YouTube’s algorithm is a fickle beast. One day, you’re soaring through the recommended feed like an untouchable content deity, and the next, you’re buried so deep in the void that even your most loyal subscribers can’t find you. If it feels like YouTube is gaslighting you, that’s because it is—except it’s not personal. It’s just math, machine learning, and a bit of corporate chaos.
Understanding the algorithm isn’t about memorizing secret formulas; it’s about recognizing patterns, exploiting engagement signals, and outmaneuvering YouTube’s ever-evolving preference for “optimal user experience.” So, let’s dissect this digital enigma and figure out how to make YouTube’s AI your unknowing accomplice.
The only thing consistent about YouTube’s algorithm is its inconsistency. What worked in 2015 (view count supremacy) is a joke in 2025, where retention time and deep learning-driven recommendations reign supreme. But how did we get here?
Once upon a time, the algorithm was simple: the more views, the better. Clickbait was king, and deceptive thumbnails reigned. Then YouTube realized people hated this, and in a dramatic act of self-preservation, the platform pivoted. Watch time became the new currency, and creators who tricked users into clicking but failed to keep them watching got swiftly exiled from YouTube’s graces.
Enter the modern era, where engagement metrics like likes, comments, and even the amount of time users spend elsewhere after watching your videos contribute to your ranking. Today, YouTube’s machine learning models are essentially trying to predict one thing: Will this video keep a user on YouTube longer? If the answer is yes, congratulations—you get algorithmic love. If not, enjoy your banishment to the depths of YouTube purgatory.
At its core, YouTube’s algorithm is obsessed with four things:
Click-Through Rate is the first test of a video’s success. No matter how incredible your content is, if people don’t click, the algorithm won’t care. But how do you boost CTR without becoming the human embodiment of a BuzzFeed headline?
Your thumbnail is the first impression—your make-or-break moment in the war for attention. Bright colors, contrast, and an expressive face (yes, even if it makes you look like you just stubbed your toe) can drastically improve clicks. Red and yellow are scientifically proven to grab attention, while text overlays need to be punchy, not wordy. If your thumbnail doesn’t tell a story at a glance, it’s a wasted opportunity.
Titles aren’t just for humans; they’re for YouTube’s AI overlords, too. You need to balance intrigue with clarity. Curiosity gaps work—titles that hint at something unexpected or unanswered tend to perform well. Numbers, brackets, and parentheses add credibility, while power words like “revealed,” “secret,” or “exposed” trigger the primal parts of a viewer’s brain that need to know what’s inside. Just don’t go full-on “SHOCKING! YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT” or you’ll be lumped in with the algorithmic exiles.
Congratulations! They clicked. Now the real battle begins: making sure they don’t leave in the first 30 seconds.
If your intro drags, you’re done. The first few seconds should promise value, deliver quick dopamine hits, and make it immediately clear why watching to the end is worth it. Long-winded intros, unnecessary disclaimers, or generic greetings (“Hey guys, welcome back to my channel!”) are where retention goes to die.
Slow pacing kills watch time. If your video doesn’t move at a brisk, engaging pace, people will click away faster than YouTube can push them to the next competitor. Jump cuts, energetic delivery, and fast-moving visuals help keep the modern attention span engaged. Even in long-form content, smart pacing decisions determine whether users stay until the end—or leave halfway through to watch an easier dopamine fix.
YouTube wants to keep users happy, and it uses engagement as a proxy for satisfaction. The more people like, comment, and interact with your video, the better the algorithm treats you.
Comments aren’t just a vanity metric—they’re an algorithmic signal that your video sparks discussion. One trick? Ask a polarizing question. Controversy fuels comments, which in turn fuels recommendations. Another underutilized tool? The pinned comment. Use it to reinforce engagement—whether by posing a question, linking to another video, or adding extra context. And don’t forget to heart comments—yes, YouTube’s AI notices when creators interact.
Likes are great, but here’s the kicker: dislikes don’t actually hurt you. In fact, they count as engagement. If people care enough to dislike, YouTube assumes the video is important enough to spark reactions. The real enemy? Indifference.
If YouTube’s algorithm is AI-driven, then why aren’t you using AI tools, too?
Your Analytics tab isn’t just for decoration. CTR heatmaps show where your thumbnails are succeeding (or failing), retention curves pinpoint drop-off points, and A/B testing thumbnails can reveal shocking improvements with tiny changes. Ignore this data at your own peril.
Yes. YouTube tracks whether people are sharing your videos externally—Twitter, Reddit, even email. Strong external signals can boost your video in search rankings. SEO still matters, but in 2025, it’s less about stuffing keywords into descriptions and more about audience behavior indicators.
If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all YouTube hack, bad news: there isn’t one. The algorithm is a living, evolving system that rewards adaptation, persistence, and smart optimization.
Success on YouTube comes down to consistency, audience understanding, and constant iteration. Post regularly, experiment ruthlessly, and make peace with the fact that what works today might not work tomorrow.
