YouTube has billions of users every day. After Google (which also owns it) YouTube is among the largest search engines on the internet. In terms of video content, it is the largest video search engine ever. YouTube has come a long way over the years, and it has created new forms of entertainment, learning, and problem-solving along the way. Obviously, the bulk of videos you see on YouTube have been created by users. Some of these users have managed to claw their way past 21 million other channels to the very top of the food chain. These YouTubers are the original digital influencers, and they are now reaping the benefits. Nothing is stopping you from doing the same.
Growing Your YouTube Channel in 2021
If you have already tried making a few videos without success, it can seem daunting to think you’ll get beyond a few dozen views. If you’re trying to become a full-time YouTuber, you need tangible growth and direction. Otherwise, you’ll probably stick to the safety of your day job. Making and uploading YouTube videos may seem simple. After all, what you generally need is a camera, a PC, and an internet connection. In many cases, a smartphone works as well. Internet connectivity isn’t really a problem in countries like the United States. But if you aren’t happy with your current provider, click here to find the top Cox cable providers near you.
However, making, editing, and uploading a video didn’t really cut it for you the first few times, did it? That’s because content creation, while a core aspect of being a YouTuber, is still just one aspect. The other aspects concern optimizing your content for visibility (and monetization). Otherwise, your content will stay buried under tons of similar videos. You’ll need to educate yourself on the finer technical points, but the following strategies have helped YouTubers grow immensely:
Optimize for YouTube’s Search Algorithm
If you’re planning on pursuing digital creation full-time, you’ve probably already heard about search engine optimization, or SEO. SEO is a set of techniques and tests that professionals use to increase organic search visibility. You might think it only applies to search engines like Bing, Google, or Yahoo!. But YouTube is a search engine too. It uses an algorithm to index its content and display relevant search results, just like any other search engine. So, it is possible to optimize your videos in a way that helps the algorithm help it rank higher for specific searches. This will ultimately get you more likes, subscribers, views, and hopefully revenue too.
Cross-Promote With Other Creators
Not having a large following early on is one problem you should prepare yourself to encounter. However, there are ways to get past this obstacle. Cross-promotions or collaborations with other content creators can help you grab more attention. Reach out to creators in your niche, or creators whose content you enjoy, and propose a collaboration. It will always help your chances if you have a concrete pitch to make. YouTubers aren’t always open to collaborating with just anyone, so you need to show them you’re both innovative and serious.
Use Social Media to Promote Your Channel
Social media offers a great tool to leverage in your quest for more traffic on your YouTube page. Most people, including you, already use a number of social media apps. Many of these apps, like Facebook, have billions of users every single day. Creating a Facebook page for your YouTube channel isn’t enough. You need to use social media ads, organic shares, and even the support of people you know to get your videos as much visibility as possible. Embed YouTube links to the content you share on the page, and divert traffic right onto your YouTube Channel.
Ask for Viewer Support Through CTAs
Using too many CTAs is a surefire way of putting customers off. Nobody likes a pushy person. But YouTube users are usually more open to acting on certain CTAs. For example, the line “like, share, and subscribe” is now almost inevitable in any video you watch. And the best part is, most people continue to act on that call to action. As long as you’re creating engaging and enjoyable content, you’ll get viewers. If they like what you offer, they are usually more open to subscribing to your channel, among many other CTAs.
Create Themed Playlists for Continuous Viewing
Do you know how Netflix became so successful and popular? No, it’s not just amazing original content or the convenience of on-demand viewing. The real success driver was Netflix’s approach to keeping viewers engaged as long as possible. They did this, for example, by releasing entire seasons like Stranger Things or Dark all at once. Users naturally binged episode after episode and remained on the app for longer. This is a good model to follow when you want to keep a visitor to your channel engaged as much as possible. Collating videos that share the same theme into playlists offers a greater chance of visitors watching more of them. Just like a Netflix binge.
