Several metrics are monitored on YouTube, which are the video views, impression and click-through rates. Moreover, YouTube watch time is the metric that must be prioritized with special attention. But what is “Watch time on YouTube"?

 

YouTube watch time is measured in minutes - it indicates the aggregate time the users dedicate in watching videos over a given time period, say, 31 days, 90 days and so on. 

 

A Point to Remember - You must have a minimum of 4000 hours of video watch time to make your YouTube channel eligible for the YouTube partnership program.

 

Your industry or niche determines the average YouTube watch time for your YouTube channel. Often, your brand even decides it. But for your fair idea, 41.9 minutes per day is the average YouTube watch time for the 18 years and above viewers, according to Hootsuite. In the meantime, 50% is the audience retention rate YouTube prefers.

 

Increased watch time, in turn, influences your YouTube Search Engine Optimization and YouTube Conversion Rate Optimization. It is because, your YouTube channel will be positioned on the top of YouTube search results, and improve conversions with higher watch time.

 

Here are the steps you have to follow for optimizing your YouTube video marketing and maximizing the minutes.

 

You need to utilise the first 15 seconds to grab your audience. So, what should you do? Follow the list of effective video openers and discuss the importance of catching the viewers' attention within the given first 15 seconds.

    • Start with the elements piquing their interests - a statistic, a joke, a question, or an intriguing picture.

    • Address a problem and promise a solution (deliver it through a story).

    • Offer value that is “What is in store for them?”

    • Bring in a few zippy animations or motions. Use a template across your videos, specifically if you are intending to group them according to category. 

 

With an effective opener, the shrinking time will be addressed, and will even deliver value. As you bring your audience on board, then you will be able to reduce the bounce rates - indeed beneficial for YouTube SEO.  Bounce rate indicates the percentage of visitors leaving the site after they have viewed a single page.

 

YouTube Titles and thumbnails are the representation of what the viewers perceive as your created content. The audiences will come across long titles and thumbnails list from which they will decide the video they want to video, while they search for videos on a particular subject matter. 

 

Create a well-designed title to attract more subscribers to your video channel. The viewers will even recommend the same thumbnail and titles to relevant viewers seeking the same content. Hence, your audio-visual content will appeal to different advertisers aiming at capitalizing to grow on the YouTube channel.

 

Long-tail YouTube Keywords are beneficial to your subscription when used wisely and with wit. These help the target audiences to drive greater traffic and enhance your watch time. In the process, you can rule out your competitors. 

 

Although the techniques to create the long-tail keywords to use for content are numerous you can use YouTube's suggestion feature for acquiring them simplistically. Type the work your audience needs in the YouTube search bar, and from there you shall get a series of long-tail keywords ideas to incorporate into your content. 

 

You will be able to use any content form pertaining to information, ads, entertainment, information and more. From the huge list of long-tail keywords ideas, that you choose to use for your content will subsequently increase the YouTube Watch Time for your channel.

 

When you have to increase the Watch Time on your YouTube channel in more hours, regardless of the people who did not watch your videos, then a video playlist is a good idea. Once a viewer starts to watch your video and goes on to watch the next video on the playlist, then you are bound to receive credits for watch time increase. You will still receive credits even if the videos in the playlist are belonging to others.

 

The playlist encourages the viewers to gain a better gradual viewing experience that will potentially increase your YouTube watch time. For encapsulating all your videos, create different video playlists. 

 

Organizing your playlists in sequences with the videos based on the relevant content will be effective to gain better viewership. Likewise, your playlists will be attracting viewers in one viewing session that will further enhance your visibility and advance your YouTube watch time.

 

You must master the tricks for increasing the watch time of your YouTube channel, but it will be best when you work with professional video makers to bring up high-quality videos on your website. Your watch time influences your ranking potentiality on the platform as well as your earning. Having a YouTube channel with a high watch time is helpful in increasing the client and sponsorship potentiality big time. The tips outlined in the discussion will be of great help in improving the watch time of your YouTube channel and its overall health when you follow them wisely.