YouTube is the world’s largest video-sharing platform, with over 2 billion users every month. It has become a powerful tool for content creators to share their work with a global audience. However, with so many videos being uploaded every day, it is important to be strategic when publishing your own content. In this blog, we’ll discuss the best practices for publishing a YouTube video and how to maximize your reach. We’ll cover topics such as optimizing your video for search, creating engaging titles and descriptions, and cross-promotion. By following these tips, you can ensure that your YouTube videos reach the right audience and get the most out of the platform.
1. Quality Content
Quality content is not just about the production value of your video, but also about the content itself. So when creating content for your YouTube video, it is important to consider your target audience and the type of video you are creating. Are you creating an educational video, a how-to video, a product review, or something else? Once you have a clear vision of the type of video you are creating, you can then decide on the topics and key points you want to include in the video.
The video should be well-paced and contain a clear structure. It should also have a consistent tone and style. Utilize visuals and graphics to help illustrate your points and make your videos more engaging.
Also, don’t forget to include a call to action at the end of the video, such as subscribing, liking, and commenting. In addition, think about the length of your video. Shorter videos are typically more successful than longer ones as viewers have shorter attention spans. Aim for videos that are between 3-7 minutes long for optimal results. Finally, it should have a strong conclusion that leaves viewers wanting more.
By keeping these tips in mind, you can create quality content for your YouTube videos that will engage and entertain your viewers.
2. Engaging Title and Description:
Create an engaging title and description that will draw viewers in and make them want to watch your video.
Although you should avoid writing a clickbait headline and at the same time you should also avoid making it too simple. Use YouTube’s autocomplete tool to find out what people are looking for. To improve brand recall, use the keyword at the beginning of the title and consider including your channel name at the conclusion. Google does that in SERPs as well.
YouTube focuses on keywords in the title, followed by a description, and finally tags. Therefore, it is important that your keyword appears in the description as well, particularly the first two lines, as it appears alongside the video in search results. Afterward, create a brief introduction to the video and include all of the links mentioned in the video.
You must include –
- Kindly add credit links to the music used
- Link to the related video
- Link to your channel’s home page
- Links to devices you utilize, such as video editing software and cameras,
- Links to any resources that you mentioned in your video.
- Finally, include links to your social media and website.
3. Captivating Thumbnails:
Thumbnails are a key element in creating successful videos on YouTube. They are the small visuals that appear before viewers click on a video, and they can make or break a video’s success. After all, if a viewer isn’t enticed by the thumbnail, they may not click on the video at all.
The best thumbnails are visually appealing and convey the contents of the video in an interesting and attention-grabbing way. To create captivating thumbnails, start by selecting eye-catching images that stand out from the crowd. Avoid stock images, as these are often overused and won’t make your thumbnail unique. Instead, use original photos, illustrations, or custom artwork.
Also, when selecting a thumbnail, consider how it will look on different devices before publishing a YouTube video, including phones, computers, and tablets. Choose a high-quality image that is clear and easy to read. It should be relevant to the content of the video, and a good size to fit all screen sizes.
Once you have the perfect image, add a captivating headline in the thumbnail to give the viewer an idea of what the video is about. For example, if the video is about cooking, you could use something like “Learn How to Make Delicious Meals in 10 Minutes”.
For text, use a bold font to make it stand out and make sure it accurately reflects the content of the video. Further, make sure to add a call to action. This could be something like “Watch Now” or “Learn More”. This will encourage viewers to click on the video and watch it.
Finally, don’t forget to include your logo or channel name in the thumbnail to make it easier for viewers to recognize your videos.
Take note of how Satish Kushwaha, a blogger and content creator, utilizes easy-to-read, attention-grabbing text overlays on all of her YouTube video thumbnails.
Check out this video for creating professional and captivating thumbnails
4. Optimizing for Search:
Optimizing YouTube videos is a great way to drive more traffic and engagement to videos. It is important to optimize videos in order to make sure they are seen by the right people and are found in the right search results.
The first step in optimizing YouTube videos for search is to make sure the title, metadata, and description are relevant to the video content. This will help the video appear in the right searches and make it easier for the right people to find the video. Additionally, using relevant keywords in the title and metadata will help the video rank higher in search results.
The next step is to make sure the video is well-structured and organized. This includes adding chapters, annotations, and pop-up cards to the video. These features make it easier for viewers to navigate the video, which will help keep people engaged and reduce the number of people dropping off.
Furthermore, it is important to use tags in the video description. Tags are keywords or phrases that can help the video appear in more searches and reach the right people. Additionally, it is important to respond to comments and engage with viewers. This shows that the video is active and will help increase the watch time, which is a factor YouTube uses to determine the video.
Finally, you should also take advantage of Youtube’s video analytics after publishing a YouTube video. This will help you track the performance of your videos, including how many views they are receiving, where the viewers are coming from, traffic sources, and much more.
Check out this video to understand and learn YouTube Analytics
Other than Youtube’s video analytics there are three other tools to track your YouTube video performance.
1- ChannelMeter
2- Vidooly
3- Unmetric
So, by following the above tactics, you can optimize a Youtube video for search and ensure that more viewers are able to find it.
6. Cross-Promote Your Video:
Promoting your video on YouTube is also an essential part of any successful video marketing strategy. With the right tactics, you can increase your reach, get more views, and generate more subscribers.
After your video is optimized, you can start promoting it through social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. All you have to do is, copy the link of the video and paste it on other social media platforms. You can also share it on other social networks like Reddit and Tumblr. Additionally, you should create an email list and send out your video to your subscribers.
Similarly, integrating a YouTube channel on a website is an excellent way to promote your channel.
You can save time and work by using social media aggregation tools. These tools are simple to use and include an auto feature that changes the feed as you post a video to your channel.
In conclusion, creating and publishing a YouTube video can be a great way to share your content and grow your audience. However, it’s essential to keep in mind many factors while publishing a YouTube video that can make or break a successful video. It’s important to create content that is interesting, engaging, and relevant to your target audience. Additionally, you should ensure that your video is of high quality and optimized for SEO. Finally, you should promote your video on various social media platforms to increase viewership and engagement. With the right tools, tips, and tricks, you can create a successful YouTube video that will help you grow your audience and reach your goals.
