Want more views on Youtube? Of course you practise. Y'all're a homo with a pulse and a video to share! It's only natural.

YouTube is the earth's second most visited website. More than than two billion people employ it every month — that'southward i-third of all internet users. 74% of adults in the U.S. are watching videos at that place. (We could go on, simply y'all can read all the latest YouTube stats on your own fourth dimension.)

We've compiled this guide to point out all the easy wins that will amplify your brand's message on YouTube, but we're also going to detail some of the more than advanced techniques the pros use to get more YouTube views.

To see how we're getting views on our YouTube channel (which we started from scratch, because yolo), cheque out our cool video:

Psst: If you lot're starting from scratch too, we take a primer on how to create a YouTube channel.

At present, permit'southward get those views rolling!

Bonus: Download the free 30-twenty-four hour period plan to grow your YouTube post-obit fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will assist you kickstart your Youtube aqueduct growth and rails your success. Go real results after one month.

What counts as a view on YouTube?

Each time a viewer intentionally initiates the playing of a video on their device and watches for at least xxx seconds, that counts as a view. Pretty simple!

If y'all play your own video, that will exist counted as a view.

If a viewer watches your video more than than one time, each screening will be counted as a new view. (That being said, refreshing over and over once more to endeavor to game the system will be detected by Youtube.)

Any views that take place with embedded Youtube videos or Youtube videos shared on Facebook will also be counted.

Live views are counted on YouTube, too.

Youtube analytics are updated every day or two, and so if you're not seeing an instant reflection of your action, check back later.

What doesn't count every bit a view on Youtube?

Youtube's algorithm is designed to condone any plays that might look like they were automated. Information technology merely wants to count the number of times a real man watched your video on purpose.

So when a single user or bot refreshes a video over and over, or if a website auto-plays a video, these views are not counted towards your total view numbers.

16 ways to get more than YouTube views

Globally, people watch over ane billion hours of YouTube every single twenty-four hours. If you lot want to stand up out from the crowd and snag some of those eyeballs, here'due south how to practice information technology.

1. Ensure your YouTube nuts are up to snuff

First we walk, then we run. Take a look at your fundamentals and make sure you've ticked all the boxes. Read our listing of beginner tips for YouTube, then come dorsum to dig into our advanced tactics.

Your basic YouTube housekeeping includes:

  • A consistent visual identity (your aqueduct icon, YouTube channel art, like in the Rupaul's Elevate Race example below, etc.)
  • A completed and informative About section (unless you are a breakout YouTube star like Joana Ceddia)
  • Upwards-to-date contact information (so all your potential customers and future brand partners tin can arrive bear on)

RuPaul's Drag Race YouTube channel description

Source: Rupaul's Elevate Race

2. Zero in on your specific niche (and your ideal audience)

If yous're aiming to optimize your YouTube marketing strategy, you want to go precise and ruthlessly selective most your goals—and the content that volition get you lot there.

Considering you aren't making videos for everyone. You're here for someone special: your audience.

Yoga with Adriene has thrived because she makes ultra-specific videos with titles like "Yoga for Joy" and "Yoga for Courage," and even releases versions of her videos in Spanish. She'due south merely one of the thousands of Youtube yoga instructors, walking people through poses, merely her ultra-inclusive concepts and attitude take struck a chord — she's got about 10 million subscribers.

Pro tip: Have y'all worked up your audience personas yet? They're kind of like Dungeons & Dragons characters, except make it business.

3. Do your inquiry, and better your video'due south search ranking

Yes, YouTube is a social platform, but information technology'south also a search engine. And one of the acme strategies for getting more views is YouTube SEO, i.eastward. optimizing your videos for search.

In other words, when your ideal viewer types in your chosen keywords, you want your video ranking near the peak of YouTube'south results list. That means you need to know what your audience is looking for—tutorials, inspiration, or entertainment.

YouTube results list keyword ranking

Ranking in search results is the best way to get brand new eyes—not just subscribers and people who are already interested in your channel (although we'll talk more about them subsequently) — on your videos.

