Stop wasting your time worrying about SEO for your YouTube videos. There’s a better way to grow your channel.

When it comes to growing your YouTube channel, you’ve probably heard countless times that you need to focus on YouTube SEO. But the reality is, spending hours trying to perfect your SEO strategy might not be as effective as you think.

Why YouTube SEO Isn’t the Silver Bullet

YouTube itself provides a clear indication of the role SEO plays in video discovery. They state:

"Tags can be useful if the content of your video is commonly misspelled. Otherwise, tags play a minimal role in your video’s discovery."

This means that while basic optimization is important, obsessing over finding the perfect tags or aiming for a flawless SEO score isn’t going to move the needle significantly.

What Really Drives YouTube Success? Engagement

According to data from VidIQ, over 70% of the content consumed on YouTube comes directly from recommendations. This emphasizes that YouTube’s algorithm prioritizes videos that engage viewers, rather than those that simply have well-optimized metadata.

My Personal Experience: Shifting Focus to What Matters

I’ve seen this firsthand. When I started my first YouTube channel, which grew to over 85,000 subscribers in just two years, I spent the initial six months focusing heavily on SEO. I meticulously selected tags, crafted keyword-heavy descriptions, and focused on metadata. Despite all this effort, the results were lackluster.

The game changed when I redirected my focus to the three core metrics that truly matter:

1. Click-Through Rate (CTR) on Thumbnails:

   • Aim for a 10% CTR in the first 24 hours.
   • Ensure it remains above 5% in the long term.
     High CTR signals to YouTube that your video is intriguing and worth promoting.

2. Watch Time:

   • Target at least four minutes of watch time per viewer.
     Longer watch times indicate valuable content, encouraging YouTube to push your video to more viewers.

3. Average View Duration:

   • Strive for a 50% average watch duration in the first 24 hours.
   • Maintain at least 35% over the long term.
     This metric tells YouTube that your content is engaging enough to hold viewers' attention.

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Why Engagement Metrics Trump YouTube SEO

YouTube’s algorithm is designed to reward videos with strong engagement metrics. So, which do you think YouTube will favor in the long term—a video with a perfect 100/100 SEO score, or a video with higher CTR and watch duration? The answer is clear: YouTube favors videos that capture and maintain viewer interest.

The Bottom Line: Focus on Engagement, Not Just SEO

Instead of pouring time into perfecting your YouTube SEO, direct your efforts towards creating engaging content. Focus on eye-catching thumbnails, improving your on-camera presence, and delivering value that keeps viewers watching.

By concentrating on these engagement metrics, you'll not only improve your chances of ranking higher in YouTube searches but also increase the likelihood of your content being recommended to new audiences.