10 Tips for Optimizing Your YouTube Marketing Strategy

For marketers and content creators, YouTube is a powerful tool. It’s the biggest online video platform, with a user base of over 2,400 million. Plus, Google statistics reveal that mobile users are twice as likely to pay close attention while watching YouTube as compared to those watching TV. 

Source

More than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. This means about 30,000 hours of new content per hour. To make sure your videos attract eyeballs in this ocean of content, you need to use smart tactics. In other words, you need a YouTube marketing strategy.

YouTube optimization makes your videos easy to find via the mobile app or search engines. Every relevant video you post can build loyalty and increase follower count. This boosts traffic, creates awareness, and influences purchase decisions. 

Take the T-Series success story as an example. The company started uploading YouTube videos only in 2010. By 2013, it had crossed one billion views. This made it the second Indian YouTube channel to achieve this milestone after Rajshri Productions. In early 2017, T-Series became one of the world’s most-viewed YouTube channels. As of 2022, it has over 180 billion views. 

In an environment of digital distraction, optimizing YouTube should be a priority for digital marketers. Here are some effective steps you can take to do this.

10 Tips for YouTube Optimization

As you know, marketers post several types of videos on YouTube. There are advertisements, testimonials, demonstrations, interviews, and more. These ten tips will help consumers discover all your videos with ease. 

1. Use relevant keywords 

Not many are aware that YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google. That is why it is important to use the right keywords wherever possible. The process starts with investigating the interests of your target audience. Quick research will show you their most used search terms. These can also be keywords from other search engines. On YouTube, proper use of keywords will make the algorithm categorize and recommend your content.

The more relevant the keywords, the better the results. You can also find your competitor’s videos to see which keywords they are using. This is often a guide to starting optimization. YouTube keywords can be used in various places to make an impact. The video titles, descriptions, captions, and timestamps, are some places, to begin with. 

2. Pay attention to the video length

A Statista report showed that the average YouTube video was 11.7 minutes long. Generally speaking, videos that are about ten minutes long rank higher. This is because they provide greater immersion for consumers. Of course, video length depends on many factors. A demonstration video can be longer, and product introductions can be shorter. The video run time should depend on the type of content. 

It is important not to aim for a longer duration just because others may be doing it. It may make consumers lose interest. As Cristos Goodrow, YouTube’s Vice President of Engineering, says, “What you don’t want to do, though, is padding the length of your videos, just for the sake of making them longer.” 

3. Employ timestamps 

Source

With longer videos, adding timestamps is a great way of optimizing YouTube. A timestamp is a link to a specific part of the video. These links can be displayed in the form of chapters in the video description. This gives viewers an indication of the contents of the video. It is also a way to navigate to sections you are interested in.

Timestamps improve retention rates. Viewers will be less tempted to navigate away from your video if they see its relevance from the outset. Another benefit of adding timestamps is that they offer viewers a way to consume content in short segments. YouTube and Google algorithms also take note of timestamps. This means that video ranking can improve.  

4. Write proper descriptions 

Video descriptions are an important aspect of optimization. Well-written descriptions can arouse viewer interest. This leads to increased views and longer watch times. Descriptions also help with YouTube SEO. The website’s algorithm makes use of words in the description to recommend your video to new users. That’s why it’s important for your YouTube marketing strategy to take descriptions into account. 

The descriptions should be specific to the video’s content. They should address the consumer’s interest areas. Well-researched keywords should be included in descriptions. If necessary, a call to action should be added, with helpful external links. One way to discover effective writing techniques is to analyze the descriptions of the best-performing videos in your category.

5. Respond to comments

Responding to viewer comments is a smart way of optimizing YouTube videos. This habit builds engagement and loyalty. Customers see the brand as responsive and interesting. Answers to questions can establish expertise and boost authority. Responses can create a community of users who return to the video to check the comments.

