10 ways to get more traffic with YouTube videos. - By George Katsoudas

Transcription

1 10 ways to get more traffic with YouTube videos - By George Katsoudas

2 Introduction: Youtube is the 2nd biggest search engine in the World after Google. More than 1 BILLION unique users visit YouTube each month. Google owns Youtube. For several types of Google searches, videos appear directly at the top of the SERPs (search-engine-result pages). Also, video content tends to be more "sticky" than text.

3 1 - Know the "rules": Hard sells and pitches don't work well on Youtube. If you can make your videos funny and entertaining, do so. If it's not that easy, try to provide VALUE. Be informative and help people solve a problem they have. Don't rumble about anything that comes to your mind. Be "economical" in the way you talk. If need be, create a text version of what you want to say, optimize it, and then have it on your screen as you are creating the video, so you can be saying the right things. And I'm not talking about being "scripted." But you do need to get to the point. You can create how-to powerpoint presentations, screen recordings, and first-person videos. Your videos can be walkthroughs of a process, giving step by step how-to info, HONEST product reviews, or compilations like "top 10 lists."

4 2 - Optimize your channel: You don't just get traffic from one video, but from your entire channel. Not all the videos you create will be "hits." If you are just starting your channel, give it a proper name. Make it descriptive and value-packed. For example: "Practical weight loss." If you are building your personal brand, use your name as the channel name. Upload a background image, fill in your "About" page, and add a welcome video.

5 3 - Optimize the video itself: Include your chosen keyword in the video file name (for example, how-to-lose-weight-fast.mpg, include it in the title, start the description with the video, and include it in your tags. Add your URL in the description as well, after your main keyword. Add tags to your videos. If your videos have the same tags as similar videos, then your video may appear as "related", after those videos end. Youtube used to show the tags of the videos, so you could get ideas from other videos. Now, however, the tags are hidden. But you can STILL find them. How? Just visit a Youtube video and "view source." Search for "keywords" in the source code and voila!

6 4 - Get ideas and inspiration from other successful video marketers: Below are examples of succesful Youtube channels from people who sell information and advice. Some of these are "gurus" and some of them are "normal people." Not that really successful video marketers aren't normal, but you get the point! :-) Marie Forleo Ali Baba Elliot Hulse Stefan Pylarinos Tyler Moore Insane Home Fat Loss Patt Flyn Lisa Irby Bearded Beast of Duloc

7 5 - Simple ways to create a video: Use Camtasia - they have a 30-day free trial. You can also use ezvid ($15 per year). There are also many Fiverr gigs related to video. Browse through the various categories and you will see all kinds if gigs, including "puppetry", "stop motion" etc. If you don't know how to do something, get HELP. After you create a couple of videos, you will be able to do so unassisted, and you are off to the races!

8 6 - Add a transcript to your Youtube video: That way, you help Google even more to know what your video is about, plus you help your viewers "follow" what you say more easily. Here's how to do it: Login to your account, and then go to: Video manager ==> Uploads ==> [Select the video you want] ==> Edit ==> Add caption==> Upload file ==> Upload. If you don't want to type the text yourself, you can find people who will gladly do it for you: Transcription services on Fiverr.

9 7 - Make it easy for people to go where you want them to: Add annotations to your videos and link to other videos in your account. You can also add an annotation and ask people to click on it in order to go to your site. Preferably, have an optin form on your site, and ask to give people even more value, in exchange for their . You can add an annotation like this: Login to your Youtube account, and then go to: Video manager ==> Uploads ==> Click the "Edit" button on the video you want ==> Annotations ==> Add annotation.

10 8 - Add a custom thumbnail to your videos: Google allows you to choose from 3 thumbnails, generated by your video. However, you can upload your own thumbnail! You can choose exactly what to show in it. That way, you can choose an inviting image, and more people can click on it. Typically, the custom thumbnail option is only available to those who have a "partnership" with Google. But here's a quick way around it. Login to your Youtube account, and then go to: Youtube Settings ==> More Features ==> Monetization ==> Enable. Next time you go to edit one of your videos, you should see the custom thumbnail option below the 3 default thumbnails. Please don't use the thumbnail to "deceive" Youtube users. Just make the thumbnail more representative of your content. For example, you can take a screenshot of a specific "frame" of your video, or create an image that has the title of your video. For example: "How to lose weight in 10 simple steps."

11 9 - The more popular your videos are, the higher Youtube will rank them: Ask people to comment, like and share your videos. Ask them to embed them on their sites if they want. Each "embedded view" counts as a Youtube view as well. Allow comments in your videos and reply to them. Some people, to get things going, people from to comment on their videos.

12 10 - Be active in the Youtube community: Youtube is not just a "site that hosts video." It's one of the biggest online communities. Comment on other videos and rate them. Post a "video reply" to other videos, as long as your video doesn't compete with the other video, but rather complements it. Try to be a "model citizen" and help others.

13 Bonus idea: 11 - Get links to your videos: Google owns Youtube, and, honestly, many videos can rank very high, relatively easily. Especially for product names and reviews. For example: "product X review." Rankings for videos are like the good old days for text. You can get some links to your Youtube videos, and they will be even more likely to rank for your chosen keywords. You can check on Fiverr in the categories Bookmarking and links and video marketing. Hope this helps! George Katsoudas