If you’re wondering how to get views on your YouTube video, you’re not alone. Many creators ask the same question, and while there are countless strategies out there, it’s essential to focus on what truly works. In this article, I’ll share insights from my experience managing over 50 YouTube channels for businesses, showing you how to effectively market your videos without wasting time or money.
The Right Way to Market Your YouTube Video
The first question you might have is: Should I pay to get people to watch my YouTube video? The short answer is: only for promotional videos.
Paid Ads for Promotional Videos Only
If you’ve created a commercial or a promotional video with the goal of driving sales or landing page visits, then paying to promote it is a good strategy. However, if you’re thinking about paying to boost views on content meant to grow your channel, that’s a different story.
Let me be clear—paying to promote videos designed to grow your YouTube following or teach your audience is not a good idea. Time and again, we’ve experimented with this, and the results show it actually hurts your channel. Instead, focus on creating organic, valuable content that attracts viewers naturally.
A Case Study: How John Crestani Transformed His YouTube Channel
Years ago, I helped a client named John Crestani grow his channel. When he first approached me, his channel had 65,000 subscribers, but it was built entirely through paid ads. Although he had a decent following, his videos had little engagement, no comments, and his channel wasn’t generating any meaningful revenue or leads.
We made a crucial change: we stopped paying for views and followed the strategies I teach. Over the next year, we transformed his channel. By producing content that attracted new viewers, his channel grew to 250,000 subscribers with tons of engagement.
Most importantly, his YouTube channel became a lead generator, bringing in hundreds of new students each month for his courses and coaching programs. After a year, he was also making significant ad revenue from YouTube itself, bringing in $18,000 in just one month. The key takeaway here is that with the right approach, YouTube can be an incredible asset for both growth and lead generation.
Keep Paid Ads and Organic Content Separate
It’s essential to keep your paid ads and organic content separate. If you’re using paid ads to drive traffic to a promotional video, consider creating a dedicated channel for this purpose. On the other hand, for organic content, the focus should be on building a loyal audience that naturally grows over time.
By mixing the two, you confuse the YouTube algorithm. The audience for paid ads is cold—people who’ve never heard of you before—while the audience for organic content is more invested and engaged. Keeping these channels separate ensures that the algorithm understands who your target audience is and helps you build a community around your content.
Using Your Email List to Boost Views
A common question I get is whether it’s a good idea to email your existing subscribers a link to your YouTube videos. The answer depends on your goals.
Nurturing vs. Marketing
Email lists are excellent for nurturing your existing audience, keeping them engaged, and reminding them about your business. However, sending out emails with links to your YouTube videos should not be your primary strategy for growing your YouTube channel.
The right way to use your email list for YouTube is to send helpful content directly in the email. Instead of linking straight to a video, offer a polished transcript or article based on your video content. At the end, you can provide a link to the video for those who prefer watching it. This ensures a better user experience and keeps your emails focused on nurturing rather than marketing.
Attracting People Through Search
One of the most powerful ways to grow your YouTube channel is through search. People are constantly searching for answers on Google and YouTube, and if your videos rank at the top of search results, you can tap into a whole new audience.
Ranking for Key Questions
By optimizing your videos for search, you can position them to appear at the top when users type in relevant questions. For example, if you rank for a question like “How to get business credit with poor personal credit,” your video can be one of the top results, attracting viewers who are looking for that exact information.
Once your video ranks high, you can use the video’s URL to share the link anywhere—whether in emails or social media posts. When people click on the link, they’ll land on YouTube’s search page with your video at the top of the results, making it easier for them to find you.
How to Leverage YouTube to Market Your Business
The key to growing your YouTube channel is to think of each video as a marketing asset for your business. By using the strategies I’ve outlined, you can create videos that attract new viewers, nurture relationships, and generate leads without having to pay for ads.
To illustrate this, look at some examples of successful YouTube channels I manage:
- Noel Randall ranks at the top for “How to get business credit with poor personal credit.”
- Brent Bowers dominates the search for “Buying vacant land in Florida.”
- Jason Schroeder consistently ranks at the top for his niche.
By following the right strategies, your videos can start ranking for searches relevant to your business, driving organic traffic that leads to conversions.
Next Steps: Learn About the 3-Video YouTube Funnel
If you’re ready to take your YouTube channel to the next level, I highly recommend learning about my 3-Video YouTube Funnel for lead generation. This approach is designed to turn your videos into a powerful tool for business growth, and I’ll be sharing more about it in an upcoming episode.
Stay tuned for more insights on how to use YouTube to its full potential, and feel free to check out the next episode where I break down the 3-video funnel strategy.
