The video-sharing website YouTube lives by the fact that as many users as possible upload, watch and comment on videos. If you're trying to build an audience for your content, it's therefore crucial to make your productions stand out from the millions of others.
Here are some ways to build a YouTube audience for your content:
Find a niche: You can have success with almost any theme, whether it be beauty tips, gaming videos or science subjects. But it definitely helps to pick out a niche.
"The sharper the target group, the more distinctive the channel," says Achim Fettig from Macromedia University in Cologne, Germany.
You should also be good at the chosen discipline, whether that's playing video games or applying make-up.
Build reach: Success on YouTube is measured in clicks. You want as many people as possible to view your videos.
Andreas Ebert, who has his own YouTube channel called "explainity," recommends that users be active in many social networks, for example Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. It also helps to follow other YouTubers with similar tastes and to comment on their videos.
Post regularly: Uploading new videos regularly is a basic requirement for any successful YouTube channel. Fettig recommends putting fixed dates in your calendar. It can be exhausting, but only YouTubers who persevere like this succeed, he says.
If making videos regularly is too difficult, Berlin marketing agency ReachHero advises making fewer of them, but with more passion.
Speak to your audience: "You should be close to your users," Ebert says. For that reason, he and his team produce videos that viewers have asked for. Questions and comments should be responded to regularly.
Live videos or calls to action are another good way to reel in spectators, Fettig says. For example, at the end of a video you can ask users to give a rating or add a comment in the comments section.
Be authentic: Authenticity can be achieved through private insights, according to ReachHero, for example by filming in a private room rather than a studio or by telling stories from your private life.
Invest in quality: It's best to film with a camera rather than a smartphone, and decent editing and titles also contribute to quality, Fettig says. He also advises planning: "You don’t need a full screenplay, but a schedule is important."
This should include the topic of the video and respective speaking times so that the video doesn't end up being too long.
Mind the packaging: The thumbnail image of your video is the first thing a user sees. Therefore, you should make it as appealing as possible so that people want to click on it and view the video. The right hashtags and descriptions are also important.
Source: The Star