How to Get Noticed on YouTube

    Let's get real—filming a YouTube video takes a long time. You record hours and hours, then edit and cut, then pick the right song, write up a description and make a thumbnail, all to have it get, like, 12 views. And worst of all, half of those are probably your friends and your mom. This is where YouTube SEO is crucial. SEO stands for "search engine optimization," and what it does is help your videos show up when people are searching for something on YouTube. It's basically how you get found without having to pay for ads. So if you're trying to create a channel or just want your videos seen more, here's what I learned about YouTube search-optimizing content.

    Before you record anything at all, think about what people are actually searching on YouTube. For example, instead of titling a video "My Workout Routine," title it "10-minute beginner workout at home." More specific and therefore much more likely to be search returned. TubeBuddy and VidIQ are tools that may help you guess these keywords, but actually putting your topic in the YouTube search box and looking at what auto-completes is a fantastic starting point.

    Your title must be short, clear and include your keyword. However, it must also sound intriguing enough to cause someone to click. Instead of "Coffee tutorial," for example, think about "How to make the best cup of coffee at home." Avoid using clickbait, though. When someone clicks on your video and then leaves the site, YouTube detects this and it can lower your video's ranking.

    Furthermore, the description box isn’t just for vibes. YouTube actually uses the text in your description to figure out what your video is about. Make sure to include your keyword in the first few lines, because that’s what shows up in search previews. Then add any other helpful info like timestamps, links or a quick summary of your video. Throw in a call to action like “Don’t forget to subscribe!” while you’re at it.

    I want to now switch the topic to tags. Tags are not as significant as they were before, but they can still be used to link your video to related videos. Use a couple of relevant tags with your primary keywords and even misspellings that are common. If your content involves digital marketing, you could use tags such as "digital marketing," "social media marketing," "online ads," and/or "YouTube SEO."

    Moving on to a very important aspect of YouTube content creation, thumbnails. Thumbnails are the first impression of your video. A bland one won't be viewed, so try doing some colorful things like, bold text and crisp images. You don't need to be a graphic designer—Canva offers free templates which are very simple to use. Just ensure that your thumbnail is close to the tone of your video. No catfishing allowed!

    As for YouTube, YouTube likes interaction. The more people like, comment and watch your video until the end, the more YouTube will recommend it to others. Ask a question in your video or in the description so that people will comment. And tell them to like the video—it does make a difference.

    After your video has gone live, take a look at YouTube Studio to see how it's performing. Check to see how many people are visiting your video, how long they're watching, and where the views are originating from. If a video is performing exceptionally well, try and determine why it is. And if it isn't, perhaps the title was not intriguing enough, or maybe the thumbnail did not catch the eye of your audience. Either way, it's all part of learning.

    YouTube SEO can feel intimidating, but it's actually really easy once you've got it down. It's just a case of making your video available to everyone and making it look good enough to click on. So don't fret so much—try a few of these and see what works for your content.

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