From SMX East 2013 - YouTube Optimization Tips For the Second Most Popular Search Engine - How To Win Subscribers and Influence Visitors on YouTube by Purna Virji #SMX #31C

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3. • Senior Marketing Manager at Stroll
• 7+ years in Search
• Columnist at Search Engine Watch
• Speaker at SMX, Affiliate Summit,
eTail & More
Purna Virji
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Key Takeaways
• How to build a strong foundation
• How to curate content the right way
• How to best engage your visitors
• How to strategically use analytics

5. Top Tip 1: Lay a
Strong Foundation
Ensure all the basics
are optimized correctly,
to give your channel more
prominence and appeal
to visitors.
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6. Channel Name
Appears
across
the site
Distinct
from URL
Short &
memorable
works best
Inevitably
brand
name for
most

7. Channel Icon
Main
marketing
image
Used
across
YouTube
Appears in
different
sizes

8. Channel Icon
Square,
Hi-res
image,
800px by
800px
Avoid Text

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Video Metadata
• Used to Index Videos
• Optimize to Maximize Promotion
• Includes: Title, Tags and Description

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Video Metadata – Title
• Make it compelling
• Core keywords first, branding later
• Test to optimize CTR

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Video Metadata – Tags
• Descriptive keywords
• Create a Set of Standard tags
• Mix general and specific
• Use enough to be accurate

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Video Metadata – Description
• First few sentences really count
• Pay attention to content hierarchy
• Be interesting!
• Add links to subscribe page or social
media

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Video Thumbnail Selection
• Custom for each video
• 640px x 360px min.,
16:9 aspect ratio
• Faces or visually
compelling imagery
• Looks good in all sizes
• Upload with video

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Featured & Related Channels
• Seen on the right-hand side
• Featured: You select
• Related: Similar channels, populated by YouTube
Important! Can include competitors
• Can choose to disable

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Top Tip 2:
Curating Content
for your Audiences
How to most effectively
share content with
subscribers and
non-subscribers.

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Why Encourage Subscribers?
• Strongest brand advocates
• 2x Video Consumed vs. Non-subscribers
• Content more visible, better for TOMA
• Community engagement + Brand building

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Image Source: misterbrony.deviantart.com
Two Views
Tailor for subscribers vs. non-subscribers

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Tips for Engaging Subscribers:
• 60-30-10 formula
• Create playlists to
engage
• Be regular
• Strategic CTAs
• Community management

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Encouraging Non-Subs to Subscribe
• Browse Tab:
– Pick as default LP
– Show off your content!
– Use analytics to pick top performers
• Channel Trailer:
– Auto-plays
– Essence of your channel
– No ads when playing

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Trailer Tips
• Think elevator pitch
• Show, don’t tell
• Use CTAs
• Leverage special promos
• Test, test, test

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Playlists

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Annotations
• Clickable text overlays
• Use to:
– Ask for likes
– Link to other videos
– Link to social media
– Ask questions to engage
– Add clarification
– Link back to your site

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Annotations – Best Practices
• Avoid lower third of
video
• Don’t obstruct content
• Little goes a long way
• Repeat “subscribe”
requests at end
• Use analytics to test
timing & placement
• Be creative

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Top Tip 3: Channel
Personalization
Leveraging key features
to promote your brand
identity and drive action.

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Channel Art
• Showcase your brand’s personality
• Use tool to gauge difference screens
• Add social + website links

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Examples

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• Organize Browse tab
• Showcase your best
content
• Can contain videos
& playlists
• Create themes based
on tags
• Can curate other
channels’ content
Sections

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Channel Description
• Why should they
subscribe?
• Important info upfront
• Include upload schedule
• Use relevant KWs

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Top Tip 4: Channel
Analytics
Assess channel
performance to make
strategic optimization
decisions.

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Connect GA to YouTube
– “Add new Account” in existing
GA account
– Locate GA profile ID
– “Advanced” option on YouTube
channel settings
– Data will populate within 24
hours
Google Analytics Tie-In

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1. Who are your users?
– Helps create & optimize content & channel
design to appeal most to your demo.
– Pull demo & geo data reports
YouTube Analytics
www.youtube.com/analytics

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YouTube Analytics
www.youtube.com/analytics
2. Where are users finding your videos?
– Know which traffic sources are most valuable
– Use playback locations & traffic sources reports
– Be sure to review avg. view duration column
– Look at subscriber-only data as well.

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YouTube Analytics
www.youtube.com/analytics
3. How much are you engaging users?
– Discover how users interact & identify patterns
to create more engaging content
– Low retention rate videos=less likely to appear
in search & suggested placements
– Use absolute retention & relative retention
reports

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YouTube Analytics
www.youtube.com/analytics
4. Why are viewers subscribing?
– Learn what makes people subscribe
– Use subscribers report to show which
videos stand out
– Views vs. subscribers report

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YouTube Analytics
www.youtube.com/analytics
5. How are annotations performing?
– Review CTR & close rates for all
annotations
– Use to optimize placement and duration
– Use the Annotations report

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http://www.linkedin.com/in/purnavirji
https://twitter.com/purnavirji
Read More At:
http://searchenginewatch.com/author/2499
/purna-virji