Want more YouTube views? Of course you do. You are a living individual with a video to share! It only makes sense.
YouTube is the second most viewed website worldwide. It is used monthly by more than two billion individuals, or one-third of all internet users. There, 74% of adult Americans are viewing videos. (We could continue, but you can view the most recent YouTube statistics on your own leisure.)
We’ve assembled this guide to highlight all the easy victories that can magnify your brand’s message on YouTube, but we’ll also discuss some of the more difficult strategies that YouTube experts use to increase their views.
Check out our awesome video to show how we’re gaining views on our YouTube channel (which we created from scratch, cuz yolo):
If you are also beginning from scratch, we offer a tutorial on how to launch a YouTube channel.
Now, let’s start rolling those views!
What is a YouTube view?
A view is recorded whenever a viewer actively commences the playback of a video on their device and watches for at least 30 seconds. Quite straightforward!
This will be counted as a view if you play your own video.
If a visitor sees your video many times, each viewing will be tallied as a separate view. YouTube will recognize users who repeatedly reload the page in an attempt to trick the system.
YouTube videos integrated on Facebook or YouTube videos shared on Facebook will also be counted as views.
Live views are also tallied on YouTube.
YouTube stats are updated every two days, so if your activity is not immediately reflected, come again later.
What does not count as a YouTube view?
YouTube’s algorithm is meant to dismiss any possible automated-looking plays. It just counts the amount of times a person intentionally viewed your video.
Therefore, when a single user or bot repeatedly refreshes a video, or when a website automatically plays a video, these views are not tallied towards your overall view count.
16 methods to increase YouTube views
Globally, more than one billion YouTube hours are seen daily. Here’s how to distinguish yourself from the crowd and capture some of those eyes.
Ensure your YouTube fundamentals are up to par.
We stroll before running. Examine your fundamentals and ensure that you have met all requirements. Read our list of YouTube starting tips, then return to explore our advanced strategies.
- Your YouTube maintenance basics include:
A constant visual identity (your channel symbol, YouTube channel art, like in the case of Rupaul’s Drag Race, etc.)
An exhaustive and detailed About section (unless you are a breakout YouTube star like Joana Ceddia)
The most recent contact information (so all your potential customers and future brand partners can get in touch)
- Focus on your particular specialty (and your ideal audience)
To maximize your YouTube marketing plan, you must be specific and relentless about your goals and the material that will help you achieve them.
You are not creating videos for everyone. Your audience is the reason for your presence.
Yoga with Adriene has flourished because she creates videos with themes like “Yoga for Joy” and “Yoga for Courage” and even distributes Spanish-language versions of her videos. She is only one of the dozens of YouTube yoga instructors guiding people through postures, but her inclusive ideas and demeanor have struck a chord; she has almost 10 million subscribers.
Have you constructed your audience personalities yet? They are similar to Dungeons & Dragons characters, but more professional.
- Conduct research and increase the search ranking of your video
YouTube is a social network, but it also functions as a search engine. And one of the most effective methods for increasing views is YouTube SEO, or optimizing your videos for search engines.
In other words, when your target audience enters your chosen keywords, you want your video to appear towards the top of YouTube’s search results. This necessitates that you understand what your audience is seeking, be it lessons, inspiration, or fun.
Ranking in search results is the most effective approach to attract brand-new viewers to your videos, not merely subscribers and those who are already interested in your channel (although we will discuss them in more detail later).
However, this is easier to say than to accomplish. What can you do to increase the YouTube search ranking of your videos?
Research. You’ll want to utilize a program like Google Keyword Planner (note that you’ll need a Google Ads account) to accomplish two goals:
Find ideas for your next video by considering what people are already searching for (i.e., take a look at search patterns and see what keywords have a lot of search queries, but few videos, a.k.a. low competition)
Utilize these pertinent keywords in your metadata (i.e., your video title, tags, video description text, subtitles)
If you haven’t already, you should educate yourself with the YouTube algorithm immediately. This artificial intelligence decides not just search results, but also recommendations for the crucial ‘what’s next’ sidebar.
Just keep in mind that it all comes back to your ideal viewer: the algorithm doesn’t care if your video is “excellent,” it just cares if a certain user wants to watch it. Consequently, consumers often desire to watch “excellent” films.
- Use metadata to get suggested following a popular video
If you wish to increase your YouTube views, you should model your content after the most popular videos in your niche.
