There's no better time than now to figure out how to promote your YouTube aqueduct.

Why "now," though?

For starters, YouTube is the 2d virtually-visited site on the spider web, and in a day and historic period where we're spending up to six hours per 24-hour interval consuming video, the writing is on the wall.

If you want to stand out on YouTube, yous need to take advantage of equally many promotional tactics every bit possible.

Below nosotros'll go into item on each of these tactics for promoting your YouTube channel and maximizing your viewership. Whether y'all're just getting started or desire to meet your numbers tick further upwards, these tips are all fair game.

Boost your YouTube strategy

In addition to the 16 tips below, make sure you're up on all things YouTube to maximize your efforts with these guides:

  • How to create a YouTube channel for business organisation – Simplify setting upward and perfecting your business organisation channel.
  • 11 Tips for writing YouTube descriptions – Differentiate your videos and ensure they're super findable with optimized descriptions.
  • YouTube SEO: How to boost your videos' rankings – YouTube has become ane of the world's biggest search engines. Follow these tips to make sure you're meeting audition needs.
  • YouTube hashtags: How to utilize hashtags to increment video views – Demystify how hashtags work on YouTube and go more optics on your videos.
  • How to use YouTube Analytics to optimize your video functioning – Ensure all your efforts are succesful and poinpoint where you lot tin can still refine with effective analytics.

16 Proven tips to promote your YouTube Channel

1. Write engaging, must-see titles

YouTube marketing is all nigh presentation.

Titles are brand-or-intermission when it comes to your video's performance. Ask yourself: are yous presenting your content as "must-run across" or "meh?"

The cardinal to crafting killer titles is grabbing your audition's attention without resorting to clickbait headlines. People crave content that's entertaining, and they as well want to know what your video is about from the word "go."

For example, you can take a page out of the playbooks of YouTube giants like BuzzFeed and WhatCulture. Such videos frequently rely on listicles, question-based titles or hyperbole ("insane," "…of all fourth dimension") to rack upwardly the views.

Lists and question-based YouTube titles can help you score more viewers

Athlean X'southward fitness-based videos are another good example. The channel's content manages to sneak in relevant keywords in its titles while as well coming across every bit conversational.

Presenting your YouTube titles as breaking news can help encourage clicks

"Best-of" lists and "how-to" titles are always a safe bet, too. Here are some click-worthy titles from Disney Nutrient Weblog:

Listicles and "best of" videos traditionally perform well on YouTube

The takeaway hither is that y'all should definitely spend fourth dimension mulling over engaging titles rather than sticking with the beginning idea that pops into your head.

In terms of specifics, an oft-cited report from Tubular Insights notes that YouTube video titles should stick betwixt 41 and 70 characters. Meanwhile, tools such as CoSchedule'due south headline analyzer recommends 55 characters for an engaging headline. CoSchedule'southward tool isn't specifically meant for video titles only is awesome for brainstorming YouTube-friendly titles to assistance promote your YouTube channel.

Publish on YouTube with Sprout Social

The opportunities are nearly endless on YouTube, and you can now publish to YouTube directly from Sprout.

Host long-class video on your channel, extend reach through YouTube's extensive search capabilities, and track how your performance stacks up to other social networks.

Get-go a free trial to give our YouTube publishing features a try.

2. Optimize your videos for visibility

Here's some food for idea: YouTube videos bear witness up in 70% of the top 100 Google search results.

Heck, run across for yourself. Any given product or "how-to" query on Google will return something from YouTube.

YouTube results often pop up first during Google searches, signaling the power of YouTube SEO

In fact, YouTube results sometimes even pop up before traditional blog posts or websites.

How-to and tutorial-based content does well in Google searches

Listen: YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world in and of itself. Just similar people search for products and need issues solved via Google, the aforementioned rings truthful on YouTube.

Think of your YouTube videos like any other slice of content that needs to be optimized in terms of keywords, tags and and then on.

In social club to increase your chances of showing upwards, you'll want to follow some of the all-time practices for YouTube SEO:

  • Titles and description: Include target keywords in your titles and descriptions. You lot can utilize a tool like Keywordtool.io to help you notice keyword ideas.
  • Mention keywords in your video: Co-ordinate to Brian Dean of Backlinko, proverb your target keywords in your video can assist YouTube better understand what your video is about.
  • Engagement: YouTube uses engagement (likes, comments, views) to aid determine where videos rank in its search results.
  • Categories: Employ categories to assistance YouTube get a better agreement of who to show your videos to.
  • Tags: In addition to categories, you can as well add tags to your videos to requite YouTube more context about your content. Y'all can use quite a few tags, so add as many as you tin can recollect of.

Just like with SEO for your website, don't keyword stuff. Use keywords when it makes sense, not only for the sake of having them.

3. Figure out what your audience wants

With any blazon of content you produce, you desire to brand sure it'south aligned with what your audience wants. Whether you're writing a web log post or creating a video, starting time by getting to know your audience and what blazon of content they want to encounter from you.

If you're simply starting to promote your YouTube channel, accept a expect at your competitors or other video creators in your industry. Look at which of their videos become the nigh views and engagement. This volition give you an idea of what topics your audience wants to learn nearly and what way of videos they adopt.

