Transcription
When it comes to getting you more views, YouTube has just shifted what it rewards. And I just want to make sure that you're optimizing for the right thing, cuz I had to make this switch as well.
For years, it was all about what happened while they were watching your video. How long did they watch? Watch time? Did they like the video? Did they leave a comment? And those still matter, but YouTube confirmed they've taken a backseat to a new measurement. And that is what happens after they watch your video. The good news is if you're a business owner like me, the thing YouTube wants the viewers to do is the same thing that we want them to do. And there's one thing that I use in live presentations that I think will work really well in YouTube videos. So I will share that coming up at the end.
So what is YouTube measuring now? Well, the first thing is how many shares your video gets. And shares can be tricky unless you have the right strategy. When someone shares your video, YouTube doesn't just think, "Okay, they enjoyed this video." They think, "Wow, they enjoyed this video so much they wanted to tell other people about it." But here's the best part for entrepreneurs. If someone shares your video, your video becomes preframed from someone they recommend. So rather than a cold click from a stranger, which is what we're hoping for, if our video comes up in the feed or in search results, it's literally, "Wow, my friend Jill said this was a good video. I better watch it." This is massive for us.
So here's how we can get more shares from our videos. It is not just asking people, hey, please like, share, and subscribe at the end. That's actually not very effective. So, first, people share videos when it makes them look good. If someone shared the next video you're planning on making, does it make them look good? Second, people share things that reflect who they are. So, for example, right now I'm really into Claude, and so when I see a cool video about a way to use Claude, I share it with my friends that are also into Claude. But one of the easiest ways to get more shares, this is so bizarre, but it totally works. It's not asking someone to share it. It's just making the suggestion in a more subtle way. When you ask someone to share your video, it comes across as selfish. Hey, will you please share my video? Will you please help get the word out there? But when you subtly suggest that the video could be shared, it doesn't come across that way. For example, in your video, you could say, "Hey, if someone shared this video with you, tell them I said thank you." Those 12 words plant the idea of sharing without making it feel like a pitch. Another thing that's really effective is instead of asking somebody to share, thank people who have shared your videos in the past. By the way, I want to give a quick shout out to Jill, Juan, and Scott who shared my last video on this topic. I really appreciate it. And my favorite way to get more shares, especially if you feel awkward asking for shares, is look into your analytics and see what videos have been shared the most in the past and make more videos like those on those same topics.
All right. The second thing that YouTube will reward you and your channel for is if your viewers come back for more. But not just watching another video. It's actually if somebody rewatches your video, either part of it or all of it. Think about the signal that YouTube gets if somebody rewatches your video. Wow, this video was so enjoyable to them. They didn't just watch it once, they watched it twice. That reminds me of an old band. If you remember the group Duran Duran, they used to say, "The band's so nice, they named them twice." Now, sometimes this behavior happens on its own, but you can make videos where it's more likely to happen. For example, if you are showing off a specific framework or a tutorial, those are the types of things that people will watch more than once. In fact, you can also go as far as to suggest it by saying something in your video like, "Hey, I want to walk through the process with you once, and I encourage you to go through the whole thing once, then go back and start over when you're ready to actually implement this." You can even add on a reason like once you have the high-level overview, it'll be easier to implement. It's good teaching and it gives you a rewatch.
Now, the third behavior that we want to try and get because YouTube is rewarding right now is kind of weird because it has nothing to do with your content. YouTube will reward us if your viewer goes on to watch more content on YouTube, even if it's not yours. The logic makes sense, right? If somebody watched your video or part of your video and then immediately closed the app afterwards, that can be a signal that, oh, they didn't enjoy this very much. But if they go on to watch any additional content, YouTube knows that's more likely to happen if they enjoyed what they just watched. Think about it this way. Let's say you watch an episode of a TV show on Netflix and it wasn't very good. Maybe it's a show you love, but it was a weaker episode. All series have those. Then you're not likely to go on and watch another episode, right? Then, even if you will come back later. Now, of course, selfishly, we want them to watch another one of our videos. And we do have some control of how likely that is to happen, and that is taking advantages of playlists and end screens.
Now, there's one mistake though people make when doing this, and I want to make sure you avoid that. You don't want to take one video and then chop it into multiple videos thinking, "Oh, well, I won't give them the whole answer in this video, so they'll have to go watch the next video." No, that is going to leave them unhappy and that is not going to help your channel. Each video needs to be valuable on its own. Like, for example, I'm hoping if you're still watching, this video has been valuable to you. But I'll tell you right now, at the end, I'm going to suggest you watch another video I have about getting the most views by using YouTube end screens that we just talked about.
Now, the fourth YouTube behavior that YouTube will reward you and your channel with if this happens with your viewers is kind of weird because it's actually in the viewer's head. YouTube has actually started surveying viewers after they watch a video, asking them how they enjoyed it. And their answer can have an immediate and huge impact on how much that video continues to get recommended or stops being recommended. Unfortunately, we can't control whether or not someone gets a survey after watching our video. And obviously it would backfire, I think, if we said, "Hey, if you get a survey about this video, make sure you tell them that you loved it." But I do think we can shape how they're thinking about the video after they watch it. This is something that I do if I teach a live workshop, but this YouTube update has made me start thinking about, okay, how would this work on YouTube? And I think it could be really effective for exactly this thing. In my live workshop, I will stop and I will say, hey, what has been most valuable so far? and then I'll have people chime in in the comments. And adapting it for YouTube, I don't think has to be that difficult. Near the end of your video, ask your viewers, "Hey, what has been most valuable in this video? Let me know down in the comments because it helps me make better content for you going forward."
Now, not surprisingly, I would be honored if you would take the time to let me know what has been most valuable in this video you're watching right now in the comments. We're getting a little meta here, uh, but please don't leave me hanging.
Now, three cool things happen at once if you do this. Okay? First, it crystallizes that they got value from the video because they think about it for a second, right? Second, hopefully some of the people will leave you a comment, which is another signal that YouTube likes, that people enjoy the video and they should recommend it to more people. And third, it sets the viewer up to be in a satisfied headspace so that if that survey does pop up, they're already thinking, "Yeah, I enjoyed that. I found it very satisfying."
But wait, the coolest part about all the behaviors that we talked about that YouTube is now rewarding is the viewer who takes those actions is going to be your warmest lead for your next offer. Now, as promised, start using end screens the right way. Click the video on the screen right now, and I'll show you how to create more binge sessions so your viewers stay on your channel and are more likely to become your future clients and customers.