Have you uploaded a video on YouTube and wonder why it is not getting the number of hits you expect? To increase YouTube views, you need to optimize your title, video description, thumbnail image, and other elements that are not actually related to your recording. Getting thousands of views is every YouTuber’s dream.
YouTube videos can be a big business that can make ordinary people into big celebrities. With more than 4 million hours or video watched and more than 1 billion unique users visiting every month, are your videos included in these numbers, or you having trouble getting people to view them? A research done by Inscribd.com shows the most essential things you need to do to increase YouTube views.
- Optimize your title
- Optimize your description
- Use annotations
- Give video responses to other videos
- Leave a written comment on related videos
- Create a playlist
- Collaborate with other YouTubers
- Be consistent
- Be addictive
- Know your audience and time zones
You might not realize it but one of the easiest ways to get more views on YouTube is to create compelling, attention-grabbing thumbnails for your videos. SocialMediaExaminer.com gives the secret to creating powerful YouTube thumbnails. You need to get three things right in creating them.
[1] Graphics: Start with a good headshot or close-up of your face to create a personal touch with your thumbnail, then add a colorful background—like a starburst—to grab viewers’ attention.
[2] Text: Use compelling text inside your thumbnail design to tell your viewers instantly what your video is about and why they should watch it—maybe use your video title. Make sure your text is easy to read, even at the smallest display size of your thumbnail on YouTube, and that the image is on the left and text is on the right.
[3] X-Factor: Think about how you can inject emotion into your thumbnails. For example, the expression on the face of the person you’re using can be that of shock, amazement, disgust, enjoyment. Choose an emotion that will create intrigue and get people to click on the image.
Of course, you also have to make sure that you create videos that are worth watching, those that actually have a potential of going viral. VideoMaker.com gives some ideas to increase your chances of going viral.
- Keep things simple
- Interesting content
- Add music
- Be funny
- Scary videos can go viral
- Connect your video to one that is already viral
- Stunt videos
- Shoot a reaction video
- Connect your video to a hot pop culture phenomenon
- Include an animal
- Make a video ripe for remixing
Most of the most viewed videos came by their popularity by just having great content that people wanted to share. It may time some time to find the secret formula, so do not be discouraged if you do not succeed at first. The rewards will make your effort worthwhile.