Examine the most popular video of your top competition to get started. (In their video collection, sort by’most popular’)
YouTube’s primary objective is to keep users on the site as long as possible (so they may watch as many advertisements as feasible). Thus, the algorithm’s task is to continuously feed viewers (hopefully) enticing videos.
But how does YouTube choose what people may enjoy? The algorithm takes into account the following:
- Videos that are often viewed together
- Videos seen by the user in the past
- Videos that are subject-related (which requires keyword refinement!)
The only point that is under your control is the third.
Therefore, when selecting keywords, think like a librarian. Describe the content of your video and its general category, and consider other search terms someone may use to find it. (Click here for further YouTube description and keyword tips.)
Need some inspiration? By right-clicking on the webpage and selecting View Page Source, you may view the keywords used in a competitor’s video. Then CTRL-F “keywords” until the list is located.
Before you copy and paste the metadata of a more popular video onto your comparable video, consider your audience: they won’t want to watch the same video twice. Perhaps the original video created a new issue that needs to be answered, or there’s an intriguing side topic that should be investigated. How can your video provide value to what they’ve just seen to get them to click on it?
Take and run with the ball.
- Boost your page visits with customized thumbnails
When potential viewers are in discovery mode, scrolling through search results and suggestions, thumbnails play a significant role in influencing their viewing decisions.
While most available advice is a graphic designer’s worst nightmare – screaming typefaces and crowded content – let’s be objective: what are the characteristics of a successful thumbnail?
The thumbnail is clear and honest in its description of the video (if your thumbnail misleads people into clicking, YouTube will know since your watch time will decrease as viewers become frustrated and quit watching). The algorithm will not approve.)
The thumbnail is prominent.
The thumbnail complements the title of the video.
‘Standing out’ may be achieved by selecting a vibrant hue. Or ensuring that your humongous, high-resolution face is displaying an odd expression in good lighting. Or, if your specialty is saturated with shrill, high-key images, the best way for your channel to stand out is to be the voice of calm, minimal reason.
Increase your views by making playlists.
Creating and organizing YouTube video playlists is the most effective technique to prevent viewers from leaving your channel after consuming your material.
Why? Because playlists function similarly to Netflix: as soon as one video concludes, the next begins.
Since you’ve already done the hard work of helping your audience locate your video, click on it, and watch it in its entirety, it makes sense to direct them to the video material they’ll want next.
J.J. McCullough’s YouTube work encompasses a variety of cultural criticism, thus he has neatly organized everything into topical playlists. Who wouldn’t enjoy his information on international leaders?
Using cards and end screens to direct people to your videos
Cards and end screens are the only other tools YouTubers may employ to bypass the algorithm and directly affect the next decision of our audience.
Cards are interactive regions that can appear at any point throughout a video. Choose a card that links to another one of your videos – or, even better, playlists – in order to increase views. These cards come in a variety of formats that can be used for fundraising or selling merchandise, but in this case, we’re interested in increasing views, so choose a card that links to another one of your videos.
(Note: cards cannot be used on films labeled as suitable for children.)
Cards are pop-ups, thus it is crucial that they provide value. You don’t want viewers feeling spammed. The videos or playlists that you link to must be timely and provide useful information or amusement.
Check out how this All About Cards video features a card about learning about different types of cards for a super-meta example.
If you detect a substantial audience drop-off at a certain point in one of your videos, try placing a link card there.
End screens, however, are graphic calls-to-action that you may put at the conclusion of your video (in the final 5 to 20 seconds) to urge viewers to take the next step. They are valuable since you know that a person who has seen your entire movie is presumably quite interested in your fantastic material.
The use of end screens to entice people to subscribe to your channel or visit your website are both viable options. But if you want more views, you should utilize your end screen to promote your other videos or playlists.
(Note that while editing your video, you must add a few more seconds to the end in order to use end screens.)
Youtuber SssniperWolf uses end cards that lead to four more of her videos. It resembles a choose-your-own-adventure book for… whatever her shtick is.
- Go beyond the instructional video (i.e., make videos no one else is making)
There’s a good chance that when you investigate your target keywords (like we did in point #3), you’ll encounter a large number of search queries that include the phrase “how to.” (This article’s title is included, ahem.) This is due to the high amount of searches for how-to material.
You must endeavor to draw fresh eyeballs, but you must also find time to preach to the faithful. On YouTube, your brand’s value-added features take the shape of relevant, engaging material for your existing fan base.
