Desire more views on Youtube? Of course you do. You're a human with a pulse and a video to share! Information technology's only natural.

YouTube is the globe's 2nd nearly visited website. More than two billion people utilise information technology every month — that's 1-third of all cyberspace users. 74% of adults in the U.S. are watching videos there. (We could keep, only you lot can read all the latest YouTube stats on your own time.)

Nosotros've compiled this guide to point out all the easy wins that will dilate your brand'south bulletin on YouTube, merely we're too going to detail some of the more advanced techniques the pros utilize to go more YouTube views.

To see how nosotros're getting views on our YouTube aqueduct (which nosotros started from scratch, because yolo), check out our cool video:

Psst: If you lot're starting from scratch also, we have a primer on how to create a YouTube channel.

Now, allow's go those views rolling!

Bonus: Download the free 30-day program to grow your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that volition assistance you kickstart your Youtube aqueduct growth and runway your success. Get real results after 1 month.

What counts as a view on YouTube?

Each time a viewer intentionally initiates the playing of a video on their device and watches for at least 30 seconds, that counts as a view. Pretty unproblematic!

If you play your ain video, that will be counted equally a view.

If a viewer watches your video more than once, each screening volition be counted as a new view. (That being said, refreshing over and over again to try to game the system volition be detected by Youtube.)

Any views that take identify with embedded Youtube videos or Youtube videos shared on Facebook will also exist counted.

Live views are counted on YouTube, as well.

Youtube analytics are updated every twenty-four hour period or ii, so if you're non seeing an instant reflection of your action, check back after.

What doesn't count as a view on Youtube?

Youtube's algorithm is designed to disregard any plays that might expect similar they were automated. It just wants to count the number of times a existent human watched your video on purpose.

So when a single user or bot refreshes a video over and over, or if a website auto-plays a video, these views are not counted towards your total view numbers.

sixteen ways to become more YouTube views

Globally, people watch over one billion hours of YouTube every unmarried day. If you want to stand out from the oversupply and snag some of those eyeballs, here'due south how to practise it.

i. Ensure your YouTube basics are up to snuff

Offset we walk, and then we run. Accept a look at your fundamentals and make certain you lot've ticked all the boxes. Read our list of beginner tips for YouTube, and then come back to dig into our advanced tactics.

Your basic YouTube housekeeping includes:

  • A consistent visual identity (your channel icon, YouTube channel art, like in the Rupaul's Drag Race example below, etc.)
  • A completed and informative About section (unless you lot are a breakout YouTube star similar Joana Ceddia)
  • Up-to-appointment contact information (and then all your potential customers and futurity make partners can get in affect)

RuPaul's Drag Race YouTube channel description

Source: Rupaul'south Drag Race

2. Goose egg in on your specific niche (and your ideal audience)

If you're aiming to optimize your YouTube marketing strategy, you want to get precise and ruthlessly selective about your goals—and the content that will get you in that location.

Because you aren't making videos for everyone. You're here for someone special: your audience.

Yoga with Adriene has thrived because she makes ultra-specific videos with titles like "Yoga for Joy" and "Yoga for Courage," and even releases versions of her videos in Spanish. She's just one of the thousands of Youtube yoga instructors, walking people through poses, but her ultra-inclusive concepts and attitude take struck a chord — she's got almost 10 meg subscribers.

Pro tip: Have you worked upwards your audience personas however? They're kind of like Dungeons & Dragons characters, except brand information technology business organisation.

3. Do your research, and improve your video's search ranking

Yep, YouTube is a social platform, but information technology'southward as well a search engine. And one of the top strategies for getting more views is YouTube SEO, i.e. optimizing your videos for search.

In other words, when your ideal viewer types in your chosen keywords, y'all want your video ranking virtually the peak of YouTube'southward results list. That means you demand to know what your audience is looking for—tutorials, inspiration, or amusement.

YouTube results list keyword ranking

Ranking in search results is the best way to get brand new eyes—non just subscribers and people who are already interested in your channel (although we'll talk more about them later on) — on your videos.

