Considering the fact that YouTube has a billion unique viewers every month, creating a channel for yourself or your business is a great tool for marketing. However, if you don’t have viewers or haven’t increased followers in a while, it’s time to rethink your strategies. Here are 10 tactics to create a popular YouTube channel.
1. Design your brand
Decide what the overall theme of your videos should be and how you want your channel to be known. Because of the massive influx of YouTube videos uploaded everyday, your videos should have a distinct quality to make them stand out from the rest. Be known as someone who makes amazing, edgy stop-motion videos rather than the common cute versions.
The name of your channel should incorporate what kind of videos viewers can expect from you. Having a logo that attracts and keeps people’s attention is also a bonus.
2. Offer something professional
YouTube is not only a place for home videos you and your friends decided to upload for fun; it’s also for professional use. Make people actually learn from your knowledge. If you have a degree in Chemistry and think people automatically shut their minds off upon mention of the subject, why not hold lectures online? Be sure to make it interesting and less intimidating by using less jargon and more specific, relatable examples.
3. Consider reviews
Reviews perform much better when they are done in video format as opposed to text. It is easier to understand something when it is presented visually because it means you don’t have to use your imagination. Reviews are descriptive in nature and YouTube is one good venue for sharing your thoughts on products, movies, ideas, and establishments.
4. Do covers or live performances
You might think, “Hey, everybody on YouTube does that!” but most people who got discovered on YouTube had something unique in them that grabbed a record label’s attention. If you’re going to offer the same old acoustic covers, then people might not notice you. However, if you can think of something creative and unique, it is possible to make even acoustic covers seem fresh.
Why not put on a masked face and let viewers focus on your music? You could be known as the mysterious, masked guitarist from YouTube that everyone’s excited to see.
5. Work on the tags
Tags let your videos be categorized and appear on YouTube searches easily. Make sure that they are relevant to your video‒don’t just use popular tags such as famous artists’ names who are trending on YouTube. If your video is about making cupcakes from scratch, put the specific tag first follow by the generic ones.
For example, “How to make cupcakes from scratch” should be the prioritized tag. “Making cupcakes from scratch,” “Cupcakes,” “Party,” “Dessert,” and other related tags should follow.
6. Complete the description
Do not forget to complete the information on the description box. This is where you can freely state anything about the video. It will make viewers know more about the video before and after playing it. Giving complete information is not only professional, but it also lets viewers know that you are serious about what you are doing.
7. Videos should neither be too short nor too long
Do you think a 15-second video can teach viewers how to put on Halloween makeup? Will 30 minutes just for a reaction video get them to stay? No. Most people on the web have short attention span and if you give them something too long, it might be boring.
Something too short will make viewers look for more, and that’s not a good thing. They will look for other channels that offer them what they need, which you failed to give them.
8. Produce quality videos
The video’s content may be thought-provoking or extremely creative, but if the production value is low, nobody will continue playing it after the first few seconds. Invest in a video camera to capture videos in HD. If your channel mainly uses graphics, use a video editing program recommended by professionals.
It takes a lot of effort to make your videos look good, but if you are going create moving pictures, you might as well do it in a visually-appealing way.
9. Promote through other social media
Actively engage in social media to promote your YouTube channel. Facebook and Twitter are primary social networks you can use to let people in your circle know about your videos. This will not only target your family and friends but also people in your friends’ circles. Let them promote you too.
Use hashtags to let users who might be interested in the kind of videos you produce easily find you.
10. Embed it into your website
Do you have a website or blog that already has a following? Embed your YouTube videos on your website or post a link directing to your channel somewhere on your blog. Loyal followers share everything their favorite blogger posts, so it’s best to let them have something to promote.
