The Ultimate Guide To Ranking On YouTube in 2024

The Entrepreneur’s Fast-Track Guide to YouTube Success

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

#1 YouTube Ranking Strategy

Grow Your YouTube Channel With More Actionable Strategies

Organize Your Channel Into Sections & Playlists

Additional Ranking Tips

Titles That Captivate

Examples Of Successful Channels

Final Tips

Ranking On YouTube For Smart Entrepreneurs:

This blog post provides a solid roadmap to improve your YouTube video rankings and channel growth. By combining strategic optimization techniques with high-quality, engaging content, you’ll be well on your way to YouTube success.

Watch Time (Audience Retention) Is Key for Higher Rankings

The secret for ranking higher on YouTube isn’t magic – it’s keeping viewers engaged and watching! The more viewers stay glued to your content (known as audience retention), the stronger the signal you send to YouTube’s algorithm that your video is valuable. This translates to higher rankings and increased discoverability for your content.

Here are just a few key ways to increase your audience retention:

Hook them in the First Few Seconds: Grab attention with a captivating intro – a surprising fact, a thought-provoking question, a controversial opinion, or a tease of the benefit viewers will gain by watching.
Deliver Value Upfront: Address your target audience’s pain points or share a valuable tip within the first minute to show viewers that you understand their needs. You can even place your most valuable video segment in this area.
The Power of Storytelling: Tell a story that resonates with your viewers’ problems and shows them clear solutions they will also be able to use/copy.
Visual Variety is Key: Break up talking-head segments with B-roll footage, smooth transitions, and different camera angles to maintain engagement.
Boost Visual Appeal: Emphasize key points with text overlays, infographics, or animations to make your video more visually interesting.
Emotional Connection Through Sound: Use music and sound effects to evoke specific emotions and enhance the overall viewing experience.
Interactive Engagement: Encourage viewers to actively participate by asking them questions, running polls, or prompting comments throughout your video.
Cater to Busy Viewers: Include timestamps in your video description for easy navigation to specific sections. This works great for viewers who need one specific solution/answer right away.

Bonus Watch Time Tips:

Here are some of my favourite extra tips generated from entrepreneurs during a YouTube talk I gave.

Be interesting and engaging
Provide solutions to specific problems
Offer useful and valuable content
Maintain a positive and entertaining energy
Target your ideal audience
Showcase your personality
Add a touch of humor (where appropriate)
Fuel curiosity and entice viewers to learn more
Address pain points and offer solutions
Create high-quality audio and visuals
Build trust and credibility
End with a cliffhanger to build suspense
Foster relationships with your viewers

Watch Time is Key

“Watch time is the total amount of minutes viewers have spent watching your videos.

It’s a key metric because YouTube’s algorithm presumes that a higher watch time indicates an engaging video, so it elevates videos and channels with higher watch times in the search results and recommendations section.” (1)

Grow Your YouTube Channel With More Actionable Strategies

Content And Optimization

Keyword Research is King: Optimize your titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords to improve search discovery. Use YouTube search suggestions, tools like TubeBuddy, and keyword research platforms to identify high-performing keywords.
High-Quality Content Reigns: Focus on creating exceptional, engaging videos that provide top value to your viewers.
Eye-Catching Thumbnails: Design clear, visually appealing thumbnails that accurately reflect your video content and entice viewers to click (be sure to take cues from top performing videos ranking for the keyword you are going after).
Compelling Descriptions: Within the first 150 characters (before viewers see “show more”), highlight your video’s key points and add in your relevant keywords.

Organize Your Channel for Maximum Impact: Playlists & Sections

Having a well-organized YouTube channel is crucial for keeping viewers engaged and finding the content they’re interested in. Playlists and sections are powerful tools YouTube offers to categorize your videos and create a user-friendly browsing experience.

Playlists: Group related videos together into playlists. This allows viewers to easily binge-watch similar content or find all your videos on a specific topic in one place.
Sections: Showcase your playlists and other curated content on your channel’s homepage using sections. This visually guides viewers to your most important content and makes it easier for them to navigate your channel. Be sure to make your titles descriptive and add your keywords into the titles.

Here’s a quick video tutorial to walk you through a step-by-step process of organizing your YouTube channel with playlists and sections:

Engagement Strategies

Clear Calls to Action: Conclude your videos with a strong call to action, prompting viewers to like, comment, subscribe, or visit your website.
Respond to Comments: Build a community by actively responding to comments and encouraging conversations.
Spark Engagement Throughout: Pose questions throughout your video and encourage viewers to share their thoughts in the comments.

Advanced Techniques

End Screens & Cards: Leverage YouTube’s end screen and cards features to promote other relevant videos on your channel to keep them watching.
Timestamps for Easy Navigation: Include timestamps to allow viewers to easily find specific sections within your video. Incorporate relevant keywords in your timestamp titles to enhance search discoverability.
Collaborations: Partner with other YouTubers in your niche for cross-promotion and audience expansion.

Additional Ranking Tips

Track Your Analytics: Monitor your YouTube analytics to identify successful content and what’s working. Use these insights to refine your existing videos and guide your future video creation.
Promote Your Videos: Share your videos on social media platforms, email lists, and relevant online communities to expand your reach and attract new viewers.
Recommend Products: Suggest products or services to further help viewers. This could be an invitation to your online course(s) or helpful tools you use.

BONUS: Crafting Titles That Captivate Attention!

TO CREATE INTRIGUE & CURIOUSITY

Ask Questions: Frame your title as a question that your video answers.

Example: Instead of “The Ultimate Guide to Camping,” try “Can You Camp Comfortably on a Budget? Here’s How!”