And remember—mastering YouTube’s algorithm isn’t about beating the system. It’s about making the system think you’re exactly what it wants.
So, you poured your heart, soul, and a questionable amount of caffeine into creating what you were sure would be the next internet sensation. You hit publish, refreshed the analytics every ten minutes, and... crickets. Well, maybe not crickets—your mom probably left a comment, and a couple of bots gave you some generic “Great vid!” feedback. But as far as breaking the internet? Not so much.
Here’s the thing: viral success isn’t an accident. Sure, every once in a while, some guy trips on a sidewalk and garners 10 million views overnight, but for everyone else, virality follows a set of rules—rules that you, dear marketer, probably broke. Let’s talk about where you went wrong.
Somewhere along the way, marketers started treating virality like a switch you can flip. Just make it funny! Just make it short! Just make it “engaging” (whatever that means)! The reality is that videos don’t go viral just because you think they’re great. Platforms have algorithms, users have expectations, and competition is fiercer than a YouTube comments section during a console war.
YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram have one job: to keep users glued to their screens. They don’t care about your brand awareness goals or your “brilliant” product demo. If people aren’t watching, clicking, commenting, and engaging, the algorithm is going to push your video into the digital abyss, never to be seen again. Thinking you can outsmart these platforms without data-backed strategies is like bringing a PowerPoint to a knife fight.
Speaking of strategy, how much audience research did you actually do? If your answer is “some,” that’s not enough. Viral videos are built on ruthless data analysis—trends, watch times, engagement rates, peak user activity. You thought your content would explode just because you liked it? That’s adorable.
We live in an age where people can’t even sit through a five-second unskippable ad without breaking into a cold sweat. So if your video starts with a long-winded intro, a slow fade-in, or—God forbid—a drawn-out explanation of what the viewer is about to watch, you’ve already lost.
You have approximately three seconds to grab your viewer’s attention before they bounce to the next cat video. If your video doesn’t immediately promise value, entertainment, or outright chaos, it’s game over. This means no generic intros, no slow builds, and definitely no “Hey guys, welcome back to my channel.”
You might think that content is king, but in reality, pacing is king, queen, and the entire royal court. If your video is just a guy talking into a camera for five minutes with zero cuts, no dynamic elements, and no visual variety, congratulations—you’ve made a cure for insomnia. Sharp cuts, strategic zooms, on-screen text, and seamless transitions make the difference between bingeable and forgettable.
One of the biggest mistakes in video marketing is assuming you know your audience. The problem? Most creators are wildly off the mark. Just because you think your content is perfect doesn’t mean your audience does. And if you’re trying to force your content into a niche that doesn’t want it, you might as well set your ad spend on fire.
Nobody cares about your creative vision. Well, somebody might—but unless that somebody is a massive audience, you’ve got a problem. Video marketing is about serving the audience, not indulging in artistic self-expression. If your content isn’t speaking directly to the needs, wants, and pain points of your viewers, they’re not sticking around.
You do check your analytics, right? Because if you don’t, you’re flying blind. Watch time, drop-off points, engagement levels—these are the cold, hard truths about whether your content is working. If viewers are bouncing at the 10-second mark, that’s not a fluke. That’s them voting with their eyeballs that your content isn’t worth their time.
Viral content isn’t just about being seen; it’s about being shared. The videos that explode are the ones that make people need to send them to a friend. If your video didn’t inspire a single “omg you have to see this” text, it was dead on arrival.
Nobody shares a video because it was “technically impressive” or “well-structured.” They share it because it resonated. It was funny. It was shocking. It made them feel something. If your video is just a well-lit monologue with some nice motion graphics, good luck getting beyond 200 views.
Did you actually tell people to share your video? Or were you just hoping they’d figure it out? A clear call-to-action (CTA) isn’t optional. You need to explicitly tell people what to do next—whether that’s subscribing, commenting, sharing, or watching another video. Because if you leave it up to chance, you’ll get exactly that—nothing.
The algorithm is a fickle beast, and if you’re not playing by its rules, you’re not playing at all. Posting at random times, ignoring engagement signals, and failing to create a content cadence? That’s like trying to win a marathon by walking in the wrong direction.
There are optimal times to post, and then there are times when you might as well be screaming into the void. If your audience is most active at 6 PM but you uploaded at 3 AM because you “just wanted to get it out there,” don’t act surprised when nobody watches.
Virality isn’t a one-time event; it’s a sustained process. The creators and brands that stay viral are the ones that put out consistent, high-quality content, not just a single, desperate attempt at internet fame.
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When you consider the variety of video marketing strategies available, storytelling comes out on top as one of the most effective. Whether you’re running ads or posting videos to YouTube, stories are powerful.
