Use the Algorithm to Get More Views!

Does the YouTube algorithm confuse the heck out of you!? Wish you could use the YouTube algorithm to grow your channel faster!? In this video, I'm going to walk you through exactly how YouTube SEO works and how you can use the algorithm to grow your channel in 2020.

But before we really dig into this, I have a myth to bust here. So many people think the algorithm is THE algorithm. As in just one little process that YouTube goes through in order to decide what content they want to promote.

This isn't the case. The algorithm is comprised of thousands of processes that are crawling all through your content in order to recommend the content it deems "best." This doesn't mean you're doomed, either! Truth be told, YouTube is focusing on a lot of moving parts but some of the most important pieces are Click Through Rate, Retention, and end screen click through rates.

YouTube is gauging how well those are performing in order to determine what videos are of the utmost value in order to make money. So let's talk about how you can make this work for you

The first thing you need to know is that YouTube wants viewers to binge watch content. I know, I tell you the magic of binge worthy content all the time but I bring it up so often because it's true. And what we really want to do to make a good impression on the YouTube algorithm is create bingeworthy content. Let's dig into how that works.

Keywords.

Let's just get this out of the way. Keywords are sensationalized in a big way online. In fact, I've seen it touted as being THE way to get views. It's not. In fact, keywords aren't critical in the way you think at all!

Here's the thing. Searches on YouTube aren't responsible for driving much of the traffic to your YouTube videos. Views are primarily due to YouTube recommending videos, not in search. That being said, keywords do have a role in this and it's an important one.

Instead of looking for the perfect keywords, focus on keywords that make sense. YouTube already knows what your content is about with the keywords. The way that I recommend using keywords as topics. Take a peek at your analytics and see what keywords YouTube associates with your content. You'll see that there are 5 that are at the top. Once you know those, you can start creating content around those keywords.

What this really does is help you to niche down. And niching down is what it's all about!

Click Through Rate.

This sounds like a very scary analytical term but it's not. Your click through rate is the amount of people that clicked to watch your video versus the people that actually saw it. So if 100 people saw your video on their home screen but only 10 people clicked through, the people that clicked through would be your click through rate.

It's best to aim for between 2-10% for your click through rate. But don't think you can't go higher! Always aim to outdo yourself on click through.

The way that you can increase your click through is with great thumbnails and engaging titles. Create thumbnails that are eye catching. Write titles that will engage. And don't be afraid to tweak as you go!

Because guess what? The higher your click through rate, the more YouTube will recommend your content.

Engagement.

This is exactly what it sounds like. You want your viewers to engage with your video. This tells YouTube that the content is good and of value. So encourage them to engage with your video!

Ask them to comment or like your video. The best way to get engagement is often just to ask! And if you get a dislike or a negative comment, that's okay! Engagement IS engagement!

This is also a good time to dig into your audience retention graphs. By doing so, you can see when people typically drop off of your videos and you can create some engagement call to actions to get them reinvested in your content.

End Screen Click Through.

Remember how I told you that YouTube loves the Netflix style binge? This is where you can truly shine in that area! What you want to do here is tell your viewer what video they should watch next right on your end screen!

By giving them direction to the next video, you give them something that they can click on and encourage a binge. The more that people click through, the more YouTube will recommend your content.

See, the algorithm isn't scary and it's not something you have to "beat." Just work with the algorithm to create valuable content and you'll start to see the rewards of that!