Developing a presence on YouTube can be fun and lucrative, but the path to YouTube fame can be rough and confusing. There are many voices on the platform that claim to know the secrets to growing fast and effectively. All these gurus have widely varying theories that can sometimes contradict themselves, making it difficult to sift through the noise.
Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Muaaz Shakeel. He has developed a YouTube channel around helping people understand his process of YouTube growth. His channel exploded to over fifty-one thousand subscribers in around two years. This kind of growth is rare, so he must be doing something right. We discussed this growth and his tactics for around thirty minutes in the video featured above. I would highly encourage you to watch the full video, but I have also provided a brief list below of some of the strategies and tips we discussed in our conversation.
1. Write Down Everything Helpful
Habit is everything. Many people will find a tip about growth, intend to implement it, but forget about it before they ever do. They may even implement it once, but don’t continue to in the future. This is why you may want to start keeping a journal, a document, or even just sticky notes on your computer screen that log the different tactics you intend to try out.
2. Add Value with Your Content
Whether you are bringing entertainment, education, or information, make sure you are adding value to people’s lives. Look at your content through the lens of your intended viewer and ask yourself if it is content you would find valuable. At the end of the day, the only reason anyone will watch any of your videos is because it brings them some kind value.
3. Create Strategic Tags
There is an extremely simple way to hack the YouTube tagging game. And this groundbreaking bit of wisdom is:
SEARCH FOR STUFF
Consider what people might search for if they are looking for content like yours. They might type in “How to record my iphone screen” or perhaps “rick and morty facts” or maybe “best rocket league plays.” Consider your content and simply start searching those kind of phrases on YouTube. Look at what the results are for that search and whether or not it matches with your content. Your goal is to allow YouTube to put your content in the right place for the right people.
4. Title & Thumbnail for Search & Attention
Be clear, bold, and consistent. Title in a way that gives people a clear understanding of what is going on in the video. If you’re a gamer, a title like “Let’s Play Skyrim - Part 17” does nothing to help new viewers want to engage with your small channel. You also won’t show up well in search. Create a clear, engaging, and interesting title that describes what happens in the video.
Similarly, you want to stand out with your thumbnail. Large text and bold imagery will always win out over a simple screenshot from the video. Use Photoshop or one of the many free image editors online to create high-resolution, eye-catching thumbnails for every single one of your videos. You can also look to other YouTubers for examples of how to create excellent thumbnails.
5. Don’t Constantly Worry About the Algorithm
Something that many people do is keep a close eye on the YouTube algorithm and try to “play the game.” This can create chaos and inconsistency in your content. Perhaps you will hit on something big that games the system and gets you a large audience, but riding the wave of algorithmic changes is a lot like playing the slot machines at a casino. Instead of focusing on strategy, you are gambling at the chance of finding a way to exploit the algorithm. Just focus on increasing the quality of your content and nailing down the timeless strategies that have always lead to solid & consistent growth.
6. Keep Trying & Learning
Finally, you just need to keep trying. Don’t get burnt out on the monotony of grinding out content. Tinker with new techniques and formats. Keep things fresh. Your audience will always be receptive to increased quality. They may not be happy if you entirely change the format, but it will always be worth it to tinker even if it’s just to figure out that something doesn’t work.
I’d like to thank Muaaz for joining me in this conversation! It was enlightening and engaging, so I highly encourage you to check out the full video above. As well, be sure to subscribe to Muaaz over on YouTube so you can see the excellent content he produces.