyword Planner. These keywords can then be used as the metadata, i.e., tags, titles and descriptions.
It is imperative that this metadata is in their ranking system, hence in the suggestion of videos to be watched by users.
Playlists Are the Way to Go
Provided all that has been buttressed above are set, playlists are the way to go. The contents are unique and have been made readily available, and the user should be helped further by compiling the videos. This helps in two ways: YouTube is happy as the user stays to watch more videos and, in turn, more ads watched, also it gives a financial turn over for the owner of the YouTube account.
End Screens and Cards Are Great Tools in Drawing Traffic
End Screens are Call-To-Action(s), CTA. They are visual CTAs that do two things: tell the audience to watch other videos by the same account or to ask them to subscribe and click the notification button. End Screens, as the name suggests, are inserted at the end of videos. This means that this account owner has a good number of viewers, which might include already ardent viewers; however, what is intended to be achieved is getting more videos on other videos the viewer/user has not viewed yet.
Cards are clickable, interactive sections that pop up to cover an area of the screen, usually the top right while watching a video. Cards could be anything, but since their article’s goal is increasing video reach, they can be made to link one to other videos or a well-curated playlist. To ensure that a user/viewer will click a card, they should be related to the video that it’s inserted.
It will be a delight for creatives, marketers, social media influencers to know that End Screens and Cards help escape the ranking system/algorithm of YouTube as they are made to be part of the video.
What Everyone Should and What Everyone Is Not Doing
What everyone should is to study the analytics of YouTube and the analysis of their accounts. This would help them know where to improve, what to change, and what needs to be stifled.
Then what everyone is not doing: for example, if YouTube account owner notices that most of their counterparts transcribe their videos, they can easily do that, and this single step can increase their video reach to countries that aren’t native speakers of their language. Also, how-to videos are now everywhere. It’ll only be an advantage if a YouTube account owner decides to make content outside the box. A good example is how Trevor Noah brings humor into sad happenings in the News, and other comedians are starting to join the trend.
Partnership
Doing a video with another popular Youtuber or a famous personality helps both parties share their followers, increasing the videos’ number of views. A partnership can go sour very fast, and that is why the partner needs to be selected with immense care after considering the effects it might have on the value and goals of the account and persona.
Conclusion
According to the Pew Research Center, the 2 billion logged-in users of YouTube watch up to an average of 11.24s per day. This time is enough time to give reliable content that will keep more viewers coming back. If the above tactics’ stress isn’t too much, they are good ways to go, but if they aren’t, paid promotional services can take all of those away with a click.
