The 3 WORSE things you can do on YouTub
I get it. You're doing everything you can to grow your YouTube channel. You're binging all the things and trying to learn but nothing seems to be working. What if I told you that there were three growth killing mistakes that you may be making?
Unfortunately, some common YouTube mistakes are being made that will prevent a YouTuber from getting views and subscribers. Luckily, there are easy fixes to these problems so you can get back on track for growth!
Mistake #1: You're Putting Too Much Focus on Keywords and Tags.
I know, I know. You're seeing this all over the place. "The best way to rank on YouTube is with great keywords and tags." Let me stop you right there. While keywords and tags do have their place, they aren't the be all, end all. In fact, they're less important than many think.
See, the thing is that the YouTube search is different for every single user. You and I could look up the exact same phrase but get different results. This is because YouTube takes into account a users previous watch history and search history to create the most relevant experience possible.
This means getting seen via search isn't going to be as valuable as being seen in recommended videos or suggested videos. And the best way to get that isn't from tags. YouTube already knows what your video is about because of what you're saying so the best way to get into suggested is to keep the viewers you have watching.
So instead of putting a lot of emphasis on finding the perfect tags, use your tags as topic ideas!
Mistake #2: You're Not Planning Your Videos
Creating content on a whim and without a plan doesn't give you a very strong foundation to stand on. And I get it, you're busy. You have a lot on your plate. But you absolutely need to plan out your content before you turn your camera on.
Instead of going in without a plan, dive into these steps!
Research- Using the incognito mode of your browser, do a quick topic search. Determine what videos have more views than subscribers, how are the thumbnails presented, how are the content creators opening the topic. These are all important things to really take note of!
Let me be clear here. This isn't so you can copy the content that is already out there. Instead, use this research to determine why that content resonates with viewers. What's drawing them in? And more importantly, how can you get in on that?
Script- The next step here is to script out the video. Now if you're a vlogger, this may feel challenging to do. You may have a hard time scripting out exactly what you want to say. However, when possible, it's best to go in with a strong game plan. That way you know exactly what you need to cover in your video.
At a minimum, you should make sure that you have a strong hook planned and a strong call to action in the end. The hook is going to be what keeps your viewer watching, the call to action inspires that Netflix style binge we talk about around here.
Mistake #3: You're Being Careless with Titles and Thumbnails
Here's the thing- it can seem like if you have a professional looking video that you title and thumbnails just don't matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, your title and thumbnail are one of the most important parts of the equations. Why? Because these are the elements that are going to get someone to actually click to watch your video!
This is why it's so important to get to know your target audience. Once you know who your target audience is, you can cater titles and thumbnails to them.
I always suggest starting with a title. Now this can be tweaked as you go but starting with a title helps ensure that you're putting your best foot forward. Once you've got a strong title, you can move onto the thumbnail.
But remember this. Your thumbnail isn't an echo of the title. That means you should just slap the title on an image and call it a day. Instead, they should complement one another. Keep text to a minimum on your thumbnail and have it play nicely with your title to see great results.
Okay, so those are the mistakes. Want some quick fixes?
RESEARCH
This is so important. As I said before, you want to research your tags as topics. Take note of what type of content is performing well and how you can tweak it to work for you!
SET A SCHEDULE
Instead of just filming when you have a moment, create a schedule for yourself. I set aside the first Tuesday of the month for strictly filming. This means I don't have to worry about client calls or anything else during the time when I need to film. And that means my videos get done for the month.
I also know when I need to get to planning the content and when the content needs to go live. This makes life infinitely easier.
CREATE A WORKFLOW
Listen, this is going to be the thing that just makes everything run much more smoothly. Create a workflow all in one place so that you can stay organized in your content. I use a project manager called Asana and it keeps everything lined up.
If you're anything like me, you have tons of ideas all the time! But writing them down on a sticky note and trying to follow up can feel daunting. Instead, break down your ideas inside your project manager. You'll be able to move through the tasks that are required to go from idea to live much more easily and in better time.
