Video Marketing is leading the way for Content Marketing.
In this content-driven world, imagine how satisfying it will be to see, for the first time, that letter “k” next to your subscribers number. With nearly 5 billion videos being watched on YouTube every single day, it is no wonder subscribers are critical to your YouTube success.
While it is important to have a high number of unique viewers, subscribers spend much more watch time than viewers who do not subscribe. This is why in January 2018, YouTube made it even harder for channels to make money by changing the monetization threshold from 10,000 lifetime views to 1,000 subscribers.
It may seem like a daunting task (and it is) to get your first 1,000 YouTube subscribers, but if you follow these tips, and of course consistently produce great content, you might just be able to make some money from YouTube advertisers and also grow your business.
1. Make sure your video is found easily on the web.
Use smart titles, descriptions and tags so your videos can be found on search engines when people are searching for those topics. We stress these three areas to include in relevant keywords:
Optimize your video titles:
-Make your titles descriptive.
-Make your titles engaging or quirky.
-Don’t make the title too long. Don’t use the word “video” in the title.
-Make sure keyword is part of your title. Hugely effective.
An ideal description includes:
-A concise overview of the content of a video
-Links to your website and your social media accounts
-Trending hashtags that are relevant to your video
-Video credits
-Time stamps to the most important parts of your video
For more effective tag results, apply these tricks:
-Keywords that are related to the topic
-A title without conjunctions or propositions
-Production company’s name and channel
-Adjective tags: (i.e. Entertaining, spooky, funny, etc.)
-Misspelled Keywords – intentionally add words people often misspell.
-Never use misleading tags!
2. Customize your thumbnail image.
The first image that catches viewers’ attention is the thumbnail image. Take the time to add a custom image that will entice viewers to click on your video. Also, feel free to also add text or an object to the image, but make sure it is clear and readable. Get creative with it so you get more clicks!
3. Post useful, highly engaging content.
It goes without saying that the more informative, entertaining and unique your videos are, the more views and followers your channel will attract. This can be challenging as there are thousands of videos out there about any given topic, but the key is to put your own creative twist into it. People usually like informative or entertaining content. Make sure it stays like that for the entirety of the videos, so you don’t lose people halfway. Whatever you do, just make sure your videos are highly engaging and provide value to your audience.
4. Post consistently.
How many times should you upload videos? As much as you can, but consistently, be it three times a week, weekly or monthly, as long as your content is useful and original. Consistency is key in developing a long-lasting relationship with your subscribers. Having a YouTube channel requires you to provide your subscribers with content on a continuous basis. Your subscribers expect you to provide them with content on a specific schedule, so don’t let them down!
5. Make your channel look professional.
If you want your viewers to trust your brand and subscribe to your channel, customize your channel by incorporating your brand elements into the background header and banner. Whether you have a company website or a blog site, make your channel’s look and feel consistent with your brand. Make sure the images or videos you use are of high quality and sized properly. Also have a strong and concise bio and include the URL to your website or blog.
6. Ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel.
At the end of each video, ask your viewers to not just “like” or “comment” but also to SUBSCRIBE to your channel by telling them what they will get when they do so and by telling them where to specifically click. Don’t forget to make use of YouTube’s annotations when promoting subscriptions to your channel!
7. Engage with your community
Responding to people’s comments and staying in touch with them is paramount in building relationships with your viewers and getting them to relate to you. Another action you should consider is subscribing to other similar channels and interacting with their content.
8. Direct them to your other videos.
You must always direct your viewers to other videos/playlist you have posted using YouTube cards. YouTube cards are interactive “panels” that slide in and out when a video is playing, encouraging further interaction by the viewer. This feature lets you interact with your viewers by asking them questions, such as taking a “Poll”. Also, through this feature you can promote other channels, encourage people to donate to your non-profit and provide links to your website or blog.
9. Use “Call to Action” annotations
These are those pop-up ads that appear in the video. If not used in an obtrusive way, this feature can actually help your channel subscribers grow.
10. Create an awesome “Channel Trailer”
This YouTube feature automatically plays a video when people first land on your channel. The ideal channel trailer should be between 30 to 60 seconds. Be creative. Use this video feature to engage your audience to subscribe to your channel.
