13 Expert Tips on How To Get Views on YouTube Shorts and Videos Easily

In today’s digital landscape, YouTube has become a powerful platform for content creators to reach and engage with audiences worldwide.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your channel to the next level, these 13 expert tips from ex-YouTube employee Jon Youshaei and other successful creators will help you grow your YouTube presence.

1. The MatPat Theory: Crafting a Powerful Subscribe CTA

One of the most crucial aspects of growing your YouTube channel is encouraging viewers to subscribe.

MatPat, known for his multiple successful channels with millions of subscribers, shares his strategy for an effective call-to-action (CTA):

“The ideal call to action is in the first third of your video, in the middle of content, and you make it into a game.”

Here’s how to implement this strategy:

1. Place your CTA early in the video (within the first third).
2. Integrate it seamlessly into your content.
3. Make it interactive and fun for viewers.
   

Example:

“Today we’re going to analyze why Floyd Mayweather versus Logan Paul is going to be a rigged game and no one’s going to walk out on top.
But first, make sure that you Logan punch that subscribe button in the next 5 seconds! 4, 3, 2, 1… Did you do it? You did it! Congratulations, you just got one more punch in than Logan Paul. Let’s begin the episode.”

By making your CTA engaging and interactive, you’ll stand out from most creators and increase your chances of gaining new subscribers.

2. Attracting New Viewers: Leverage Search and Trends

To draw in new viewers, focus on optimizing your content for search.
Here are some tips to improve your discoverability:

• Use Google Trends to find popular topics in your niche:
  
  1. Go to trends.google.com
  2. Filter by YouTube search instead of Web search
  3. Type in words related to your niche
  4. Identify the highest-trending topics
  5. Create content around those topics
     
• Utilize TubeBuddy’s search tool:
  • This tool provides valuable insights on:
    1. Search volume
    2. Competition for search terms
    3. Overall score for any search term
       

By using these tools, you can make informed decisions about what content to create, helping you build your initial audience more effectively.

3. Best Upload Times for New Channels

For new channels with few subscribers, the upload time can significantly impact your video’s performance. Consider these factors when deciding when to post:

1. Check your YouTube Studio analytics to see when your audience is most active.
   
2. If you’re a new creator without substantial analytics data:
   
   • Think about your target audience’s daily habits
   • For younger viewers (e.g., high school students), avoid uploading during school hours
   • Try uploading on Sunday mornings or weekends when people are typically available
     
3. Upload at non-obvious increments:
   • Instead of 10:00, 10:15, or 10:30 AM, try 10:07 AM
   • This helps your notification stand out in the app, avoiding competition with other creators
     
4. Consistency is key:
   • It’s more important to upload at the same time consistently than to find the “perfect” time
     
   • This allows your audience to grow accustomed to your upload schedule
     
   • Constant experimentation with different upload times can make it difficult to determine if changes in views and retention are due to content or timing
     

4. Improving iPhone Camera Quality Without Upgrading

You don’t need the latest iPhone to improve your video quality. Try these tips:

1. Go to Settings > Camera and increase the resolution to 4K (default is usually lower)
   
2. Use the back camera when filming, as it’s typically better quality than the front camera
   
3. For Instagram posts:
   • Tap the three lines button
   • Turn on “High Quality Uploads” (usually toggled off by default)
     

5. The First Frame Rule for YouTube Shorts

When creating YouTube Shorts, the first frame is crucial.
Jon Youshaei emphasizes the importance of what he calls “The First Frame Rule”:

“For me, the first zero second matters when it comes to a short.

I like to call this the first frame rule because I think you have to think about the first frame literally what people see at the first 0 seconds of your short when they’re scrolling in their feed as obsessively as you think about your thumbnail for a long video.”

To implement this rule:

1. Set up tension and expectation in the very first frame
2. Think visually rather than verbally
3. Compress your hook into a single, eye-catching image
   

Example:

“For my Creator versus celebrity shorts, what I literally did is I went to FedEx and I printed a poster with a photo of Tom Cruise and Mr. Beast, for example, and this was the first frame that really set up the hook instead of me going on and rambling and saying hey do you know this person do you know this person we’re here talking about creators versus celebrities.”

6. Batch Production and Scheduled Release for Consistency

For creators juggling a job, family, and content creation, consistency can be challenging. The solution? Batch production and scheduled release. Here’s how to implement this strategy:

1. Set aside dedicated time for batch production (e.g., Sunday nights)
   
2. During this time:
   • Brainstorm multiple video ideas
   • Script out 3-4 videos in one sitting
   • If possible, film them all at once
     
3. Schedule the release of these videos throughout the week
   
4. Avoid context switching between your job, family time, and content creation
   

This approach allows you to maintain a consistent upload schedule without sacrificing quality or interfering with your other commitments.