Carefully worded responses also increase visibility, which makes your videos easier to find. Always keep the tone of your responses professional and polite. The aim should be to create bonds and resolve issues.  

6. Channel optimization

So far, we have been discussing ways and means of optimizing YouTube videos. However, savvy marketers take this process a step further. Channels are where a creator’s videos are grouped together on a single page. For brands that regularly post YouTube videos, channels are an efficient mechanism to alert consumers about their range of offerings.

Channel descriptions should contain keywords to make them search-friendly. The “About” section, the header artwork, and the links should appeal to prospective viewers. Similarly, video thumbnails should be attractive and relevant. Videos on the channel can end with suggestions of similar videos that the consumer would like to watch.  

7. Use closed captions

Source

Subtitles and closed captions make your YouTube videos more accessible. They are also a convenient way to reach consumers who sometimes watch videos with the sound off. Some reasons for this could be if they are watching videos on public transport, late at night, or at the office. 

Subtitles and captions also aid comprehension. This is useful in the case of product demonstrations or technical information. The YouTube algorithm can also take note of captions, which makes your videos more searchable. Best practices include using legible fonts, not stuffing too many words into a frame, and letters with the right contrast ratio. 

8. Collaborate with influencers

Top YouTube creators receive thousands of views every day. These influencers are often open to collaboration. Many brands have profitably worked with influencers as part of their YouTube marketing strategy. The process should begin with a careful choice of influencers. They are present in almost every category. Influencer marketing on YouTube is especially powerful when it comes to new product launches and contests.

Source

You should make sure that the influencer understands the essence of the brand and the objective of the campaign. After that, they should be allowed to create relevant content in their own unique way for their followers. The next step would be for the brand to actively start conversations with followers who have viewed and liked the videos. 

9. Analyze the data

With regular reports from YouTube analytics, you can gain an understanding of how your videos are performing. Once you have decided on your marketing goal, these metrics will indicate parameters, such as watch time and retention rate. You will also learn how viewers are discovering your videos. Further, you’ll get to know the terms that viewers of similar channels are searching for.

The most-watched videos, popular subtitle languages, and top comments are some of the other data available. An analysis of this information will enable you to tweak videos and other elements so that they become even more noticeable.

10. Create playlists

Source

Playlists are a way to organize videos on your channel. They can be used by marketers in many ways. Typically, videos are grouped by subject, theme, or type. For example, a sneaker brand can have separate playlists for activities, such as running, walking, and other sports. There can be a “best of” playlist for the most popular videos on the channel. There can even be playlists of videos by other creators that are related to your brand.

 It’s important to create playlists based on consumer needs. Such playlists will increase your channel’s authority and create even more value for consumers. In this way, they improve view count, visibility, and watch time.  

What Are the Benefits of Optimizing YouTube? 

There are several advantages to a proper YouTube marketing strategy. Brands receive higher awareness and can reach wider audiences. Videos can be created according to consumer needs, whether in the form of reviews, Q&A sessions, demonstrations, or more. 

With the right keywords and other tactics, YouTube videos can result in qualified leads and higher conversion rates. Another advantage of YouTube optimization is that videos can be integrated into other content, from product pages and blogs to social media. In this way, a well-ranked video can increase exposure and lead to even more consumer interest. 

YouTube optimization is a powerful way to make your videos stand out. However, it is important to establish goals and objectives beforehand. A YouTube marketing strategy works best when business needs are matched with consumer interests.

It’s also essential to create videos that meet quality standards. This need not involve huge budgets and highly paid professionals. If the videos are properly scripted and shot and are based on consumer needs, half the battle can be won. 

Finally, marketers should remember that YouTube success comes to those who work on improvements step by step, over time. Data analysis, checking popular videos, and tweaking your YouTube marketing strategy from time to time are essential parts of the process.  

Good content is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy. If you want to optimize your digital campaigns for success, you can try Pepper Content’s writing services.

FAQs