Compared to ads that simply describe a product’s features or show it being used, ads that feature stories perform better. Great stories create bonds, trust, and can even foster a sense of purpose in ways that flat advertising can’t accomplish. All of this leads to higher conversions, more sales, and stronger loyalty. If you want loyal brand advocates, great storytelling will help you accomplish that goal.
Storytelling is a fundamental aspect of human communication. Stories have the power to create connection, rapport, affinity, and intrigue. And that’s exactly why brands that promote their products and services through authentic, powerful stories stand out from the crowd.
If your goal is to turn leads into loyal customers with video marketing, you need to implement powerful storytelling.
The majority of decisions people make are emotional, and it’s no secret that targeting emotions is the basis of every marketing strategy. For example, some video advertisements use fear to sell products, while others tap into a sense of urgency. These are effective angles, but storytelling taps into emotions at a deeper level, which drives better sales and long-term loyalty. Here’s why:
· Stories are remembered more vividly. Compared to bare facts, people are more likely to remember information when it’s presented as a story that evokes emotion. This helps to establish brand recognition and trust over time.
· Stories create stronger emotional connections. People are more likely to buy from a brand when they feel an emotional connection to the products and services. Targeting impulse purchases through simple emotions like fear only reaches people on the surface. Storytelling addresses deeper emotions, like creating a sense of belonging or purpose in life. That’s the kind of connection that generates brand ambassadors.
· Stories generate word-of-mouth advertising. If you want recommendations, you need to create an emotional connection. According to statistics, 71% of people will recommend a brand when they feel emotionally connected.
· Stories create more loyalty. The more people feel connected to a brand through a story that makes them feel like they’re part of a cause, the more likely they are to remain loyal.
· Stories can make people feel seen, heard, and understood. Leads with shared experiences are more likely to align with brands that make them feel seen and heard.
· Stories can make people feel like they’re part of a movement. Whether you’re starting your own movement or joining an existing one, when you use storytelling to bring your customers into a movement, they’ll feel great about themselves each time they interact with your brand. When you instill a deep sense of purpose in your customers that aligns with their values, that’s when they’ll become your best brand ambassadors.
When your customers see themselves as part of a bigger story, you go from selling products and services to selling inclusion in a movement. Creating this sense of belonging fosters loyalty, and will end up making your brand truly unique even in a crowded market.
For example, the bottled water market is more than saturated (pun intended), but a relatively new brand called Liquid Death has been able to find incredible success selling canned water. While all the other water brands tell boring stories about how they bottle their spring water at the source or add electrolytes, Liquid Death sells a lifestyle by marketing water like it’s beer, appealing to an edgy, anti-establishment, rebellious crowd. Valued at $1.4 billion, they use heavy metal imagery, dark humor, and fake horror movie trailers to make water cool.
That’s storytelling at its finest. It’s also a perfect example of how people buy stories and packaging rather than products. Instead of focusing on water’s features like everyone else, Liquid Death created an entire movement that makes people feel like they’re part of a rebellious group.
In any industry, the brand who tells the best story wins. You can’t just introduce your product, describe all of its features, and expect the sales to pour in. You need to give people a reason to choose you over the competition, even when your product is obviously great. That requires telling a story that aligns your brand with a bigger, relatable vision.
In most markets, even the most amazing products don’t sell without a good story. Unless it’s something highly practical, like a package of sheet metal screws, people don’t buy products – they buy lifestyles, ideas, and dreams marketed through stories.
If you’re ready to take your video marketing to the next level, start thinking about weaving a powerful story into your content. Here are 6 tips to get going.
According to customer satisfaction data published by Harvard Business Review, people are highly motivated by the following 10 things:
· A desire to stand out from the crowd
· Having confidence in the future
· Enjoying a sense of wellbeing
· Feeling a sense of freedom
· Feeling a sense of thrill
· Feeling a sense of belonging
· Protecting the environment
· Being themselves
· Feeling secure
· Succeeding in life
All 10 of these things can be incorporated into your brand’s storytelling regardless of your industry. Not all motivators will be relevant to every brand, but this is what drives people the hardest to spend money and become loyal fans. And you don’t even need to be selling a physical product to use these. For example, in order to secure votes, politicians tell a story that paints a picture of hope for the future, while alternative fashion brands make clothes that help people project a unique identity into the world.
Storytelling requires being bold. If your story is too plain or boring, it won’t capture much attention. The boldest stories drive the highest rates of success. But that doesn’t mean you need to shock people. It just means you need to take a stand on something and not hold back.
Patagonia is a great example of a brand that doesn’t just align with a bold movement – they lead one. The company sells durable outdoor clothing that lasts longer than average brands, and people consider them to be one of the best in the industry. However, it’s not the quality of their clothing that earned them all that recognition.
The brand was built around a commitment to sustainability, quality, and social responsibility while selling quality products. They’ve made some bold moves by donating more than $10 million to environmental groups, and the company’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, gave the entire company (worth around $3 billion) to a nonprofit dedicated to fighting climate change.
