🎥 How to Make the YouTube Algorithm Work in Your Favor: Strategies for Small YouTubers
Are you a small YouTuber struggling to attract more views and engagement on your channel? If so, it's possible that the YouTube algorithm is ignoring your videos. Growing your channel largely depends on the YouTube algorithm and a viral video. In this article, we'll share strategies that will make the YouTube algorithm work in your favor and how to make your videos go viral. So, if you're ready, let's get started!
Step One: Serve the Intent of the User
Algorithms are created to serve the intent of the user, not the creator. Understanding this subtle truth can completely alter the growth of your channel. If you keep thinking from the creator's perspective, you will be making a big mistake. It's a common error to think that the algorithm will automatically promote your videos to your audience. However, that's not how it operates. Algorithms exist to cater to the desires and preferences of users. By shifting your mindset to creating content centered on your target audience's needs, you are already winning the heart of the algorithm.
Step Two: Retain the Attention of Your Viewers
Be deliberate about retaining the attention of your viewers until the end of your video. YouTube algorithms rank videos based on how long people watch them. So, logically, the more people engage with your video until the end, the higher your chance of getting more viewers. However, if YouTube discovers that people tend to click off your videos within a few seconds, it will stop suggesting them in its rankings. The key to gaining more viewers lies in delivering engaging content from the first second until the last. But then, how do you get viewers hooked? Well, your videos must always start with a highly engaging hook. Spend more time working on the first 30 seconds of your videos than any other part. When you get that right, you're already halfway successful. Also, ensure that you do not divert from what you promised in the introduction. Make sure that you hook your audience till the end of the video. You can even promise an extra tip just to make them watch until the end. If you can do this consistently, the algorithm will fall in love with you.
Step Three: Entice the Viewers with Your Title, Thumbnails, and Description
These three entities are what welcome your viewers before they even watch your video. Make them highly compelling and irresistible. For instance, use keywords that evoke emotions or reactions in your title and thumbnail. That is one of the major secrets. You can't afford to be careless in these key aspects. This strategy will also increase your click-through rate. If you're new to content creation with zero subscribers, since you have no subscribers, the only way for the YouTube algorithm to suggest your videos in search results is your title and description. So, what's the point I'm trying to make? Keep your video title short, ensure that it gives a hint of the video content in a few words while also evoking curiosity in the viewers. Also, make sure that your video description is clear and straight to the point, not vague. It helps viewers locate your videos without stress. Another vital aspect is creating an exceptional thumbnail. Visuals play a significant role in the success of your video. Remember, you're competing with millions of YouTubers for just one thing: viewers' attention. So, you must be deliberate about it. Even if you have the best content, without an engaging title and thumbnail, no one's going to click on it. And if no one clicks, no one watches.
Step Four: Use the Right Keywords in Your Videos
I know, I know, you've heard this a million times. But guess what? That's because it's the truth. Now, just before you click off, permit me to emphasize this point because it truly is the bedrock of the next important step that I'm going to mention. This is what comes next once you've been able to put together a good title, description, and thumbnail. Keywords give a clue of what your video is all about to YouTube. This will help the algorithm suggest your video to those interested in similar content. So, embrace YouTube SEO tools like Tubebuddy. And if you think you can't do that on your own, then employ the service of an SEO expert to do that for you. The major point is to feed the algorithm with as much information as you can. When you send the right signals, the algorithm will easily get you the right audience. You can also make the algorithm love you by doing this: send viewers to your other videos. YouTube wants viewers to watch your videos. That should be your aim too. So, make the work easy by pointing viewers to your other videos using the features available on YouTube. You can group similar content into playlists so that people can easily binge-watch. Also, you can use end screen cards to gently propel them to watch your other videos. Another way around this is to use transitions when delivering content. You are on a very competitive platform, so being selfish is acceptable. Don't be afraid to tell viewers to watch your next video at the end of each video. If they enjoy what they watch, they may share it with others and even subscribe. When this happens consistently, YouTube will also recommend your video to others as it will perceive that you're delivering value.
Step Five: Create Consistent and Relevant Content
This strategy defines every other thing that you do. If you're not consistent in what you do, you won't gain your followers' trust. To keep viewers engaged, ensure that you create videos that are on the same theme. This way, viewers can easily move from one of your videos to another because they can get similar value from it. However, if you're not consistent on a particular theme, you will be losing a lot of viewers. For instance, if you create a video on fitness today, the algorithm will rank your video to the target audience. But if your next video is on baking, you will confuse your subscribers and the algorithm. And that right there, that's how you lose your subscribers. 60% of YouTube content creators make this mistake because they're trying to beat the competition. When they see that videos in a particular niche are thriving, they create multiple contents on it. When they discover that it's gradually losing relevance, then they switch to another. You can't win the trust of the algorithm that way. And when you lose the affection of the algorithm, well, you've successfully dented your success on YouTube.
Step Six: Avoid Re-Uploading Videos
Many content creators are fond of doing this. When they discover that a video did pretty well on their channel, with a little edit here and there, they post it again after some time. That won't only send the algorithm off of your channel, but it will also ruin it. When viewers find out that you do this consistently, they're going to stop visiting your channel and opt for another one that brings fresh content. Algorithms won't pick your videos because they already exist on the platform.
Step Seven: Drive Traffic to Your Channel Using Other Social Platforms
This is going to sound weird, but permit me to say, don't solely rely on YouTube to drive traffic to your channel. Share your videos with relevant groups on social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Discord servers. Doing this will effectively increase the level of engagement on your channel. However, you must be very specific here. Don't post links haphazardly on the internet. This can have a lethal effect on you. Go after your target audience. Target groups that appeal to the kind of content that you create. And then ensure that you post your link with a bit of value. You can share a bit of what your content is all about and tell them to watch the video. When they start visiting your channel and watching your videos, the YouTube algorithm will note this and recommend your videos in search results.
By now, you must have identified one or two things that you've not been doing or that you've been doing wrong. Now, it's up to you to apply the strategies that we shared with you in this article. If you want to grow your YouTube channel fast, you can join our Geekbot Discord Community, where we help our members to grow and monetize their YouTube channel with our insider tips and tricks, especially for the members of the community only. We've left the invite link of our Discord community in the content section of this video. You can join if you want to be a part of our Geekbot community.
Highlights
- Algorithms are created to serve the intent of the user, not the creator.
- Retain the attention of your viewers until the end of your video.
- Entice the viewers with your title, thumbnails, and description.
- Use the right keywords in your videos.
- Create consistent and relevant content.
- Avoid re-uploading videos.
- Drive traffic to your channel using other social platforms.
FAQ
Q: How can I make my videos go viral on YouTube?
A: To make your videos go viral on YouTube, you must serve the intent of the user, retain the attention of your viewers, entice the viewers with your title, thumbnails, and description, use the right keywords in your videos, create consistent and relevant content, avoid re-uploading videos, and drive traffic to your channel using other social platforms.
Q: How can I retain the attention of my viewers until the end of my video?
A: To retain the attention of your viewers until the end of your video, you must start your videos with a highly engaging hook, spend more time working on the first 30 seconds of your videos than any other part, and ensure that you do not divert from what you promised in the introduction.
Q: How can I create consistent and relevant content?
A: To create consistent and relevant content, you must ensure that you create videos that are on the same theme. This way, viewers can easily move from one of your videos to another because they can get similar value from it.
Q: How can I drive traffic to my channel using other social platforms?
A: To drive traffic to your channel using other social platforms, you must share your videos with relevant groups on social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Discord servers. Doing this will effectively increase the level of engagement on your channel.
