How do I post my channel on YouTube ways you can grow your YouTube channel

Advertisements

It turns out, people don t just look for videos on YouTube; they use Google too. YouTube was the second most popular search term in 2018. Google now prioritizes video over other content for many searches.

There s no set rule for which keywords will help your YouTube video rank well. But a bit of reverse-engineering can go a long way.

Here is how to find a Google friendly keyword for any video:

Identify possible keywords with a tool like the Google Ads Keyword Planner.
Google one of your options.
Scan the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for each keyword. Are the top-ranking results videos or written content?

Tweak your keyword and try again. Try adding words like How to or Tutorial if you’re having trouble getting video results.
Choose a keyword that prioritizes video and suits your content.
For example Photoshop Tutorial turns up far more video results than Photoshop Tips

2. Use concise descriptive titles
The title is the first thing users see when they find your content. And if it isn’t punchy it might be the last.
Here are some basic tips for writing strong YouTube titles:
Keep it short and sweet. The most popular YouTube videos tend to have the shortest titles. Stick to 60 characters or less or some of your title may get cut off when displayed.

Include your keyword(s) in the first half of the title to avoid losing valuable information. Most online readers focus on the beginning of the sentence and skip the rest.

Engaging doesn’t mean clickbait. The best headlines offer an obvious benefit or create an emotional reaction. Clickbait is tempting, but can damage your channel’s reputation in the long term.

Still can’t come up with a title? YouTube’s autocomplete feature is a great way to find popular keywords. Start by searching for a particular theme or topic, and see what title YouTube suggests.

3. Create custom thumbnails
Thumbnails matter, maybe even more than titles. That’s because our brains are hardwired to notice visuals first. We process them in less than 13 milliseconds, according to one MIT study.

YouTube produces automatic thumbnails for all videos, but they can be blurry or out of focus. To boost views, create an eye-catching custom thumbnail for every video you post.

We recommend these simple “rules of thumb” for best results:
Resolution: 1280 x 720 px (but any 16:9 aspect ratio should work)
Format: .JPG .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG
Size: respect the 2MB limit
Use high contrast images
Add text and colors to encourage clicks
Choose a close-up image if you can
Use a stock photo when in doubt
Be consistent with other branding
Which of these two thumbnails are you more likely to choose? The blue graphic below is brighter more eye-catching, and much more clickable!

4. Fill out your profile
Many YouTubers skip the profile section and get straight to content creation. But a compelling profile is one of the easiest ways to promote your YouTube channel—and boost your SEO.

Here are some best practices for creating an effective YouTube profile:
Be consistent. Use a similar color palette, writing style, and layout as you do on your website and other social channels.
Optimize your YouTube channel description. This is a great place to add keywords. YouTube penalizes tag stuffing but including a couple of keywords can go a long way.
Keep viewers coming back for more. When and how often will you post new content? Let fans know your schedule—then make sure you stick to it.

Include contact info. You never know who might want to reach you. Make it easy for them and you could land some great partnerships.
5. Optimize your descriptions
We have a complete guide to writing effective YouTube descriptions which has tips for both individual video descriptions and channels. Here are a few of the key takeaways:
Front-load your keywords in the description and title
Stick to the 5000-characters limit
Create a contents page” with timestamps that help viewers find what they’re looking for
Add links to relevant playlists (more on this later)
Include a few relevant hashtags. Be sure to follow YouTube’s hashtagging rules before you post
You can also mention keywords in the video itself. But just like with text, people lose attention quickly. Use a couple of keywords during a brief intro for best results.

6. Don’t forget about metadata
YouTube’s metadata guidelines emphasize two things when it comes to using keywords:
Be honest.
Choose quality over quantity.
These rules also apply to features like tags and categories. Only include tags in the “tags section” of your upload—not the video description. Add one or two categories to help YouTube understand who to recommend your video to.

7. Offer real value
This may seem obvious, but it’s still worth saying.
Great content is the best way to keep viewers engaged—and the most effective way to rank well in search. That’s because YouTube’s ranking system prioritizes the viewer’s experience.
Before you publish any video ask yourself:
What problem does this video solve?
Is it entertaining?
Will it improve viewers lives in any way?
Our How to Use Hootsuite in 13 Minutes video is one of our most popular to date. By breaking things down step by step we helped viewers master a new tool. Provide real value and you’ll be rewarded with real engagement.

8. Create high-quality videos
Poor video quality can undermine even the best content. So make sure your content looks professional before you post it. Use a decent camera do a sound check before recording, and learn some basic editing skills.
Of course not everyone is a natural filmmaker. Brush up on these best practices for social videos if you’re a little rusty.

9. Interact with your fans
Real engagement doesn’t end at content creation. The most successful YouTubers constantly monitor and interact with their fans.
Respond to viewers’ comments even the negative ones and heart your favorites. Post response videos. Use analytics to identify your top fans and show them some extra love.
Your viewers and your subscriber count—will thank you for it.
Gamer MattShea created this video in response to his biggest hater It got a lot of attention: both for Mattshea and his adorable nemesis.

10. Try a Q&A
Audience Q&As are one of the most effective ways to build community. Ask your subscribers to send you questions by comment, email or tweet. Then create a video to address them.

By showing your fans that they matter you ll boost watch time view counts and engagement. Plus Q&As can be lifesavers when you re out of fresh content ideas.

This 13 year old YouTuber did a Q&A to celebrate hitting 100,000 subscribers. She gets things started with a cute non alcoholic toast.