7. The 5-Video Rule for Launching a YouTube Channel

When launching a new YouTube channel, especially without external traffic, follow the “5-Video Rule” as recommended by successful creator MatPat:

“When we launch a channel, we launch it with five videos so that way people go on a significant watch time journey in that first week period.
So that way it tells YouTube, ‘Wow, this is a great channel that’s going to get people to watch and they’re going to be really engaged.'”

Here’s how to implement this rule:

1. Create and upload 5 videos before officially launching your channel
   
2. Ensure these 5 videos showcase slightly different styles and formats while staying within your niche
   
3. This approach allows you to:
   • Provide substantial content for new viewers
   • Demonstrate your commitment to the channel
   • Experiment with different formats to see what resonates best with your audience
     
4. Use the insights gained from these initial videos to inform your content strategy for the next set of videos

8. Reaching a Global Audience with English-Only Content

Even if you only speak English, you can still reach a global audience.
Use TubeBuddy’s translation tool to expand your reach:

• The tool automatically translates your video titles and descriptions into other languages
• This allows your videos to show up in search results for people using different languages
• Benefit: Reach a wider audience with your existing content using just a few clicks
  

9. Incorporating Memes and Pop Culture References

To make your content more appealing to Gen Z viewers, try incorporating memes and pop culture references.
Here’s a handy tool to help:

1. Go to playphrase.me
2. Type in any word or phrase
3. The AI will find scenes from popular movies and memes using that exact phrase
4. Download the clips and edit them into your video
   

This technique adds an extra layer of engagement and relatability to your content, making it more appealing to younger audiences.

10. Ideal Retention Rates for Viral YouTube Shorts

Based on Jon Youshaei’s analysis of his own successful shorts (those with over 2 million views), here are the key findings for retention rates:

• Aim for retention rates between 80% to 85%
• Exceptional shorts may achieve rates above 90%
• Duration matters: 20-30 second shorts tend to perform better
• People are more likely to watch a 30-second short twice than a 60-second video once
  

Keep these benchmarks in mind when creating and optimizing your shorts for maximum impact.

11. Finding Free B-Roll and Stock Images

High-quality visuals can elevate your content without breaking the bank.
Here are some free resources:

For B-Roll:

1. Visit c.co/cover (with two R’s)
2. Type in what you’re looking for
3. Choose from hundreds of free stock options
4. Click download and share the website as a thank you
   

For Stock Photos:

• Try unsplash.com
• Search for what you need
• Choose from trending items
• Download and use freely
  

These resources can help you enhance your videos with professional-looking visuals at no cost.

12. Storytelling Techniques for Better Viewer Engagement

Nas Daily, who has grown to 30 million followers across social media, uses a simple yet effective four-step process for storytelling:

1. Intro (Hook)
2. Problem
3. Solution
4. Outro (Call to Action)
   

Here’s an example of how to structure your story:

“Did you know that the United Arab Emirates is one of the driest countries in the world?
How do they drink?
That’s a problem.
Yeah, and but you never thought about this problem ever in your life, but now you’re interested in the solution to that problem.

Then you walk them through the solution 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and then there’s always an outro, there’s always a call to action which is yeah this is really not about the Emirates or the drinking or the water or whatever, this is about water conservation all around the world and including you.”

Key takeaway: Always bring the story back to the viewer in the outro, making it personal and relevant to their daily lives.

13. Leveraging Shorts to Boost Long-Form Content

To maximize the synergy between your shorts and long-form videos, consider these strategies:

1. Create shorts that serve as teasers for your long-form content
2. Design segments within your long-form videos that can easily be repurposed as standalone shorts
3. When planning collaborations, consider how to film content that works for both horizontal (long-form) and vertical (shorts) formats
   

Example:

“I have this segment called ‘draw your income’ in my long-form interview that is meant to be a clip short that I could take out and then put it into its own YouTube short or its own TikTok or Reel, and then people can discover that on its own because it’s very much a segment.”

By thoughtfully planning your content to work across both formats, you can create a symbiotic relationship between your shorts and long-form videos, potentially boosting overall channel growth.

Final Thoughts

Implementing these 13 expert tips can significantly impact your YouTube channel’s growth and engagement.

Consistency and experimentation are key. Keep refining your approach based on your analytics and audience feedback, and don’t be afraid to try new techniques. With persistence and creativity, you’ll be well on your way to YouTube success in 2024 and beyond.

(Source: TubeBuddy video with Jon Youshaei featuring MatPat)