Are you wondering how to grow your YouTube channel? I’ve been there and I’m proud to share the strategies that helped me create viral videos and amass over 900,000 subscribers.
Table of Contents
Understanding YouTube
The first step in learning how to grow a YouTube channel is understanding YouTube’s perspective. It’s simpler than you think. YouTube, like a bar owner, wants to keep its audience entertained and engaged for as long as possible.
How to grow your YouTube channel – Key Metrics for Success
When it comes to growing a YouTube channel, two metrics are crucial:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): The percentage of people who click on your video after seeing the thumbnail.
- Average View Duration (AVD): The average time viewers spend watching your video.
The higher these numbers, the more YouTube will promote your video.
Debunking Common Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about how to grow your YouTube channel. Some people believe that likes, comments, and subscribers are vital for growth. However, what truly matters is viewer behavior – CTR and AVD are the real game-changers.
Generating High-Quality Video Ideas
The foundation of a successful YouTube channel lies in generating excellent video ideas. Your ideas influence every aspect of content creation – from thumbnails to titles and viewer retention. A good idea should be new and beneficial to the viewer, and have the potential to attract a high CTR and AVD.
Consistently Creating All-Star Ideas
Coming up with great ideas consistently is a challenge, but it’s not impossible. Ed Sheeran likens creativity to a ‘dirty tap’ – at first, your ideas might not be the best, but if you keep brainstorming, you’ll start to come up with some gems.
Maximizing Click-Through Rate
The next step in growing your YouTube channel is to focus on maximizing your Click-Through Rate (CTR). This involves creating compelling thumbnails and titles that draw viewers in.
Thumbnails
When it comes to thumbnails, there are three key factors to consider:
- Eye-catching: Your thumbnail should stand out and grab the viewer’s attention.
- Understandable: Viewers should be able to quickly grasp what your video is about from the thumbnail.
- Click-worthy: The thumbnail should make viewers want to click and watch your video.
To create a clickable thumbnail, consider who is in the video, what they are doing, and where they are doing it. Remember, the central idea matters more than minor details like brightness and contrast.
Titles
Titles, like thumbnails, should also be compelling. They should be simple, personal, and carefully chosen to create curiosity, suggest benefits, and produce emotion. For example, instead of a simple title like “A cat jumping over a mat”, you could use “Funny cat jumping over a mat to escape the owner” to make it more engaging.
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Increasing View Duration
The next step in learning how to grow a YouTube channel is to increase the retention of your videos. This involves creating content that keeps viewers watching.
Creating Compelling Content
People watch videos because they want their questions answered. The best YouTubers create compelling questions and then take viewers on a rollercoaster ride to answer them.
The first 5-10 seconds of your video should set up a central question that is clear, beneficial, and creates a sense of uncertainty. This question should be compelling enough to keep viewers watching.
Making the Journey Enjoyable
The journey to answer the central question should be enjoyable. Increase the good things about the journey and remove the bad. This could involve adding humor, creating emotional highs, and introducing pattern interrupts to keep the content fresh and engaging.
Avoiding Pitfalls
Avoid creating boring characters, evoking emotions that make viewers want to click off, and coming across as inauthentic. Be ruthless in removing any sections that make the audience feel bored or confused.
Growing a YouTube channel is a journey, and it requires understanding YouTube’s perspective, focusing on the right metrics, and consistently generating high-quality video ideas. With these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to YouTube success!