Encouraging comments

[Time Jacker]

I was wondering if anyone has any insight into increasing the odds of someone leaving a comment? So far, I've experienced slow but steady growth in terms of view time and subscribers, which I'm more or less happy with.

However, real comments from real people are rare for me still, and I think this is one of the more important metrics for me personally. It's about engagement. I can see that people are finding me more and more via YouTube search and YouTube features, I can see that subscribers watch my new videos, etc.

What kind of strategies have people employed to encourage the growth of a community, as opposed to a disconnected group of individuals who watch your videos, think "that's cool" and then move on?

I have considered opening my videos with a question (related to the content) and an invitation to answer it in the comments. However, I already have a "Subscribe" call to action at the end of my videos, and I don't want to overdo it. I also don't want to ruin the opening "hook", which is also something I struggle with, but that's another story.

So - thoughts, experiences, strategies? What do you do to encourage the growth of a community and to encourage people to engage via comments?

 

[ApexxWolf]

I think opening with a question can be a good idea especially when it feels more directed at the viewer

A good method I see in the gaming community that works very well is having a QOTD (Question of the Day). Not sure if you can implement that some how in your videos but maybe that might help

 

[WeiseGamer]

Opening or closing with a question is a good idea.

There's a guy I watch that creates twisty puzzles (think Rubiks cube variations) and he always closes with a question for the comment section, seems to work well for him.

 

[Kate's Adventures]

Similar to the above suggestions, as I'm signing off I ask everyone to leave a comment to answer a particular question in order to start a conversation. I also put details of what I want to know in the description so if anyone is thinking of leaving a comment, they have something to say.

 

[xingcat]

Engaging with anyone who comments is a great way to encourage them to comment on future videos. I have wonderful conversations with many of my regular viewers.

 

[Time Jacker]

It looks like I'm being too precious about just asking a question at the start or end of the video. I'll bite the bullet and do it, in a way that's related to the content of that video. Who knows, it might come across as more personable anyway.

A good method I see in the gaming community that works very well is having a QOTD (Question of the Day). Not sure if you can implement that some how in your videos but maybe that might help

This is an interesting idea. Not sure it would be quite right for me, but it's got the old cogs turning. As an aside, I really enjoyed your clickbait themed animated video. One of my goals is to gain some basic animation skills (nothing like yours) because I want to do more in depth and fact dense videos, with more of a reliance on that type of thing than on images.

Engaging with anyone who comments is a great way to encourage them to comment on future videos. I have wonderful conversations with many of my regular viewers.

I can't wait to get to that stage and, when it comes, I most certainly will be engaging with them in a meaningful way. Step one, alas, is to get to a stage where people feel the need to comment in the first place.

 

[ApexxWolf]

As an aside, I really enjoyed your clickbait themed animated video. One of my goals is to gain some basic animation skills (nothing like yours) because I want to do more in depth and fact dense videos, with more of a reliance on that type of thing than on images.

Ayee Thanks I hope things work out for you.