Highlight Problems & Solutions: Tease the challenges viewers face and the solutions your video offers.

Example: Instead of “Drone Photography Tips,” try “Ditch Blurry Drone Footage: 3 Beginner Tips for Crisp Videos.”

Use Power Words: Include words that evoke curiosity, excitement, or urgency.

Example: Words like “Secret,” “Ultimate,” “Shocking,” “Life-Changing,” or “Must-See” grab attention.

TO CREATE CLARITY & ATTRACT VIEWERS:

Keyword Targeting: Integrate relevant keywords people search for when looking for your content type.

Example: Include relevant keywords like “Drone Photography” or “Camping for Beginners” in your title.

Benefit-Driven Titles: Clearly communicate the benefit viewers will gain from watching your video.

Example: Instead of “Learn French Phrases,” try “Master 10 Essential French Phrases for Travelers (In Just 1 Hour!)”

Specificity is Key: Be specific about the content of your video to set expectations and attract viewers genuinely interested in that topic.

Example: Instead of “Travel Hacks,” try “5 Money-Saving Travel Hacks for Budget Backpackers in 2024.”

TO GRAB THEIR ATTENTION: USE NUMBERS & LISTS

Numbered Lists: People are drawn to numbered lists and specific details in titles.

Example: “7 Breathtaking Hikes You Can’t Miss in Yosemite National Park”
Example: “3-Step Morning Routine for Increased Productivity”

ADDITIONAL YOUTUBE TITLE TIPS:

Conciseness is Key: Aim for titles under 60 characters to ensure they appear fully in search results and mobile previews.
A/B Testing: If you have a large audience, run A/B tests with different titles to see which ones perform better.
Use Accurate Titles: Don’t mislead viewers with clickbait titles or images that don’t accurately reflect your video content.
Stay Ahead of the Curve: YouTube’s algorithm is constantly changing. Stay informed about updates through the YouTube Creator Channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkRfArvrzheW2E7b6SVT7vQ) and adapt your strategies accordingly. This ensures your content remains optimized for search and discovery.

Examples Of Successful YouTube Channels:

GaryVee

Marie Forleo

Neil Patel

Ahrefs

HubSpot

Want to see some of the above techniques in action? Here are a few of my favourite, popular, YouTube channels in the business and marketing space that are crushing it on the platform PLUS some of the best practices they use to achieve success on the platform:

Gary Vaynerchuk (GaryVee) (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCctXZhXmG-kf3tlIXgVZUlw): GaryVee is a social media and marketing guru known for his high-energy approach and actionable advice. His videos use various formats like interviews, Q&A sessions, and solo rants to keep viewers engaged. He also leverages humor and storytelling to make complex marketing concepts easier to understand. (Techniques: High-Energy Presentation, Actionable Advice, Storytelling, Multi-Format Content)
Marie Forleo (MarieTV) (https://www.youtube.com/@marieforleo) : Marie Forleo is an entrepreneur and marketing expert who focuses on personal development and business growth. Her channel features interviews with successful entrepreneurs and industry leaders, along with practical tips and strategies for viewers to implement. (Techniques: Interviews with Experts, Practical Advice, Focus on Personal Growth)
Neil Patel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-Zrl0QhF66lu1aGXaTbfw): Neil Patel is a well known digital marketing influencer known for his SEO and content marketing expertise. His videos offer in-depth tutorials, case studies, and data-driven insights on various marketing topics. He uses clear visuals, concise explanations, and a conversational style to keep viewers informed and engaged. (Techniques: In-Depth Tutorials, Data-Driven Insights, Clear Explanations)
Ahrefs (https://ahrefs.com/youtube-keyword-tool) : This channel by the SEO giant Ahrefs provides valuable resources for both beginners and experienced marketers. Their videos offer actionable tips on keyword research, link building, content marketing, and technical SEO. They showcase high-quality production value, clear explanations, and data-driven insights. (Techniques: Actionable Tips, High-Quality Production, Data-Driven Content)
HubSpot (https://www.youtube.com/@HubSpot-CRM): HubSpot is a well-known marketing platform, and their YouTube channel offers a wealth of resources on inbound marketing, sales, and customer service. With diverse content formats like explainer videos, case studies, and interviews, they target viewers at various stages of their marketing journey. (Techniques: Content Variety, Inbound Marketing Focus, Educational Content)

Conclusion:

By consistently creating high-quality, engaging content and using the strategies in this post, you’ll be well on your way to building a thriving YouTube channel. Remember, success on YouTube takes time and dedication, but the rewards can be great. You can not only increase views and engagement, but also establish your brand as an authority, attract new leads, and build a loyal community around your content.

This article was based from my live YouTube presentation “#1 Algorithm Trick to Skyrocketing Your YouTube Video Views.” If you would like the same talk for your group, please email me at tricia@marketingsenorita.com

Want even more actionable marketing tips? Subscribe To My YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@marketingsenorita

References:

(1) “Youtube Analytics: The 15 Metrics That Actually Matter.” (Clifford Chi, 2023, Hubspot https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/youtube-analytics#:~:text=Watch%20time%20is%20the%20total,search%20results%20and%20recommendations%20section)

About The Author:

Tricia Belmonte

Tricia is an Internet marketing specialist with over 20 years of marketing, senior management and business development experience. Her passion is helping motivated business owners become authority sites online. Her specialties include online course development, search engine optimization (SEO), Facebook advertising, content creation, funnels, and more. Her contest winning online courses have reached over 28,000 students across 145 countries and have all been listed on the first page of Udemy, one of the world’s largest online course platforms.

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