You’re already on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, and probably TikTok. You’re creating 16×9 videos, still images, carousels, links, and infographics. Adding another platform to the mix, let alone one that demands as much heavy lifting as YouTube can feel almost impossible. However, there are a ton of benefits to incorporating a strong YouTube strategy guide into your social media plans—it may even be worth adjusting some of your resources to pull it off.

If you’re not sure where to start, look no further. Here are the basics of a good YouTube strategy for publishers.

YouTube is a search engine first

Maximizing search can help you reach the right people. If you do it well, you will draw in users looking for your content—not simply a casual scroller, but someone who is invested in what you offer. An engaged audience is the gold standard for online audiences! Research your niche, target them well, and you will have an audience actively looking for the content you produce. What more could you ask for as a publisher?

Things you’re going to want to consider:

• Keywords: Like website SEO, you must research your keywords and identify your target.
• Create engaging headlines: Your headlines must be clear, concise, and compelling. You should entice your viewers to watch and also communicate what the video is about. Take the time to do this well!
• Make your thumbnail compelling: This can also take work. A grainy screen grab will not cut it—design something that captures the video and informs the viewer.
• Insert actions in the video: End screens, info, and tags matter. A lot! Tell your audience who you are, where they can find you, and what action you want them to take.
• Your descriptions are important: Seriously, don’t skimp on the description. Linking, keywording, and driving people to your social channels is a critical part of the process.

Read more on YouTube search here.

Use all of the features

YouTube has a variety of ways to display your video. Make sure you are not only captioning and using CTA overlays but are taking full advantage of ways to display your content. 

YouTube Shorts are a newer feature, but they currently receive over 70 billion daily views—this is no small number. Capitalize on short-form video dominance and post 15-60-second clips regularly! 

You can LiveStream create playlists, curate your featured video, and explore YouTube Premieres to throw watch parties for your new videos. There are a ton of opportunities!

Build trust with your viewers

If your audience doesn’t trust you, your content will be worthless. How do you build trust in an intensely skeptical online culture? You add value.

Somewhere along the way, adding value became a buzzword, but the truth is that it’s the only way to succeed long-term. The publisher/creator well on YouTube is deep, and if you aren’t giving people something that they need, they won’t come back. 

Some ways you can “add value” and become useful to your audience:

• Provide information that they need
• Be consistent and reliable in your posting and engagement
• Stick to your niche—if you are a news brand, give them news. They want to know what to expect from you and your content.

Experimentation is key

Trying new things is the best way to determine what works. Changing length, narration style, topics, format, animation, and other variables can provide insight into your audience’s interests. Some important controls should be in place to ensure this is done successfully.

Analytics are everything. You have to know what KPI you’re looking for, or your experiments won’t matter. Are you looking to get as many views as possible? More engagement? Conversions? Whatever you’re looking to accomplish, you have to know what you’re working with to see how your changes impact your analytics. Start with a baseline, and do regular evaluations of your video performance.

Playing with creative storytelling, dryer news-style videos, voicey narrative work, explainer videos, and other styles can help you strike the right chord with the people you’re speaking to. Be open to learning and creating and see which content resonates and helps you accomplish your goals.  

How do you turn this into a YouTube strategy guide?

The best strategy is learning how to speak to your audience best and then consistently doing that. The most tried-and-true paths to success are using the available tools, experimenting with video styles, and studying your analytics. If you’re reviewing your social media strategy and need help with the next steps, reach out to True Anthem today for a free demo.