8 Free Ways to get Likes and Views for a Youtube Video

The number one issue among artists who create videos for Youtube is how to promote them. Many struggle with getting views and likes for their videos.

The dream for most Youtubers is that their videos go viral. This means that people will begin sharing the video at a rate which requires no extra promotion from the one who posted the video. Most videos do not go viral on their own.

The video normally has to be promoted through various means – at social networks, blogs, other video sharing services, etc. The more the video is promoted, the increased chance of it being viewed by people who like it enough to share it.

In this article, I list some free ways you can promote your Youtube art video, to increase your views, likes and shares. Youtube does have its own advertising program - if you choose to go that route.

Before moving on, you may want to review our previous posts in this series:

Part 1 - Youtube for Artists
Part 2 – Ways Artists can Use Video

 

How to Get Views and Likes for your Video on Youtube

1. Post your video at social networks

   This is probably the most powerful method of promotion, and very simple, but surprisingly often overlooked.
   
   I think the main reason maybe because most do not realize that there are actually several social sharing buttons directly below the video on Youtube, hidden under the Share link.
   
   These list buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Blogger, Myspace, Stumbleupon, Digg, and Reddit. Clicking any of these opens a small window where you can easily submit your video.
   
   Share at other locations, such as Pinterest and your Facebook page, by copying the link above the social sharing icons.
   
   
   

2. Embed your video

   Embedding can be used to share your Youtube at other locations not listed above, such as your blog or website.
   
   First select the appropriate size for your video. Note here that you can also create a custom size of your own. Check your required settings. Then, simply copy the embed code and insert it into the html of your blog post or website. Check to see how it looks on your site before publishing.
   
   In some cases, you may want to align your video to left, center, or right. To align center, add this before the iframe code:
   
   <div align="”center”>
   
   Then, add this after “</iframe>”:  </div>
   
   
    

3. SEO optimize your Youtube Video

   Make sure your Youtube video has a good title, thorough description, and is tagged properly. This is very important and will ensure your video will be found through searches on Youtube. as well as through Google Search and video search engines.
   
   Directly below your video, click the little pencil icon, representing Info and Settings.
   
   Add a well thought out title and description, and when writing them try to think about the phrases people will use to find your video in searches. Include a few relevant tags at the bottom. There will also be suggested tags for you to use. Also, don’t forget to choose a Category for your video at the right.
   
   When completed these steps, click Save.
   
   
   

4. Get your video on video search engines

   Video search engines work in much the same way as regular search engines, such as Google and Bing. Some of the more popular video search engines are Blinkx, Yahoo Video Search, and Google Video Search.
   
   To find out how you can submit your videos to each of these, type in the specific phrase followed by “submit videos” (Example: Blinkx submit videos)
   
   
   

5. Get your video on other video sharing services.

   If you created the video, you should still have the video file. Youtube may be the largest video sharing service, but in some cases it may be easier to use others to draw people to your Youtube channel. Do this by posting the link to your channel in the description of the video wherever it’s posted. It should not be difficult finding other websites to share your video. Simply search on Google for video sharing sites list. 
   
   Here are some of the more popular video sharing sites, besides Youtube: Flickr, Photobucket, Dailymotion, Metacafe, Vimeo, Ustream, Qik, Blip.tv
   
   Websites such as ArtisanHQ post a new art Youtube video daily, so it may be worth contacting them about your video.
   
   
   

6. Use your email signature to promote your videos

   Email signatures are included at the end of all outgoing emails and most email programs have them. This is a great place to include a link to your latest Youtube video!
   
   Check out this tutorial for using Gmail for promoting art: How to Market Art with Gmail
   
   
   

7. Promote your Youtube video to your email list

   Use your list and art newsletter as a way to show your Youtube videos. Your subscribers may appreciate the different format, as opposed to regular text emails. 
    
   
   

8. Ask for likes and shares

   Most people are not likely to think about liking or sharing if not asked. Include a descriptive message along with each post of your video at social networks, including something similar to this “Please like by clicking the thumbs-up at the top right of the video. Thanks!”
   

Hopefully trying a few of these will get people viewing, liking and sharing your art video. The entire process takes time. As with promoting your artwork, it is important to remain consistent and persistent in the promotion of your Youtube video.

Do you have any ways of promoting Youtube videos to add to this list?