13 Ways to Increase Watch Hours on YouTube

Ready to give your YouTube watch time a boost and unlock that monetization? Well, guess what? You can level up your YouTube game and keep your viewers glued to the screen with just a little bit of magic tweaking.

Keep scrolling to find out what this whole YouTube watch time thing is about and dig into 13 genius ways to skyrocket your watch time for those fresh new channels.

List of Top 13 Ways to Increase Watch Time on YouTube

1. Optimise your YouTube Videos

Want to get more views and engagement on your YouTube videos? Here’s a quick tip: use effective YouTube SEO practices!

You can specifically increase your search engine ranking by including the primary keywords associated with your video in the title, description, and tags.

If you need help determining keywords, you can look at your competitor’s YouTube analytics for inspiration.

Here are some additional tips for using YouTube SEO to your advantage:

1. Use long-tail keywords. These are more specific keywords that are often easier to rank for.

2. Update your keywords regularly. As your YouTube channel grows and your content changes, you must update your keywords accordingly.

3. Use a keyword research tool. There are several keyword research tools available that can help you find the right keywords for your videos.

2. Engage your Audience with Pattern Interrupters

Ready to take your videos from good to absolutely amazing? Let me introduce you to your secret weapon: pattern interrupters! These magical tools sprinkle a touch of variety into your content, turning it into something truly outstanding.

So, what exactly are pattern interrupters? Well, they’re like those unexpected surprises that catch your viewer off guard and shake up their usual thought process. You know that “I should leave this video” thought? Yep, that’s the one you want to interrupt. Like Mike O’Brien did here:

Check out some examples of pattern interrupters:

• Playing around with different camera angles
• Adding eye-catching graphics or images
• Switching up the music to keep things fresh
• Dropping in occasional text for emphasis
• Transitioning between scenes to keep viewers engaged
• Using sound effects to create an immersive experience
• Rocking those snappy jump cuts
• Sprinkling in some awesome B-roll footage

3. Create Eye-Catching YouTube Channel Art and Thumbnails

Give your YouTube channel a personal touch, and watch those subscribers stick around and keep coming back! Branded thumbnails and channel art are like your video’s signature outfit – they make it instantly recognizable in a crowd. Like this example below:

Keep things cohesive with your logos, fonts, and colour palette across all your YouTube content. This way, your viewers can spot your content a mile away. While everyone else is blending in, you’ll stand out by jazzing up your thumbnails and channel art with cool logos and graphics. Check out how Jackie is creating thumbnails that stand out.

4. Leverage YouTube Chapters

YouTube Chapters are like your video’s helpful navigation system. They give your viewers the power to dive into different parts of your content effortlessly. By clicking on a timestamp, they can jump straight to the section they’re interested in. And here’s the cool part – each section comes with its own engaging story. Look how Latasha is using Chapters in her videos.

5. Create YouTube Playlists

Boosting your YouTube watch time can be as simple as creating playlists for your videos. When visitors land on your channel, they’ll find all your genre-related videos neatly organized in one place. This convenient setup lets them dive right in, leading to more YouTube views and a natural increase in watch time.

6. Info Cards and End Screens

Discover two awesome YouTube features: info cards and end screens. These gems let you do more than just link to other videos – they provide extra context for your discussions and a chance to promote more of your content.

7. Collaboration

Collaborating on YouTube with other brands involves teaming up with fellow creators to create exciting joint projects or cross-promote each other’s video content. This adds a delightful twist to your channel’s content, providing new experiences to your followers.

What’s more, it exposes you to a completely new audience,  perhaps increasing your subscribers and video views. While it might require some effort and planning, the outcomes are definitely rewarding.

8. Boost Watch Time with YouTube Shorts

If you’ve been sharing YouTube Shorts, they’re probably playing a role in pushing your channel’s total watch time closer to the 4000-hour mark, which is a key factor for monetization eligibility. Each view on your YouTube Short contributes to your channel’s overall watch time.

9. Live Streams

If you’re ready to crank up your watch hours and connect with your audience on a whole new level, why not consider adding live streams to your YouTube game plan?

When you host live streams on your YouTube channel, it’s like inviting your viewers to hang out with you in real time. You can chat, respond to comments, and let everyone dive into your video content without any fancy editing.

Furthermore, they foster that special trust with your audience,  which is really beneficial for getting people talking about your videos and spreading the word.

10. Get Creative with Your Outro

Ever thought about how to wrap up your videos in a snazzier way? Turns out, long goodbyes might not be the trick! You know those moments when you hear things like:

“…And that’s pretty much all!” “That’s my bunch of tips on…” “If you enjoyed this, then…”

Guess what? Lots of viewers tend to click away when they hear those lines. So, here’s an idea: why not exit your video without giving it away? Your watch time could get a boost if you keep people guessing and don’t give away that “The End” signal.

11. Respond to Comments to Keep Viewers Engaged

When it comes to the comments section of your YouTube videos, being quick to reply is like the cherry on top, especially in those first few hours after hitting the publish button.

Here’s a neat idea: craft a ready-to-go response that includes a link to your popular video or a playlist with similar content.

And how about having some canned responses with questions that open up conversations? Like:

• What’s the biggest takeaway you got from this video?
• Did you stumble upon any fresh insights?
• What was your favorite part?

When viewers see your reply pop up, they’re often lured back to your video, maybe even giving it a second watch.

12. Make Videos More Accessible with Closed Captions

Make your YouTube content super accessible with captions! YouTube actually generates auto-captions for your videos using its speech recognition tech. All you need to do is give them a once-over, fix any glitches, and you’re good to go!

13. Use Data from YouTube Analytics to Improve your Content

Besides all the marketing fun, dive into your YouTube analytics about twice a month. Just head over to your YouTube reports and you’ll find – what your viewers enjoy, where they’re popping in from, and more details.

You can even track how your YouTube is growing. Keep an eye on things like:

• Total number of viewers
• Subscribers
• Top videos
• Total watch time
• Your tidal click-through rate, and
• Impressions

Conclusion

In the dynamic realm of YouTube, amping up your watch hours is a game-changer. By embracing smart strategies and viewer-centric content, you’re set to fuel engagement and unlock exciting opportunities.

So, go ahead, implement these tips, and watch your channel’s watch time soar, bringing you one step closer to your YouTube goals.

Last but not least, In case you have missed it, we have also covered some of the most demanded faceless YouTube channel ideas, in our recently in our recently published blogs. Do read it and let us know if you find it helpful.

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