How you organize or set up your YouTube videos will impact users’ views and watch time. To increase your YouTube Watch Time you will need to follow the below five techniques.
But before we unveil the techniques let’s take a look at what YouTube Watch Time is and why YouTube Watch Time is important.
Back in 2012, the total number of user’s views was YouTube’s primary video rank factor. But not too long YouTube algorithm was updated and watch time became the #1 ranking factor. Watch time also known as the audience is the total amount of time in aggregate that viewers spend watching videos on YouTube.
The amazing thing is – with a boost in watch time, YouTube is more likely to promote your channel through search and recommended videos, which in turn leads to more views.
Why is YouTube Watch Time Important?
If a lot of people are watching your videos, but more so watching it till the end – not a click and end action. YouTube sees that as the strongest signal of high-quality video.
Thereby increasing your video views (mainly from suggested and related videos).
More to why Watch Time matters – Outside of YouTube rankings, and getting people to watch your videos means more people helps to promote your brand or opt-in for whatever you are marketing through your channel.
It’s significantly clear that watch time is by far the most important YouTube engagement metric, more so the number one ranking signal.
Create a Video Playlist
Creating playlists for your YouTube videos is a way to guide potential viewers toward a longer viewing experience where they watch more of your best content.
When you organize your videos in interesting sequences (as shown in the image below), viewers will be more likely to watch your other videos. This ultimately boosts watch time, giving you a higher ranking on YouTube.
YouTube lets you link to related videos at the end of each video. To increase watch time, link to a themed playlist instead. When viewers click on the playlist URL, they’ll quickly be redirected to the playlist player.
To optimize your playlists, use the start and end time function on YouTube to enumerate IN and OUT points for each video, which creates a more impressive user experience.
Create a Clickable Timestamps
YouTube lets you create clickable timestamps in both your video descriptions and comments. When viewers click a timestamp, it takes them to that exact part of the video. Using this tactic, you can create a nice outline of your video content. It’s a great way to drive people deeper into the video and get them to watch past the beginning. Here is a detailed guide on how to create timestamps.
Utilize Card
You can use cards in several ways, but the best tactic for keeping viewers engaged is to use them to link to other content on your YouTube channel that viewers will likely be interested in.
Use Long-Tail YouTube Video Keyword
Targeting long-tail YouTube keywords can help you get people to watch your videos instead of your competitors‘.
One way to identify keywords is to use YouTube’s suggestions feature. In the YouTube search box, type in a word you know your audience is interested in and note YouTube’s suggested searches. These are not just random suggestions; they’re based on what users want to see. Use these suggestions as to topics for your videos.
Also, check out your competitors’ channels to see what kinds of videos they’re producing and look at what keywords they’re targeting. Take note of these keywords for future videos.
Use Title & Thumbnail that match your Video
The titles and thumbnails of your videos impact your video views and rankings. They serve as the primary trigger for viewers to click and give preliminary insight into a video’s content. Choosing the right combination of thumbnails and titles can help you improve your watch time.
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