Other brands sell comparable quality products, but aren’t as well known because they don’t anchor themselves in a purpose. Even people in the outdoor space are unaware of lesser-known brands that make comparable clothing. If those brands started using storytelling in their marketing campaigns, they’d build a stronger reputation and gather more loyal customers.
Incorporating real-life examples into your video marketing will reinforce your story by reducing skepticism, adding authenticity and emotional impact, and most importantly, building credibility. You could have the most amazing story in the world, but without credibility, you’ll have a harder time getting sales.
A whopping 93% of people say reviews impact their purchase decisions. People trust real people over what brands say about their products. You’ll get more sales when your market can see themselves in other people’s stories.
Case studies may seem like a presentation of facts, but they actually showcase an emotional before-and-after transformation. If you can weave testimonials and case studies into your videos, you’ll have an advantage over your competition.
Many people are just waiting for the opportunity to support a cause they align with, but won’t take action until a trusted brand paves the way. When you align with an existing cause, you tap into existing emotions, which immediately makes your message relatable and persuasive. It’s much easier to generate loyalty by telling a familiar story.
When you align with an existing cause, you automatically have a story to tell. It doesn’t need to be your personal story. Once you take on a cause, it becomes your fight. You get to tell the world what’s going on with that particular cause, and get your customers to rally their support for the cause and your brand.
It’s harder to convince people they need to care about a new cause. However, when they’re already emotionally connected to a cause, your brand can seamlessly become an extension of what they already align with.
Regardless of what stories you decide to weave into your video marketing content, make sure you always show victory over defeat. People will feel most inspired by watching others go from zero to hero, from losing to winning, from struggling to overcoming.
For example, companies that seek donations to bring clean water to third-world countries show communities struggling with dirty water, their daily hardships, and the moment their lives change when clean water arrives.
When you tap into your market’s deepest desires and fears, you can construct a relatable story that depicts their own struggles so they’ll see themselves as the hero or victor in your story.
You may have noticed that some brands make their customers part of their story. This is one of the most powerful strategies you can employ. Nothing will make people feel more connected to your brand and your movement than the ability to participate in some way. Here are some examples:
GoPro
In 2018, GoPro launched their “Be a Hero” campaign where they asked customers to submit their GoPro videos capturing exciting moments for the chance to win part of a $1,000,000 prize. The video submissions posted to YouTube have received millions of views.
Doritos
From 2007-2016, Doritos ran their “Crash the Super Bowl” campaign, asking fans to make their own commercials. The best picks aired during the Super Bowl, automatically making fans advertising co-creators.
Starbucks
In 2014, Starbucks ran a “White Cup Contest,” where customers submitted hand-drawn doodles on their cups and some of those designs were featured on a reusable cup.
Video is the most powerful way to tell a story because it combines visuals, emotion, and sound in a way that plain text can’t. Written content can be inspiring, but seeing real people, hearing their voices, and seeing them overcome their struggles hits deeper by making the story feel more personal.
Powerful, visual storytelling doesn’t just sell – it makes people feel something, creates connection, drives action, and generates belief in your brand.
Brands that win are building strong emotional connections by telling relatable stories. And nothing tells a better story and inspires action faster than video.
If you’re ready to create high-impact videos that leverage powerful storytelling, we can help. Whether you’re looking to align your brand with a cause, create your own movement, or use storytelling to tap into your audience’s deepest desires, contact us today and let’s bring your story to life!
Growing a successful YouTube channel isn’t just about getting clicks – it’s about keeping people watching. Watch time is one of the most important ranking factors in YouTube’s algorithm, and if you can get people to stay engaged with your videos, you’ll see better results across the board.
But holding a viewer’s attention is easier said than done.
With countless distractions and competing content, you have to be intentional about how you structure your videos, interact with your audience, and maintain momentum.
If your engagement numbers aren’t where you want them to be, these nine tips can help you refine your approach and keep your viewers watching.
If you don’t grab your audience’s attention right away, you’ve already lost them. The first 30 seconds of your video are the most crucial because that’s when viewers decide whether they’ll keep watching or click away.
YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes watch time and audience retention, so if people consistently drop off early in your videos, your content will struggle to gain traction.
The key to hooking viewers is to start with something engaging, unexpected, or thought-provoking. You have to create intrigue right away. Instead of opening with a long-winded introduction or telling people to “like and subscribe,” dive straight into the most compelling part of your content.
If you’re making a tutorial, start by showing the final result before breaking down the steps. If you’re covering a trending topic, open with a bold statement or surprising fact that piques curiosity.
Another effective strategy is using a "cliffhanger" approach. Give viewers a taste of what’s coming later in the video and make them feel like they need to stick around to get the full picture.
For example, if you’re making a review video, you could say, “This product completely changed the way I work, but there’s one major flaw you need to know about before buying – let’s get into it.” This keeps people engaged because they want to hear about the downside you’re hinting at.
