The Number One Hack Small YouTubers Use To Get More Views

So many new YouTubers get into the game with high hopes and loads of inspiration. These days, it's easy to spend hours on the internet scouring for resources that teach you how to take your channel to the next level, but it's not that simple. In fact, a lot of YouTube advice out there can be misleading, not because it's bad advice, but because it doesn't apply to everyone.

Just because you made a great video doesn't mean it will get views. So I'm going to teach you how to get more views on YouTube.

I'm a professional YouTube video editor and I've worked with a variety of creators to generate over 40 million views on the platform, and I'm going to share a major mistake young creators make and how to avoid it.

So let's jump right in.

Taking Advice From Large Channels

Don't get me wrong, so many massive YouTubers have a wealth of great information to offer, but there's one problem. It often took years to develop the following they have now. So while they're great at maintaining their success and hanging with other big dogs on the platform, that doesn't mean anyone can just copy the same strategies they used to garner views three years ago. YouTube changes more often than most can keep up with. The algorithm is always evolving, which means the mark has probably changed since they broke into the industry. There's a whole new meta new YouTubers are creating to grow their channels in 2022.

So while giant creators with millions of views might have some great tips on how to make your videos engaging and offer some insights into analytics like viewer retention rate, watch time, and click-through-rate, that doesn't mean those are the only factors at play for small channels finding their first audience.

What Works For PewDiePie Might Not Work For You

Take the above thumbnail from PewDiePie, for example.

Because there are thousands of YouTube experts and creators out there hocking advice, it's easy to chase fads and get lost applying all the tips and tricks other creators used to find success, but it's important to remember your target audience. Just because PewDiePie found what worked for him doesn't mean it will work for you. Audiences from different age ranges react differently to thumbnails, topics, and titles. Some audiences eat up click-bait titles, and some despise it. Some are game for a 45-minute video essay about their favorite movie, and some want a 7-minute prank video. There's room for everyone on YouTube, but don't get stuck fighting for the wrong audience.

This leads to my biggest piece of advice for small creators.

SEO Targeting On YouTube Matters Whether You Know It Or Not

There's an ongoing debate on YouTube about the value of building your videos for the recommended feed vs. search. But that doesn't matter here. This is important regardless of the avenue you take.

No matter how you build your video, your thumbnail design, or your title, YouTube's algorithm will comb every aspect of your upload to determine who it thinks will watch the video. When you first make your channel, it's only natural to set out to create videos just like your favorite influencer. You can learn tons of valuable tactics that way, but no one tells you how much your niche, topics, and keywords matter.

Let me explain.

On YouTube, just like Google, there are topics and keywords with high and low search volume. It only makes sense that you would want to make videos in a niche that lots of users search for. I mean, more people searching your style of content means more views, right?

Wrong.

Search volume is only one part of the equation. The next statistic to consider is the competition for that niche. If a topic or keyword has high search volume, but also high competition (meaning lots of strong creators are also targeting those keywords in their videos), then the likelihood your video gets buried in the YouTube algorithm by all the larger channels is almost certain.

On the opposite end, there are keywords with low competition that have correspondingly low search volume and might not be worth targeting in your content. The key is finding a happy medium.

Targeting keywords with low to medium competition undoubtedly raises your chances for views. I've seen small YouTubers upload fantastic videos to popular/high competition keywords and garner less than a thousand views. Then turn around and upload to an undersaturated topic and spin 10k views in a month or two.

Obviously, after you choose topics and keywords, you still have to play the YouTube game well. You need a strong thumbnail and your titles need to entice and engage potential viewers. But the first step is making sure you don't dive into the deep end of the pool before you have an audience as floaties. It won't matter how catchy your title is if YouTube's algorithm never serves it to potential viewers.

So that all sounds nice, but you're probably wondering, "how am I supposed to figure out keyword search volume and competition?"

The answer is simple. You search it.

2 Free Keyword Research Tools For YouTube

I'm going to share my two favorite research tools here and show you how to use them. These websites take the guesswork out of the equation. All you have to do is type your potential topics and keywords into their YouTube research bars and boom. You can see up-to-date results for search volume, competition, and related keywords to help you generate new ideas and choose the exact words you want to target. Just find the ones that fit you and your content best, and make sure they're categorized as low or medium competition.

These are my two favorite websites to do this, and they're free.

• h-supertools.com

• VidIQ

Both sites are incredibly easy to use and have free options to get your research done without a hitch. They aren't the only options either. A quick google search will bring you plenty of keyword research options. So do a little digging and find what works for you!

You still have to make great videos. You need high retention rates, great titles, thumbnails, and high click-through rates, but if you're checking all those boxes, using this research tactic acts as a major signal boost to your videos.

I hope you found this article helpful. Now go out, make great videos, and find your audience!