Best Practices for Sharing Content on YouTube

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Video Transcript | Intro

The content on your Youtube channel should have the qualities that develop loyal fans and attract subscribers. People are drawn to content that is authentic, authoritative, passionate and displays expertise on your subject matter. Whenever possible, try to speak directly to your audience in a conversational tone and if you’re in front of the camera, be sure to use positive body language.  You might also consider creating a memorable signature for your videos; for example, an opening or a closing sequence that clearly identifies the video content as yours. 

Shares

Shares from other people are the number one way for people to find content on YouTube. When creating videos, think about why someone would consider sharing it - is it useful or interesting?  Ask yourself:  how would someone describe this video when sharing it on Facebook? Is it easy to sum up? Is there an obvious key take away? Does it clearly demonstrate its value? 

Structure and Consistency

Structure and consistency play a vital role in developing a sustainable repeat viewership. For example, if you run a grocery store, you might create a weekly series of short segments focused on simple recipes to attract an audience that doesn’t have a lot of time to watch long, complicated cooking shows. If instead your store focuses on artisanal products and attracts people who love to cook, longer monthly episodes with more inventive recipes may have a greater appeal. 

Stick to a consistent length and production quality, as well as a predictable publishing schedule so your subscribers know when to look forward to your next video and what to expect.   Keeping a regular upload schedule also helps with your content’s placement in the ‘What to Watch’ and ‘My Subscriptions’ sections. However, when recency is important, for example, if you have a timely video related to an event like the Super Bowl, you’ll want to publish your video quickly to catch the wave of attention and momentum around the event. 

Keep your videos shareable, accessible, and discoverable

Keep your videos shareable, accessible, and discoverable by using high-quality thumbnails, well-written titles and descriptions, and including appropriate tags.  Be sure to cross-promote new content on all your social channels, and when appropriate, to your email list. 

Context

Another factor to consider is would your video make sense to a new viewer? Does it make sense by itself or does it need to have context? Aim to give your videos enough backstory so new viewers, who stumble on your content, can enjoy it without needing to see your previous videos.

Looking for more? Check out our blog for 23 Smart Ways to Promote Your YouTube Channel.