Making your YouTube channel popular need not be something that is particularly difficult or time-consuming. Quite a lot of the time, all that is required is a little care and attention to make sure that the channel is kept up to date and looks appealing to people who come across it. Here we will take a look at the very simple steps you need to take in order to make your YouTube channel a lot more popular.
Good Quality Videos
When we say good quality videos, it doesn’t mean that you need to invest a load of money in some high-tech high definition filming equipment. In fact, the camera you use doesn’t need to be of very high quality. All you need to do is make sure that the video you post online is of a good enough quality that people are not put off when watching it.
Make sure that the image quality is good enough that you can clearly see what is going on. Make sure you never post anything with a blurry image or where the camera shakes around too much. If either of those are used in a stylistic way, then they should be used in moderation. Also, make sure that the sound quality is clear and everyone speaking on the video can be heard clearly. If the sound quality is bad, then that is one of the first things that will put people off from listening.
Again, the video quality doesn’t have to be outstanding. It just needs to be watchable enough that people do not feel the urge to click off and head to another video.
Keep It Short And Sweet
Most of the time, it is generally considered good practice to keep your video below 10 minutes. Other people would disagree and say that it should be no more than six. Others might even say two minutes and definitely no more. All three of these rules are right, it just depends on the content.
Channels like TED are able to post long videos that last about an hour or even more because they have content that suits that kind of length. The best thing you can do is do plenty of research into videos that are similar to the ones that you are posting, so then you can get a good idea about the kind of length you should be aiming for.
Research, Research, Research
While you are looking at videos that would be similar to yours, it would be a good idea to go a little further with your research. Try looking closely at the videos and channels that are similar to yours and see what practices they adopt that help them become popular.
In most cases, it comes down to the quality of the video and how well they use the description and keywords on the video. Try and learn from all of the decisions they have made and think about how they can apply to your video.
Title, Description, and Keywords
This is probably one of the most important parts about posting a video on YouTube. Always make sure that your video title, description, and keywords are all SEO optimized. Just make sure that the topic of your video comes across loud and clear and that you are using all of the right keywords.
The best thing to do is use an SEO optimization tool that will help you figure out what is popular online. Something like Google AdWords is probably the best platform you can use, as it enables you to see what is most commonly searched for. This way you can make sure that every single aspect of the video has been optimized for people using search engines.
Social Media
When you post a video online, make sure you promote it as often as you can online. If you are using Twitter, have a look at how other similar accounts are promoting their work and try and follow suit. Try and use hashtags whenever it seems appropriate, and even schedule tweets for different times during the day. You might find that you end up with more hits when you tweet or share something at a time that would be more convenient for people in a different time zone.
Keep Updating Your Channel
Once you have your channel uploading good-quality videos that are well optimized for search engines, it’s time to keep the content coming. All of the popular channels have videos posted on a regular basis. Some post once a week, others every single day. In any case, if you want people to stick around and view your videos more often, then you should try and have plenty of content.
There is nothing worse for viewers than finding a video they like, only to find that they can’t find any others like it on the same channel. People will have no reason to subscribe or keep checking back unless there are videos constantly being uploaded. If for example, you are making a web series, then try and have a few of them filmed and ready to be uploaded so then you can keep posting either weekly or daily without any fear of running out of content.
If on the other hand, you have only made a short film and want to make it popular, then you have to start being inventive. Try uploading some deleted scenes or outtakes; in other words, things that you would find on the special features of a DVD. Uploading a gag reel is something that is always appealing to viewers. Gag reels of some of the big movies in Hollywood right now are able to attract millions of viewers easily.
Interact With Your Audience
Whenever someone posts a comment on your YouTube channel or on your videos, you have to make sure you respond to them. Even if they have made a nasty comment, either just laugh it off or address their complaints directly. It doesn’t sound like much, but it is a good way of showing your audience that you care about their opinions and you are happy to interact with them.
For example, if you have made a video about a recipe you like, you may have people commenting on your video asking questions about certain aspects of the recipe. If you reply with the answers they need, then they will be more inclined to visit again and watch your new videos in the future. If your audience feels like you care, then they will keep coming to your channel.
Ultimately, creating a YouTube channel is all about treating your audience with respect. If they feel like you care about their opinions, and you are happy uploading plenty of content for them, then they will continue coming back for more. That’s also one of the reasons why social media is such an important tool for your channel; it’s another avenue for your audience to communicate with you.
With just a little care and attention, you will be able to make your YouTube channel popular in no time. Simply keep the videos to a high quality and continue updating the channel. Then the viewers will soon start flooding in.
