YouTube isn’t that difficult to understand; you post videos, and people watch them. In fact, the simple platform is probably why it’s so popular among many audiences today. Videos are engaging, and people like to watch them—especially when they are trying to learn something or just need some entertainment for the moment. The large audience, ease of use and price point of YouTube videos make them appealing for marketing use. However, what happens when you post a video and no one watches it? Where do you go from there? While there is never any guarantee of how many people are going to watch your videos, it is possible that with a few simple changes, you can gain more viewers.
Customize, Customize, Customize
When you visit a YouTube channel, what do you like to see? The answer probably is not a blank, white background paired with the boring default YouTube channel banner that is just waiting for some creativity. That’s probably not what your company logo is like, and you should customize it immediately. If you can’t do it yourself—the rules are kind of tricky, as there is a 256 KB limit on the image and a size recommendation—hire someone to do it. It’s a worthy and affordable investment.
Feature Videos You Are Proud Of
YouTube has a great feature when it comes to showcasing videos you love: simply “feature” the video. This means when someone visits your page, the first video they’ll see is the video that you decided you wanted to show them. Otherwise, YouTube will simply show a person the last videos you made. While this is fine for someone who posts daily or weekly videos, it’s not best for some of us less active YouTubers.
Customize Your Thumbnails
Did you know that you can choose the right thumbnail for a video instead of leaving it up to the YouTube gods to do a good job? This is always a good idea, even if the thumbnail that’s being shown when you upload the video is one you’re okay with. Surf through your video and see if there is a better one you’d like to show. Some YouTubers choose a thumbnail that’s a description; some choose one that shows something being done as a “preview.” The choice is yours, but don’t leave it up to fate.
Always Pay Attention to Comments
It can be hard to keep up with comments on every single social media channel, but you need to anyway. Comments mean something, and even if you don’t reply, it’s always good to acknowledge that someone took time out of their day to say something about your video. Sometimes, relevant comments can provide useful information, so keep checking back.
Managing your YouTube account appropriately is half the battle, so make sure you do it well to help your channel flourish.
