Desire more views on Youtube? Of class you do. Y'all're a man with a pulse and a video to share! Information technology's only natural.

YouTube is the world'south second most visited website. More 2 billion people apply it every month — that'southward one-3rd of all internet users. 74% of adults in the U.S. are watching videos at that place. (We could go along, simply yous can read all the latest YouTube stats on your ain time.)

We've compiled this guide to bespeak out all the piece of cake wins that volition amplify your brand'southward message on YouTube, merely we're also going to detail some of the more advanced techniques the pros use to become more YouTube views.

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

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

Now, let's get those views rolling!

Bonus: Download the free thirty-day plan to abound your YouTube post-obit fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will aid you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and rail your success. Become existent results after 1 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 to the lowest degree 30 seconds, that counts as a view. Pretty unproblematic!

If yous play your ain video, that will exist counted as a view.

If a viewer watches your video more than once, each screening will be counted equally a new view. (That being said, refreshing over and over again to try to game the organization volition be detected by Youtube.)

Whatsoever views that take place with embedded Youtube videos or Youtube videos shared on Facebook will as well be counted.

Live views are counted on YouTube, also.

Youtube analytics are updated every day or two, and so if you're non seeing an instant reflection of your activity, check back afterwards.

What doesn't count equally a view on Youtube?

Youtube's algorithm is designed to disregard any plays that might look similar they were automated. Information technology simply wants to count the number of times a real human watched your video on purpose.

So when a single user or bot refreshes a video over and over, or if a website motorcar-plays a video, these views are non counted towards your total view numbers.

16 ways to get more YouTube views

Globally, people watch over one billion hours of YouTube every single day. If yous want to stand out from the crowd and snag some of those eyeballs, hither'due south how to do information technology.

i. Ensure your YouTube basics are up to snuff

Offset we walk, so we run. Take a expect at your fundamentals and make sure you've ticked all the boxes. Read our list of beginner tips for YouTube, then come up back to dig into our advanced tactics.

Your basic YouTube housekeeping includes:

  • A consistent visual identity (your channel icon, YouTube channel fine art, like in the Rupaul'south Drag Race case below, etc.)
  • A completed and informative About section (unless you are a breakout YouTube star like Joana Ceddia)
  • Upwards-to-appointment contact information (so all your potential customers and future brand partners can go in bear upon)

RuPaul's Drag Race YouTube channel description

Source: Rupaul'due south Drag Race

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

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

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

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'south merely one of the thousands of Youtube yoga instructors, walking people through poses, but her ultra-inclusive concepts and attitude have struck a chord — she's got near 10 million subscribers.

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

iii. Do your research, and ameliorate your video's search ranking

Yep, YouTube is a social platform, simply it's also a search engine. And 1 of the top strategies for getting more views is YouTube SEO, i.e. optimizing your videos for search.

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

YouTube results list keyword ranking

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

But, this is easier said than washed. So, what tin y'all do to improve your videos' search ranking on YouTube?

Research. Yous're going to want to use a tool like Google Keyword Planner (notation that you'll need to gear up a Google Ads account) to do two things:

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

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

Just recollect that information technology all comes back to your platonic viewer: the algorithm doesn't intendance if your video is "proficient," it cares if a specific user wants to watch it. That being said, users typically desire to watch "skillful" videos.

4. Apply metadata to get recommended after a popular video

If your goal is to get more than YouTube views, have a cue from the well-nigh popular videos in your niche.

Start by taking a look at your meridian competitor'south most popular video. (Go to their video library and sort by "most popular.")

YouTube's main goal is to keep viewers on the platform for as long as possible (so that they'll see as many ads equally possible.) Thus the algorithm's chore is to feed viewers one (hopefully appealing) video subsequently another.

But how does YouTube figure 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 past
  • Topically related videos (which requires some keyword finessing!)

The only point yous can control here is the 3rd.

And so when y'all're choosing keywords, recall similar a librarian. Describe your video'south topic and draw its overall category, and call back of other words a person might use to search for that topic. (Check out more than tips on effective YouTube descriptions and keywords hither.)

Demand a little inspo? You lot tin really peek backside the scenes of a competitor'southward video to see what keywords they use by correct-clicking on the webpage and selecting View Page Source. Then CTRL-F "keywords" until you find the list.

popular video keywords

But before you lot become ahead and only copy-and-paste a more than popular video's metadata over to your like video, think near your audience: they won't desire to watch the aforementioned video once more. Perhaps the get-go video raised a new question that needs answering, or there's an interesting tangent to be explored. How tin can your video add value to what they but saw so that they'll desire to click on it?

Take the brawl and run with it.

5. Increase your views with custom thumbnails

When your potential viewers are in discovery style—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 communication out in that location is a graphic designer'due south nightmare — screaming fonts, cluttered information — let'southward get objective: what are the properties of an effective thumbnail?

  • The thumbnail is clear and accurate about the video it's describing (if your thumbnail misleads people into clicking, YouTube will know considering your watch time will go downwards 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'due south championship.

'Standing out' can be equally simple every bit picking a bright 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 best manner your aqueduct tin stand out is by beingness the calm, minimalist vox of reason.

6. Multiply your views by creating playlists

Organizing and creating video playlists on YouTube is the all-time manner to minimize the chances that a viewer will move on to another channel in one case they've consumed your content.

Why? Because playlists go by the same rules every bit Netflix: as shortly as 1 video ends, the adjacent begins.

Since y'all've already done the difficult work of helping your viewer find your video, click on information technology and scout the unabridged matter, it makes sense to guide them towards the video content they're going to want next.

