500 hours of video are uploaded every minute to YouTube alone ! (Tubefilter, 2019) With a humongous amount of video content uploaded every single day, making your video stand apart is a challenge. But don’t lose hope, it’s not impossible! The 2 important factors that will determine whether your video will get views or not are – CTR and watch time. Here are some strategies to help you improve CTR and rank higher!
1.Your Heading is The Hero
Your video title is what will make viewers click on your video or exit the screen. In short it is responsible to improve CTR on your videos. Your heading must be specific and eye catchy without deviating from the content in your video. Misleading the audience will result in a sharp decline in open rates since the video will not be shared or recommended by anyone who watches it. Also it will not reach the target audience that it is meant for.
2. An Eye Catchy Thumbnail is an Essential
As humans [and audience] we are visual creatures. Since thumbnails are the face of the video, they need to be attractive and visually stimulating. Thumbnails are where you can go creative! It is another factor that will greatly influence the CTR on your video. Use your brand style and colors and depict exactly what the video has to offer. The latest trend? Animated thumbnails!
3. Keyword Research Awards Your Effort
Just like with Google ranking, keyword research is the first step to rank your video. With endless keyword research tools easily available online, it’s not as tough as it seems. After choosing the perfect keyword, make sure you insert it in all the right places. Just like the title, meta description, tags and transcripts.
4. Engagement is The Key
Coming to the second important point of a successful video – watch time. Keeping your audience engaged till the very end will improve your watch time and hence your ranking. There are multiple ways to increase engagement. Encouraging them to like, share and subscribe to your channel. Have a hook at the very end of the video and make sure it delivers as per the title.
5. Average Watch Time Must Not be Average
Increasing watch time automatically increases the chance of getting liked and shared. This can be done by offering the audience a free tip, some important news, a bonus or a special shout out at the very end of the video. Another important factor to consider is the audio and video quality.
6. A Well Edited Video is Half The Battle Won
Video editing is the art of seamlessly blending frames and sounds to make the audience feel emotionally connected to the material. Hence, make videos that are well edited, stunning and high quality. The quality of video editing can make or break your video. Nobody likes to watch clumsy, half hearted content. It’s safe to say that video editing is among the most important factors that determines the success of a video.
The number of videos being uploaded per day continues to rise and so does awareness around making a great video that sells. Standing out from the competition is no child’s play. Nonetheless, following best practices will only give you a leap forward. Hoping to see your viral video soon! If you have any other useful tips that you think we missed out, do let us know in the comments below!