But, this is easier said than washed. And then, what can you practice to improve your videos' search ranking on YouTube?

Research. You're going to want to use a tool like Google Keyword Planner (note that you lot'll need to set a Google Ads account) to do two things:

  • Find inspiration for your next video based on what people are already looking for (i.e., take a look at search patterns and see what keywords take a lot of search queries, but few videos, a.k.a. low competition)
  • Take those relevant keywords and utilize them in your metadata (i.eastward., your video title, tags, video description text, subtitles)

Pro tip: If you haven't already, now is the time to familiarize yourself with how the YouTube algorithm works. This AI determines non simply search results, but recommendations for that important "what'due south up next" suggested videos sidebar, too.

Simply think that it all comes back to your ideal viewer: the algorithm doesn't care if your video is "adept," it cares if a specific user wants to watch it. That being said, users typically want to sentry "good" videos.

4. Utilise metadata to get recommended after a popular video

If your goal is to become more than YouTube views, take a cue from the most popular videos in your niche.

Start by taking a look at your top competitor'southward nearly popular video. (Go to their video library and sort by "almost popular.")

YouTube's primary goal is to keep viewers on the platform for as long as possible (so that they'll see as many ads as possible.) Thus the algorithm's job is to feed viewers i (hopefully highly-seasoned) video afterward some other.

But how does YouTube figure out what people might similar? The algorithm takes the post-obit into consideration:

  • Videos that are frequently watched together
  • Videos the user has watched in the by
  • Topically related videos (which requires some keyword finessing!)

The just bespeak yous tin control here is the third.

And then when yous're choosing keywords, think like a librarian. Describe your video'southward topic and describe its overall category, and think of other words a person might use to search for that topic. (Cheque out more tips on effective YouTube descriptions and keywords here.)

Need a little inspo? You tin can actually peek behind the scenes of a competitor's video to encounter what keywords they utilise past correct-clicking on the webpage and selecting View Page Source. Then CTRL-F "keywords" until you find the listing.

popular video keywords

But before you become ahead and but re-create-and-paste a more popular video'due south metadata over to your similar video, think about your audience: they won't want to picket the same video over again. Possibly the first video raised a new question that needs answering, or in that location'south an interesting tangent to be explored. How can your video add value to what they merely saw so that they'll desire to click on it?

Take the ball and run with it.

5. Increase your views with custom thumbnails

When your potential viewers are in discovery manner—skimming through search results and recommendations—thumbnails are a major office of what they decide what to watch.

custom video thumbails

While a lot of advice out in that location is a graphic designer's nightmare — screaming fonts, cluttered information — let's go objective: what are the properties of an effective thumbnail?

  • The thumbnail is articulate and accurate about the video it's describing (if your thumbnail misleads people into clicking, YouTube volition know because your lookout man fourth dimension will go down when the viewer gets annoyed and stops watching. The algorithm won't like that.)
  • The thumbnail stands out.
  • The thumbnail works in tandem with the video'due south title.

'Standing out' tin be equally unproblematic every bit picking a bright color. Or making sure your behemothic hi-res face up is making a weird expression in expert lighting. Or, if your niche is full of shrill, high-cardinal visuals, and the best way your channel can stand out is by being the calm, minimalist voice of reason.

6. Multiply your views past creating playlists

Organizing and creating video playlists on YouTube is the best style to minimize the chances that a viewer will move on to some other aqueduct once they've consumed your content.

Why? Because playlists go past the same rules as Netflix: as soon as one video ends, the next begins.

Since you've already done the hard work of helping your viewer find your video, click on it and watch the unabridged thing, it makes sense to guide them towards the video content they're going to want next.

J.J. McCullough's YouTube content covers a range of cultural commentary, so he's divvied everything up nicely into thematic playlists. His fans who love his content on world leaders (and who wouldn't?!) volition be served up hit after hitting.

