How to optimise your content for YouTube
Video is fast becoming one of the most consumable products on the web, with YouTube attracting over a billion users and representing one-third of audiences online. If you want to improve your content marketing and social media strategy, integrating video is an absolute must. Here we look at some must-know tricks to optimise your content for YouTube, from thumbnails to teaser videos.
Be sure to brand your channel
YouTube isn’t just a website where you can upload a random video from time to time; it can also be an extremely powerful branding platform, just like other social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. Your YouTube channel should represent your business, using a header, logo and layout that best matches your audience profile. If you’re really serious about establishing yourself on YouTube, then consider uploading a trailer video, a short and punchy overview of what your channel offers that others don’t. Remember to include a strong call to action, asking your viewers to subscribe to your channel and be updated with any new videos on it. Need some inspiration?
Keep it simple and straight forward
Whilst your videos are an opportunity to let your creative style shine through, consumers still expect a level of simplicity and functionality when navigating on the web. Like your website, your YouTube channel can be designed to show off your best assets, and make it easy for viewers to navigate around your content. Try adding sections to your channel’s homepage, such as ‘Latest Videos’ or ‘Most Popular’. You can also develop playlists or sets of videos that automatically stream related content. This establishes your channel as an authority, and keeps viewers engaged in your content rather than clicking away at the end of a single video.
Show off your best assets
Once you’ve set up your channel, you can dedicate your time and energy to making sure each video really shines. Spend time picking the right thumbnail, making sure it captures the sentiment of the video. Where possible, use faces – which can dramatically improve your chances of getting clicks. Be sure to craft titles and descriptions that get people’s attention and will improve your search engine optimisation (SEO), but also that accurately represent what your video is about. If you need some more tips, have a look at some of these thumbnails that are clearly designed to draw people in:
iFactory is a digital agency working with clients to optimise their online presence – we’re the website design, e-commerce, systems integrations and search engine optimisation experts in Brisbane, Australia. If you need more YouTube inspiration, head over to our iFactory YouTube channel, where you pick up some tips from the best in the business. Impressed? Reach out to us for assistance with your YouTube channel, video content and other content marketing strategies.
