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Today, I spent some time in a hangout call with some representatives from YouTube. The talk was about analytics but we also went over other topics during the call. Here are some things I wanted to share with you guys that might be obvious for some of you, but good information for others:
1. The first few lines of your description is important to SEO - Although YouTube metadata takes account for everything you put in a description, the first three to five lines of your description is crucial to SEO rankings. Keep the first few lines you type relevant to your content and make sure they look like legible sentences and not just a bunch of keywords. After that, you can add whatever you like to your description (links, call-to-action, etc).
2. Watch time trumps views - A good amount of you already know this. It's great to get a lot of views, but it doesn't mean anything if the people clicking on your channel aren't staying and actually watching your video. This is where clickbaits fail. Thinking that by using clickbait titles or thumbnails to get people to click on your video can actually be detrimental to your channel's success. If YouTube sees a high amount of users clicking on your channel then immediately clicking away, they are more likely to avoid suggesting your videos.
3. Retention rate is much less important than raw watch time - A lot of people here focus on retention rate, and, although it is good to aim for high retention so that you know your viewers are engaged, it's even more important that the raw watch time is high. You've probably heard others say that a 10-minute video with 50% retention (5:00 minutes raw watch time) is better than a 5-minute video with 80% retention (4:00 minutes raw watch time), and this is true. Maintain high retention rate for the sake of increasing engagement, but make sure that your overall watch time is as high as you possibly can make it.
4. "Session" time is even more important - Lending more to raw watch time, the metadata also takes into consideration how often or how long a user views your channel. If a viewer watches one of your videos then click to another video of yours (or run through a playlist), then that's a really good sign for YouTube. The more they see people staying on your channel, the more likely they will suggest your videos.
5. People clicking to your channel from another channel's video helps - The most important thing to YouTube is making sure the content they suggest actually keeps people on YouTube. If your videos are constantly clicked on when they are suggested from another video, YouTube will suggest you on even more videos and maybe even on the home page. This is why thumbnails are important as well as enticing titles. But remember, don't try to achieve this with clickbait. They have to actually stay and watch your video. Better yet, if they leave a like or end up subscribing.
Well, those are the main takeaways from the hangout. There will be another tomorrow so if I learn anything else, I'll be sure to share it. Hope this helps!
1. The first few lines of your description is important to SEO - Although YouTube metadata takes account for everything you put in a description, the first three to five lines of your description is crucial to SEO rankings. Keep the first few lines you type relevant to your content and make sure they look like legible sentences and not just a bunch of keywords. After that, you can add whatever you like to your description (links, call-to-action, etc).
2. Watch time trumps views - A good amount of you already know this. It's great to get a lot of views, but it doesn't mean anything if the people clicking on your channel aren't staying and actually watching your video. This is where clickbaits fail. Thinking that by using clickbait titles or thumbnails to get people to click on your video can actually be detrimental to your channel's success. If YouTube sees a high amount of users clicking on your channel then immediately clicking away, they are more likely to avoid suggesting your videos.
3. Retention rate is much less important than raw watch time - A lot of people here focus on retention rate, and, although it is good to aim for high retention so that you know your viewers are engaged, it's even more important that the raw watch time is high. You've probably heard others say that a 10-minute video with 50% retention (5:00 minutes raw watch time) is better than a 5-minute video with 80% retention (4:00 minutes raw watch time), and this is true. Maintain high retention rate for the sake of increasing engagement, but make sure that your overall watch time is as high as you possibly can make it.
4. "Session" time is even more important - Lending more to raw watch time, the metadata also takes into consideration how often or how long a user views your channel. If a viewer watches one of your videos then click to another video of yours (or run through a playlist), then that's a really good sign for YouTube. The more they see people staying on your channel, the more likely they will suggest your videos.
5. People clicking to your channel from another channel's video helps - The most important thing to YouTube is making sure the content they suggest actually keeps people on YouTube. If your videos are constantly clicked on when they are suggested from another video, YouTube will suggest you on even more videos and maybe even on the home page. This is why thumbnails are important as well as enticing titles. But remember, don't try to achieve this with clickbait. They have to actually stay and watch your video. Better yet, if they leave a like or end up subscribing.
Well, those are the main takeaways from the hangout. There will be another tomorrow so if I learn anything else, I'll be sure to share it. Hope this helps!
