Ultra.
Now that you’ve put in the work to find your niche, brand your channel, create videos and make your thumbnails and titles clickworthy, you may already be receiving some views. However, while completing tasks like branding your channel and creating amazing content will certainly help bring in viewers and subscribers, the truth is you have to get comfortable with actively promoting your channel if you want to see the growth and success that you truly deserve.
Self-promoting makes many people feel uneasy, and we totally get it. However, it’s a major part of being a creator who shares their talents with the world. Keep reading if you need some guidance on effective ways to promote your YouTube videos.
Engage with Your Community
Often, people undervalue how engaging with subscribers and viewers, in addition to building a community in general, can be used as a form of promotion for your YouTube channel. Most people don’t want to have one-way conversations—this includes those commenting, liking, etc., on content by their favorite creators like you. Responding to commenters and even checking out their content and engaging with it is a great way to build a tribe on YouTube. Building a tight-knit community essentially creates a team of advocates that will not only engage with your content but promote it on your behalf. Just make sure you’re putting out the same energy for other creators.
Collaborate with Other Creators and Influencers
Networking doesn’t stop just because you aren’t in the same place physically as other people in your field (in this case, other creators and influencers). Similarly to building a community with your followers, you need to create meaningful relationships with other creators in your niche. Whether it’s appearing in each other's videos or simply giving shoutouts on each other’s channels, collaborations can help put your content in front of a larger audience that you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access.
We can’t stress enough the importance of networking as a creative. If you’d like to learn more, check out this helpful guide on collaborating with other influencers (which you can apply to any platform, not just YouTube.)
Promote Your Content Across YouTube
As a creator within a particular niche, chances are you make related content across multiple videos that will interest your audience. Make it a habit of referring to some of your other content in your videos where it makes sense. For example, if you’re a plant YouTuber showing off the progress of your plant babies, reference a previous video showing where you detailed some of your plant care tips so viewers who may have missed out can get the prerequisites. Mention related content in the video, but also remember to link them in the video itself, in the description box, and in the end cards.
Pro-Tip: Once you hit 1,000 subscribers on YouTube, you’re eligible to create “Community Posts,” which are very similar to feed or timeline posts you might find on platforms such as Facebook or Twitter. On the Community Tab of your YouTube channel, you can post messages to your followers about upcoming content or even just say hello and check in with them. Community posts are a great way to communicate with your subscribers between uploads or just when you get a chance. You can even pick their brains about the type of content that they want to see next.
Host a Giveaway
Who doesn’t love a good freebie? (we’ll wait). While giveaways and contests serve as a chance to give back to your supporters, they’re also a mutually beneficial way to promote your YouTube Channel. When hosting a giveaway, it’s important to make the rules intentional for it to be an effective promotional tool. Below are a few giveaway rules that we recommend:
- To enter, a person must be subscribed to your channel.
- Ask people entering to engage with specific videos (like, leave a comment with a specific emoji, share, etc.)
- Specify where the person must reside (i.e., within the US). You don’t want to break the bank shipping things across the globe.
Share Your Videos on Blogs and Forums
If you come across a blog or forum that asks questions you’ve answered in a YouTube video, don’t be afraid to share it as long as the forum allows self-promo. As long as the content you’re sharing adds value to whoever comes across it, they will more than likely tune in and possibly subscribe to your channel.
Additionally, if you run your own blog, you should try embedding your YouTube videos in posts and plugging your YouTube channel where it makes sense. Cross-promoting between your site and YouTube is a great way to turn readers into viewers and vice versa. Not to mention, it can have a positive impact on SEO for both your blog and YouTube channel.
Post on Social Media Frequently
It’s undeniable that social media is one of the best ways to market and promote virtually any type of business. Specifically for your YouTube channel, you should share links to new uploads and evergreen content whenever possible. You don’t have to spam users with links, but you do want to create some awareness around your channel so you can convert social media followers to YouTube viewers and subscribers.
Creating high-quality content is just one part of the equation for succeeding on YouTube. Promoting your channel and your content should be at the top of your to-do list if you truly want to grow and evolve on the platform. Never be too shy to share your creations with the world.
Now that you’re spreading the word about your channel and hopefully experiencing steady growth, keep reading to find out how you can utilize YouTube analytics to truly fine-tune your content.