Entertaining content goes viral easily and so does promotional content. However, educational video content suffers a lot of friction. And that’s because people actively seek education from known names only.
They’d be hesitant to spend 10-15 minutes on your YouTube video if you’ve less than a million subscribers.
So, how do you compete on the platform if you’re just starting out? Well, that’s exactly what we cover in this post. We’ll be sharing expert-recommended ways to improve visibility for educational YouTube videos.
Grab your notebook and start taking notes!
Entertaining content goes viral easily and so does promotional content. However, educational video content suffers a lot of friction. And that’s because people actively seek education from known names only.
They’d be hesitant to spend 10-15 minutes on your YouTube video if you’ve less than a million subscribers.
So, how do you compete on the platform if you’re just starting out? Well, that’s exactly what we cover in this post. We’ll be sharing expert-recommended ways to improve visibility for educational YouTube videos.
Grab your notebook and start taking notes!
Table of Contents
Bulletproof Your Content Strategy
In an earlier post about growing your channel with YouTube Studio, we briefly shared how the content tab reveals what type of content you should be producing more and what type of content you should tone down.
The idea here is the same. Find the gaps and leaks in your content strategy and seal them tight.
How can you do that? Here’s how:
1. Revisit your goals
First, go back and check out why you started with your YouTube journey anyway. Determine if your videos are achieving that purpose right now or are in the process of achieving those goals or not.
If they are, kudos. Head over to the next section.
But if they’re not, start setting up key metrics to track for the next videos. For most YouTubers, these metrics include subscribers, view time, and link clicks.
2. Choose Relevant Educational Topics
Keep a pulse on trends within your niche by utilizing tools like Google Trends, YouTube Trends, and social media platforms. Balance the trending topics with evergreen content to maintain a steady flow of viewers and ensure your channel remains valuable over time.
3. Content Audit
Dive deep into your dashboard and see which videos underperformed. Improve these videos by adding more value, improving video storytelling, or enhancing their overall outlook with video editing. You can create an updated version of that previous video.
4. Content Calendar
Develop a consistent content calendar. Planning your content in advance ensures that you’re not leaving gaps or lulls in your posting schedule. It also allows you to align your content with trending topics and events in your niche.
Use Smarter SEO Optimization Techniques
Simply putting out exceptional educational content won’t benefit. You need the YouTube algorithm’s attention and for that, you must implement the following:
1. Keyword Research
Begin optimizing your YouTube channel with keyword research. Utilize keyword research tools to extract main keywords and supporting keywords for popular topics in your niche (that you identified after the content audit). Optimize your video titles, descriptions, and tags with relevant keywords to improve discoverability.
2. Thumbnails and Titles
Create eye-catching thumbnails and compelling titles. Your thumbnail is the first thing viewers see, so make it visually appealing and relevant to your content. The title should be intriguing and descriptive.
3. Closed Captions and Subtitles
To add closed captions and subtitles, upload your video to YouTube and access the Subtitles/CC section in YouTube Studio. Use the automatic captioning feature or upload your own transcript. Review and edit captions for accuracy. This improves accessibility, boosts SEO, and attracts a wider audience.
4. Playlists and Video End Screens
Create playlists to organize your videos into thematic collections. In YouTube Studio, go to Playlists and click New Playlist.
For video end screens, go to Video Details and select End Screen & Annotations. Add elements like subscribe buttons and related video links. Both features enhance viewer engagement and retention.
Engage and Redirect Audience
Timely uploading a polished YouTube video is not enough. You need to repurpose the content to expand your reach as well. Here’s how you can repurpose and maximize the engagement per upload to boost visibility:
1. Cross Platform Promotion
Utilize your presence on other social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, to promote your YouTube content. You can share:
- Teasers
- Behind-the-scenes snippets
- Interactive content related to your videos
Encourage your existing followers to cross over to your YouTube channel. This will expand your reach and viewership along with swaying the YouTube algorithm in your favor.
Suggested Read:
5 Easy and Proven Ways to Promote Your YT channel to a wider audience
2. CTA Strategy
At strategic points in your content, ask viewers to subscribe, like, share, or comment. Be clear and concise in your CTAs. Also, guide them to watch related videos or explore your playlists, increasing overall watch time and engagement.
3. Building a Community
A surefire way to engage your audience is to instill a sense of belonging in them. Become a part of their routine or build a nice place full of nice people that they just can’t resist.
Respond promptly and thoughtfully to comments on your videos. Encourage discussions and interactions among viewers. Host live sessions or Q&A sessions to connect with your audience in real time. Build a strong, engaged community that can be your most loyal and vocal advocate.
4. Collaboration with Other YouTubers and Educators
Collaborations can expand your audience and provide fresh perspectives.
Identify potential collaborators within your niche or related fields. Reach out with a well-thought-out proposal, highlighting the mutual benefits of the collaboration. Ensure that the content aligns with both your and your collaborator’s audiences for the best results.
YouTube Advertising
Educational videos on YouTube can leverage YouTube ads to significantly boost their visibility and reach a wider audience. Here’s what YT ads can do for you:
- Targeted Reach: With YouTube ads, you can precisely target your desired audience based on demographics, interests, and online behavior. This ensures that your educational content reaches those most likely to engage with it.
- Prominent Placement: Ads appear before or during videos, ensuring prime visibility. Viewers are more likely to watch educational content when it’s presented in a compelling ad format.
- Increased Exposure: Paid ads can help your educational videos break through the competitive landscape and get noticed. This added exposure can result in higher views, increased subscriber counts, and broader recognition.
- Budget Control: YouTube ads allow you to set a budget, ensuring that you spend within your means while still reaping the benefits of increased visibility.
By strategically using YouTube ads, educational content creators can expand their reach, share knowledge with a broader audience, and ultimately achieve their educational goals more effectively.
If you’re not sure how to begin with YouTube advertising, we recommend reading this guide: YouTube Ads – A Guide for Beginners
Or watch this quick video:
End Note:
The strategies outlined here are powerful tools to supercharge your YouTube educational channel’s visibility. It’s time to put these actionable tactics into practice!
Apart from the strategies above, consider building an email list to maintain a direct connection with your audience. Send them updates, exclusive content, and notifications of your latest videos. It can help your educational YouTube channel soar to new heights of visibility and impact!
