Are you tired of putting in effort to create valuable YouTube videos, only to see them buried so deep that no algorithm ever finds them? With millions of videos uploaded every day, it’s no wonder why you’re searching for content that talks about how to get more video views.
That’s why we wrote this blog post. We’re sharing proven methods that are effective at driving more video views after you hit publish.
Why is this important
By taking the right steps to boost your video’s exposure, you can reach your target audience, improve your video search ranking, and increase channel growth… among other things. All of these wins contribute to a successful YouTube channel and strategy, which is what we’re all after at the end of the day. 
Before we go any further… don’t forget that there’s work to be done before you even hit publish. This preliminary work will have a big impact on your video’s reach. This includes creating a video title and thumbnail that drives clickability and searchability. Writing a thorough description that includes relevant keywords. And utilizing YouTube’s built-in promotion tools. These components cannot be overstated, which is why we’ve covered them in depth in previous posts. Check out this one to learn more: YouTube SEO guide.
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Leverage your other social channels
Leveraging existing social media networks is a powerful and easy way to promote your YouTube video after it’s published. Chances are your business has some amount of followers on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. All of these platforms (and the many others) offer you an audience to share your videos with. Both to your existing followers and supporters, and also to new potential viewers that have yet to discover your business or brand.
Short-form content
To make the most out of promoting your videos on other social channels, you should be repurposing your long-form content into shorter clips. Think about the 10, 20, 40, 60 second moments in your longer videos that make sense as standalone content.
Maybe they’re funny, or they get an important point across, or they tease at what is about to be spoken about in a deeper way. These are the kinds of clips you’ll want to edit into short-form videos and post on other social networks.
At the end of these videos, make sure you make it known that there is a longer version that viewers can check out if they’re interested. Having a clear call-to-action to encourage engagement and further viewing is key here.
Setup paid media placements
YouTube Ads are a great way to boost your video beyond it’s organic reach. They help you expand your current audience in a targeted and calculated way. Plus, you don’t need huge budgets to start. Whether you’re looking to target specific demographics, locations, or interests, ads can help your video get seen by more of the right people. So, what types of ads should you run?
in-feed video ads
With these ads you can showcase your video alongside YouTube content that is expected to be watched by your target audience. These video ads will show up in various places including YouTube search results, the YouTube watch next section, and the Home feed of the YouTube app.
In-feed video ads typically include a thumbnail image taken from your video, accompanied by text. Although the size and appearance of the ad may differ based on its placement, the primary goal remains the same: to entice viewers to click and watch the video. Once clicked, the video will play either on the YouTube watch page or on the channel homepage.
Using in-feed video ads in your promotional strategy can increase the chances of viewers finding, watching, subscribing, sharing, and even checking out more of your brand’s videos. Learn more about these ad types from Google here.
In-stream video ads
These ads play before, during, or after other videos on YouTube, and viewers have the option to skip the ad after five seconds. You only pay when someone watches your ad for at least 30 seconds or interacts with your ad by clicking on it.
With proper targeting, you can make sure the viewers seeing your video ad are interested in the topic you’re speaking about. Plus, you only pay when a user chooses to actually watch your video. This makes it a cost-effective solution for getting your content in front of more eyeballs.
Social Media Ads
Putting YouTube aside for a second, you should also think about utilizing other platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram to drive traffic to your latest video. Utilize a mix of video ads (think short-form content like we talked about earlier) and image ads with eye-catching visuals and compelling calls-to-action. Even budgets as low as $3-5/ day can have an impact, and of course you can scale up wildly from there.
To sum up, when setting up paid media placements, it’s important to have a clear budget in mind and to keep an eye on your results. Look over your views, clicks, and engagement to determine the success of your campaigns and make adjustments as needed.
Utilize email marketing
Email marketing has long been a powerful tool that many businesses use. No surprise, it’s also really helpful in getting those initial views on your latest upload. Your email list is full of people who have already have an interest in your business. So it’s likely they’ll also be interested in seeing what your latest video is all about too. Email is a great outlet to let them know about it!
The video could be the main feature of your email, talking about what it highlights and why people should watch it. Or it could be a much smaller mention at the bottom of your email. Either way, this should be a go-to tactic to generate some extra views on your video.
Also, if you’ve been segmenting your email list, then you’re also going to be able to target specific groups that will be most interested in your video topic. Take advantage of that and deliver the video to those who you think it can provide the most value to.
don't have an email list?
No list, no problem. Firstly, consider this your nudge to start one! Secondly, think about who in your network may benefit from seeing your latest video. A few key customers? Partners? Collaborators? Maybe some friends and colleagues. Once you’ve got your list, then come up with a short email template that shares a bit about the video and why someone should check it out. Include a link to the video of course. Then personally send it to those 10-20 people in your network.
You could BCC everyone here too but we think the effort that goes into personalization is worth it! Not only will this get you some immediate views and engagement (triggering YouTube to push it out organically). It’ll also likely start some conversations about your channel and content too. You’ll have some new supporters that are much more likely to watch future videos from your channel as well.
Create community posts
Community posts are an essential component of promoting your YouTube videos. These posts allow you to engage with your audience and build a sense of community around your channel. Community posts provide an opportunity for you to share behind-the-scenes content, ask for feedback, share teasers of upcoming videos, and even link directly to your latest video.
