Uploading as many videos as you can is essential to keeping your YouTube channel going. Instead of creating videos at random, why not do a video series? Let’s take a look at how you can get started in launching your own series on YouTube.
Planning your video series
One good reason why you would want to do a video series is that it creates more continuous engagement. People will want to subscribe to your channel to see the next part of your series.
Doing this type of video content is also effective for building your channel’s credibility. By using the series format, you can deliver more information in a more coherent manner. This makes you look authoritative on your chosen topic, attracting more viewers.
To determine what topics would be good for your video series, look back at your channel’s videos. Use YouTube analytics to break down the stats of your most popular content. Some data points to consider are:
- Number of unique viewers
- Watch time
- Average view duration
- YouTube Search reports
These metrics will give you an idea of the topics that interest your audience. From there, you can brainstorm relevant topics.
Asking your audience for suggestions is another way to come up with topics. Focus on the ones that they think would be useful for them. This even has the added effect of getting them more excited for your series. Look in the comments section for these suggestions as well.
Creating your YouTube video series
One challenge when creating your YouTube video series is deciding how many videos you should create. While there is no definite rule to follow, five would be a good starting point. This lets you list all the previous and next videos in the series in one end screen. Don’t forget to assemble all of your videos in a YouTube playlist sidebar, like this one:
Break down your series’ general topic into subtopics that would best fit the number of videos. On the other hand, if you have a list of individual topics, choose the ones that are directly related to each other. This will help you encourage your viewers to check out the next videos in the series.
Making your YouTube video series more searchable
Optimizing your videos is vital for your viewers to discover the entire series. Do keyword research to match your series’ topics to the actual search terms that people are using. Add these keywords to different sections like the title, tags, and video description. Make sure that you incorporate them the right way to give your viewers a better context.
Other optimization strategies you can do are:
- Address your topic early: Talk about your topic within the first 60 seconds of your first video. This improves watch time, as viewers become more invested early.
- Add subtitles/captions: This makes your videos more accessible to viewers who might have a hard time following the visuals.
- Provide more information: Use your video description to write down other important details not covered in your videos or direct them to specific parts of the series.
- Ask them to subscribe: Add an end card urging your viewers to subscribe. Promising them more video series is a good hook to convince them.
These will help build your video series into a more engrossing viewing experience and increase engagement.
Promoting your video series
Social media is a useful tool for promoting your series. Share your first video on platforms where most of your viewers are in, encourage them to visit your channel, and watch the other parts of the series. If you are doing episodic videos, you can share any of the videos and encourage people to watch in the same manner.
You can also use your video series to encourage more interaction outside of YouTube. For the benefits of your visitors, create a section on your website where you can embed your series. Look for relevant online communities (like forums), engage them, and share your videos to boost your reach.
Doing an entire YouTube video series can be a daunting effort, but the results will be worth it. Start your own series, and watch your viewers grow.