It\u2019s no secret that just as with Google, YouTube\u2019s algorithms are a closely-guarded secret. Unfortunately, it also seems to be no secret that compared to Google, YouTube seems in many ways to be fumbling in the dark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As noted by Ben Popken of\u00a0 NBC News<\/a>, YouTube wants people to spend as much time watching videos as possible, but its algorithms aren\u2019t entirely sure on how.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cRoutine searches on YouTube can generate quality, personalized recommendations that lead to good information, exciting storytelling from independent voices, and authoritative news sources,\u201d writes Popken. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut they can also return recommendations for videos that assert, for example, that the Earth is flat, aliens are underneath Antarctica, and mass shooting survivors are crisis actors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n YouTube is engaged in a constant tug-of-war between genuine content creators and bad actors looking to exploit the platform for monetary gain. And though it\u2019s made its fair share of missteps<\/a>, with decisions and announcements that left many creators scratching their heads, the algorithm\u2019s core has remained fairly consistent. That, in turn, means anyone interested in search engine optimization (SEO) on YouTube has been able to determine, through careful observation, the things that really <\/em>drive up your viewer (and subscriber) count.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re going to discuss the top three. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As with more traditional written content, every good YouTube video begins with keyword research. With understanding what<\/em> your audience is looking for, why<\/em> they\u2019re looking for it, and how <\/em>they\u2019re looking. The key is to use those keywords to generate topics that are not only in high demand and on which you are an authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can start by using YouTube\u2019s Search Suggest feature to help you figure out what people (or more specifically, your audience) are currently searching for on the platform. Check out the most popular videos, and see what keywords they\u2019re optimized around. Pay close attention to what they do and how they do it; these are your primary competitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re stuck on topics, you may also want to consider tapping resources like Answer the People or Quora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve compiled a list of keywords and topics, your next step is to determine which will generate the most traffic. For this, you can use a tool like the Ahrefs keyword explorer<\/a>. From within the tool, perform a phrase match search with YouTube as the selected search engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can do this as many times and for as many combinations of keywords as you like. The idea here, as explained by the AHRefs blog<\/a>, is to filter for results that have at least 500 monthly searches, and for which most videos are relevant to your niche. It also notes that Google Trends can further inform your research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One last point of order here. In addition to including your keyword in the text-based portions of your video, say <\/em>the keyword at least once. <\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter what social network you\u2019re on, first impressions are everything. And the first impression your users will have of your videos is what appears on the search engine results page. This includes your video\u2019s description, thumbnail, title, and a few statistics (uploader, views, time uploaded, and length). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Making a compelling first impression is absolutely essential <\/em>if you want people to click-through and actually watch your videos. Doing so involves three things. First, you need a high-quality thumbnail:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, you need a compelling title. Your title should be concise, coming it at under 60 characters. It should be fully viewable on all suggested results pages, avoid inappropriate language, and use proper punctuation. Finally, it should be attention-grabbing without being spammy or deceptive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good title would be along the lines of \u201c5 Tips For Ranking On YouTube\u201d or \u201cFive Tips To Help You Improve Your YouTube Ranking.\u201d A bad title, meanwhile, would be \u201cMASTER YOUR YOUTUBE RANKING WITH THESE FIVE SECRETS!\u201d or \u201cFive Tips Guaranteed To Make Your YouTube Videos Rank High.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Last but certainly not least, your video description. Like your title, your description should include the primary words you\u2019re targeting with your video. The first few lines of text, which will be visible to searchers, should describe exactly what your video is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for the rest of your description, you can include links to your various social feeds and websites, information about your business and brand, or timestamps that serve as a sort of \u2018table of contents\u2019 for longer videos. Avoid stuffing this section with keywords. Rather, you should treat it more as a business profile than anything. <\/p>\n\n\n\nVideo Keywords<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Thumbnails, Descriptions, and Titles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Let\u2019s say the topic you\u2019re targeting involves ranking on YouTube. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n