You can also use community posts to build excitement and anticipation around your next video. Share behind-the-scenes of you making it, short snippets, or even share a poll that let’s viewers decide what the next video should be. This can help build intrigue and get your audience bought-in to your content before it even goes live.
after your video is live
After publishing a video, use a community post to encourage your audience to share their thoughts, opinions, and feedback on the video. Include a link to the video like the example above. This can spark discussion and encourage those who haven’t seen the video yet to go check it.
These are just a few ways to leverage community posts. Hopefully this helps spark some ideas! For more inspiration and examples, check out the other types of community posts we do for Eckhart Tolle here.
Engage with your audience
Engaging with your audience is a must for boosting the visibility and views of your newly published YouTube videos. By responding to comments, you demonstrate that you value your viewers’ input and are actively engaging with your community. This can lead to more comments and discussion around the video topic, which is another way of providing value to your audience.
Moreover, increasing the comments on your video let’s the YouTube algorithm know that your content is being well-received and generating interest. This can lead to increased visibility and a higher likelihood of your videos being recommended to a wider audience resulting in more views.
Something to keep in mind
Keep in mind that many factors contribute to the visibility and reach of a video on YouTube, and audience engagement is just one piece of the puzzle. But it’s one that you can directly impact with some effort, so be sure to include this in your process.
This also applies to live streams, but more on that below.
Convert your video transcript into a blog post
If your business has a blog, converting your video transcript into a post is an easy win-win. You get more content on your website, and you get more views by embedding the video on the top of the blog post. As viewers visit your blog, they’ll see the video and have the option to watch instead of read.
Little extra effort is needed to make this happen which is why it’s such a simple win. You’ve already spent the time scripting and/ or filming the video. So if you use your script or download you transcript, you’ve got the bulk of what you need for a post.
Optimize for search traffic
By publishing the transcript as a blog post, you can also optimize it for search engines, making it easier for people to find your content. This can help drive more traffic to your video over time and slowly but surely increase views and engagement.
Collaborate with blogs
Further to our last point about your own blog, collaborating with other relevant blogs is another great way to expand the reach of your YouTube channel. It can also be a huge help to drive traffic to specific videos that you want to promote after publishing.
Look for blogs in your niche or industry that have an audience similar to your target audience. Then reach out to the blog owners or editors and pitch a collaborative idea that will benefit both parties. This could be as simple as offering to write a guest post for the blog that features your YouTube content. Or you could specifically offer to create a video that complements or mentions a blog post, with the goal of having your video embedded on that same blog post.
Maintain your relationships
When you’re doing this research for relevant blogs, keep a spreadsheet with all the different websites and contacts you come across. You will want to maintain these relationships to keep the door open for future opportunities with them.
Participate in other online communities
Being active in online communities and periodically sharing your latest video when relevant can be a great way to gain more views. Look for online communities that are relevant to your niche or industry, such as forums, Facebook groups, or subreddits. Join the conversation and participate in discussions related to your video’s topic. Once you’ve established yourself as a valuable member of the community, you can share your video with the group.
value first, promotion second
It’s important to approach this strategy with caution and avoid spamming or too much self-promotion. Make sure to read the group’s rules and guidelines before sharing your video. Always focus on providing value and building relationships with other members of the community. When you do finally cash in on your community karma, make sure it’s relevant to the group and add context to explain why you think it would be valuable to the group.
By being an active member of online communities, you can establish yourself as an authority in your niche and gain exposure to new people who are already interested in your content’s topic. This method will take time, but once you’re in there it’s something that will continue to bring value to you (and others!).
Host a live stream
Hosting a live stream can be a great way to generate hype for your latest YouTube video. You can discuss your video’s topic in more depth, talk about the creation of it, answer questions, and provide details that the audience may find interesting.
Live streams also help build community and establish deeper connections with your audience. When you interact with your audience in real-time, you build trust and loyalty. You get to call out specific people by name, thank certain individuals and show your appreciation for your viewers.
timing your live stream
To effectively promote your video through a live stream, consider scheduling the stream shortly after the video is published. This will give you the chance to share a link to the video so those tuning in can watch it already. Alternatively, you could schedule the live stream right beforehand as well. This way you have an opportunity to build intrigue by teasing what viewers can expect. Then once the video goes live, you can share the link and let viewers in.
For this to work, you need to plan and prepare your content in advance. Know what you are going to say on live and have some sort of agenda. You should also be promoting the stream in advance, and interacting with your audience during the live stream.
Conclusion
To sum up, promoting your YouTube video after you hit publish is essential for increasing visibility, reaching a targeted audience, and improving video ranking, engagement and brand awareness. This blog post is meant to provide some tangible tips you could implement today, but hopefully it also inspires you to think of what else is possible.
If you actually implement these techniques, you will generate more views and grow your channel. It’s going to take time and effort, some methods more than others. But remember, it’s not enough to create valuable content – you need to promote it effectively to get it seen by your target audience. Especially if your channel is newer and is still building that base of passionate, loyal subscribers.
If you have any questions or want hands-on help with growing your YouTube channel and views, then reach out to us. We exist to help businesses like yours be successful on YouTube. So, hit the banner below or visit our contact page to connect. Happy promoting out there!