Pacing is also crucial in the first 30 seconds. Keep your energy high, use quick cuts to remove any dead air, and incorporate dynamic visuals that reinforce your message. If your intro drags or feels repetitive, people will click away before they even get to the good stuff.
Ultimately, your goal is to make your audience feel like they need to keep watching. If you can master this, you’ll see a noticeable improvement in engagement, retention, and overall video performance.
Long pauses, slow pacing, and unnecessary fluff will make viewers lose interest fast. The way you edit your videos has a huge impact on engagement.
Use quick cuts to remove dead air and keep the video moving at a steady pace. Incorporate engaging visuals, such as B-roll footage, animations, and on-screen text, to reinforce key points.
If your content allows for it, adding jump cuts and zoom effects can create a sense of energy that makes your video feel more fast-paced and dynamic.
The goal is to keep the video visually stimulating while still maintaining clarity. If you watch your own content and find yourself getting bored, your audience probably feels the same way.
Engagement isn’t just about how long people watch – it’s also about how they interact with your content. The more likes, comments, and shares your video gets, the better it performs in YouTube’s algorithm.
You can increase audience participation by directly inviting viewers to leave comments or answer questions.
For example, if you’re reviewing a product, ask people what they think about it or if they have any recommendations. If you’re sharing a personal story, invite viewers to share their own experiences.
Pinning a comment at the top of your comment section with a question or discussion prompt can also spark conversations and encourage interaction.
People are naturally drawn to stories. Instead of just presenting information in a dry, straightforward manner, frame your content as a narrative that unfolds over time.
If, for instance, you’re creating a tutorial, tell a story about a mistake you made before learning the technique you’re teaching. If you’re covering a news topic, take viewers through a chronological sequence of events that builds intrigue.
Storytelling creates an emotional connection with your audience, making them more likely to stay engaged. Even if your content is purely educational, weaving in anecdotes or real-life examples can make it feel more relatable and compelling.
Many creators put all their effort into the beginning of a video, but engagement often drops off after the first few minutes. To keep people watching until the end, add engagement hooks throughout the video.
One of the best ways to do this is by strategically placing “cliffhangers” or teasers before major transitions. For example, before diving into a key point, you could say, “But there’s one crucial mistake most people make – and I’ll show you how to avoid it in just a second.” This creates anticipation and keeps viewers invested.
You can also sprinkle in calls-to-action, like encouraging people to subscribe, follow you on social media, or check out another video that expands on the topic.
Longer videos tend to perform better in terms of watch time, but only if they hold people’s attention. If your video is packed with fluff, people will leave before finishing it.
Instead of focusing on a specific runtime, prioritize delivering value in the most efficient way possible.
If you can say something in 8 minutes instead of 15, do it. At the same time, if you need 20 minutes to thoroughly cover a topic, don’t cut it short just for the sake of brevity.
The key is to match the length of your video to the depth of the content. Keep an eye on your audience retention analytics to see where people tend to drop off, and adjust your pacing accordingly.
The end of your video is just as important as the beginning. If you leave viewers with a clear next step, they’re more likely to stay engaged with your content.
Instead of abruptly ending with a simple “thanks for watching,” guide viewers toward their next action. This could be subscribing to your channel, watching another related video, or visiting your website.
A great way to do this is by using YouTube’s end screen feature to link to another video. For example, you could say, “If you enjoyed this, you’ll love my video on X – click here to check it out.”
Keeping viewers engaged with your channel beyond a single video increases their likelihood of becoming long-term subscribers.
If you’ve been creating content for a while and notice that engagement is dropping, it might be time to switch things up. Sticking to the same format over and over can make your content feel stale, even if it’s high-quality.
Experiment with different video formats to keep things fresh. If you usually do sit-down explainers, try adding on-location footage or vlogs. If your videos are heavily scripted, see how your audience responds to a more casual, unscripted style.
It’s also worth testing different ways of presenting information – such as lists, deep-dive breakdowns, live Q&A sessions, or animated explainers. By keeping your content varied, you give your audience a reason to keep coming back.
One of the most powerful tools you have as a creator is your YouTube analytics dashboard. If you’re not regularly checking your audience retention graphs, click-through rates, and engagement metrics, you’re missing out on crucial insights.
Look at which videos have the highest watch time and try to identify patterns.
Use this data to refine your content strategy. You don’t have to guess what works – your analytics will tell you exactly what’s resonating with your audience.
If you’re in the business of creating highly engaging YouTube videos for your brand or channel, you can’t settle for anything but the best. At VID.co, we work with top influencers, brands, and content creators to produce videos that look great and also deliver measurable results. Contact us today to learn more!
Short-form videos are taking over, and YouTube Shorts is the platform's answer to the growing demand for bite-sized, engaging content. With its vertical format and snappy duration, Shorts provides you with a golden opportunity to connect with your audience quickly and effectively. Whether you're just starting or looking to refine your strategy, these tips will help you navigate the platform and set you up for success.
