Getting more traffic / sales from you-tube. Title , thumbnail and the 1st 30 seconds

[messier44000]

Hope my previous about you-tube getting more sales has inspired a few to 

start setting up and hitting the record button.

A few tips

Title - Needs to ask a question or spark curiosity. So the person searching 

on YT needs to watch the video to find the answer. (and where to buy)

I use bitly for links.

Hands up, I have now started to use ai generated titles (free on VidIQ) .

I put in the key words and it does the rest. You can accept , decline or fine tune.

Thumbnail - Needs to be bright and clear. Don`t over clutter and don`t repeat the 

title on the image. For example , your video is how to install and set up a product 

you sell. The text in the image should not be something for example like How to put together 

a flat pack table . Change to something like TRY THIS , IT WORKS !

The all important 1st 30 seconds - Reality check. No one is interested in you. 

They did not click on the video to be told how to like and subscribe and your life story.

They just want to know how to use the darn thing. The images attached show retention 

charts for viewers in a couple of random videos I picked out from my channel.

Guess which one kept viewers looking, as got got straight into the demo and which on was spent talking about my self for the the 1st 30 secs, meaning viewers left pretty sharpish.

Don`t even say hello and thanks for watching. Just get straight 

on with the demo. I cringe at my early mistakes, but kept to videos live

Asking to like, subscribe and telling watchers how to find the link to purchase in the description 

can come later in the video once the demo / review is near completion.  

I have mentioned before its free to do videos.

Couple of things I have paid for.

An external mic. Got a Joby one for just over £30. This makes a difference. I can now 

speak as I would do normally.

I pay a yearly subscription for software that makes cutting and moving parts of the video 

around easy. Can add text, images , video withing video and the all important watermark.

I know from private messages I got, I have inspired some to think outside the box and 

try new things. So may keep doing some hints and tops posts on here.

I always have a saying from a well known brand next to my works laptop in view all the time.

For those who say they want to try you-tube or set up websites.

Yesterday you said tomorrow. JUST DO IT !

[jlovie]

The biggest turn off for me is long adverts before the video starts (for users who aren't paying for premium).

I'm not sure how much control the creator has over those (I'd be interested to find out).

e.g. when I click on a 3 minute video and it wants me to watch a 55 second unskippable advert I usually exit without watching the video.

I agree with your comments about like & subscribe etc. 

If a user is asking me to like and subscribe before I even watch their video, it's often enough for me to exit.

I realise that stuff helps the creator, but at the end is where it belongs.

The worst thing on YouTube is clickbait titles and thumbnails.

e.g. 'You won't believe this life hack" and an AI generated thumbnail of a half-naked woman.