It is not enough to just create a great video, post it on YouTube, and just wait for things to happen.  You have to put some effort into making your video rank or stand out from the crowd.  There are many things to consider that will affect your video’s rank in a search.

The following factors play into how Google’s algorithm ranks a video.   More of each is better and results in a higher video ranking.

• Backlinks: Links to your video from other web pages.
• Embeds: People are allowed to embed your video into their webpage unless you specifically disable this for your video.
• Views: The number of times the video has been viewed.
• Ratings: People are allowed to rate a video from 1 to 5 stars
• Comments: Comments from viewers are allowed on videos unless you specifically disable this for your video.
• Age: The age of your audience.
• Playlists: YouTube users can create playlists that include any public video on YouTube.
• Channel Views: This is the number of visits to your YouTube channel where your videos and information are displayed
• Subscribers: Your subscribers are those who have signed up to be notified of new content posted in your channel.

Channel Secrets:

• Selecting your username: When choosing a username be sure to choose something that is related to what your videos will be about.  You want to have a sense of branding to what you are posting.  When your username has some relevance to your video’s content, viewers are more likely to click on your username to browse your channel and view more of your videos.
• Change your background image: Brand your YouTube channel as much as you can.  If you have a logo then use it as your background and include the URL of your website as well.
• Set your channel type: The default channel type is Youtuber.  You can choose other channel types such as Guru.  There are awards for most viewed, most subscribed, etc.  It is much easier to win these awards if you choose Guru because less people will have chosen that and you’ll be competing with a smaller group than the default.
• Tell viewers to subscribe: Be sure to call your viewers to action and tell them to subscribe to your channel.  You can put this call to action in the description of your videos and your channel itself.  Many users ask others to subscribe at the end of their videos and if done in a tasteful manner can be very effective.
• Include your URL wherever possible: You can put your URL at the end of your videos or as a subtext throughout your video.  You can also put it in the description of each video as well as your channel description.  There is also an actual place for you to put a URL to your website on your channel information section.  Remember that increasing video views will eventually increase web traffic if the viewers have a link to your website.

So do you believe that proof lies in video ranking?  Before you answer that, take this challenge.  Create or use a video that you think is amazing.  Then integrate these tips when posting the video.  Come back and share your thoughts, ideas and findings with this challenge.  We dare you!

Check out our Youtube channel and see how the pros do it.