Want to get more video views on YouTube? You’re not alone! Competition is fierce with over 50 million channels jostling for people’s attention and looking for ways to get more views on YouTube.
With 5 billion video views every day on the platform, there’s the potential for your uploads to hit the big time and rack up tons of YouTube views. But getting those eyeballs on your content can be easier said than done.
Read on to discover eight tried and tested tips for boosting your view count that can be applied to every single video you upload.
- Why are views important on YouTube?
- What counts as a YouTube view?
- 8 steps to get more views on YouTube
- Troubleshoot videos that aren’t getting views
- Buying YouTube views: Is it worth it?
- Get more views and grow your earnings
Why is it important to get more YouTube views?
Racking up more views means more people are watching your videos, which is what being a creator is all about! And if that isn’t enough of an incentive, it’s also your ticket to earning money from your videos too.
Once you join the YouTube Partner Program and start padding out your wallet with ad revenue, increasing your view count will help pump up your earnings. So the more views you have, the more money you can make!
What counts as a YouTube view?
YouTube is a bit hush-hush about what exactly counts as a view, but it’s typically when someone watches your video for over 30 seconds. Which means Baby Shark’s mind-blowing 11 billion views amounts to at least 11 thousand years of watch time!
The important thing in YouTube’s eyes is that someone has deliberately clicked on your video. So if your video auto-rolls in someone’s playlist, or in the watch next queue, it might not score you a view. On the flipside, someone rewatching your YouTube video can count as a new view, so long as YouTube doesn’t feel like they’re trying to game the system.
8 steps to get more views on YouTube for free
Now we’ve demystified what counts as a YouTube view, let's move on to the fun part and get stuck into ways you can bump up your view count. Remember, a surge in YouTube views doesn’t just happen by accident. You need to combine top quality content with the right tactics to help get it seen. So let’s jump in!
1. Create awesome content
It might sound obvious, but content reigns supreme in the kingdom of YouTube. And If it isn’t up to scratch, people will hit the back button faster than you can say “like and subscribe.”
Making great content that keeps people watching is the aim of the game. Know your niche, understand what your viewers like, and create enthralling videos that’ll have them captivated from start to finish.
2. Know your niche
How many views you get will depend on your niche. Some niches have a wide fan base that pull in oodles of views, while others appeal to a more tight-knit crowd. A beauty tutorial channel is more likely to draw viewers than a rare coin collection vlog, for example.
If you’re feeling boxed-in by your niche, you could consider stretching its boundaries to broaden your channel’s potential audience. What’s key is to really understand your niche and make sure each upload doesn’t stray too far from it. You’ve worked hard to build an audience and the last thing you want is to turn them off with a video that misses the mark.
3. Be consistent
When it comes to YouTube, regularly uploading quality uploads will fuel a steady rise in your views. Set a realistic schedule you can stick to, so people know when they can expect new content. And make sure you’re posting the type of videos your audience expects from you.
Consider Mr Beast, YouTube’s heavyweight champ when it comes to raking in mega views. If you’ve ever clicked on his videos, you’ll know the type of big budget challenge videos he makes. And he consistently makes these bangers because he knows it's what his audience loves!
4. Harness the power of SEO
If you’re looking to get more eyeballs on your YouTube content, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is your trusty sidekick. It’s a simple tactic for getting noticed, and all it takes is a sprinkling of relevant keywords throughout your video titles, descriptions and tags.
This helps your videos pop up in relevant searches, giving you a bigger shot at hauling in more views. Want to learn more about how SEO can turbocharge your view counts? Check out our guide to YouTube SEO and see your videos soar!
5. Get to know the YouTube algorithm
YouTube’s clever algorithm matches viewers with the videos they most want to watch. Getting your head around how it works can help your videos be discovered by more people. Just look at how Airrack’s entertaining videos have cracked the algorithm’s code. By keeping viewers hooked, he shows YouTube that his videos deserve to be shown to more people.
Take the mystery out of how the YouTube algorithm works by checking out our in-depth guide, with handy tips on getting your videos shared far and wide. After all, getting a bigger audience is one of the most effective ways to get more views!
6. Promote your videos on social media
Using your social media presence to promote your YouTube videos is like having a PR team in your pocket. By sharing your content on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit, you're effectively funneling more visitors towards your videos.
