YouTube videos are a daily staple for many people looking for advice, entertainment, an escape, or something else. With that said, popping into the top video search results is no small feat.
Unless you happen to be doing something incredibly unique on YouTube that no one else has thought of, getting eyes on your content is an uphill battle.
One of the most effective actions you can take is to promote your YouTube channel. So? How to promote YouTube videos? Success is not guaranteed, but you can maximize your chances of resonating with your audience; therefore, video marketing is essential.
If you want to compete with other creators in your niche, Mosaic Media Films created these 20 great ways to go about YouTube promotion.
1. Tagging Accounts in Your YouTube Channel Niche
You may think this to be counterintuitive. Why would you want to tag others in your video content promotion efforts? Well, research will tell you that doing so can put you in front of eyes that didn’t even know you existed.
Promoting YouTube videos by posting on other platforms and shouting out creators in your niche is an excellent strategy. Who knows? You may just land a partnership or a chance at a collaboration, which could net you more YouTube subscribers and views in the long run!
2. Branded Content on Instagram
The number of influencers using this strategy as a part of their YouTube marketing efforts is much greater than you’d think. It makes sense, too! The people on Instagram are the same people checking out YouTube channels at other points during the day.
So, why not use the platform to pull these people in as you attempt to build a brand? You want a recognizable logo that viewers can make a mental association with.
Who knows? You could just get your next YouTube video sponsored by going this route.
3. Use Direct Message Groups
The days of a DM space on Instagram being limited to one conversation are now a thing of the past, thanks to the introduction of direct message groups. Now, people can join conversations consisting of people who may have similar interests and be involved in a particular niche.
Since active members must post fresh content, it’s the perfect opportunity to get your latest video out there so others can watch, like, and subscribe!
4. Leverage Social Media Correctly
Video promotion needs to be a concept you approach both within and outside the YouTube sphere. The reality is that many currently successful creators established a presence elsewhere and brought people back to stimulate their growth.
As you promote your YouTube videos, you must have the same mindset. Everyone won’t discover you in a search.
Venture onto Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc., and let the world know what video content you offer!
5. Capitalize on Forums Conducive to Your YouTube Content
You can also promote your YouTube videos by incorporating online forums. For example, Reddit is where people with similar interests can establish mini-communities to talk about their passions and see what others put out there.
Read more: How to Maximize 10 Amazing Benefits of Video Marketing?
Don’t treat the space like an advertisement hub, though. Ensure you’re contributing to conversations and the community as a whole. You don’t want anybody to think you’re pushing your YouTube video agenda.
Remember that some forums have rules that forbid content promotion, so be respectful.
6. Run Contests
The chances are that if someone does a YouTube search that seems indicative of some kind of giveaway, the person will be intrigued. That’s because there’s a positive mental link associated with winning things.
Be careful how you do this, as you don’t want to impact your YouTube channel negatively. Whatever contest you have should be relevant to having people buy into you as a content creator.
You don’t want people to just be around for what they can win before taking off.
7. Get into Active Publishing to Reach Your Target Audience
This one will require some research, but it’s a great way to get more eyes on your YouTube videos. The idea here is to understand when people are most active and try to practice posting your video content during these windows.
For example, around 11 AM is typically a good time to put content on your YouTube channel during weekdays.
8. Video Tags and Hashtags
This is more of an indirect form of social video marketing. Remember that popping up in search results on YouTube, Google, etc., is very important. Therefore, apart from having descriptive video titles, you also want to pay attention to the tags and hashtags you use.
When people search for keywords that align with YouTube video hashtags and tags, they can be taken to related videos. Ranking in the search results may mean finding out these key terms and setting up tags that capitalize on them.
9. Descriptive and SEO-friendly Video Titles
This works in tandem with the previous point and even extends to whatever video description you put together. If your videos are meant to rank well in YouTube search results, they must be algorithm-friendly.
After all, it has the final say in what constitutes “relevant videos,” you certainly want your target audience to find you.
Keyword research is essential here to help you understand what terms your potential viewers are searching for and how you can adjust to get your YouTube channel in the mix.
10. Create Video Content That’s Conducive to Different Promotion Channels
While promoting YouTube videos using different avenues is a great idea, you should also remember that different types of content are effective in different places. For example, the standard videos on your channel will have a certain length.
You could edit a 10-second interesting compilation together, complete with captions, which would be conducive to garnering interest on TikTok.
Similarly, a 30-minute section with a cliffhanger may make a great Instagram reel. You can’t take a one-size-fits-all approach with video content.
11. Cross Promote Relevant Videos
If you’re using all these other channels to promote your YouTube channel, why don’t you use it to promote itself? This is the idea of cross-promotion.
