Did you know YouTube is the world’s second largest search engine after Google? In fact, 30 million people use this video-sharing platform daily. Other eye-opening statistics about utilizing video content include:

  • 81% of businesses use video as a marketing tool (up from 63% last year). (HubSpot)
  • Mobile video consumption rises by 100% each year. (Insivia)
  • By 2022, online videos will make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. (Cisco)
  • 72% of customers would rather learn about a product or service by watching a video. (HubSpot)
  • 92% of users watching video on mobile will share it with others. (Wordstream)
  • Viewers retain 95% of a message when they watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading it in text. (Insivia)

If you are not creating and posting YouTube videos for your brand, you should be! Not only is video content more engaging and memorable, but the number of consumers expecting brands to have a YouTube presence is increasing.

But while having a YouTube presence is important, what good does it do if no one sees it? Here are seven tips to increase your optimization so your target audience can find you.

Tip #1: Keep it Short and to the Point

YouTube videos vary in length depending on the type of account. According to Business Insider, if an account is not verified, videos will be limited to 15 minutes. When an account is verified, videos can be posted that are up to 12 hours long.

However, remember first impressions matter and the first 15 seconds of a video is what really counts. Demonstrate value to the viewer within these first 15 seconds to increase the chances they stay to watch the entire video (and others on your channel).

Remember when using titles, descriptions, tags and other content to describe the video to also keep that short. GRIT recommends keeping titles to 70 characters or less, so they fit on a single line in search results. Descriptions kept short give viewers insight into the content of the video within the first sentence.

Although GRIT recommends keeping the copy short and to the point, it is critical to not leave out trending industry keywords because these terms will help increase SEO and improve your brand’s search rankings.

Tip #2: Details, Details, Details

Don’t forget to pay attention to the small details when optimizing your YouTube videos. Factors such as including captions and subtitles, selecting tags that your audience members will search for and choosing a category for your video may help improve a videos search results and in return number of views. Plus, adding these details may help your video stand out.

Tip #3: Closed Captioning is Key

Adding closed captions to every YouTube video posted is recommended. Closed captions present sound information to viewers who may be hard-of-hearing or deaf. In addition, captions also include descriptive text such as dogs barking or a car horn beeping. YouTube can automatically generate closed captions. However, GRIT recommends creators upload their own captions to ensure the dialogue is correct and formatted how they prefer.

Tip #4: Create Playlists

Creating playlists on YouTube is another way to increase SEO and the number of views videos receive. Playlists are a collection of videos that feature similar content (i.e. safety tips or how-to videos). When creating a playlist, remember to include a title and description. Be sure to describe what viewers will see or learn by watching the video and include trending keywords relevant to your industry in the title and description to increase search results.

Tip #5: Visuals Matter

The image matters. When a video appears in search results, it is critical it has an appealing thumbnail image. YouTube provides three thumbnail images to choose from when uploading a video or the ability to upload a thumbnail image. Whichever option you choose, select the graphic that is most eye-catching, but also portrays what the content of the video is about. This helps increase the number of views received.

Tip #6: Monitor & Update

After uploading and optimizing a YouTube video, it is imperative to monitor performance. If a video is not getting views, it may be necessary to change titles, descriptions, categories and thumbnails. Plus, don’t forget to stay active on YouTube and upload new videos on a regular basis. This keeps the audience engaged and coming back for more.

Tip #7: Encourage Subscriptions

A YouTube subscriber is an individual who chooses to follow your channel to stay up to date on your content and videos. The more subscribers a channel has, the better, because this means more people will view your videos. GRIT recommends promoting your YouTube channel on other social media platforms, your website and even adding the YouTube icon to your email signature.

At GRIT, our digital marketing team has experience setting up YouTube accounts, generating content and optimizing videos to increase performance. If you are looking to get your brand noticed on YouTube, reach out to our team today to learn how we can take your marketing efforts to the next level!