10 Tips for Being Successful on YouTube

After going to the YouTube partner meet up at YouTube HQ in New York City, I've learned a few trick and tips to help you be more successful on YouTube, whether that means adding subscribers, gaining views, making more money, or earning partner status. We heard from not only YouTube staff, but some hugely popular YouTube partners like Michael Buckley from What the BUCK.

Here are the most important take-aways from the meet up:

1. Descriptions are EXTREMELY important. The YouTube algorithm (bot) cannot watch your videos. It considers many factors when ranking your video. Of the factors you can control, your description is HUGE. Fill up your description with as much keyword-rich information as possible as it pertains to your video.

2. Annotate every video to another video. When a viewer gets done one of your videos, point them to another relevant video at the end. Keep them watching your stuff!

3. Always have a call to action to encourage engagement. Ask for a thumbs up, ask for comments, or ask for a video response. And also, be sure to include past comments or video responses in future videos so that your viewers know that you ARE listening to them.

4. Use YouTube insight to get important stats on all of your videos. This helps you make videos that are better tailored to your audience.

5. Use Playlists to group together similar videos you have made. Use your channel to feature these playlists.

6. Keep video length as short as possible, especially if you are new to YouTube. Five minutes should be long enough.

7. Collaborate with others. Find channels that serve a similar audience and that are a similar size to your own, and do a collaboration. Link to one another's channel, feature videos from the other channel, etc.

8. Customize your channel graphically. Take full advantage of the many branding options available to partners to make your channel look professional and consistent. If you're not a partner, you still have a lot of options to alter the look and feel of your channel.

9. If you're trying to build subscribers, try a subscriber drive. Give away a small item in exchange for people subscribing and watching your videos. Use Twitter and other forms of social media to promote your contest.

10. Be perceptive: see what sticks! Spend time watching the videos of successful YouTubers. Find the videos that are getting the most views or thumbs up. Try to figure out what about those videos or those channels is so compelling, and try to translate into things YOU can do to make your own video more successful.

[aimbel]

Very nice video. Thanks for uploading.

[thisprojecthasbeenabandone]

We are a group effort You Tube channel, and we love to create music, comedy, art, and gaming. But, we also love helping the community out. Buffalo makes some good points though, but it's so hard to get anywhere with his practices when you don't have an

Thanks for the tips. I spend a lot of my free time working on my Youtube channel and am looking forward to continuing to do so!

[TrooperTrashy]

You got that right. It's so hard to please people in getting to watch the WHOLE duration of the video. It takes a lot of self improvement, passion and commitment. These are the things I need to improve on.

[austinevans]

Great tips, definitely a very good video for about anyone who makes videos. I generally keep my descriptions short and concise when I'm aiming to get my video listed high on one particular search but I might just start adding more to it and see how it goes.

[RedMoonRising]

Great information, thank you for taking the time to post this!

[tutorialconr]

That was one of the best videos I've ever seen on YouTube. It really inspired me. Thanks for taking time to go to the conference and helping us so much :)

[b]

Best tips i've came through on youtube so far. Good Job. Keep up all of your good work!

[bansheemoon]

Good job disseminating the information you received at the conference, I love getting ideas to help my channel! Thanks for sharing!

[FlossingTrades]

That was awesome and much needed info. My brain is bigger after watching this. Thanks!

[LIFTHUNTREALESTATE]

I have watched a lot of "how to succeed on YouTube" videos, and this is the best one yet.

[BudgetBugout]

Very helpful suggestions! Thanks! I receive a monthly check from YouTube but there's always room to improve! :)

[TiMBoMc]

mate alot of helpful things im going to take into account i would like to thank you for this video BIG THUMBS UP

[isabelsmakeupchannel]

This is the best video I have ever seen about this subject. Thanks I really appreciate it x)

[TheFamilyguy]

This is brilliant advice! Thanks for sharing man! It is very appreciated.

[nikitam]

Thanks! This is some really great tips! ;) I'm probably gonna start up a Youtube channel soon, so I will deffenetly use these tips!

[kumbuya]

This was really helpful! Thanks for sharing what you have learned!

[GeoffEff]

Amazing video for those looking to become partners. Great job as always Brandon.

[MrHaddify]

Thanks man this was actually quite inspirational aswell as obviously informational.

[InAllFun]

Excellent video with extremely resourceful tips for youtubers! Thankyou for sharing!!!