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

J.J. McCullough playlists

seven. Direct traffic to your videos using cards and end screens

Besides playlists, cards and end screens are two of the just tools that YouTubers tin can use to bypass the algorithm and directly influence our audience's next choice.

Cards are clickable, interactive areas that appear any time during the video. They come in a diverseness of formats that can be used for things similar fundraising or selling merch, simply in this case, we're interested in increasing views, and then choose a card that links to some other one of your videos — or even better, playlists.

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

Cards are pop-ups, so it'due south very important that they add together value. Y'all don't desire viewers feeling spammed. The videos or playlists you link to demand to exist relevant to the moment and provide additional information or entertainment.

For a super-meta instance, check out how this All Virtually Cards video has a bill of fare itself about learning about dissimilar kinds of cards.

Pro tip: If you have a noticeable retentivity problem with significant audition drop-off at a specific point in one of your videos, try inserting a link carte at that moment.

Meanwhile, end screens are visual calls-to-action that you can add together to the end of your video (in the last five to 20 seconds) to encourage viewers towards a adjacent step. They're valuable because y'all know if a person has reached the biting end 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. Just if you want more views, using your end screen to promote your other videos or playlists is the best choice.

(Note that to utilise terminate screens, you'll demand to include a few actress seconds at the stop of your video when you're editing information technology.)

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

SssniperWolf end cards with related videos

viii. Go beyond the how-to video (i.eastward., make videos no one else is making)

Chances are, when you lot're researching your target keywords (like we did dorsum at point #three), you're going to run into a lot of search terms that involve the phrase "how to." (The title of this commodity included, ahem.) This is because there'south a lot of search volume for how-to content.

Only while you must work to attract new optics, you also want to make time to preach to the converted. On YouTube, your brand's value-added features come in the class of content that is meaningful to people who are already your fans.

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

nine. Build relationships with your viewers

"Audience engagement" is just another term for building relationships. The finish goal hither, of course, is really merely the realistic, organic and sustainable path to getting more YouTube views.

That is, engaging with other YouTubers (creators or commenters both) will increment the chance that they'll intendance about your brand, that they'll subscribe to your channel (come across #12), and watch more of your videos overall.

Bonus: Download the complimentary xxx-day plan to grow your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will help you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and track your success. Get real results later on one month.

Get the free guide right now!

Ideas for breaking the fourth wall, and creating a two-way conversation might include:

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

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

10. Partner up

Crossovers, guest appearances, mash-ups, covers: people love that jolt of unfamiliar familiarity. Discover the He-Man to your brand'due south She-Ra; and the Billy Ray Cyrus to your Lil Nas Ten.

Maybe you're a brand with a budget, and hiring a creator with their ain following is an obvious option. Just if yous're a creator or aspiring influencer yourself, getting more views is your first step on the way to making money on YouTube, non spending information technology. In which case your best bet is to partner with like-minded creators.

Ideally, your potential partners are fairly aligned in values, popularity, and charm. And you actually like them. And you have fun together, and it shows, and it makes people happy to see you happy, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Piece of cake, right?

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

Pro tip: If y'all do a crossover that involves a bunch of different videos—like one from your partner's perspective to live on their channel, and one by you to live on yours, and possibly some supporting outtakes, whatsoever necessary background, etc.—make a playlist to compile them so that interested viewers can stan it all.

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

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

But, if you desire more YouTube views, DON'T practice the following:

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

Promote your video by doing this instead:

  • Post a short teaser video to your social accounts as native video, and add a link to the total video dorsum on YouTube.

Note that you are non going to want to post the aforementioned thing across your social channels.

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

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

12. Ask your viewers to subscribe to your channel

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

Especially if those subscribers have their notifications turned on.

Growing your subscriber count is its ain challenge with its own tactics, simply one that is intertwined with increasing your views. For that reason, we accept a full guide on how to become more YouTube subscribers.

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

Patricia Bright like and subscribe call to action

13. Enable embedding

Give your fans a chance to assist spread the good give-and-take nigh your work past enabling embedding. The more fresh eyeballs see your video, the more views you lot rack up (and maybe fifty-fifty snag a new subscriber or 2 in the process).

To enable embedding, go 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 fourth dimension

While Youtube counts anything over thirty seconds as a view, there are benefits to getting viewers to stick around longer.

If you lot can get people to sentinel your video for longer, Youtube will learn that yous've got some content with quality. And videos with higher Watch Time are favored by the Youtube algorithm, giving you a leg up in the recommendation engine.

audience retention analytics

15. Transcribe your videos

Calculation captions to your videos helps hearing-impaired viewers follow along, and makes your content more highly-seasoned to the 69 pct 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's assist folio can walk you stride-by-step through just how to prep your transcript file — you only need a .txt document.

YouTube transcript file

xvi. Post your video at the correct time

Dropping your video at the exact moment your biggest audition of subscribers is online means that they'll all receive that sweet, sugariness "new mail" alert right when it goes live.

But what if that's in the middle of the night? Or while y'all're on holiday? That's where the ability of a scheduling tool like Hootsuite comes in. Tee your video upwards to leave at the exact predetermined time of your option to fit with your content calendar, and so go on and live your life.

Abound your YouTube audience faster with Hootsuite. Schedule videos and moderate comments in the same place you lot manage all your other social networks. Endeavor it costless today.

Get Started

Abound your YouTube channel fast with Hootsuite. Hands moderate comments, schedule video, and publish to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Try it for Free