YouTube marketing can be a powerful tool for brands, but it requires strategic thinking and consistent execution. Follow these tried-and-true best practices to drive business growth with YouTube videos.
Create engaging content that solves problems for your audiences. Also, be sure to promote your YouTube videos beyond YouTube in order to increase visibility and build relationships. You can also buy YouTube accounts in bulk for your business marketing from Bulk Accounts Buy.
1. Optimize your videos
Likes, comments and video viewing times are important YouTube metrics that weigh heavily in the search algorithm. They also help YouTube understand what kinds of videos you produce, and for whom.
Use your description to promote your business and include keywords. The first part of your description shows in search results, so it’s important to write compelling copy that will encourage viewers to click.
Encourage viewers to “like,” “favorite” and share your videos to increase visibility. You can also use video end slates to ask viewers to subscribe, check out your other videos and visit your website.
2. Optimize your channel
YouTube video marketing may not be a primary mode of outreach for every brand, but optimizing your videos can have a big impact. It only takes a few minor tweaks to make your videos more effective, and these can be done with minimal web development or SEO knowledge.
Start by using keywords in your video titles, descriptions and captions to improve search engine optimization. Creating playlists based on consumer needs also helps improve visibility and increase watch time. This helps establish authority and encourages people to subscribe to your channel.
3. Optimize your keywords
Optimized keywords help YouTube identify what the video is about and what people might search for. This helps the video rank in search results on Google.
The most important keywords should be in the title and description of your video. Using multiple synonyms or related terms can also improve your ranking. However, don’t over-keyword stuff your video. Search engines are wise to this and may penalize your content.
Studying competitors’ videos is a great way to spot trends and find keywords. Look at the titles, descriptions, and thumbnails of competing videos to identify the keywords they are targeting.
4. Optimize your descriptions
Your video’s description should include important links, a call-to-action to subscribe or turn on notifications, and an opportunity for viewers to learn more about your content. If your video covers a specific topic, you can also include #hashtags (that link to similar videos) and a timestamp to encourage viewers to read a related blog post or watch another video.
Keep in mind that YouTube’s algorithm places more importance on keywords appearing early in the description. So, focus on your target keyword in the first two or three sentences of your description.
5. Optimize your tags
Adding video tags to your videos is one of the best ways to keyword-optimize YouTube content. You can use free tools to help you find relevant tags, or just look at the tags of your competitors to get ideas.
Use broad keywords as general tags and specific keywords as other tags to tell YouTube what your video is about. Be careful not to add irrelevant tags to your video, though — YouTube will penalize you if you do this. Also, make sure your video titles include keywords, too.
6. Optimize your thumbnails
YouTube video thumbnails are a critical first impression. A good one can draw attention, entice people to watch, and even drive more views.
Use contrasting colors to make your thumbnails eye-catching. It’s also important to keep your thumbnails uncluttered, as the viewer can only see a small amount of information on a mobile screen.
It’s also important to avoid clickbaiting. Using misleading thumbnails or headlines can damage your reputation and lead to people being turned off of your videos. This can also cause YouTube to hide your content.
7. Optimize your titles
YouTube video titles are important for SEO because they tell Google what the video is about. They also need to be engaging enough to entice viewers to click. Some creators use enticing headlines like listicles, question-based titles or hyperbole (“insane,” “best-of”) to increase views.
Adding keywords to the title helps with SEO, but it’s best to keep them short. Overusing them can make your title look spammy. Similarly, using hashtags in your description can help you reach a wider audience but it’s important to use them sparingly.
8. Optimize your descriptions
A video’s description is a key piece of metadata that helps YouTube understand what your content is about. It can also influence your video’s rankings in search and Suggested Video.
Include your main keyword toward the beginning of the description, and sprinkle secondary keywords throughout in a way that sounds natural. Remember, viewers are using YouTube to answer questions or find specific information; incorporating user-focused keywords can help you better match your videos with their queries.
9. Optimize your thumbnails
YouTube thumbnails are a small image that displays alongside your video in search results. They are crucial for catching the attention of viewers and driving clicks.
A well-designed YouTube thumbnail can help you stand out among millions of videos and increase your chances of getting clicked. It can also set expectations for your video and establish brand recognition.
However, it is important to avoid using too much text in your thumbnails. A lot of text can make your thumbnail look busy and may not be easily visible on mobile devices.
10. Optimize your titles
Just like with on-page SEO, YouTube titles and descriptions are critical for ranking well. Titles should be engaging and descriptive, and should also include keywords in a natural way. Avoid clickbait-style titles – audiences are increasingly aware and fatigued of this tactic, and it can reduce trust in your content.
Descriptions should be a minimum of one paragraph, and should incorporate keywords. Try to keep them under 60 characters, as this will prevent the text from getting cut off in search results. Consider using YouTube cards and end screens to promote your other videos, or to encourage subscriptions.