J.J. McCullough playlists

7. Direct traffic to your videos using cards and end screens

Besides playlists, cards and end screens are two of the only tools that YouTubers can apply to bypass the algorithm and directly influence our audition'southward next choice.

Cards are clickable, interactive areas that appear any time during the video. They come in a variety of formats that can be used for things similar fundraising or selling merch, but in this case, we're interested in increasing views, so choose a card that links to another one of your videos — or fifty-fifty meliorate, playlists.

(Notation: cards aren't bachelor to use on videos identified as for kids.)

Cards are pop-ups, so it'due south very important that they add value. Yous don't want viewers feeling spammed. The videos or playlists you link to need to be relevant to the moment and provide additional data or amusement.

For a super-meta example, check out how this All Near Cards video has a bill of fare itself nearly learning nearly dissimilar kinds of cards.

Pro tip: If you take a noticeable retentiveness problem with significant audition drop-off at a specific bespeak in one of your videos, attempt inserting a link card at that moment.

Meanwhile, end screens are visual calls-to-action that you lot tin can add to the end of your video (in the final 5 to twenty seconds) to encourage viewers towards a next footstep. They're valuable because y'all know if a person has reached the bitter end of your video, they are probably pretty interested in your great content.

Using end screens to encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel or visit your website are both good choices. But if you want more than views, using your end screen to promote your other videos or playlists is the best choice.

(Note that to use end screens, you'll need to include a few extra seconds at the stop of your video when you lot're editing it.)

Youtuber SssniperWolf features end cards that direct to four more of her videos. It's like a choose your own run a risk for… whatsoever her shtick is.

SssniperWolf end cards with related videos

viii. Get across the how-to video (i.e., make videos no one else is making)

Chances are, when y'all're researching your target keywords (similar we did back at point #three), you're going to run across a lot of search terms that involve the phrase "how to." (The championship of this article included, ahem.) This is because there'southward a lot of search volume for how-to content.

Just while you must work to attract new eyes, you lot likewise desire to brand fourth dimension to preach to the converted. On YouTube, your brand'south value-added features come in the form of content that is meaningful to people who are already your fans.

Youtube chef Tabitha Brown, for example, doesn't only share her vegan nachos recipe… she sits downward with her husband to talk virtually their relationship, giving fans an intimate look into her personal life. (And if they happen to get inspired to whip up their ain batch of guac in the process? That's a bonus.)

9. Build relationships with your viewers

"Audition engagement" is just another term for building relationships. The end goal here, of grade, is actually just the realistic, organic and sustainable path to getting more YouTube views.

That is, engaging with other YouTubers (creators or commenters both) volition increment the run a risk that they'll care about your make, that they'll subscribe to your channel (see #12), and sentry more of your videos overall.

Bonus: Download the free thirty-twenty-four hours program to abound your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will help you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and rails your success. Get real results after 1 month.

Become the complimentary guide right now!

Ideas for breaking the fourth wall, and creating a two-mode chat might include:

  • Reply to comments (it'south polite!)
  • Run a YouTube contest
  • Make reaction videos
  • Include other people'south content in your videos (with their permission)

Pro tip: This tutorial on how to engage your customs on YouTube using Hootsuite's comment and sharing features will relieve you time as you build your audience.

10. Partner up

Crossovers, invitee appearances, brew-ups, covers: people love that jolt of unfamiliar familiarity. Find the He-Man to your make's She-Ra; and the Baton Ray Cyrus to your Lil Nas 10.

Perhaps you're a brand with a upkeep, and hiring a creator with their own following is an obvious option. But if you're a creator or aspiring influencer yourself, getting more than views is your first step on the way to making coin on YouTube, not spending it. In which case your best bet is to partner with like-minded creators.

Ideally, your potential partners are fairly aligned in values, popularity, and charm. And yous really similar them. And y'all have fun together, and it shows, and it makes people happy to meet you happy, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Easy, right?

This video is like a super crossover: two drag queens plus east.l.f. cosmetics plus Chipotle all become in on the mix. The cross-promotion opportunities are quadrupled, by our count.

