need a channel review please

DapperDanVlogs

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Hi everyone,
I started this channel a little over a year ago. it is an entertainment channel that revolves around powersports and dirt bikes. I have uploaded at least one video a week for a year now sometimes more but iv'e committed to 1 a week. l'd like an overall channel review but there are a few specifics would like addressed.

1. I would like to improve my click through rate so feedback on thumbnails and titles would be great.
2. My audience retention needs work, I hover between 30-50% with an average view duration around 3:00 min making shorter videos doesn't help, if i make a 2 min video everybody watches 1 min :(
3.I think my film making and video quality is getting much better but let me know what you think of the technical aspects also.

please review my newer videos (last 20) as they are a better indication of my current skill level.

thank you in advance. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJq0O4QPr-rhMPz2yYFdcKw
 

Destroyer30i6

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Hi,

firstly you need to change your youtube link that you have given for your forum account as it links to another dapper dan who uploads music.

I have had a look at your channel and I have a few questions;
  • I know you're into dirt bikes and power sports but what do you want your channel to do about? who are your audience and what content do you want to create?
  • Do you film all the stuff yourself? or do you also use other people's content?
Things I liked;
  • Depending on the answer to the question above, your videos look professionally filmed and you have a good quality camera
  • Your thumbnails look decent
Things you could improve;
  • in some of your recent videos, I see that the videos are over 10 minutes, when watching some of them there is a lot of bit where nothing is really happening, I understand that maybe you want to make 10 minute vid to increase watch time but I imagine people wouldn't stick around for 10 minutes if nothing is happening so I would (just my opinion) make those videos shorter so it's like a proper highlight reel
  • The sound in some of your videos is a little distant, I would try and see if you can improve that (not all videos have this issue)
  • I can see that your top viewed videos are where you are talking about certain bikes and reviewing them (kind of).. I imagine people who are looking to buy or are interested in bikes would be searching for bike models on YouTube and your video would be clicked on. You should maybe look at those videos and see why they are your top viewed and maybe do that content instead?
 

DapperDanVlogs

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ok so iv'e had a hard time defining what the channel is about or what value it provides. that's why I figured it was entertainment. Everything is filmed be me.
its basically a vlog, so whatever i'm doing weather it be bike maintenance, riding, screwing around ect. its just me having fun and the viewer comes along for the ride. I mean most of the channels that I enjoy watching use a similar approach. I feel like when I watch other peoples dirt bike videos its either to much riding and you never get to know the person, or its to much talking and not enough action. So my plan was to fill the void and create the videos I had trouble finding, where you could fall in love with me as a person and feel like you are my friend, but also see me doing cool stuff also, so 50/50 personality to action ratio.

interesting observation about people liking the new bike videos, I wish I had money to constantly buy new dirt bikes lol
 
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Destroyer30i6

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the people you watch, did they start making these types of videos.. or did that they start by making different videos until they got a following then made those types of videos?

I find with channels people look at the videos from channels that have 100k plus subs and try and emmulate.. however, those videos because they already have a following and you will probably find they started by doing something different or more clickbait/click worthy

I would recommend trying new things as much as you can early on, get as much feedback is possible so you can then start to see trends when you release certain videos.. you can see which videos so better and get the most clicks
 

DapperDanVlogs

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o
the people you watch, did they start making these types of videos.. or did that they start by making different videos until they got a following then made those types of videos?

I find with channels people look at the videos from channels that have 100k plus subs and try and emmulate.. however, those videos because they already have a following and you will probably find they started by doing something different or more clickbait/click worthy

I would recommend trying new things as much as you can early on, get as much feedback is possible so you can then start to see trends when you release certain videos.. you can see which videos so better and get the most clicks
ok thanks for the feedback I appreciate it[DOUBLEPOST=1551378298,1551376588][/DOUBLEPOST]oh yeh one other thing, I don't know who my audience is because even though my channel has 12k views youtube says there's no data on demographics. I notice a lot of the more popular dirt bike vloggers are younger people who do more goofing around and stuff. i'm wondering if my content is more for adolescents but i'm to old for them to wanna watch. i'm kind of a child stuck in a mans body but kids probably just see their dad and tune out.... not sure though
 

GameVestment

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Don't use CAPS Titles... Youtube themselves had said that they recommend less your video if title is all CAPS

I did that mistake before and needed to change my titles, I recommend you do the same!
 

GrannyGamer

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Hi, I'm not really into dirt bikes but had a look at your channel. I played a few videos and just got very loud music, I'm old so maybe it's not that loud. I think an introduction with you talking, even for a minute just to let viewers know what's happening and then a reference to something that's going to happen later in the video... I see a lot of youtubers do this and fall victim myself so people have that sense of anticipation.

