YouTube has grown beyond its original role as an easy way to waste time in a content rabbit hole. Now it’s an essential marketing channel and a way for people to connect with others.
Videos that make viewers laugh are a surefire way to go viral. They also have high engagement, as YouTube rewards video views with likes.
Video Descriptions
A video’s description attracts, engages and converts an audience. It is a key element of YouTube content that can impact SEO, which in turn impacts visibility. In addition, the description allows users to take action (CTA) on your product or services (middle of the funnel).
The first 200 characters in a video description display above the “show more” expansion, making them important for search engines. For that reason, you should include important keywords in the title and in the first line of the video description.
A video’s description can also help you segment the video into sections using timestamps, which makes it easier for viewers to rewatch videos. For example, a video by holistic coach Meredith Miller includes links to her podcasts and other channels in the video’s description, which encourages viewers to subscribe and get more skill-building tips. This strategy can increase views, engagement and subscriptions. It can also help you move an audience down the funnel and ultimately become customers.
Thumbs-Up Button
Thumbs-up gestures are a popular way to show approval on the Internet. They are associated with the term “like” and are also used on Facebook pages, posts and profiles. Similarly, YouTube videos may be liked or disliked by users by clicking a thumbs-up or thumbs-down button underneath each video. This data is tabulated and displayed as a count next to one of two smaller thumb icons underneath each video.
Thumb-up counts are important to Youtube users because the more a video is liked, the higher it will rank in search results for that topic. However, this system can discourage people with different or unconventional perspectives from leaving comments because they fear being voted down by the majority of other users.
In an effort to encourage more likes, YouTube has recently made like counts invisible to viewers (although creators can still see them). The thumbs-up animation has also been updated, bouncing and enlarging in a series of fireworks and streamers.
Info Cards
Cards appear as interactive boxes within your YouTube video and can be used for a variety of purposes. They are perfect for directing viewers to your other videos and playlists, encouraging subscriptions, and sharing links to your website or merchandise sites. You can also use them to promote a giveaway or contest, or thank another channel that helped you with the production of your video.
When using YouTube Info Cards, be sure to add a personalized teaser text and a compelling call-to-action. Keep in mind that cards can only be displayed once per viewer, so you’ll want to present them at a time when your audience will be most interested. Consider inserting the card before your video’s ‘valley,’ or drop-off point, to help you keep your average watch time high.
You can also use YouTube link cards to add links to other websites, merchandise sites, crowdfunding pages, and more. However, you’ll need to be part of the YouTube Partner Program to create and display these cards.
Ads
With a large user base, varied ad formats and high flexibility, YouTube advertising is an effective tool for businesses. Its primary benefits include increased brand reach, precise targeting and data attribution.
The platform allows marketers to pay for ads only after viewers watch 30 seconds of a non-skippable video or interact with them. This format works best for ad campaigns that promote an important event, new product launch or major sales initiative.
TrueView ads can be displayed as in-stream videos, mastheads or overlays. The former two are video ads that play before other YouTube content, while the latter is similar to a standard display ad. Mastheads autoplay for up to 30 seconds without sound and can include up to two companion videos. They can also feature a vanity URL or a final destination URL. The latter allows advertisers to track the number of website visits or conversions they receive from YouTube ads. Remarketing campaigns can target people who have already visited a business’s website to help build relationships and nurture leads.youtube like