Some other solution is to look at your YouTube Analytics if you've already uploaded videos. YouTube gives you detailed information on audience demographics, location, date and other helpful stats. You tin as well take your strategy a footstep farther with YouTube reporting in Sprout Social and run across how your content stacks up to other social video you've produced.

sprout youtube reporting

Want to better empathize your YouTube metrics? Download our video metrics crook sheet to learn the near important metrics to track and get ideas for video content tailored to your marketing goals.

4. Appoint with the YouTube community

Although you might not think of YouTube as a social network per se, the platform does stand for a thriving community where users are engaging via content via profiles, "likes" and comments.

Sounds pretty "social" if you ask us.

As noted earlier, whatsoever sort of interaction with your viewers is seen equally a positive signal to YouTube. If nothing else, engaging with your subscribers tin help you lot foster a stronger connectedness with your audience. "Liking" comments only takes a few seconds, as does pinning a top annotate as a sort of personal note to your subscribers.

For instance, music channel Artzie Musik regularly "likes" and responds to comments on its contempo uploads. The channel's creator regularly goes dorsum-and-along with subscribers to evidence appreciation and answer questions, likewise.

Interacting via comments and "Likes" should be a cornerstone of your YouTube channel marketing

Merely every bit y'all'd respond to comments and engage with your followers on whatever other social network, YouTube is no different.

5. Customize your thumbnails

One of the simplest yet effective tactics to promote your YouTube channel is creating custom thumbnails.

Think of your title and thumbnail equally a sort of one-ii punch to catch a viewer's attention.

By default, YouTube snags a screenshot from any given video and uses it for the thumbnail. Unfortunately, sometimes the prototype it grabs will be a blurry shot of you lot adjusting the camera or a transition.

Not a good look, correct?

Creating thumbnails yourself not only makes your videos look more appealing at a glance just also signals a certain sense of professionalism.

Thumbnails don't take to be rocket science, either. You lot tin can even create a template with a particular font and style to make information technology more than consistent and on-brand. This is made especially easy with the help of image creation tools such every bit Canva. Here's a skillful case from Binging with Babish:

Enticing thumbnails and titles give your videos better share factor

6. Cross-promote your ain videos on YouTube

Chances are you're covering similar topics on YouTube that overlap with each other.

To squeeze more than out of your older content, brand a point to cross-promote your videos when it makes sense.

For example, yous can drop links in the description of a video and encourage viewers to check them out as a sort of phone call-to-action. Although some might be disappointed by the recent removal of YouTube'southward annotation organisation, linking in your description encourages viewers to spotter your videos all the way through without clicking abroad.

Cross-promoting your YouTube videos can help encourage binge-watching on behalf of your audience

7. Target Google search results

As noted, YouTube is totally killing it when it comes to SEO.

And while you shouldn't totally create content for search engines versus people, y'allshouldpromote your YouTube channel with SEO in mind.

Specifically, product reviews, how-to's and long-class (10+ minutes) videos covering keyword-specific topics tend to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). If y'all're strapped for content ideas or want to capitalize on a trending buzzword in your industry, consider how you lot can practise and so through your YouTube channel marketing.

One of the best ways to promote your YouTube channel is by paying attention to your videos' SEO elements

eight. Run a contest or giveaway

If there's ane thing YouTube users love, it'south a giveaway. Host a YouTube contest or giveaway to encourage people to subscribe to your channel and engage.

To keep your contests simple, have people similar your video, get out a comment and subscribe to your aqueduct to enter.

Follow some of our best practices for running whatever social media contest:

  • Make sure you're following YouTube'southward policies.
  • Give away a gift that's related to your brand: you lot want to attract more than than only freebie-seekers.
  • Get creative by incorporating user-generated content and other non-traditional entry requirements.

Be careful with hosting frequent YouTube contests, though. You desire to make sure y'all're getting results from your efforts: otherwise, you'll end upward wasting time, coin and resources. Later doing i competition, wait a while and await at your subscriber drop-off rate and engagement numbers. If yous aren't bringing in engaged subscribers, y'all could only exist attracting people who desire free prizes.

9. Encourage viewers to follow your serial

A smart way to promote your YouTube channel is by creating a specific video serial that covers a recurring theme or topic.

Popular foodie aqueduct Bon Appétit actually has a variety of different serial that make up their YouTube presence, including their ongoing "From the Exam Kitchen" videos.

Video series can help fill your content calendar and encourage you to upload a consistent basis

Series are a win-win for creators and viewers alike. For creators, you hold yourself accountable for creating fresh YouTube content and don't have to rack your brain for ideas. For your audition, they accept something to look forward to and likewise a reason to keep returning to your channel.

10. Embed your YouTube videos

Some of the best places to promote your YouTube channel are across YouTube itself.

Case in point, video content is proven to improve conversion rates and lower bounciness rate on-site. If you want visitors to stick around a product folio or blog post longer, embed a video (like we did below).

Recollect: any opportunity you have to funnel your on site (or social!) traffic to YouTube is a plus.