In addition to sharing her vegan nachos recipe on YouTube, Tabitha Brown sits down with her husband to discuss their relationship, offering followers an intimate glimpse into her personal life. (And if they are inspired to prepare their own batch of guacamole throughout the process? This is a perk.)
- Establish ties with your audience
Audience engagement is simply another phrase for connection development. The eventual aim here, of course, is basically just the practical, organic and sustainable route to earning more YouTube views.
Engaging with other YouTubers (both producers and commentators) increases the likelihood that they will care about your brand, subscribe to your channel (see point 12), and watch more of your videos overall.
Ideas for breaching the fourth wall, and creating a two-way dialogue could include:
This lesson on how to use Hootsuite’s comment and sharing tools to engage your YouTube community will save you time as you increase your following.
- Partner up
Crossovers, guest appearances, mash-ups, covers: people adore that spark of new familiarity. Find the He-Man to your brand’s She-Ra; and the Billy Ray Cyrus to your Lil Nas X.
Maybe you’re a brand with a budget, and employing an artist with their own audience is an easy decision. But if you’re a creator or aspiring influencer, increasing your YouTube views is the first step to generating money, not spending it. In which case your best chance is to work with like-minded artists.
Your possible mates should have similar ideals, popularity, and charisma. And you’re truly fond of them. And you like each other’s company, and it shows, and it makes people glad to see you happy, etc., etc., etc. Easy, correct?
This video is basically a mega crossover, with two drag queens, e.l.f. cosmetics, and Chipotle. According to our calculations, the cross-promotional opportunities have doubled.
Make a playlist to aggregate the videos so that interested people may see them all.
- Promote your YouTube videos on all of your social networking sites
You should utilize all of your social media resources to market your YouTube channel.
If you want more YouTube views, however, you SHOULD NOT do the following:
Post text or a picture along with a link to your YouTube video on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok. Linking to YouTube makes objective sense, but social sites are motivated to keep users on their platform (just like YouTube does). Therefore, their algorithms will not encourage a text-only post with a link to an external platform. In other words, your YouTube views will be low along with your impressions and click-through rate.
Upload your video in its entirety to these sites. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter want you to do this (IGTV is YouTube’s direct rival, don’t @ me). Posting your whole video will likely increase your interaction and exposure on those networks. However, organic Facebook video views cannot be monetized, correct? And they will not generate YouTube views.
Promote your video alternatively by performing the following:
Post a brief teaser film as native video to your social media profiles and include a link to the full video on YouTube.
You will not want to share the identical content on all of your social platforms.
In order to generate interest in his money-related YouTube videos, financial advisor Max Mitchell includes a link to the complete video in his Instagram bio.
A scheduling service like Hootsuite is the ideal alternative to employing a social media assistant for crafting and scheduling content for your followers.
Request that your viewers become subscribers to your channel.
Your YouTube subscriber count is proportional to your organic reach. The more followers your channel has, the more views your published videos will receive immediately.
Particularly if those subscribers have alerts enabled.
Boosting your subscriber count is a separate task that requires distinct strategies, yet it is interwoven with increasing your views. Therefore, we have a comprehensive tutorial on how to increase YouTube followers.
It is usual practice to encourage viewers to “like and subscribe” at the end of a video, but many YouTubers, such as beauty expert Patricia Bright, also incorporate this call to action as a graphic at the conclusion.
- Enable embedding
Enable embedding to give your admirers the option to help spread the word about your work. The greater the number of new eyes that see your film, the more views you amass (and maybe even snag a new subscriber or two in the process).
Visit Youtube Studio and select Content to allow embedding. Choose your video, then hit Edit. To enable or disable Embedding, choose the option and toggle it on or off.
- Accelerate the watch time
YouTube counts anything longer than 30 seconds as a view, but there are advantages to encouraging viewers to stay longer.
If you can convince viewers to watch your video for a longer period of time, YouTube will determine that your material is of high quality. And YouTube favors films with longer Watch Time, providing you an advantage in the recommendation engine.
- Transcribe your videos
Adding subtitles to your videos helps hearing-impaired viewers follow along and makes your material more accessible to the 69 percent of mobile video users who watch without sound.
Having a transcript also makes translation possible, allowing you to reach a worldwide audience with your video. Global perspectives! Can you imagine!?
You only need a.txt file; YouTube’s help website will lead you through the process step-by-step.
- Publish your video at the appropriate time
If you publish your video while your largest audience of subscribers is online, they will all receive the ‘new post’ notification as soon as it becomes live.