Only, this is easier said than washed. So, what can you lot do to improve your videos' search ranking on YouTube?

Research. You lot're going to want to use a tool like Google Keyword Planner (notation that you'll need to set a Google Ads account) to practise two things:

  • Observe inspiration for your next video based on what people are already looking for (i.eastward., take a look at search patterns and see what keywords have a lot of search queries, merely few videos, a.k.a. low contest)
  • Have those relevant keywords and use them in your metadata (i.e., your video title, tags, video description text, subtitles)

Pro tip: If you lot haven't already, now is the time to familiarize yourself with how the YouTube algorithm works. This AI determines non just search results, simply recommendations for that important "what's up next" suggested videos sidebar, also.

Only remember that it all comes back to your platonic viewer: the algorithm doesn't care if your video is "good," it cares if a specific user wants to sentinel it. That beingness said, users typically want to watch "good" videos.

4. Use metadata to get recommended afterward a pop video

If your goal is to get more YouTube views, accept a cue from the most popular videos in your niche.

Start by taking a look at your pinnacle competitor's most popular video. (Get to their video library and sort by "near popular.")

YouTube's master goal is to keep viewers on the platform for as long as possible (and so that they'll see as many ads equally possible.) Thus the algorithm'southward job is to feed viewers one (hopefully highly-seasoned) video afterwards another.

But how does YouTube effigy out what people might like? The algorithm takes the following into consideration:

  • Videos that are often watched together
  • Videos the user has watched in the by
  • Topically related videos (which requires some keyword finessing!)

The only point yous tin can control here is the third.

Then when you lot're choosing keywords, think like a librarian. Draw your video'due south topic and describe its overall category, and think of other words a person might use to search for that topic. (Cheque out more tips on effective YouTube descriptions and keywords hither.)

Need a little inspo? You tin can really peek behind the scenes of a competitor's video to come across what keywords they utilise by right-clicking on the webpage and selecting View Page Source. And so CTRL-F "keywords" until you find the list.

popular video keywords

Merely earlier you get ahead and just copy-and-paste a more than popular video'south metadata over to your similar video, think nearly your audience: they won't want to scout the same video over again. Peradventure the first video raised a new question that needs answering, or there's an interesting tangent to be explored. How tin your video add value to what they simply saw so that they'll want to click on it?

Accept the ball and run with it.

five. Increase your views with custom thumbnails

When your potential viewers are in discovery mode—skimming through search results and recommendations—thumbnails are a major part of what they make up one's mind what to watch.

custom video thumbails

While a lot of advice out there is a graphic designer'due south nightmare — screaming fonts, cluttered information — let'southward go objective: what are the backdrop of an effective thumbnail?

  • The thumbnail is clear and authentic well-nigh the video it's describing (if your thumbnail misleads people into clicking, YouTube will know because your sentinel fourth dimension will go downward when the viewer gets annoyed and stops watching. The algorithm won't like that.)
  • The thumbnail stands out.
  • The thumbnail works in tandem with the video's championship.

'Continuing out' tin be as simple equally picking a vivid color. Or making sure your giant hi-res face is making a weird expression in good lighting. Or, if your niche is full of shrill, high-key visuals, and the all-time way your channel can stand out is by beingness the at-home, minimalist vox of reason.

6. Multiply your views by creating playlists

Organizing and creating video playlists on YouTube is the best manner to minimize the chances that a viewer will movement on to another aqueduct once they've consumed your content.

Why? Because playlists go by the same rules as Netflix: every bit presently as one video ends, the next begins.

Since you lot've already done the difficult work of helping your viewer find your video, click on it and lookout man the unabridged thing, it makes sense to guide them towards the video content they're going to want adjacent.

J.J. McCullough's YouTube content covers a range of cultural commentary, and then he's divvied everything upward nicely into thematic playlists. His fans who love his content on world leaders (and who wouldn't?!) volition be served up hit after hit.

