Are you frustrated because you’re spending a lot of time creating videos but not getting the views and subscribers that you desire? In this video I’m going to share with you the Top 10 Mistakes YouTubers Make and how to fix them so you can get more views to your channel and videos.
1. Mindset mistakes
When starting a YouTube channel, many YouTubers make the mistake of not pursuing their passion, not having a purpose, and lacking motivation. You need to pursue your passion so when the going gets tough you’ll still be able to keep going. If your main purpose is to make money you’ll soon lose motivation after a few weeks or months of starting your channel. Try and pursue something that you love to do, so be in it for the long run.
Trying to appeal to everybody
If you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one. Instead of going after a wide niche, try to niche it down so you can appeal to a specific audience.
Inconsistency
Don’t expect your videos to go viral because YouTube is a long game. Instead of uploading just once a month, try to upload at least once or twice a week. The key is to be consistent so people will know when to expect new content from your channel.
Avoid the comparison game
Especially when you’re starting a new channel it’s easy to compare your channel with those that have been doing it for quite a while. Therefore, instead of trying to compare yourself with others try to improve a little bit every day.
Don’t let your ego get in the way. You might think you know everything, but there are many people that have successful channels that have been doing it for quite a while and have made a mistakes along the way. Try to learn from them so you can improve your own channel.
Lack of energy
When you appear in front of a camera, the camera takes away about 50% of your energy. Therefore, you have to elevate your voice, and your energy to engage with your audience on the other side of the camera.
2. Channel Mistakes
Try to avoid a channel name that is difficult to spell. Remember, when choosing a channel name keep your target audience in mind. For instance, if you’re trying to appeal to dog trainers then create a channel name that includes dog training. For example, it could be Herman’s Dog Training Advice, or to make it easier just use your full name.
Poorly-designed channel homepage
When new subscribers first visit your channel homepage they want to know what your channel’s all about within a few seconds. Therefore, design a channel banner that clearly states what your channel is about. Also include a 60 second channel trailer that explains clearly why people should subscribe to your channel. The rest of your channel home page should include sections that go deeper into your content. Each section should be a different subject that contains a series of videos.
3. Content Mistakes
Have you ever stared at a blank screen wondering what your next video should be about? To avoid this, create a list of at least a hundred titles for future videos. Just use a Google spreadsheet for your content calendar. One way to generate a list of titles is to enter your main keyword in the YouTube search box. YouTube will spit out a bunch of suggestions. Another place to go is answerthepublic.com, it will provide a bunch of questions that people use to enter the search engines.
Not knowing your target audience.
It’s easy to create videos that you want to watch, but it may not appeal to your target audience. Therefore, you got to put away your ego, and try to put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Try to think of their biggest problems, and then offer solutions in your videos.
4. Keyword Research Mistakes
Going for highly competitive phrases.
If you try to go for very competitive keywords you’ll have a hard time trying to rank your videos. Instead, research low competition keywords that are on the high demand.
A great tool for finding low competition keywords that are high on demand is TubeBuddy. It’s a free Chrome extension where you can enter your keywords, and it will give suggested keywords to use in your videos.
Another free tool to use is Keywords Everywhere. It’ll give you the cost per click, which is what advertisers are willing to pay, and they’ll also give you the search volume for that keyword. The key thing to remember is to use keyword phrases that people are entering into the search engines, your videos will then have a greater potential of ranking on the first page, and the search engines.
5. Video Creation Mistakes
Buying expensive equipment.
Instead of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on expensive equipment, just use what you have. For example, you can just use your smartphone camera and the light coming in from a window or just shoot outside. If you have a Mac computer or iPhone device, you can just use iMovie. It’s already installed on your computer, and you can download the app on your iPhone. If you have a PC, you can use Windows Movie Maker which comes with your computer or I can use open source editing software like Shotcut.
Not looking at the lens of the camera.
When you’re filming yourself, make sure you look directly at the lens of the camera. Also, tilt the camera down a little so your whole profile would be in the shot.
Distracting background.
Make sure you tidy up your background before shooting the video, and make sure it’s quiet so you don’t have distracting sounds when people listen to your video.
Using the camera mic.
