When creating YouTube videos, what part or parts do you put most focus on? If it’s only the quality of your videos and the revenue you will reap that you put emphasis on, then you’re making a big mistake. Today, with YouTube being home to millions of users, you will have to face thousands of competitors simply to catch your prospects’ attention. By having HD quality videos, you can certainly attract viewers. However, without including any means of engagement, how can you be sure those viewers will stick around?
5 Tips for Maximum YouTube Video Engagement
By learning about and implementing video engagement strategies, you can boost your chances of getting more views, likes, comments, and subscriptions—all great things that YouTube users aim for. If you’ve been creating videos but are not getting the results you hoped for, then you certainly have to change tactics, from the concept to the distribution of your video.
Here are five tips that will help you achieve your goals in becoming a top YouTube marketer:
Keep It Short
This is something we have mentioned in a previous post, but one thing we can’t emphasize enough. If you want your viewers to watch your video from start to finish, then you have to make it short. The ideal length for YouTube videos is between 2 and 5 minutes. Longer than that, and you might find a decrease in watchers. Given this amount of time, it’s best to present the most important details in the beginning. Any surprising or awe-inspiring claim or fact must be immediately shared and then expanded throughout the duration of the video by providing supporting details. Keep in mind, though, when citing sources and references, that using more credible sources such as highly-respected publications and government websites is always better.
Keep It Current
There are always news and hits that you can use as a theme for or incorporate in your video, regardless what your actual niche is. For example, the recent sensation, “Gangnam Style,” can be used as an example for a wide array of topics such as entertainment, fashion, and marketing. If you can’t use recent news and trends as a direct example or theme, then simply use it as part of your visual background or audio. Doing so will make your videos feel more relevant and time-appropriate to your viewers.
Make It Personal
“You don’t understand me!” That’s one complain you’ll hear from people when you try to tell something without actually talking to them directly. It might sound a little confusing when said that way. However, the point here is that your target viewers must feel that you’re really talking to them—that you created a YouTube video specifically because you can relate with their woes, worries, and desires. There are different ways to do that, but one proven way is to use specific names and terms. That is to say you should call out who you want to appeal to (e.g., “housewives,” “aspiring affiliate marketers,” “tennis players”) and use terms they can relate to (e.g., slam dunk, traveling, blind pass for basketball enthusiasts).
Make It Emotional
Just to be clear, emotional doesn’t exactly mean sad, although your video can be, depending on the goal you want to achieve. Your video must always be driven by a specific emotion, based on the topic you’re discussing. Of course, you can always use different sets of emotions, but one of your ultimate objectives must be to make your watchers feel what you want them to feel. For example, if your video focuses on success tips, then you want your watchers to feel confident and ambitious. If you’re doing charity, then you want your watchers to feel sympathetic and generous.
Start the Interaction
Believe it or not, many YouTube users are actually shy, opting to watch videos and nothing more. If you don’t prod them to do more, then you’ll be stuck with nothing but views, which, alone, are not great help for getting revenues. If you want to rack up not just your videos’ views but also likes, comments, and shares, then you have to take the initiative. Pose questions, give a puzzle, or put up a topic for debate—do things that will make your watchers comment, ask questions, and interact not just with you but with each other.
YouTube is a great platform for showcasing one’s ability and leveraging one’s business. However, if you’re not able to stand out from the rest of the crowd, then YouTube will simply be another average tool. Use the video engagement tips we shared here today, and you’ll certainly find improvement in your results. Once you start reaping the good results, though, be sure to tell us about it here.