If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll end up appealing to no one. That’s why understanding your audience is the foundation of a successful YouTube Shorts strategy. Start by asking yourself: Who are you making content for? The clearer your audience persona, the more targeted your content will be.
Use YouTube Analytics to dig into the details. Look at your existing audience’s age, gender, location, and even the time of day they’re most active. If you’re starting from scratch, think about the kind of people who would naturally gravitate toward your content or niche. For example, if your Shorts are about quick meal prep, your target viewers might be busy parents or students. If you’re making travel hacks, your audience could be budget-conscious adventurers.
On YouTube Shorts, you have less than three seconds to capture attention—so make them count. Think about your audience’s scrolling behavior. They’re swiping through a never-ending stream of videos, so yours needs to stand out immediately. How do you do that? By leading with something unexpected, bold, or highly relatable.
Start your Short with a question that sparks curiosity, like, “Did you know you’ve been using your microwave wrong this whole time?” Or open with a visually striking moment that pulls viewers in, such as a jaw-dropping transformation or an eye-catching product demo. Humor can also be a great hook—say something funny or outrageous that makes viewers pause and think, “Wait, what?”
The key is to avoid slow starts. Don’t waste those first few seconds introducing yourself or explaining what the video is about. Dive straight into the action or the punchline. You can always provide context or details as the video unfolds, but the hook is what earns you the right to hold your viewer’s attention. If you don’t hook them early, they’ll scroll on without a second thought.
In a world where attention spans are shrinking, brevity is your best friend. YouTube Shorts gives you up to 60 seconds to work with, but that doesn’t mean you need to use all of it. The most successful Shorts often get their point across in 15 to 30 seconds. Why? Because shorter videos are easier to consume, share, and remember.
When planning your content, focus on one idea or message per Short. If you’re teaching something, break it down into bite-sized steps and cover just one step per video. For example, instead of explaining how to bake an entire cake in one Short, dedicate one video to mixing the batter and another to decorating. This approach not only keeps things concise but also creates opportunities for a series of Shorts, which encourages viewers to watch multiple videos.
YouTube Shorts are designed specifically for vertical screens, which means your content needs to fit seamlessly into that 9:16 frame. If you’re not optimizing for this format, you’re missing a huge opportunity to grab and hold attention. Think of your Short as a billboard on a busy street – it has to look sharp and be instantly legible to anyone scrolling past.
Start by ensuring all your footage is shot vertically. While you can crop horizontal videos into a vertical format, it’s often obvious and can make your content look unpolished. Frame your shots so that the focus is on the subject of your video. If you’re speaking to the camera, position yourself centrally and avoid leaving too much empty space.
Pay close attention to visuals like text overlays, captions, or graphics. Keep them large enough to read on a small screen but avoid cluttering the frame. For example, if you’re adding captions, make sure they’re at eye level and not obscured by YouTube’s interface, like the video title or “Subscribe” button.
Also, don’t forget the importance of lighting and clarity. A well-lit video with crisp visuals will look professional and catch the eye, while a poorly lit or blurry Short may prompt viewers to swipe away.
Staying on top of trends is one of the quickest ways to grow on YouTube Shorts. The platform’s algorithm favors content that engages with what’s popular, so incorporating trending sounds and hashtags can give your Shorts an instant visibility boost. But don’t jump on every trend just for the sake of it. Choose the ones that align with your niche and audience.
To find trending sounds, spend some time exploring the Shorts feed and listening for audio clips that pop up repeatedly. You’ll often notice certain songs, snippets of dialogue, or sound effects gaining traction. When you use these trending sounds in your videos, YouTube is more likely to suggest your content to users engaging with similar trends. Just make sure the audio adds value to your Short. (Randomly tacking on a popular sound can come across as forced.)
Hashtags work similarly. Trending hashtags can help your Shorts surface in search results, but it’s important to strike a balance. Use a mix of broad hashtags, like #YouTubeShorts or #TrendingNow, and more specific ones related to your niche, such as #DIYCrafts or #HealthyEating. Keep your hashtags relevant and avoid overloading your description – three to five hashtags are usually plenty.
Even in 60 seconds or less, you can craft a story that captivates your audience. Storytelling is a powerful tool for creating emotional connections, keeping viewers engaged, and making your content memorable.
Every story has three essential parts: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Start by setting the scene or presenting a challenge to pique curiosity. For example, if your Short is about a cooking hack, you might open with a relatable problem like, “Ever struggle to peel a boiled egg without making a mess?”
Next, build momentum by demonstrating your hack, tip, or idea. This is the heart of your Short, so make it visually engaging and easy to follow. Use quick cuts, close-ups, or bold text overlays to highlight key moments. Keep the pace brisk to maintain interest—there’s no room for long-winded explanations here.
Finally, end your Short with a resolution or payoff. This could be a finished product, a surprising result, or a call to action that encourages viewers to try it themselves. If your story leaves viewers satisfied or curious, they’re more likely to engage with your content or come back for more.