As an added perk, social media can help connect you with fellow YouTubers or influencers in your niche. They could give your content a boost by sharing it with their own audience, or even become a collaborator for future videos!
7. Set yourself realistic view goals
Planting achievable view targets for your YouTube videos is a great way of giving yourself added motivation. So how many views should you be shooting for on YouTube?
If you're new to the scene, don't let low view counts dampen your spirits. Remember, every YouTube superstar started with a big fat zero. So, throw a mini-party for each milestone you hit, be it your first 100, 1,000, or 10,000 views!
8. Track your progress
You want to start digging into your analytics if you want your YouTube views to skyrocket. Don’t just settle for counting the views though! Delve into your average view duration to see which of your videos are keeping people hooked the longest. Check out your audience retention to see when people are clicking away from your content.
Use these golden insights to improve your videos. Making a habit of keeping tabs on your channel’s progress through YouTube Analytics is great motivation, and helps you focus on growing your channel too.
Troubleshoot your channel: Why don't I get more views on my YouTube videos?
Taking these steps should have you well on your way to racking up more views. But things don’t always go to plan. Check out some of the most common reasons your videos might not be racking up as many views as you were expecting. And see how you can fix them too.
Is your content engaging?
If your content doesn’t hit the right note with your audience, getting more views is always going to be tough. Make sure your content is engaging, high quality, and relevant to your audience. Take SmarterEveryDay’s hyper-interesting videos as an example of a creator consistently uploading bangers for their science-loving audience.
Don’t forget to pay attention to feedback on your comments too. It’s a goldmine for insights for where you can up your game, and you might get inspiration for future videos too!
Have you made the most of YouTube SEO?
For YouTube to push your videos to the right audience, it needs to know what your content is about. If you're not giving YouTube clues about your videos, you could be missing out on easy views. And that’s where getting to grips with SEO comes in.
It’s all about finding keywords that relate to your content, and using them in your title, description and tags. Check out our guide to YouTube SEO to find out how to increase the chances of your video showing up in search results and recommendations. It’s a small change that can make a big difference to your views!
Are your title and thumbnail grabbing people’s attention?
You cannot overplay the importance of having an attention-grabbing title and thumbnail! They’re your chance to capture people’s attention and convince them to click on your videos.
Be critical. Is your thumbnail striking enough to catch people’s eye? Does your title entice viewers to click on your content? If the answer is no, you may well be missing out on tons of views as people scroll past your video. That’s why it’s so important to spend time creating the best title and thumbnail possible.
Could you do more to encourage engagement?
Remember, YouTube’s algorithm loves videos that spark viewer interactions. Which means encouraging people to like, comment, and share your videos will help YouTube push them further.
When you consider you’re also building an engaged community, it quickly becomes a win-win situation! Just look at the success of baking YouTuber Rosanna Pansino. She regularly asks her viewers what they would like to see next, resulting in tons of comments and consistently high view counts.
Buying YouTube views: Is it worth it?
A quick Google search will bring up loads of online services tempting you with extra YouTube views for a small fee. But taking this shortcut comes with serious risks. These views are typically from bots or inactive users, which means low engagement.
YouTube's algorithm values engagement, so these 'empty' views could harm your channel in the long run. What’s more, YouTube is always on the lookout for video views boosted in this way. If you’re caught, you’ll lose your new views and be left with nothing more than a lighter wallet.
What is YouTube's stance on buying views?
You need to know that buying views goes against YouTube's terms of service. Your video could be removed if you get caught, or worse, your account could be suspended. Instead, focus on the steps we’ve outlined to get free YouTube views without having to resort to paying shady online companies.
Rack up more views and grow your earnings
Bumping up your view count on YouTube is simple when you follow these steps. It might not happen overnight, but you’ll soon be on the path to having more eyeballs on your content.
Getting more views is about consistently creating awesome content and using the tools YouTube provides to help your videos lift-off. Learn from your previous videos by getting your head into YouTube analytics, and embrace SEO to reach a bigger audience. They’re surefire ways to improve your channel and get those view counts ticking along.
And once your channel takes off, the cherry on top is the extra ad revenue you’ll get from views piling up! Don’t forget, if you’re looking for more ways to make money from YouTube, you can check out our guide to monetizing your YouTube channel too.