J.J. McCullough playlists

7. Straight traffic to your videos using cards and end screens

As well playlists, cards and finish screens are two of the only tools that YouTubers can use to featherbed the algorithm and directly influence our audience's adjacent choice.

Cards are clickable, interactive areas that appear whatsoever time during the video. They come up in a variety of formats that can be used for things like fundraising or selling merch, simply in this instance, we're interested in increasing views, then choose a card that links to another one of your videos — or even better, playlists.

(Annotation: cards aren't available to use on videos identified as for kids.)

Cards are pop-ups, so it's very important that they add value. You don't want viewers feeling spammed. The videos or playlists y'all link to need to be relevant to the moment and provide additional data or entertainment.

For a super-meta example, cheque out how this All Nearly Cards video has a card itself near learning about unlike kinds of cards.

Pro tip: If you take a noticeable retention trouble with significant audience drib-off at a specific indicate in one of your videos, endeavour inserting a link card at that moment.

Meanwhile, terminate screens are visual calls-to-activity that you can add to the terminate of your video (in the concluding 5 to 20 seconds) to encourage viewers towards a next step. They're valuable because you know if a person has reached the bitter finish of your video, they are probably pretty interested in your great content.

Using end screens to encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel or visit your website are both good choices. Simply if you want more than views, using your end screen to promote your other videos or playlists is the best choice.

(Notation that to use finish screens, y'all'll need to include a few extra seconds at the end of your video when y'all're editing it.)

Youtuber SssniperWolf features terminate cards that direct to four more than of her videos. It's like a cull your own adventure for… whatever her shtick is.

SssniperWolf end cards with related videos

eight. Go beyond the how-to video (i.e., make videos no i else is making)

Chances are, when you lot're researching your target keywords (like we did dorsum at indicate #iii), you're going to encounter a lot of search terms that involve the phrase "how to." (The championship of this article included, ahem.) This is because there's a lot of search volume for how-to content.

But while y'all must work to attract new eyes, y'all besides want to make time to preach to the converted. On YouTube, your brand'southward value-added features come up in the class of content that is meaningful to people who are already your fans.

Youtube chef Tabitha Chocolate-brown, for instance, doesn't just share her vegan nachos recipe… she sits down with her husband to talk almost their human relationship, giving fans an intimate expect into her personal life. (And if they happen to get inspired to whip up their own batch of guac in the process? That's a bonus.)

ix. Build relationships with your viewers

"Audition date" is just another term for building relationships. The end goal here, of class, is actually but the realistic, organic and sustainable path to getting more YouTube views.

That is, engaging with other YouTubers (creators or commenters both) volition increment the chance that they'll care near your brand, that they'll subscribe to your channel (see #12), and sentinel more of your videos overall.

Bonus: Download the free 30-day plan to grow your YouTube post-obit fast , a daily workbook of challenges that volition assist you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and track your success. Get real results after one calendar month.

Get the complimentary guide right at present!

Ideas for breaking the fourth wall, and creating a 2-manner conversation might include:

  • Reply to comments (it's polite!)
  • Run a YouTube competition
  • Make reaction videos
  • Include other people'south content in your videos (with their permission)

Pro tip: This tutorial on how to engage your community on YouTube using Hootsuite's comment and sharing features will save you time as you build your audience.

10. Partner upwardly

Crossovers, invitee appearances, mash-ups, covers: people beloved that jolt of unfamiliar familiarity. Find the He-Man to your brand's She-Ra; and the Billy Ray Cyrus to your Lil Nas X.

Maybe you're a brand with a budget, and hiring a creator with their own following is an obvious choice. Simply if y'all're a creator or aspiring influencer yourself, getting more views is your offset stride on the manner to making money on YouTube, not spending it. In which case your all-time bet is to partner with like-minded creators.

Ideally, your potential partners are adequately aligned in values, popularity, and charm. And you actually similar them. And yous have fun together, and it shows, and it makes people happy to see you happy, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Easy, right?

This video is like a super crossover: two drag queens plus e.l.f. cosmetics plus Chipotle all make it on the mix. The cross-promotion opportunities are quadrupled, by our count.