Near the end of a video, you can refer your audience to another video you uploaded. Alternatively, there may be a story or concept that a previous video referenced. If that’s the case, you can throw in a reference once it’s relevant instead of going over it.
You can even get people excited about upcoming YouTube content by mentioning videos that have yet to be released.
12. Make the Google Ads Keyword Planner Your Friend
The Google Ads Keyword Planner is invaluable for someone looking to appeal to the algorithm and grow a YouTube channel. Sometimes, you want to use appropriate keywords for the title and description after putting your videos together, but you don’t know how to.
Google is the one getting all the searches, so what better place to look if you want to know what people are looking for? The Google Ads Keyword Planner will provide you with a Search Engine Results Page (SERP) analysis alongside other useful insights to help you promote your YouTube videos.
13. Utilize YouTube Analytics in Your Strategy
As you post your videos, YouTube will collect useful insights in the backend that will help you to promote your YouTube channel in a more targeted way than you could ever imagine. You can get a rundown of your audience’s age groups, gender distribution, location, etc.
Additionally, you’ll see your watch time, the sections of your videos most replayed, and more!
When you combine this, you can begin to form a profile of the kind of people interested in your video productions, guiding the messaging you use for promotion.
14. Place a YouTube Widget on Your Site
Directing people to your YouTube channel from your website is a no-brainer. You should always try to get your eyes on your videos that way. However, not everyone is willing to navigate away from the site just to go watch a video.
So, why not bring the video to them? With a widget embedded, you can have your video play right on your webpage with a miniature display. That way, no one feels forced to visit your channel, but you still get to generate traffic.
If the video is attractive enough, you may convert people to channel visitors.
15. Mimic Effective Strategies of More Successful Video Creators
Don’t get this wrong. You’re not being told to rip off other YouTube channels in their entirety just to get more views on your video content. However, it’s common knowledge that YouTubers repurpose ideas and tactics that others use successfully.
Bumper ads, non-skippable ads, and in-stream ads, for example, may be part of a competitor’s mix. Perhaps you can learn from the tactics and repurpose them to fit your video lineup and your channel’s brand.
16. Customize Your Thumbnails
Never let YouTube choose a thumbnail image for you. It will often be a random frame from your video, which is not flattering. With customization, you can make your videos stand out from the rest.
Imagery, lettering, placement, etc., can all come together to grab user attention. Additionally, people are likelier to watch a video that implies professionalism and creativity.
While only watching YouTube videos can give that kind of confirmation, people make their initial decision upon seeing the thumbnail.
17. Use the Power of Collaboration
Many top YouTube stars see some of their best video performances when they leverage collaborations. That’s because your audience and the other content creators see what you’re about.
Other YouTube creators may not be keen on collaborating on videos if they don’t feel they have something to gain. Therefore, ensure benefits on both sides before you seek out this kind of video.
18. Post Regularly
Posting regularly does not mean you should upload YouTube videos daily. Some channels do this, and the jury is still unsure whether that contributes to stale content.
The point is that the YouTube wheel will turn whether or not you choose to be present. If your audience isn’t getting videos from you, they will find content elsewhere.
Establish a YouTube posting schedule that is as consistent as possible and make your viewers aware of it. Promoting your video schedule gives people something to look forward to.
19. Tease Upcoming YouTube Videos
You don’t need to fully release YouTube videos to get their traction. As indicated before, you can talk about them as a cross-promotion strategy. Beyond that, you can use shorts, stories, or other options to show people you’re in mid-production.
Again, these things promote YouTube engagement and give people something to hold on to.
20. Channel Trailer
What is your YouTube channel about? Can you articulate it in a short and spicy form? That’s what the trailer feature is all about. You can creatively use music, visual storytelling, etc., to relay exactly what you bring to YouTube.
Potential viewers often use trailers to decide whether a channel is worth looking at.
YouTube Video Promotion: The Bottom Line
Promoting YouTube content is no easy feat. Considering the sheer competition, creators must work harder than ever to reach their intended audiences. Therefore, knowing the promotional tactics to use is almost non-negotiable.
If you were uncertain about building your YouTube brand, you should know how to do so now with the above insights.
Bear them in mind and implement them in your promotional attempts going forward. While there are no guarantees, you may surprise yourself with what you achieve!
Ready to take your YouTube promotion to the next level? Contact Mosaic Media Films – Austin Video Production Company today! Our expert team will help you create and promote videos that captivate and convert. Schedule your free strategy session today, and let’s start crafting your unique story. Call us at (512) 607-5533!
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Mark Wonderlin is the visionary founder of Mosaic Media Films. He is passionate about crafting creative business videos that captivate and convert. Mark and his team stand out by creating visually stunning videos and ensuring they align seamlessly with the client’s broader marketing objectives.