People often think of Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram as their only way to market their products and services. However, there is another social media platform that does not get the credit it deserves- YouTube! Whether it be for marketing or anything else, YouTube is a powerful video sharing platform that gives people the ability to diversify their content and create more engagement.
When done right, engagement on YouTube will allow you to build an authentic relationship with your followers via content that brings in views, likes, and comments on your channel. Your audience will know that they can rely on your videos when searching for meaningful and delightful content.
If you are already an owner of a YouTube channel, know this, getting more views alone is not the only way to increase your engagement. A YouTube channel might have a video that has thousands of watches. But, it may lack in other engagement metrics such as comments, shares, and likes.
The YouTube algorithm works by calculating the session time of a video. This is the time a user spends while interacting with a video. Increasing the duration of these sessions may sound like a horrendously tedious task. But, by following some simple techniques, you can improve your engagement on your YouTube channel in an instant. Keep reading.
- Pickup your thumbnail game
Since photos are the primary way of judging what to expect from a video, you will fail to attract views if the thumbnails you use are uninteresting and generic. According to research, around ninety percent of videos that contain a unique thumbnail get the highest views.
Whether you create a YouTube podcast for a product or a ‘Top-10 Features’ video, before the video is uploaded, you have the option to upload a custom thumbnail on its preview. Customize your thumbnails to be as unique as possible.
You should also choose a higher image resolution for better quality. Zoom in and out to ensure that it is viewable on every device. If you upload a low-quality thumbnail, don’t expect good engagement.
- Add annotations to your videos
If you are an experienced video marketer, you know by now that you need to be direct in your marketing approach. The same goes when posting videos on YouTube.
If you want someone to subscribe to your channel on YouTube, ask them directly. Want them to like or share a video that you recently posted? Don’t hesitate and remind them to do it.
The best way to do such a thing is by incorporating annotations in your YouTube videos. Annotations are small popups inside a video that appear at a specific time.
They prompt the viewer to take action. For example, you can add an annotation that prompts the user to subscribe by clicking on the annotation box. YouTubers generally use annotations at the beginning or end of their videos.
However, the timing doesn’t really matter as long as you actually use them. Once you start using annotations, you’ll see a drastic increase in your channel’s engagement rates and sessions.
- Upload videos more frequently
In the end, if you post a high quantity of quality videos on YouTube, you’re bound to get more engagements. This is how video content works.
However, you need to become a source of credible information first. You want your viewers to come back for more and choose your channel over your competitors.
Don’t think uploading one video that got you thousands of comments and millions of views will take you to YouTube stardom. If you’re aiming for the coveted silver play button, you need to upload videos frequently while keeping your content up-to-date, exciting, and invaluable.
If you can do such a thing, your engagement will increase tenfold. There are thousands of content creators competing for viewership on YouTube. Try to be different while being consistent.
- Collaborate with other YouTube channels
Whether your goal is to increase the number of subscribers to a newsletter, YouTube channel, or blog, collaborating with other individuals will always increase engagement on your channel.
After all, viewers are more likely to engage with your channel if the recommendation comes from another channel they trust. So, find YouTube channel owners that are willing to collaborate with you.
But, it is not all about collaborating with the first channel owner that shows willingness. It would help if you found other influencers within the same niche. For example, if you sell bicycle parts, try collaborating with a channel that reviews cars and bikes.
Doing so will help increase subscriptions and engagement on your channel and vice versa. The idea is to create a win-win situation for you and the channel you choose to collaborate with by making content relevant to both channels.
- Post shorter videos instead of long boring ones
Watch time is of the utmost importance when aiming for higher viewer engagement. The watch percentage takes precedence over the runtime of your YouTube videos.
But, it is better if you take steps to improve them both. Uploading long boring videos will result in the viewer losing interest and moving on to another video.
However, this is subjective also depends on your niche. For instance, a ‘how-to’ guide should generally be short. But if you’re theory-crafting game lore, you could take longer.
What is important is that your content is thorough and engaging. But, human beings have a short attention span. Keep that in mind. Even if you choose to upload a long video, don’t bore the viewer out.
Conclusion
It is no hidden fact that the amount of video presence you have online is crucial to improve interaction and engagement with your customers. Nowadays, people share videos more than any other type of visual content. It is an excellent idea to follow these tips and engage as many people through your YouTube videos as possible. These tips will not only increase the viewership of your YouTube channel. But, they will also help you generate more revenue after subscription numbers go up.