Pro tip: If you do a crossover that involves a agglomeration of different videos—like ane from your partner's perspective to live on their aqueduct, and one by you to live on yours, and maybe some supporting outtakes, any necessary background, etc.—brand a playlist to compile them so that interested viewers can stan it all.

11. Promote your YouTube videos across all your social media channels

You're going to want to leverage all of your social media might to promote your YouTube channel.

Only, if you want more YouTube views, DON'T do the following:

  • Go to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok and post text or an image with a link to your YouTube video. Linking to YouTube makes objective sense, but the problem is that social platforms want to keep people on their platform (but like YouTube does). So their algorithms will not promote a text-simply mail service with an off-platform link. In other words, your impressions and CTR are going to be depression, so will your YouTube views.
  • Upload your entire video onto those platforms. This is what Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter desire you lot to do (IGTV is a directly competitor for YouTube, don't @ me). Posting your total video will probably get you great appointment and reach on those platforms. But organic Facebook video views aren't monetizable, are they? And they aren't going to get you lot YouTube views.

Promote your video by doing this instead:

  • Postal service a short teaser video to your social accounts as native video, and add together a link to the full video dorsum on YouTube.

Annotation that you are not going to want to postal service the same thing across your social channels.

Financial counsellor Max Mitchell puts a piffling trailer for his coin-themed Youtube videos on his Instagram feed to pique interest, and links to the total video in his bio.

Pro tip: Curt of hiring an assistant to handle your social media, a scheduling tool like Hootsuite is the best style to craft and schedule those posts for your followers.

12. Inquire your viewers to subscribe to your aqueduct

Your subscriber count corresponds to your organic accomplish on YouTube. The more subscribers your channel has, the more than views your videos will get correct off the bat when you hit publish.

Especially if those subscribers have their notifications turned on.

Growing your subscriber count is its own challenge with its own tactics, merely i that is intertwined with increasing your views. For that reason, we take a full guide on how to get more YouTube subscribers.

It's common practice to ask viewers to "similar and subscribe" as a sign-off in a video, just many YouTubers — like dazzler pro Patricia Bright — even include this call to activity as a visual at the stop, too.

Patricia Bright like and subscribe call to action

xiii. Enable embedding

Give your fans a hazard to assist spread the expert word virtually your piece of work past enabling embedding. The more fresh eyeballs see your video, the more views you lot rack upward (and mayhap even snag a new subscriber or ii in the process).

To enable embedding, become to Youtube Studio and click Content. Select your video and tap Edit. Select Embedding, and toggle on or off.

channel content embedding YouTube Studio

14. Amp up the watch time

While Youtube counts annihilation over 30 seconds equally a view, at that place are benefits to getting viewers to stick effectually longer.

If you can become people to watch your video for longer, Youtube will learn that you've got some content with quality. And videos with higher Watch Fourth dimension are favored by the Youtube algorithm, giving you lot a leg upward in the recommendation engine.

audience retention analytics

fifteen. Transcribe your videos

Calculation captions to your videos helps hearing-impaired viewers follow along, and makes your content more appealing to the 69 percent of people who watch mobile video with the sound off.

Having a transcript also makes translation an pick, opening your video up to international audiences. Global views! Tin can you imagine!?

Youtube'southward assist page tin can walk you stride-past-step through merely how to prep your transcript file — yous but need a .txt certificate.

YouTube transcript file

sixteen. Post your video at the correct fourth dimension

Dropping your video at the verbal moment your biggest audition of subscribers is online ways that they'll all receive that sweet, sweet "new mail" alarm right when information technology goes alive.

Just what if that's in the center of the night? Or while y'all're on vacation? That's where the power of a scheduling tool like Hootsuite comes in. Tee your video upwardly to go out at the exact predetermined time of your choice to fit with your content agenda, and then proceed and live your life.

Grow your YouTube audience faster with Hootsuite. Schedule videos and moderate comments in the same place yous manage all your other social networks. Attempt information technology free today.

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