Your thumbnail is the first thing viewers see when scrolling through their feed or searching for content, so don’t underestimate its importance. Even though YouTube Shorts are often discovered through the feed, custom thumbnails still play a role in attracting clicks, especially if your Short is displayed on your channel page or suggested elsewhere on the platform.
Start by creating a thumbnail that visually communicates what your Short is about. Use bold, high-contrast colors to catch the eye and ensure any text is easy to read on smaller screens. A strong, relevant image – such as a clear shot of your face reacting, a product in action, or a key moment from your video – will immediately convey the essence of your content.
If you’re adding text overlays, keep them brief and enticing. Think of phrases like “Game-Changing Hack” or “You Won’t Believe This!” that pique curiosity without being misleading. Don’t cram too much into your thumbnail; simplicity is key.
Consistency is critical if you want to build momentum on YouTube Shorts. The platform’s algorithm favors creators who post regularly, as it signals that you’re active and dedicated to providing fresh content. But consistency isn’t just about pleasing the algorithm – it’s about keeping your audience engaged and building a habit for them to check out your content.
Start by setting a realistic posting schedule. If you’re new to YouTube Shorts, aim for at least two to three videos a week. As you get more comfortable with the process, you can increase your output, but don’t sacrifice quality for quantity. It’s better to post fewer, high-quality Shorts than to churn out mediocre content just to fill a quota.
Batch-creating your content can make it easier to maintain a schedule. Dedicate a day to brainstorming ideas, another to filming, and another to editing. This way, you’ll always have a pipeline of Shorts ready to post, reducing the stress of scrambling to create something last minute.
Pay attention to when your audience is most active. YouTube Analytics can help you determine the best days and times to post for maximum visibility. Over time, your audience will come to expect your content at certain intervals, creating a routine that strengthens their connection to your channel.
Engagement is a two-way street. Posting your Shorts is just the beginning—you need to actively interact with your audience to foster connection and loyalty. Responding to comments, answering questions, and acknowledging feedback shows your viewers that you value their time and opinions.
Start by replying to comments on your Shorts, especially in the first few hours after posting. Early engagement signals to the algorithm that your content is worth promoting to a wider audience. Even a simple “Thanks for watching!” or a thoughtful response to a viewer’s question can go a long way.
YouTube Shorts is a playground for creativity, so don’t box yourself into a single type of content. Experimenting with different formats allows you to discover what resonates most with your audience and keeps your channel fresh and exciting. Sticking to one format may limit your reach, while versatility can help you appeal to a broader audience.
Start by exploring a range of content types. For instance, if you’re in the fitness niche, try creating a mix of quick workout tutorials, motivational tips, and behind-the-scenes clips of your fitness journey. If you’re a tech enthusiast, alternate between product reviews, how-to guides, and bite-sized industry news. Each format serves a different purpose and attracts viewers with varying interests.
Interactive content can also be a great addition. Consider running challenges, conducting polls, or asking your audience for suggestions on what to create next. This not only diversifies your content but also fosters engagement and makes your viewers feel involved in your creative process.
Success on YouTube Shorts doesn’t happen by chance – it’s the result of continuous improvement driven by data and the right YouTube production company. Analyzing your performance and adapting your strategy accordingly is critical to long-term growth.
At VID.co, we pride ourselves in being able to bring your brand or channel’s story to life through a blend of strategically created video content. Whether that’s long-form or short-form, we can partner with you to ensure you get great results. Contact us today to learn more!
You likely know, intuitively, that music can make or break a YouTube video.
A video with no music or sound, in most contexts, simply isn’t going to have much impact.
A video with tonally inappropriate music, or obnoxious music, is going to ruin whatever credibility it might have had otherwise.
But finding the right music is tough. And making sure that music is cost-effective can be even tougher; no YouTube content creator wants to blow their entire budget on a single popular song, especially if you’re only going to use it for a few minutes in the video.
One solution is to use royalty free music. But what exactly is royalty free music and how do you use it as part of your YouTube video content strategy?
Royalty free music is music for which you do not have to pay royalties.
Simple enough, right?
Royalties are ongoing payments made to a content creator in exchange for continuing to use it in other content that is being consumed. For example, an advertiser might be required to pay royalty fees each time their commercial airs on TV. In many contexts, this is a mutually beneficial relationship. Music producers make a little bit of money for each time the ad runs, and advertisers are only on the hook for fees proportional to how much utility they're getting from the song.
However, paying royalties doesn't make sense on smaller scales. The money making potential of a YouTube video is often much smaller than that of a nationally syndicated commercial. Paying steep royalty fees could easily undermine the profitability of your video content production. On top of that, the complexities of tracking views and paying royalties can bog down your whole operation.
For these reasons and more, it's often preferable to use music that does not require you to pay royalty fees.
