VidSummit Live just happened recently, gathering the best and the brightest in the YouTube space. It wasn’t just any conference you can go to, but it’s where you become an industry leader. The big event revealed everything you need to know about video in sales.
So if YouTube is a priority for you, then the VidSummit should be a priority for you too!
Don’t worry if you missed it because we’re breaking down 7 big takeaways we’ve learned from the VidSummit!
Create a story.
This might sound like typical, cliché advice, but it’s one of the most important things you should learn as a YouTuber.
Stories stick. They get your audience to connect with you on an emotional level.
It can take a lot of courage to share a story and show a glimpse of vulnerability in front of the camera, but capturing a story is one of the most powerful ways to communicate with your viewers.
What if you run a YouTube channel featuring business how-to videos? For example, how can you create a story when filming a “How to Fix a Bathroom Sink?” tutorial?
It might be tricky, but this is where emotions come into play. How would someone feel if they couldn’t fix a bathroom sink on their own? Frustrated? Angry? Feeling helpless? Then express that in your video.
Appeal to their emotions by considering these things:
- – What have you felt before?
- – What feelings got you to make a decision?
- – What feelings got you into a certain state?
Increase your watch time.
According to YouTube, watch time refers to the amount of time in aggregate that your viewers are watching your videos.
Think of it as a test for how effectively your videos engage with viewers. The longer someone watches your video, the more likely it is for YouTube to feature your videos in search or recommendation sections.
You don’t want to overlook this because it’s considered the primary ranking factor in Youtube’s algorithm.
So think about it. How can you increase your watch time?
- – Start with an awesome introduction. Grab their attention.
- – Extend the length of your videos, but edit them in the form of digestible content.
- – Break the video into chapters. This helps your viewers better understand what comes next and focus on sections they’re most interested in.
- – Find some ways to show your talents, hobbies, and anything about your personal life that’s interesting. Remember, personal stories draw viewers in.
- – Put some fun into it! After all, YouTube is an entertainment space. Throw some jokes, laugh, and enjoy.
Work on increasing your watch time and you should see a healthy spike in views and engagement.
Create interesting titles.
In the Video Marketing School, we help coaches and service providers on how they can make YouTube channels to get clients. Creating titles is part of that process.
We can’t stress how titles are important in your strategy. Aside from aiming to beat millions of other videos to show up on a user’s feed, you also need to encourage them to click on your video. Not on someone else’s.
Creating interesting YouTube titles can attract the attention of your audience and boost your views. It’s basically the first thing they see on their screen! No matter how hard you worked on creating solid content, it won’t matter if you haven’t named it with an attention-grabbing title.
So here are a few tips on writing an interesting YouTube title.
- – Write it within the perfect length. (70 characters)
- – Capitalize the first letter of each word.
- – Use numbers. (e.g., 7 Takeaways from Vidsummit)
- – Include power words. (7 BIG Takeaways from Vidsummit)
- – Use popular and trending keywords.
Creating awesome, compelling titles is how you can stand out and get people to watch your videos. Don’t hesitate to spend time drafting several different titles until you come up with the best one!
Watch your competitors.
You need to make YouTube part of your homework.
When it comes to competition, you don’t want to see them as mortal enemies. Sure, it’s hard to look at your competitor who makes better videos than you.
But think about it. Why do they get more views? How did they grow their channel that fast under three months?
If they’re doing something that’s working, you want to do that thing too in your way.
The key is to watch your competitors. Pay attention to other people who are making videos in your space. You need to know who the ballers are and what they’re doing, so you can learn from them.
What are their titles? What kind of cameras are they using? How much B-roll are they using? Are they using music?
You can come up with a checklist that helps you figure out what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to be improved in your content.
Read “Primal Branding” by Patrick Hanlon.
This book reveals nine different components that you need to utilize on your brand.
One of those components is “language.” There are sacred words that you refer to things in your own business and channel. For example, we use “the great video formula“ as it helps viewers who we are and what we’re about. Use words and phrases that build up your image on your channel.
There are eight other components that you should learn about, so go ahead and read Primal Branding in your free time!
Curveball the lobby.
Here’s the truth. The best things happen in the lobby. The lobby is where deals were being made. The lobby is where friendships were being forged. The lobby is where the magic happens.
We’d like to throw you a curveball, go into the lobby, and make it a part of your conference experience.
Your biggest opportunities can come from meeting the right people in the lobbies. You can connect and collaborate with video influencers, video marketers, and brands that open many doors for you.
The more connections you make, the more chances you have of getting an increase in YouTube views. So go ahead, ask an icebreaker, start the conversation, and catch up with the right people in the industry.
Get yourself invited to private dinners.
Last but not least, don’t forget the private dinners. They’re real, and they’ll help you grow your YouTube channel.
You may already have a list of contacts, but you want to add more and form new relationships with people.
Sponsors and benders at these conferences are the people you should be networking with. Private dinners are a metaphor for the inner circle. And you surely don’t want to miss them.
Find out who’s hosting private dinners. Reach out to them, get close to them, swap stories and you may earn more connections than you expect.
These are the most important takeaways we’ve learned from VidSummit! What are the things that matter to you the most? Feel free to let us know!
