Part of being a YouTube creator is finding that balance between what we think is good and what the data actually tells us is good content. We want better content and better results, but we have a tendency to do things that irritate our viewers. Because of these things, no one clicks or people abandon our content quickly which makes the YouTube algorithm throw us in its proverbial garbage bin. If only there was a way to know what these things were so we can prevent that…. Good news: There is! And that’s what we are going to talk about today.
Creator Spotlight
But first I want to introduce you to Tristan Sarramejane. With his channel, The DIY Cabin Guy , he was dealing with the common difficulty of having to build something in order to make a video. So much of his time went into building and filming, that he didn’t have the time to actually turn all the footage into a video. His tendency to film everything and focus in on every detail was really holding him back. After working with us , he was taught how to use storytelling to focus in on the key points and carry his viewers along with him in a way that taught and entertained at the same time.
Self-Focused Videos
When we make a video, we think we are putting in place a viewing contract. I make a video that I feel has value for you. And in return, you watch it and take the actions I want you to take (like, subscribe, purchase, etc). Right? But this doesn’t always happen. Somewhere along the line we make mistakes.
One of the biggest mistakes creators make is having the wrong person in mind when creating content. Are you making a video that your audience actually wants to see? Do you have your target audience in mind? Or are you just making the video that you want to create?
Now, I’m not saying that it’s wrong for you to make content for yourself. This is your art. You should want to create it. You should receive satisfaction and enjoyment out of it. But if you don’t have your target audience in mind most of the time, they will not stick around to support you. Instead they will think, “This video isn’t for me” and go elsewhere.
Lame Ideas
Now, let’s take it a step further. The idea for your video needs to be geared towards your target audience, but it also must be clickable.
We help people on both ends of the creator spectrum. On one end, we have the new creators who have so many ideas and they need to reign it in. Then on the other end, we have the seasoned creator who feels like they have made a million videos on the same subject and it’s just not fun anymore. For the people in the later group, we would encourage you that it’s ok to shift and reinvent yourself a little. Play around with short-form content and try a new angle at the same target audience. See what happens! Ask yourself, what is exciting for you? What got you excited to start in the first place? See if you can rekindle that excitement with a new angle.
“YouTubey” Title & Thumbnails
One of the ways that we get our viewers to not even click into our videos is by having a thumbnail that is “too YouTubey.” Your thumbnails need to tell a story and build intrigue with your title. Pointless clickbait is just noise at this point. Don’t just put a shocked face on your thumbnail. Instead use a facial expression to tell a story. If your thumbnail isn’t authentic, it’s “YouTubey” and people are going to pass it by.
Boring Hooks
Your viewer clicked in because the title and thumbnail drew them in. This intrigue needs to now build even more in your hook. If you delay this by explaining who you are and asking them to like, subscribe comment, etc, they will abandon the content very quickly.
Are you unsure if your hooks are too long? Go see! Check out those analytics. How does your retention graph look? If your audience has to ask themselves, “How is this valuable to me?” in the first couple minutes, they are going to leave.
LONG Videos
We get this question all the time: “How long should my video be?” There is no set answer for this. But if your video is longer than it needs to be, it’s going to get tossed into that garbage bin.
Check out your retention and engagement factor. At what point are you no longer providing value, but just talking? Are people skipping parts? Often a 20 min video would better serve your audience as a 7 min video. Remember, it’s not about you. What does your viewer want? Are you leaving them wanting more or are they dying to get to the end? – Or just giving up before they get there?
But, be careful what you cut. Don’t leave the fancy production parts and cut out who you are as a person. The viewer wants to be part of your world. ( Cue Ariel scene ) Connect with your viewer! But don’t bore them at the same time. What parts do your audience think is boring? It’s no secret. Check out your analytics to find out.
Power Tip
Right now you have data stories for videos and channel performance, but now YouTube is introducing this for posts on the Community Tab, too. New stories for posts help you better understand how your posts are reaching your audience.
This gives us creators great insight to help us understand how to not only better use this tool, but make data driven decisions and results. – And that’s what we are all about.
Keep Changing Lives!
Tim Schmoyer