Note that royalty free music is distinct from music that uses Creative Commons Licensing (CCL) or public domain music. These latter categories include music that you can use for free, even for commercial purposes. Obviously, there are advantages to using totally free music, but depending on your goals, it might also make sense for you to pay a one-time fee to get access to premium royalty free music.
The bottom line here is that there are many different types of inexpensive music to choose from, most of which are not associated with royalties, and nearly all of which are preferable to the more expensive alternative.
So how exactly are you supposed to use royalty free music in the context of your YouTube strategy?
YouTube Studio has a built-in Audio Library you can use to search for (and integrate) music, audio effects, and other sounds into your video. It might be the easiest way to find royalty free music, since it's already integrated into YouTube and it makes it very clear which tracks are royalty free.
Using this platform, you can search and filter based on a variety of parameters, including track title, genre, mood, artist name, attribution, and duration. You can also mark some tracks as your favorites, so you can continue using them in videos in the future. This is especially good if you want musical or audio continuity between videos on your channel.
Pay especially close attention to genre and mood. If you choose a piece of audio that doesn't match the mood or tone of your video, it could clash with the content you're creating. Just because a song is royalty free doesn't mean it's worth putting in your video, and sometimes these songs can be genuinely detrimental to your intended goals.
Although YouTube Studio is extremely convenient, and has lots of options, it's Not the only way to find royalty free music.
There are many websites and platforms online that are specially dedicated to helping people find free and inexpensive music that they can use in other projects. Typically, these platforms allow you to search through large libraries of content, filtering based on a number of parameters. With each entry, pay especially close attention to whether this track is public domain, free to use for commercial purposes, or is royalty free.
In many cases, you'll need to pay a one time fee to get access to the music, or you may be required to provide attribution to the creator in your video. As long as you're clear on the rules, there shouldn't be any problems integrating the audio into your YouTube videos.
How can you tell if a song is genuinely royalty free?
Most mainstream platforms, including YouTube Studio, have already done the hard work for you. As long as you're on a platform that you genuinely trust, you can be reasonably certain that any track marked as royalty free is genuinely royalty free. Any track listed for sale or available for public use should have any caveats or disclaimers attached to it.
In other words, as long as you're using a trusted source, what you see is what you get. Your source will also likely provide you with instructions for how to provide attribution appropriately.
You can also verify the status of a song by looking for it on SoundExchange or the U.S. Copyright Office website. This is an extra step that may not be necessary, but could grant you peace of mind if you're concerned about potential legal issues or fines in the future.
YouTube will also give you a heads-up if it detects any copyrighted material in your video, including audio. You'll have an opportunity to swap out the track or make other modifications so that you're no longer violating copyright law.
If you want to use royalty free music as part of your YouTube video strategy, these are some of the most important best practices to follow:
· Use a trusted source. Don’t use a random MP3 that your buddy sent you just because he insists that it's free to use. Don't trust the free music you find on an obscure Russian website. Don't browse your personal music collection and make an educated guess about music might be royalty free. Instead, use a trusted, reliable source. There are literally dozens of reputable, mainstream platforms that offer royalty free and Creative Commons music, and all of them do an excellent job of maintaining their internal archives.
· Double check the details. When looking for music, always double check the details to make sure you understand how this music can be used and what the requirements for using it are. Are you sure that this track is free to use even for commercial purposes? Are you sure you aren't going to owe any royalties? Are you required to provide attribution to the original creator, and what format should that attribution be in?
· Provide attribution. Speaking of attribution, always air on the side of caution and provide it. In fact, you may want to provide attribution in multiple ways, such as when the track is playing, at the end of the video, and even in the video description. This way, you can practically guarantee that you've provided ample credit to the original creator – and it helps the creator get some visibility as well.
· Match the mood. Some YouTube creators choose music almost arbitrarily, looking for noise that they can use to fill in content gaps or looking for music for its own sake. However, it's important to remember that music can make or break the tone of your video, and that it's important to find music that can genuinely match the mood you're trying to create. You may need to browse through many different tracks before you find a perfect fit. This is part of the work of making a good YouTube video.
· Dig deep. It's not hard to find generic music tracks that are free, easy to use, and compatible with a wide range of video content types. But there's a significant downside to using this low-hanging fruit: most creators frequently tap into it. If you pay attention, you can find nearly identical music tracks across a wide variety of YouTube channels and videos. If you simply use the same tracks as everyone else, your videos are going to come off as repetitive and generic. Instead of jumping at the first decently close fit, you should strive to dig deeper into the archives and find something that's even more uniquely compatible with the video you want to create. Not only will you find a closer match to the content you're creating, but you'll also distinguish yourself from your peers.
Are you looking to build your YouTube channel from scratch?
Or are you hoping to grow the YouTube channel you’ve already established?
You’re in the right place.
At Vid.co, we have the video production experts and creative minds necessary to help you create and execute the perfect YouTube video strategy.
If you’re ready to get started with a free video marketing consultation, contact us today!
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