Best Ways Of Optimizing YouTube Videos
Most YouTubers are prone to neglecting their channels when it comes to optimization. Your videos should optimize for specific keywords, but your channel shouldn’t be left out either. When it comes to optimization, I don’t mean stuffing the channel name or description with keywords; instead, we’re talking about using the right profile picture, icon, and using wise words in your meta description.
When it comes to the profile picture, choose a clean image. You will want to avoid blur Images or those with too much clutters. As a rule, most brands are to use Logos or lovely artwork that relates to what their business represents.
Influencers are to use an image of their face since viewers are likely going to recognize them faster. In terms of profile pictures, changing it could be a bit complicated since it’s linked with your Google account. Hence, a change will have to be effected on your Google account as well.
For Influencers, ensure your profile photo on YouTube is also the same across all social media accounts.
Getting Your Meta-data Right
YouTube metadata is a good way this search engine understand what your video is all about. To improve your visibility, you need to pay more attention to what you name your video, tags as well as Meta-Description.
When it comes to naming, give your video a name that is short and predictable. Your title should contain few keywords and, if possible, phrases that are guessable by your audience. You should also add the transcript and closed captions, as this will help viewers understand the whole idea your video conveys.
Ensure your title is short and gives a hint about what the video is about. Your title should be easy to comprehend by both your viewers and bots. Remember that the description is where your keywords should go. The description is entirely for ranking your video.
Your description should contain keywords but shouldn’t deviate from what the video describes. Here, try to maintain a balance between writing for search engines as well as your users. You can finish up the metadata session by adding tags that will make your video easier to find.
Upload High-quality Content At All Times
Just like you’re required to upload High-quality Content on Google, your videos on YouTube Should also be unique and convey relevant information that viewers will find helpful. Interns of quality, we aren’t talking about the information contained in the video alone but the visual aspect of your content.
Here, your video must be clear and concise HD format if possible, but if you can’t afford to do so, ensure your videos aren’t blurry and should also come with a good background.
Since not all users have Access to a subtitle, work on the Audio aspect of your video. Make sure you’re audible enough and use short sentences if you’re starting. For new creators, you might feel a bit uncomfortable facing a camera, but as you shoot more videos, you grow into the act.
Add cards and End-Screen to increase engagement
Tools like cards and end screens present an opportunity for users to chip in additional pieces of information. The end screen might contain links to other videos or encourage users to watch or subscribe to your channel. Watermarks are more of a marketing tool and usually appear at the bottom of a video.
Cards and watermark work differently. If your aim is a get more views, you will likely want to use tags as a medium of adding links to other videos on your channel. However, keep in mind that your options shouldn’t be limited to links alone.
Use cards to seek viewers’ suggestions about your channel and ask what they want to see in your videos.
The end screen is to convey the same information cards. However, ensure your video is of high quality if you want your viewers to stick to the end. The end screen serves as an alternative to cards, and they can be interchangeable. The only issue is that viewers might not be patient enough to watch your video to the end, making the information conveyed on an Endscreen useless.
Hence, using a card is a less risky way of communicating with your viewers since the cards can Pop Up at any point during the video.
- To create End-Screen, Click on the studio creator link under your account and select video manager then select videos.
- Click the video you wish to add end screen and select the end screen.
- You can create a new End-Screen or edit an existing template.
- Once you’re editing, click save, and your end screen will display at a closing stage of your video.
Use Compelling Thumbnail Image
If you’re conversant with the ten-second rule, you will know that your audience does not have time for the long epistle. You have about ten seconds to grab their attention and another ten seconds to give them a hint of what your article is all about.
Online readers are always in a hurry. They don’t read; instead, they scan through a list of content to decide the best one to watch. Viewers’ interests can pin to a Thumbnail attached to a video. It serves as a book cover drawing people’s attention to your video. Even if you have taken your time to create a good video, a crappy artwork might render all your hard work useless.
Conclusion
Uploading a video on YouTube and waiting for the number of views to grow isn’t the best way to go about things. Having a good video isn’t enough; you need to carry out some optimization to get it in front of your viewers.
