The world of content is fractured. You can thank the Internet for that. Decades ago, millions used to sit and watch the same network television show in unison. Today, consumers latch onto their own interests — no matter how miniscule it may seem.
Think about it: what if you’re a degenerate gambler that wagers at a site like BetOnline? That’s not an interest shared by the public at-large. However, it is a burning passion for thousands of like-minded bettors.
The old TV model tried to make content that appealed to the masses — hence why betting shows were rare then. Today, thanks to YouTube, communities that love betting can congregate on a YouTube channel like never before.
That shift has empowered YouTube creators, making their niche interest more monetizable than ever before. Maybe you’re one of these creators or an aspiring one, how can you grow your YouTube channel — and eventually, make a buck off of it?
We’re answering this very question throughout the article. Here’s must-do things if you want to own your niche on YouTube:
Above All, Deliver Value To The Viewer
YouTubers tend to measure their success by views. While that’s certainly part of the equation, it’s not the end-all, be-all metric. In-fact, more importantly is audience retention. Get that metric into your head because it’s mission critical.
Audience retention tracks the time viewers spent watching your content. So if you make a 10-minute video and the retention is 60 percent, that means on average, you’re holding the viewers’ attention for six minutes — that’s really good in the world of YouTube.
When YouTube is deciding what videos to populate in its search engine and suggestions — where the majority of views in-fact come from — it’s weighing audience retention heavily. Think about it, why would YouTube want to recommend a video with 10 percent retention? Obviously, the video didn’t deliver value to its viewers (e.g. it’s not quality content).
Focus on increasing your retention rate above all else. That can come through an engaging hook at the start of the video, high-quality footage, showcasing your knowledge or personality, etc. This is on you to figure out what your audience cares most about. Entertainment? Information? Storytelling? It’s different for every niche.
Do Keyword Research
You can make the greatest video ever in your niche, but if it’s not discoverable on YouTube, it’ll mean very little. The metadata you use in the video — title, description, tags, captions, etc. — plays a big part in getting discovered.
YouTube is the second-most-used search engine in the world. Its parent company, Google, is the first, of course. Therefore, YouTube is as much of a search engine than anything else, including a video host. And you know what? Search engines can be optimized.
Doing keyword research is atop the search optimization process. Say you made a YouTube video on how to buy an apartment complex. Using research, you’ll have a better idea of whether users tend to search that topic by saying “apartment complex”, “apartment building”, or “apartment investing.” Whatever has the most search volume, as well as the least competition on YouTube, becomes a better word to use in your metadata to maximize your discovery.
Hook Users With The Thumbnails
Let’s say you have a high quality video and it’s now appearing in search and suggestion, you’re guaranteed views, right? Well, not exactly. You still need to earn clicks or your efforts have gone to waste.
Think about it: your video is going to appear on YouTube alongside competing content on the same topic. Users will have fix to six video options to pick from. Why will they click you over the rest?
That mainly comes down to the thumbnail (and the video title to a lesser extent). YouTube allows you to custom-make a thumbnail and you need to absolutely take advantage of this feature. Use bold colors, animated face, and catchy text to entice a user to click and watch.
YouTube can feel complicated, but at the end of the day, the platform just wants users watching and clicking on videos — this how they make ad revenue, after all. So make discovery, clicks and audience retention the cornerstones of your YouTube strategy to maximize channel growth.