Pro tip: If you lot do a crossover that involves a bunch of different videos—like one from your partner'due south perspective to alive on their channel, and one past you to alive on yours, and mayhap some supporting outtakes, whatsoever necessary background, etc.—brand a playlist to compile them so that interested viewers tin can stan it all.

11. Promote your YouTube videos across all your social media channels

You're going to want to leverage all of your social media might to promote your YouTube channel.

But, if you want more YouTube views, DON'T exercise the post-obit:

  • Get to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok and post text or an image with a link to your YouTube video. Linking to YouTube makes objective sense, merely the trouble is that social platforms want to keep people on their platform (simply like YouTube does). So their algorithms will non promote a text-only mail service with an off-platform link. In other words, your impressions and CTR are going to exist low, and so will your YouTube views.
  • Upload your unabridged video onto those platforms. This is what Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter want you to do (IGTV is a direct competitor for YouTube, don't @ me). Posting your full video will probably get you great appointment and accomplish on those platforms. But organic Facebook video views aren't monetizable, are they? And they aren't going to get yous YouTube views.

Promote your video by doing this instead:

  • Post a curt teaser video to your social accounts equally native video, and add a link to the full video back on YouTube.

Annotation that you are not going to desire to postal service the same thing beyond your social channels.

Financial counsellor Max Mitchell puts a little trailer for his money-themed Youtube videos on his Instagram feed to pique interest, and links to the total video in his bio.

Pro tip: Brusk of hiring an banana to handle your social media, a scheduling tool like Hootsuite is the best way to craft and schedule those posts for your followers.

12. Ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel

Your subscriber count corresponds to your organic accomplish on YouTube. The more subscribers your channel has, the more views your videos volition get correct off the bat when you hit publish.

Particularly if those subscribers take their notifications turned on.

Growing your subscriber count is its own challenge with its own tactics, but one that is intertwined with increasing your views. For that reason, we accept a full guide on how to get more than YouTube subscribers.

It's mutual practice to inquire viewers to "like and subscribe" as a sign-off in a video, but many YouTubers — similar beauty pro Patricia Brilliant — even include this call to action as a visual at the end, too.

Patricia Bright like and subscribe call to action

13. Enable embedding

Give your fans a hazard to help spread the good word almost your work by enabling embedding. The more fresh eyeballs run across your video, the more than views you lot rack up (and perchance fifty-fifty snag a new subscriber or two in the process).

To enable embedding, go to Youtube Studio and click Content. Select your video and tap Edit. Select Embedding, and toggle on or off.

channel content embedding YouTube Studio

14. Amp upwards the lookout time

While Youtube counts anything over xxx seconds as a view, there are benefits to getting viewers to stick around longer.

If you lot can get people to watch your video for longer, Youtube will larn that you've got some content with quality. And videos with college Watch Time are favored past the Youtube algorithm, giving you a leg up in the recommendation engine.

audience retention analytics

15. Transcribe your videos

Adding captions to your videos helps hearing-impaired viewers follow along, and makes your content more than highly-seasoned to the 69 percent of people who spotter mobile video with the sound off.

Having a transcript too makes translation an option, opening your video up to international audiences. Global views! Can you imagine!?

Youtube's help page tin walk you stride-by-footstep through just how to prep your transcript file — y'all just need a .txt document.

YouTube transcript file

xvi. Post your video at the correct fourth dimension

Dropping your video at the exact moment your biggest audience of subscribers is online ways that they'll all receive that sweet, sweetness "new post" alarm right when it goes live.

But what if that'due south in the middle of the night? Or while you're on holiday? That'south where the power of a scheduling tool similar Hootsuite comes in. Tee your video up to go out at the verbal predetermined time of your pick to fit with your content calendar, and and then keep and alive your life.

Grow your YouTube audience faster with Hootsuite. Schedule videos and moderate comments in the same identify you lot manage all your other social networks. Endeavour it free today.

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