10 things you MUST do after uploading a YouTube video

Summary

This video reveals crucial strategies for small YouTubers to maximize their video reach and growth. Key tips include optimizing metadata, crafting compelling titles and descriptions with high-volume keywords, using thumbnail swaps for enhanced engagement, and leveraging tools like vidIQ for tag optimization. It emphasizes the importance of session time by linking videos through deep links and playlists. Additional tips cover creating end screens, adding subtitles for foreign viewers, responding to comments, and linking long-form videos with YouTube Shorts. By following these steps, small channels can significantly boost their views and channel growth.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ensure your video file name closely matches the title to help YouTube categorize your content properly.
• 😀 Your video title is crucial for video success, especially for small channels, as it directly impacts YouTube's categorization and algorithm.
• 😀 Use ChatGPT to generate optimized video descriptions packed with relevant high-volume keywords to boost visibility.
• 😀 Add relevant links to other videos and playlists in your description to increase session time and promote your content.
• 😀 Include 3-5 hashtags in the description to improve discoverability and increase video reach.
• 😀 Swap thumbnails after a few days to give your video a second chance at performance, but avoid doing so within the first 7 days.
• 😀 Optimize your video tags using tools like VidIQ to ensure YouTube knows exactly what your video is about, particularly for new channels.
• 😀 Add a single, relevant end screen video to drive the most traffic to your content without overwhelming the viewer with choices.
• 😀 Set your video to private or unlisted for the first 24-48 hours before publishing to give YouTube time to process and categorize it.
• 😀 Add subtitles in multiple languages to increase accessibility and potentially reach a wider audience, especially internationally.
• 😀 Engage with your own video immediately by watching it fully, liking it, and leaving comments to boost initial engagement and visibility.

Q & A

Why is the video file name important when uploading to YouTube?

The video file name helps YouTube understand the content of the video, especially for new channels. It’s crucial to make the file name as close to the video title as possible so YouTube can categorize the video correctly, boosting its chances of being shown to the right audience.

What role does the video title play in a small YouTuber's success?

For small YouTubers, the title is the most important factor in video success. It’s essential for helping YouTube's algorithm categorize the video correctly and ensures that it reaches the appropriate audience, improving the chances of the video gaining traction.

How can ChatGPT help in optimizing YouTube video descriptions?

Using ChatGPT, YouTubers can generate video descriptions packed with high-volume keywords, helping YouTube’s algorithm understand and categorize the video better. By asking ChatGPT to create a description with as many relevant keywords as possible, creators can increase their video’s visibility.

What is the 'deep link' strategy for YouTube video descriptions?

A deep link directs viewers to another video or playlist within the same channel. This strategy is effective because it encourages viewers to watch more of your content, increasing session time and boosting views from the same audience, which can improve video performance.

What is the significance of swapping thumbnails after a video upload?

Swapping thumbnails can breathe new life into a video that’s flatlining. If a video is underperforming or its performance has stagnated, changing the thumbnail can re-engage viewers and boost views. However, it’s recommended not to change thumbnails too quickly, especially in the first 7 days.

Why should YouTubers use tools like VidIQ for their thumbnails?

VidIQ helps YouTubers analyze the effectiveness of their thumbnails by showing which ones are most likely to perform well. This tool provides insights on thumbnail swaps, titles, and helps creators identify the best-performing visuals based on data from viral videos.

How should tags be optimized on YouTube for new channels?

For new channels, tags are crucial for helping YouTube understand the video’s content. Using tools like VidIQ, creators can generate SEO-heavy tags and organize them by search volume. The first few tags should be the most relevant and targeted to ensure maximum visibility.

Why are end screens important, and how should they be optimized?

End screens are powerful tools for retaining viewers and driving traffic to other videos. To optimize them, focus on promoting one specific video at the end of each video. Offering too many choices can overwhelm viewers, leading them to leave without engaging further.

What are the benefits of adding subtitles in different languages?

Adding subtitles in different languages helps broaden the reach of your content by allowing non-native speakers to understand your video. This can significantly increase views, especially for creators whose content is watched by international audiences.

What is the benefit of re-watching your own video after posting it?

Re-watching your video gives it a boost in engagement metrics. By watching it all the way through and liking it from your account, you increase its retention rate. Additionally, watching the video from other accounts or devices can generate more views from different sources like search or the homepage.