Top Strategies to Increase Watch Time on YouTube

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According to YT, watch time refers to how long a viewer has spent watching a video. This offers you an idea of the types of content that people actually watch (as opposed to videos that they click on and then abandon). Consider it a litmus test for how well a piece of content engages viewers. The more time someone spends watching a video, the more likely it is that it will contain content that is relevant to their search.

With this in mind, it's no surprise that YouTube's algorithm prioritizes watch time as the main ranking signal. Algorithms for social networks are always changing. YT may have given video views alone a lot of weight in the past. With the increased amount of content and competitiveness, the playing field has shifted. When the network tries to show consumers the most relevant videos based on their searches, they look for content that does more than just generate clicks.

Engaged followers, or those who really watch your videos, are far more beneficial to both, your client's brand and YT, than those who simply click and leave. With this in mind, you should optimize your YT video content for viewing time. This will help you rank higher and demonstrate a long-term return on investment (ROI).

Strategies To Increase YouTube Watch Time

Make sure your content development approach focuses on high-quality videos that are highly relevant to audience interests and searches to increase watch time on YouTube. Here are five things you can do to ensure that your future videos get the attention they deserve.

1. Produce High-Quality YouTube Videos

Consider this: 500 hours of video are posted to YouTube every minute according to Statista. This should demonstrate how competitive the platform's watch time is. However, with over two billion users, there is always demand for more high-quality material.

When creating your videos, make sure you have something absolutely unique to share or that you can improve on existing content. Put yourself in the position of a possible viewer.

Build time into your YT social media plan to work through this question – with careful study. Surveying customers, researching rivals, and analyzing your own data can all help you develop an audience retention strategy.

2. Maximize Your Video's First 15 Seconds

If you don't get your audience's attention immediately away, you won't have much time to attempt again. High bounce rates are terrible for business and will reduce your watch time significantly. According to video marketing best practices, within 30 seconds, 33% of viewers quit viewing the video. This decrease also gets worse over time. By the first minute, viewership has dropped by 45 percent, and by the second minute, it has dropped by 60 percent.

The initial 15 seconds of your video should be entertaining, interesting, and succinct, and should tell your viewers what to expect from the rest of it to increase YouTube watch time. This is not the time for extensive lectures about yourself, your accomplishments, or your company in great detail. If a video is going to be more than a few seconds lengthy, add branding towards the end. Create openers that are uniform, entertaining, and templated across all playlists for efficiency.

Keep in mind that this video is for your audience. They will not watch it if it does not bring value to them. This is when you must think from their point of view once again.

3. Use Titles and Thumbnail Images That Are Relevant

The title and thumbnail are the first things viewers encounter when searching for videos on YT. Consider them similar to the link previews and call to action (CTAs) in your paid social plan.

You'll need a headline and thumbnail that grabs their attention but doesn't lead them astray. YT intends to give the most relevant videos to searchers, just like search engines do.

The worst thing you can do is deceive people into watching your YT videos, only for them to stop watching them right away. A high click rate is meaningless if it is accompanied by a high bounce rate. To guarantee that you capture as much mobile traffic as possible, the thumbnail you use for your video should be responsive on both desktop and mobile platforms.

Don't forget to create a description in addition to a relevant, captivating title and an interesting thumbnail. In search results, this will appear just beneath your video. A great description that involves keyword research can also help you rank higher on YT in terms of search engine optimization (SEO).

Your thumbnail image, title, and description, taken together, will be the first step in your client's customer experience. The thumbnail gets their attention, the title elaborates on the term of interest, and the description adds context.

4. Keep An Eye On Your Statistics

For each video you submit to your YT channel, you should keep an eye on the Audience Retention report. This can help you figure out if there are any noticeable patterns in how long visitors view your videos. If, for example, a big portion of your readership drops off within the first 30 seconds of each video, you might want to reconsider your introductions.

The Audience Retention report fundamentally aids you in avoiding assumptions and focusing on content and production concerns more efficiently.

To access the Audience Retention report:

• Enter your YouTube username and password.
• Go to your YouTube Studio page.
• From the Videos tab, choose a certain video.
• Select the Analytics option.
• Select the Engagement option.

5. When Creating YouTube Content, Use Long-Tail Keywords

Targeting long-tail keywords on YT is another strategy to bring more traffic to your videos and boost YouTube watch hours (assuming you've implemented the other strategies). You may utilize tools to find long-tail keywords, but one of the simplest places to start is with YouTube's suggestions.

We may generate tailored, niche content instead of general material for the keyword "Google Ads" if we pay attention to these results. The less specific your keywords are, the less likely you are to rank high in search results. Keep in mind that YT isn't just giving you random suggestions for long-tail keywords. These video topic choices are based on the actual interests of viewers.

You may improve your watch time by looking at your competitors' material in addition to developing content focused on long-tail keywords. What are the keywords they're using? Is there a way for you to convey a unique perspective through your content?

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