With over 1 billion hours of content consumed daily on Youtube and an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes a day spent on social media, it can undoubtedly be frustrating when you release content and don’t see your audience grow. In this post, I’ll share my top tips for growing an audience on Youtube and beyond!
Post Often
So, first things first, how often should you post? Generally, you should be posting at least once a week. Two or three times a week is even better, and if you can post daily, that’s fantastic! On YouTube specifically, most channels that became big did so by posting videos consistently at least once a week.
The more you post, the more your content will be seen and shared, and the more you’ll understand what works and what doesn’t. Be mindful, though, and avoid spamming your audience. Blasting too many posts at once can be annoying and may get you unfollowed. If you plan to post a few times a day, add a few hours in between each post.
When it comes to posting on social media (especially if you’re managing your brand on your own), I’ve found using two to three platforms is the way to go. For example, posting to your primary platform, like Youtube, then two secondary platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, is the best way to manageably produce quality content. This strategy can keep you from spreading yourself too thin. Trying to post regularly on five or six social media platforms can quickly overwhelm you.
To build a loyal fanbase, your audience should know what to expect from you and when. So on Youtube, post consistently and make sure you’re letting your audience know how often you will post new videos. This brings me to my next tip — engage with your audience.
Engage with Your Audience
Engagement on your videos lets Youtube know that there is audience activity happening, and increases the chance of Youtube showing your video to more people. A viewer subscribing, commenting, liking, or sharing your content, are all forms of engagement. So ask your audience to subscribe, ding the bell, and like your video and let them know the value they’ll get from doing so.
Encourage your audience to engage through comments by asking a meaningful question in the caption of your post or in your video. Asking thoughtful questions is not only a great way to increase your engagement but will also build a relationship with your audience.
Second, reply to all the comments you receive as soon as you can. Doing this lets the social media platform know that you’re a very active creator, which increases your engagement score, and opens up a conversation with viewers.
Speed Up Your Workflow
As a content creator, you also might be juggling a job, a family, friends, and general life obligations. Speeding up your workflow allows you to show up at your best and maximize your time to keep content creation sustainable.
To speed up your workflow, schedule time into your calendar to create content so that you have a block to do so, rather than scrambling to produce content last minute. I’ve found it beneficial to schedule content creation time slots up to a month in advance, so I don’t fill my calendar with too many other commitments.
Being prepared by researching locations to shoot at, writing scripts, and being clear about the intention of a YouTube video (or post) can save you loads of time in the recording and editing stages. Since it takes time to set up your camera, lights, microphone, and backgrounds in your videos record multiple videos at once. This way, you won’t have to set up everything again for the 2nd or 3rd video or spend extra time getting into the flow of recording or being on camera.
Another time-saving tip is to repurpose your content at a later date. Hold some to share on other social media platforms, and you can save time not having to always post 100% new content.
When it comes to editing your content, create templates that contain the assets or effects you regularly use — like your lower third title, video intro, or logo. Doing this not only speeds up your workflow but also helps establish your brand visuals.
Build Your Brand
Your brand is your business’s personality. How would you want your audience to describe your content? Fun and quirky? High-quality and detailed? If you’re not sure, take the time to find out. Develop a system to stay consistently on-brand with every post, whether that’s using the same writing style, tone of voice, editing style, or story format.
For YouTube videos, record in a location that suits your channel’s vibe and includes props in the background that connect the viewer to your niche. Determine the standard you have for producing your content and commit to maintaining that standard. You want your brand to feel a certain way, and you can do this by being consistent in these areas.
Keep Your Audience Wanting More
Your audience will stay if you deliver what they expect to receive based on your thumbnail and title. And they’re likely to come back for more if you deliver above their expectations by being likable, engaging, or providing extra entertainment. At the very beginning of your YouTube video, let your viewers know what the video is about and add chapters for context. Maybe even tease something that’s coming up later in the video to entice them to stick around.
When it comes to sharing your new posts or videos, cross-promote them throughout all of your active social media accounts! For example, if you post a new video on YouTube, share it on Instagram, either in a post or in a story. Then, put out a tweet about it or share it on Facebook. The more traffic that comes to the video soon after it was released, the better it will perform!
The most important thing to do if you want to grow your audience is to pay attention to how your content is received and refine accordingly. Be open and always be willing to adapt your social media channels and marketing as new trends, algorithms, or opportunities for growth present themselves!
And there you go, those are my pro tips for building an audience on Youtube and beyond!
Want to see more from Alli Saunders? Look for new tutorials to come on the Storyblocks blog or follow Alli and Will on YouTube and Instagram.