If you use the built-in mic of your camera it will sound hollow or tinny. Instead, purchase an external mic such as the Rode SmartLav+ microphone that plugs straight into your camera, and gives you great audio.
Not engaging your audience.
When people first click on your video they want to know right away what you’re going to be talking about. Therefore, create a hook at the beginning like asking a question will tell them straight up what to expect. Make sure you get to the point right away instead of waffling on. Instead of stopping and starting your camera, just take a pause and keep going. You can always edit out the mistakes in your editing software.
No call to action.
Many YouTubers make the mistake of not knowing where to send people after watching the video. If you want them to subscribe to your channel, ask them to subscribe and tell them why. If you want them to watch another video, then link to another video or playlist using cards or in screens.
6. Optimization mistakes
Confusing video titles
Try to use the exact or similar title that people are entering into the search engines. Your video will then have a higher potential of ranking well in the search engines.
Lack of description
Viewers will often read the first three lines in your description that appear under the video. Therefore, try to summarize what your video is all about in the first three lines.
Incorrect tags
Don’t try to just guess what keywords to put in your tags. Your first tag should include the title of your video. Other tags to include should be based upon the suggestions that YouTube spits out. An easy way to find the correct tags is to use the TubeBuddy extension. It will provide suggested tags, and you can also get tags that are used by competitors.
7. Playlist Mistakes
Not adding your videos to a playlist.
Did you know that playlists can also rank in the search engines? Try to create a series of videos like chapters in a book, and enter them into a playlist. Instead of adding them to a regular playlist, add them to official playlist. YouTube will then serve your viewers based upon their viewing experience.
Not optimizing your playlists.
Make sure you include a title, thumbnail, and description for each playlist. When adding sections to your channel homepage make sure you include topical playlists.
8. Thumbnail mistakes
Not branding your thumbnails
You want your thumbnails to stand out in the search engines. Therefore, try to brand your thumbnails with a logo or face so people know that it belongs to your channel.
Poor design
When you first create your thumbnail it’s usually a very large image. When your thumbnail appears in the search engines it’s very small size, therefore, use bold colors contrasting colors, and bold text so it really stands out. Make sure you avoid putting text in the bottom right hand corner otherwise it’ll be covered up by the time stamp.
Don’t use a screenshot of your face.
If you use a screenshot of your face in the video it might appear blurry or not very sharp. Instead, try to take an actual photo of yourself with a high-resolution camera.
Title and thumbnail incongruent
Your thumbnail and title should tell the same story. People see a thumbnail first, so if they don’t click on your thumbnail they won’t watch your video. Make sure that your thumbnail and title are congruent.
9. Promotion Mistakes
When new YouTubers start promoting their videos they often ask Sub4Sub. Most channel owners will see this as spam, and automatically filter out these comments. Instead of spamming other groups, channels, or forums, try to engage with your target audience. By all means, join other groups and forums by asking and answering questions. When people get to know you a little bit they’ll check out your channel.
Not replying to comments
YouTube is a social community, so you need to reply to the comments left under your videos. This will help build the subscribers to your channel.
Not repurposing your content.
Instead of waiting for visitors to check out your videos, promote your video across social media sites. You can repurpose your content on Facebook, Instagram, and websites.
10. Performance Mistakes
Doing the same thing over and over again.
Instead of making the same mistakes on your channel, try to make incremental improvements. Each improvement will help with the growth of your channel.
Not tracking the performance of your videos.
If you’re not checking YouTube analytics you won’t know where your subscribers are coming from and what your main traffic sources are. When you know where your traffic is coming from you can create more videos that are similar to the ones that are performing well.
Bonus Tip
Avoid monetizing your channel too early. Instead, build up your audience first and then monetize. Here’s an important thing to keep in mind, identify one thing that you can improve for each video you upload. This will result in the steady growth of your channel which leads to more views and subscribers.
Let me ask you an important question
What’s the biggest mistake that you have made in the growth of your channel?
Post your answer in the comments below. I’d love to read them, and I’m sure others would too.
If you want to learn how to grow your audience on YouTube and
generate traffic, leads and sales on autopilot check out my
YouTube Marketing Course at: TubeVideoBootCamp.com
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