YouTube is the most popular online video sharing platform and it's more important than ever to maximize your chance to increase conversions on YouTube. It has actually changed the way individuals consume video on the internet while empowering people to launch their vlogging careers with little more than a webcam and an internet connection, regardless of where they might be.

The YouTube stats don't lie. There were over 1.8 billion YouTube users around the world in 2021. Approximately 30,000 hours of video is published to the platform every hour... EVERY HOUR! Over 60% of online marketers say that they would increase their ad spend on YouTube.

That's not unexpected. YouTube offers businesses an incredible chance to take advantage of YouTube's massive audience. They can also leverage YouTube's dynamic creator community to forge partnerships and collaborations that allow them to get their message out to their ideal audience.

YouTube is a terrific social media channel for businesses and brands. Many now have their own channel where they can share everything from behind-the-scenes content to marketing videos and product reviews. Views may be simple to come across, however how do businesses and brands turn those views into consumers (i.e., how do they increase conversions on YouTube)?

How To Increase Conversions On YouTube

1. Capture viewers' "next click"

People have extremely short attention spans online. They jump rapidly from one site to the other, and when it comes to YouTube, from one video to the other. As a business, you want viewers to complete an action once they're done with the video, and not simply carry on to something else unrelated.

This requires managing viewers to direct them to what their "next click" should be. Your video should encourage them to finish a particular task.

For instance, this could be as basic as asking them to subscribe to your channel.

If you want to drive them to a landing page, the video needs to tell them that they should visit the page for more information, to get an incentive, etc. This approach is tied to the production of your videos. They need to be produced in such a way that incentivizes audiences to take that next action when the video is done. Assisting them through this journey will bring a noticeable increase in YouTube conversions.

2. Using SEO to your benefit

Now this could be confusing. Isn't SEO (search engine optimization) more about search engines than YouTube?

In reality, YouTube is actually among the biggest online search engine after Google.

People are literally looking for helpful content they want to see on the platform all the time.

The concept with YouTube SEO is similar to conventional SEO. You want your videos to appear at the top positions on the front page when someone searches for your keyword.

The SEO fundamentals also apply on YouTube. Thoroughly build the titles of your videos to use the keywords and expressions you want the video to rank for. Go one step further and include it in the description and even in the video's file name when it's submitted to YouTube.

These actions are important for improving the ranking of your videos. A video on the front page is most likely going to get a lot more views than one that doesn't appear until page 5 of the results.

Improving the traffic coming in for your videos is among the simplest ways to increase YouTube conversions.

3. Create appealing thumbnails

A simple search on YouTube returns a mountain of videos that many viewers would simply scroll through without a second thought. Normally, it's either the title or the video's thumbnail that captures their attention and makes them want to watch it.

You shouldn't choose blatant click-bait titles that seem to be so common on the video platform. However, that doesn't prevent you from using the thumbnail to your advantage in order to increase the click-through rate.

There should be consistency between the video thumbnails that you utilize, as it helps with elevating your brand and familiarizing your viewers to it.

The thumbnails should be appealing and quickly recognizable as being associated with your brand.

4. Increase engagement through live content

Live content is king on the web these days and that holds true for YouTube.

Brands have an unbelievable chance to boost engagement with their audience by going live on the platform. It provides viewers with a chance to connect and have a conversation with your business in real time.

Audiences tend to appreciate live content because it feels more authentic. This helps your business build trust, a vital requirement to increase conversions on YouTube (or anywhere for that matter!). It's up to you whether you want your live content to have a more casual or expert appeal - whatever will best suit your audience's expectations.

For more of an expert appeal, you might prepare a script in advance and invest in a professional looking set. This would result in a higher video production quality, elevating the brand's perception in the eyes of the audience.

4. Don't pass up on collaborations

"Collabs" are the name of the game on YouTube. Collaborating with other known YouTube personalities is a big trend these days. It allows for instant amplification of your videos since both you and your YouTuber collab partner bring their audiences to the table.

Businesses can collaborate with influencers on YouTube that are related to their niche in order to push their content to a significantly wider audience.

This type of collab not only increases the business's exposure but also effectively pitches it through the influencer's audience which is already receptive to their recommendations.

Being included on a popular YouTuber's channel or perhaps getting a shout out from them can lead to a bump in conversions, merely by piggybacking on their authority with their audience.

YouTube's eCommerce Functions Are Great For Conversions Too

If your business sells products online, it can take advantage of YouTube's ecommerce functions. For channels that meet the eligibility requirements, YouTube enables you to have a "merch shelf" on your channel that's shown on each video and also gives you a Store tab on your channel.

Once it's set up, your "merch shelf" can also be promoted by pinning products during a live stream.

Viewers can quickly purchase any of the listed products, and therefore it's a great way of getting them to buy your swag. Another perfect way to increase conversions on YouTube.