Not all YouTube videos are created equal; and thus, not all YouTube channels get the consumer attention they desire and deserve.
If your brand is constantly pumping out hilarious, informative, well-produced content and your viewership is constantly low, it’s time to look at how you are promoting your YouTube Channel.
Video is not only continuing to gain content prominence and consumer favor, but it also lends itself to huge opportunity for creating loyal customers, growing your brand and boosting your company’s earning potential.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can promote your YouTube channel this year to get the viewership and ROI you deserve.
15 Ways to Promote Youtube Channel in 2018
1. Video titles
When you are choosing a title for your video, start by researching the SEO keywords that your consumers are searching. Be smart with the keyword(s) you choose to incorporate. Just because a keyword phrase is trending and might bring you the most views, those views will not necessarily translate into conversions. Aim for the keywords that your audience (the people who will actually become your consumers) are searching. Even if the turnout is less, the conversion might be still be greater. That said, be mindful of the marketing goal you have in mind upon video (see point below). If you just want your video to go viral, then maybe a general audience keyword is sufficient.
Once you establish the best keyword(s) to use, get creative with your catchiness. What can you concisely add in the title that will awaken curiosity in viewers to want and need to see your video on their searched subject?
2. Upload with a goal
Before you produce and upload your video, write out or vocalize the goal. Is it to get email sign ups? Sales? Brand awareness? Identify the goal for each video, every time. Execute accordingly.
3. Optimize YouTube for SEO
Optimizing your YouTube videos for search engine results is a step that sometimes gets overlooked. SEO is a mainstream marketing trend, but many marketers forget that there are ways to specifically optimize video.
Some of the best video optimization tactics include increasing engagement with viewers by becoming active on your comments, using appropriate video tags, coming up with relevant and catchy titles and increasing video quality to meet search engine standards and viewer expectations.
4. Include videos in your emails
You already have an email marketing campaign (right?), so utilize this database and outreach platform to share more of your videos. Be calculated in the clips you choose to share – they should be directly relevant to the topics discussed in your email. Sharing videos through email is a clever way to encourage video sharing and to prompt current consumers to check out your YouTube channel and maybe become a subscriber.
5. Include ways to contact you
You always want viewers to be able to get in touch with you about business, questions, concerns, video compliments or complaints. Include your email, social handles or other preferred methods of communication.
6. Make it easy to share your video
Surrender your copyright pride to the power of shared content. Encourage viewers to share your video and make it easy for them to embed it in all of their social and online channels. A shared video will ultimately attract more potential consumers to your channel.
7. Create video series
In addition to one-off videos, come with a daily or weekly series to share with followers. Video series reflect your commit to the consumer, encourage future tune-in and generate in your viewers a thirst for that next bit of knowledge.
8. Focus on Google SERPs
While focusing on SEO is important as you build your YouTube channel, fix your sights on Google SERPs, too. If you can get your video to show up as a main page search engine result, the benefits and traffic to your channel will be many.
9. Go Live
You’ve heard this advice in all of your marketing efforts, and now it’s time to try going Live on YouTube. If you are not sure what to say or present, start out with a Live Q&A with your audience.
10. Choose thumbnails wisely
Make sure to choose a still image that accurately reflects the topic of the video and grabs consumers’ attention enough to want to watch.
11. Include subtitles
Adding subtitles is an easy way to engage more consumers. For viewers in areas where volume is inaudible or inappropriate, subtitles make the video accessible. Additionally, some viewers watching the video learn better if they can also read while watching.
12. Clever calls to action
The ultimate goal might be to make a sale, but consumers are not ready to purchase your product just because they watched a 30-second video tutorial. Be thoughtful with your calls-to-action at the end of videos. Start with prompts to watch a related video, then to sign up for emails or subscribe to your channel. Once your viewer is watching videos consistently, you can initiate purchase-focused CTAs.
13. Curate video playlists
Curate video lineups based on consumer interests. Predict the topics they want to learn about next and present respective successive videos as a playlist at the end of each video.
14. Cross-promote on other social platforms
Take advantage of all of your platforms to get the word out about your videos. Promote your YouTube channel on Instagram, Facebook, Google+, blog posts, newsletters and on your website. Include links to your channel in subtle instances such as your email signature.
15. Optimize video channel description
As viewers scroll through potential YouTube channels to watch, you want yours to stand out by explaining (in an enticing way) exactly what your channel provides. You want to attract viewers who are looking for the content you share. If you use witty descriptions that promise content you don’t deliver, this effort will quickly become worthless to growth. In fact, it can be detrimental to your channel. Instead, hone in on the consumer you want to attract and provide a description that explains why your channel best fulfills their needs.
Work with Executive Digital
Digital marketing is a constantly evolving system of moving variables. At Executive Digital, we are committed to staying on top of trends as they change and adopting marketing techniques before they become mainstream. Reach out to our team for more insight on promoting your YouTube channel in 2018 or to learn more about our digital marketing services.