Are you hitting a wall when it comes to producing new video content? This is typical for many businesses. At the end of the day, producing quality videos takes time – and you need to focus on running your business! So what do you do when you don’t have enough time to create regular video content to keep your YouTube channel engaging for your subscribers?
Let me introduce you to YouTube playlists and the secret to curated video content!
What are YouTube playlists and why are they beneficial?
Playlists are a way of organizing videos on your channel around a specific topic, keyword, service, product, and much more – whichever works best for your brand. For example, if you are in charge of a restaurant’s YouTube channel, you might have your videos organized into the following playlists: How-To’s, Today’s Special, Chef’s Kitchen, and Quick Recipe Tips.
While it is optimal to add your own videos to your playlists, you can also curate videos from other YouTube channels.
Just think about it. You share content on your various social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) and many times you are sharing articles or content that you found online which is from another source. The reason you share it is that not only will your audience enjoy the content and engage with it, but it also helps you keep up with consistently posting to your social media channels.
My top tip is that when looking for videos to curate and add to your playlists, you make sure that these videos already have a high level of engagement and views. This illustrates there is already a proven audience for the video and it may bring a bit more shine to your own channel. The more regularly that you execute this process, the more alive your channel will look. It is the perfect go-to when you don’t have the time to produce your own original content.
The only catch? While you can easily find videos that look like they are suitable for your playlists at first blush, make sure that you watch them from start to finish. They need to be on brand and have a message that dovetails nicely to your own branded voice. Sometimes even the most seemingly perfect video could have some negatives lurking somewhere in the middle or end.
Ok – let’s get you started!
How do you create a YouTube playlist?
Now that you’re aware of all of the benefits of YouTube playlists, it’s time to learn how to put one together. Here’s the breakdown in 3 easy steps:
1. Plan the perfect playlist and name it!
For example, if I was going to do one for our company, The Go! Agency, as we are a digital marketing agency I may focus on the following playlists: Social Media Tips, Website Design Hacks, Organization Tips, Copywriting Handbook, etc. Naming your YouTube playlist “How-to’s” is a fine start, but it’s just not strong enough. Think of how users would find your videos. What topics would they search for? You need to make sure that your playlist name is keyword-rich. Therefore “How-to’s: Cake Decorating” could be a stronger choice.
2. Seek and find suitable, and proven, content.
It’s time to start filling those playlists. Search YouTube for videos that are suitable for the playlists (new or old). For example, if I am going to add a video to the Copywriting Handbook playlist, I would use the search term “copywriting secrets” or “copywriting tips”. Then I would look through the results and choose the videos with the most engagement/views and watch them. If they fit my brand, I would then click the “add to” button underneath the video, and either add it to an existing playlist, or choose “Create new playlist.” Name your playlist accordingly – and you are ready to go and find your next video!
3. Keep it up kid!
So you have logged into YouTube, curated some videos, added them to playlists (or created new playlists), and you are….eh….done? Nope! You need to do this on a regular basis! I would suggest adding this curation process to your regular marketing schedule and add a specific number of videos to your playlists every week. Only do what you can handle. Be realistic as always. Biting off more than you can chew will definitely cause early burnout!
Curating video content is a great shortcut when it comes to brightening up your YouTube channel. While this does not excuse you from creating your own original content 100%, it gives you a little bit of a buffer to create a more cohesive content mix as well as share content that your audience will be eager to watch and engage with!
Do you still need some extra help when it comes to organizing your YouTube channel? Schedule your free consultation with The Go! Agency!
