Trying to get more people to watch your videos? Use these eight text spaces to your best advantage today!
1. Updates Your Keywords on YouTube Analytics
Do you know how people are finding your videos? Have their behavior changed recently?
Different trending topics can affect how people use keywords to search for a video. These topics and their search phrases can change over time. Take a look at your analytics report to spot such patterns, and see if you can add, remove, or update yours to stay relevant.
Remember that your keywords must describe your video accurately. Do not try to trick traffic your way. We will discuss why this will hurt you in the next point.
2. Write the First Two Lines Description Lines Accurately
The first two lines of your description appears next to your thumbnail or above the ‘Show More’ fold in the description box.
Most viewers will read this to decide if they want to watch the video.
Choose phrases that clearly explain what the video will show. Viewers are more prepared to watch the video to the end if they know what to expect.
When a viewer watches a video to the end, the YouTube algorithm knows that you did a good job. It will begin to promote your video to other interested viewers, for free.
If viewers stop watching halfway through your video because they were disappointed, YouTube will know that as well and not promote you.
In other words, every click you get gives YouTube an opinion of your video. This is a different statistic from feedback in ‘Likes’ or thumbs down.
Algorithms follow the viewers. If the viewer is going to feel let down, it is probably better they do not click on your video at all.
To avoid this, write these two lines of your description accurately.
3. Use Cards, Playlists, Links, and End Screens to Get Promoted in ‘Suggested Videos’ and ‘Home’ Page
All text that you use with your video can be captured by the algorithm spiders that recommend relevant content to interested viewers.
‘Suggested Videos’ and ‘Home’ are where YouTube tries to increase views. Viewers like them because there is less search effort, and a larger variety offered.
Write call to action cards and end screens into your video to give viewers ideas what to watch next. Encourage them to click on ‘Show More’ to see the playlists and related links you have supplemented for them.
You want to be sincere in offering more useful information that benefit your viewers. This will encourage ‘Likes’ and the algorithms will pick that up.
These extra texts provide more opportunities for YouTube to better assess how your video contributes to the sharing community.
4. Include Captions
Captions really improve a viewer’s experience, with or without audio.
It enables people who have hearing disabilities to access your content. It also allows people to watch your video anytime, anywhere.
Captions can be easily activated through the automatic captioning software found in ‘Video Manager/Subtitles’.
Speak clearly and slowly on your video so that the software can work accurately.
5. Offer Translations
Like captions, translated subtitles give you the possibility to gain international views.
Consider reaching out to freelancers who can edit the translations for you. It is inexpensive and they can give advice how best to rephrase text for their language’s keyword search.
6. Use Timestamps
This is a well-loved feature of YouTube for two reasons: it appeals to impatient viewers, and each timestamp click counts as an extra view!
Timestamps act as a content page of a book, and are useful to include especially for longer videos.
Divide your video into sections you think are interesting, and note the times they begin.
In the description box, type the noted times in the HH:MM:SS format, preferably a timestamp per line.
You will see that it becomes a clickable link. When clicked, the video is fast-forwarded to begin there.
Add a description next to the timestamp so that viewers can navigate to what they are looking for quickly.
7. Give More Valuable Information in Your Description Box
You can fill your description box with more interesting ideas that your viewers can benefit from.
Some creators supply links to other reliable sources or collaborators on the subject matter.
If you can explain why you have chosen to recommend these over others, viewers will appreciate your sincerity in sharing good information.
More importantly, inform viewers when you are going to upload more videos for them. This puts you in their subconscious to revisit your site for updates on the topic.
Try to sell them on why they should activate the ‘Notifications’ bell button. If possible, a link on how to do so. This way, you are guaranteed a ready audience for your next video.
Leaving description boxes empty or half-heartedly written wastes a precious opportunity to re-engage with your viewer.
8. Respond to Your Feedbacks
YouTube encourages viewers to give instantaneous feedback.
A way to increase views is to keep the comments section lively, relevant, and updated.
Viewers want to know that their feedback is heard.
Set aside time every week to respond to your comments. If there is a lack of activity, post your own comments and introduce new, related topics.
Listen to what they want to watch, how they want to watch, and what turns them off.
Use all their free feedback in your next videos.
When the viewer knows you are listening, they are more likely to keep talking to you.
We hope you are eager to work your text into double duty after this article. Let us know which ones worked best for you.