I agree with GameVestment about all caps but use caps in one or 2 words as an attention grabber. I use caps for the name of the game I'm playing and the rest is just normal text. I think you might have fixed that though as I didn't really notice lots of caps.

I liked the videos where you were just talking to the camera, they were more personal although the one where the rags were blowing out the back of the ute was probably not a good one to put on youtube... in Australia that is regarded as litering even though not intentional but putting it out there on public display could actually get you in trouble.

i'm wondering if my content is more for adolescents but i'm to old for them to wanna watch. i'm kind of a child stuck in a mans body but kids probably just see their dad and tune out.... not sure though
Don't worry about age, there is an audience for everyone I believe, your not that old anyway. I think you could work a bit more on your tags though, I noticed your using some but (and I know it's horribly boring) a little bit of research to see what your competitors are using and to attract more people. There are a few good add ons for chrome like 'tags for youtube' or tubebuddy.

One more funny thing and it's something I have just recently read. To me your thumbnails looks awesome, I'm also into photography and graphic art but something I read on these forums actually... and I can't remember who cause I've read so much. Forget art, thumbnails need to pop, use yellow, bright yellow for font, you will see a lot of big youtubers have their font in thick yellow and really bright colours, red seems to get lost a bit on the page I think. On your channel your thumbnails are awesome but do a search where you know you will find one of your videos and you might see something brighter that will catch your eye more.

I keep going back to your channel as I'm writing this and a lot of what I'm saying, I can see your doing already except getting people to subscribe. I bought one of those little bell icon things that pops up.... I know what your thinking but I swear that's what's increased my subscribers so much. It also needs to be early in the video, asking them as your last sentence isn't going to do any good if they aren't watching right through. The other trick is the watermark. When viewers mouse over it shows them they can subscribe, make it appealing and people automatically mouse over it, you can then mention it at the start of the video. People really need to be told what to do sometimes :)

Anyway I feel like I'm writing a novel here, I'm by no means an expert but I feel I've spent the last 3 months solid researching and I can see the results in my channel growing so fast. I'm putting all these things into practise and some of it is tedious but it's getting the results.

Don't give up, I can see how much you love it and it's your passion, just keep working on the seo side of it and I'm sure your audience will come flocking! The great thing is you have a heap for them to sift through... Keep reading and researching, it's worth it!

Best of luck!
 
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DapperDanVlogs

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Hi, I'm not really into dirt bikes but had a look at your channel. I played a few videos and just got very loud music, I'm old so maybe it's not that loud. I think an introduction with you talking, even for a minute just to let viewers know what's happening and then a reference to something that's going to happen later in the video... I see a lot of youtubers do this and fall victim myself so people have that sense of anticipation.

I agree with GameVestment about all caps but use caps in one or 2 words as an attention grabber. I use caps for the name of the game I'm playing and the rest is just normal text. I think you might have fixed that though as I didn't really notice lots of caps.

I liked the videos where you were just talking to the camera, they were more personal although the one where the rags were blowing out the back of the ute was probably not a good one to put on youtube... in Australia that is regarded as litering even though not intentional but putting it out there on public display could actually get you in trouble.



Don't worry about age, there is an audience for everyone I believe, your not that old anyway. I think you could work a bit more on your tags though, I noticed your using some but (and I know it's horribly boring) a little bit of research to see what your competitors are using and to attract more people. There are a few good add ons for chrome like 'tags for youtube' or tubebuddy.

One more funny thing and it's something I have just recently read. To me your thumbnails looks awesome, I'm also into photography and graphic art but something I read on these forums actually... and I can't remember who cause I've read so much. Forget art, thumbnails need to pop, use yellow, bright yellow for font, you will see a lot of big youtubers have their font in thick yellow and really bright colours, red seems to get lost a bit on the page I think. On your channel your thumbnails are awesome but do a search where you know you will find one of your videos and you might see something brighter that will catch your eye more.

I keep going back to your channel as I'm writing this and a lot of what I'm saying, I can see your doing already except getting people to subscribe. I bought one of those little bell icon things that pops up.... I know what your thinking but I swear that's what's increased my subscribers so much. It also needs to be early in the video, asking them as your last sentence isn't going to do any good if they aren't watching right through. The other trick is the watermark. When viewers mouse over it shows them they can subscribe, make it appealing and people automatically mouse over it, you can then mention it at the start of the video. People really need to be told what to do sometimes :)

Anyway I feel like I'm writing a novel here, I'm by no means an expert but I feel I've spent the last 3 months solid researching and I can see the results in my channel growing so fast. I'm putting all these things into practise and some of it is tedious but it's getting the results.

Don't give up, I can see how much you love it and it's your passion, just keep working on the seo side of it and I'm sure your audience will come flocking! The great thing is you have a heap for them to sift through... Keep reading and researching, it's worth it!

Best of luck!
thanks for taking the time to look at my page and write all that.
 
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