Video content offers startups and businesses a dynamic and engaging way to connect with their audiences. Among all platforms, YouTube stands out as the go-to hub for video marketing, boasting billions of users worldwide.
However, creating a high-quality video is just the beginning. Many creators quickly realize that uploading a video to YouTube and getting their target audience to watch are two entirely different challenges.
The platform's vastness, combined with its complex algorithms, can make gaining views feel daunting. But don’t worry, this guide will help you on how experts upload a video that gets views!
A Step-by-Step Guide to YouTube Publishing
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to upload to YouTube and make sure it shine on the world’s largest video platform.
1. Prepare a Finalized, High-Quality Video
The foundation of any successful YouTube video starts with the content itself. Here’s what experts do before we upload videos to ensure it meets professional standards. Here are the factors that you should consider when checking the video quality:
- Multiple Review Stages: Experts review the video across several iterations, checking for clarity, relevance, and alignment with the brand’s goals.
- Polished Editing: Editing the recorded video, which includes cutting unnecessary scenes, adding transitions, enhancing colors, balancing audio, and integrating branded elements like logos or watermarks. Also make sure that the video looks good on multiple devices, like checking it on the YouTube app for example.
- Brand Consistency: The tone, messaging, and visuals are aligned with the brand’s unique identity to create a cohesive experience.
- Audience Focus: The final video is designed to resonate with the target audience, ensuring it addresses their needs and interests.
Also make sure to check the video file format and see if it's one of the supported formats below:
- .MOV
- .MPEG-1
- .MPEG-2
- .MPEG4
- .MP4
- .MPG
- .AVI
- .WMV
- .MPEGPS
- .FLV
- 3GPP
- WebM
- DNxHR
- ProRes
- CineForm
- HEVC (h265)
2. Design a Custom Thumbnail
The thumbnail is the first thing viewers notice, often determining whether they’ll click to watch. Go beyond generic designs to create eye-catching, brand-specific visuals. Each thumbnail is designed with the brand’s color palette, fonts, and style to ensure consistency.
Then, include compelling visuals, bold text, and emotional cues to draw attention. For some clients, a clean and minimalist design works best, while others require dynamic and detailed thumbnails with vibrant imagery and intricate graphics. Like the video, consider your target audience, your brand guidelines, and the video tone for a fitting thumbnail. Feel free to do A/B tests on thumbnails to identify which designs resonate best with the target audience.
3. Craft a Winning Video Title and Caption
Titles and captions are critical for SEO and viewer engagement. Experts take a strategic approach to make these video details both informative and attractive.
Write titles that are easy to understand, spark curiosity, and are keyword-rich to boost discoverability. Make sure to add the account's name and the YouTube channel, so that the the video surfaces in relevant searches.
As for the captions, they should provide a concise summary of the video’s content, offering a clear idea of what to expect without giving too much away. It must include links, contact details, or a call-to-action (CTA) to add value for viewers who want to connect further. For brands targeting global audiences, experts often add translated captions or multiple language options.
4. Upload Video and Schedule Strategically
One your good with your captions, thumbnail and descriptions, here's how to upload your video directly on YouTube;
- Log in to your YouTube account using your Google credentials on either through desktop or the official YouTube app.
- Click the camera icon with a "+" sign in the top-right corner to upload a video.
- You can upload a video file from your device by dragging and dropping it into the provided space.
- Please fill in the video details made from the previous steps (thumbnail, caption, description, etc.).
- First, thoroughly fill out appropriate tags, categories, and video descriptions to improve the video’s discoverability.
- Set video visibility for the 'Public' so that everyone can see it. 'Unlisted' videos are only accessible to those who have the link and as for 'Private', only you and selected users can access them.
- Tap 'Upload' to publish it to upload the video right away or set a schedule for posting, though we recommend to schedule it instead.
Research the best posting days and times based on audience activity, which can be done by using YouTube’s scheduled posting feature.
For instance, some brands see higher engagement during evenings or weekends. By monitoring when your target audience is most active, maximize the chances of immediate views and engagement by the time you make your video public.
Make sure the scheduling aligns with the broader marketing strategy, such as launching alongside campaigns or product releases.
FAQs: Publishing on YouTube
How much does it cost to publish on YouTube?
Uploading videos on YouTube is free, but production costs like video creation, editing, thumbnails, and promotion vary depending on quality and resources.
Why is it important to optimize YouTube videos before publishing?
Optimization ensures your video is discoverable, engaging, and tailored to reach your target audience. It improves SEO, click-through rates, and overall performance.
How to boost YouTube views?
Boost views by creating quality content, using catchy titles and thumbnails, optimizing SEO with keywords and tags, and promoting videos on social media and other channels.
Final Thoughts
By following these detailed steps, this should help you publish YouTube videos and position them for success in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Let us know how Evolv can help you with marketing videos on YouTube that wins views and customers!
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