11. Create playlists to organize your YouTube content

The more videos yous create, the more than difficult it becomes for people to navigate through your channel.

That's why playlists are so important. Not simply practice playlists allow you to group your videos into categories to organize your channel, simply also appeal to your viewers' want to binge.

For example, Beardbrand's grooming channel uploads daily and therefore has clustered hundreds of videos covering tons of topics. The channel's various playlists help guide subscribers to relevant content without having to dig for information technology.

Organizing your videos into YouTube playlists makes them easier to binge-watch

12. Increase engagement with calls to action

Sometimes simply asking for engagement is the all-time way to become your videos noticed, especially when you consider the immediacy and connection that video content can create.

Not everyone who enjoys one of your videos is going to retrieve drop a like or get your subscriber, so it'southward get increasingly mutual to put these reminders in the clarification or in the video itself.

Especially if you're an up-and-coming channel, in that location's no shame in asking for some dear directly. In fact, request visitors a question to respond in the comments suggestion or to check out another video are perfect ways to keep the appointment rolling. You can too link to other videos or drop an external link to your site to serve equally a sort of CTA.

Calls-to-action help encourage viewers to watch more content

thirteen. Give live streaming a try

Live video is one of the biggest social media trends and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

With apps like Facebook, Periscope and Instagram making information technology easier than e'er to stream alive video, more and more brands are getting on board.

YouTube has been offer alive videos for years but has only recently started picking up steam. Y'all can take a look at some popular YouTube Alive videos to go a sense of how other brands are using the platform.

Livestreaming on YouTube is a smart move for brands who want to create more off-the-cuff content

Some examples of how you can apply YouTube Live are:

  • Webinars
  • Alive tutorials
  • Q&A sessions
  • Product demonstrations

Don't worry if your streams don't go as smoothly equally you'd like. Function of the fun (and hazard) of live video is you never know what's going to happen. The unpolished, organic nature of live video is exactly what makes it compelling. For more tips on how to get started with YouTube Live, check out Google'south introduction to live streaming.

14. Interact with other creators and brands

A tactic some of the biggest YouTube stars used to grow their following is collaborating with other users. Each collaboration gives y'all exposure to a new audience. And the all-time office is those new viewers are more likely to subscribe to your channel since you're working with a content creator they already know, similar and trust.

The key to a successful YouTube collaboration is finding the right partner. You lot want to collaborate with content creators that share similar passions with your make so your video comes off as authentic. This at present-archetype collaboration between BuzzFeed and Purina is a prime example of a thoughtful collaboration that doesn't experience overly promotional.

15. Run a paid YouTube advert campaign

With marketing in general becoming more pay-to-play, you always take the option to get more visibility through paid YouTube ads. YouTube offers a variety of ad formats to cull from:

  • Display ads: These ads show up on the correct-manus sidebar of videos, and are only available on desktop.
  • Overlay ads: These are semi-transparent ads that are displayed on the bottom function of a video. They're only bachelor on desktop.
  • Skippable and non-skippable video ads: These ads evidence up before, during or after a video. Skippable ads tin be skipped after five seconds, just non-skippable ads have to be watched all the way through earlier the viewer tin can watch their video.
  • Bumper ads: These are non-skippable ads that have to exist watched earlier the viewer can spotter their video. They can be a maximum of six seconds.
  • Sponsored cards: These are cards that become displayed inside relevant videos. You can use them to promote your products or other content.
YouTube's pre-roll ads are quite literally "must-see"

For your advertisement creatives, you lot can either utilise an existing video or create something new for a specific entrada. The advantage of using an existing video is you can choose a clip you lot know has been constructive in the past. If a video has already gotten a lot of views and engagement organically, running paid ads can amplify your results.

On the flip side, creating a new video for your ads will allow yous to create a more targeted piece of content that you take more control over. For case, you can create an ad with a specific telephone call-to-action at the end to direct viewers to a landing folio or another video. Yous can larn more than about YouTube'due south video advertizing formats here.

16. Regularly publish your YouTube content to social media

It's no secret that video content crushes it on social media in terms of appointment and performance.

As a result, you lot should regularly promote your YouTube aqueduct to your social followers to encourage them to get subscribers. Equally soon equally a video goes alive, make a point to let your followers on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn know about information technology. You lot can likewise create snippets or previews for each social platform that also link to your latest product.

With the help of Sprout Social, you can schedule your content and cross-promote it without having to jump from platform to platform. Features such every bit ViralPost can also help ensure that your content goes live based on when your social audiences are engaged.

Schedule YouTube content in Sprout Social

And with that, nosotros wrap upwards our guide to YouTube channel marketing!

How practise y'all promote your YouTube channel?

Growing a YouTube audience doesn't happen by blow.

And yes, it can certainly feel like a grind if your space is crowded with contest.

That'southward exactly why it pays to accept a variety of promotional tactics in your dorsum pocket. Although some of the tips higher up require more effort than others, each one tin assist you get more eyes on your channel and more subscribers as a result.

If you're ready to ramp upward your YouTube presence and offset seeing real business results, download our social media video crook sheet to become ideas for video at every phase of the marketing funnel.