So you may have noticed that in that scene where I was just showing a bunch of b-roll, I was actually using chart music. I don't know if you clocked onto that, but I was using chart music and not just your standard kind of royalty-free music that you normally hear on YouTube videos. Now, this is important because using music throughout your videos is actually going to really help you with your audience retention. And as we know, audience retention is directly linked to your watch hours. The longer someone is watching your videos, the more watch hours you're going to get, right? So you might be wondering, 'Okay, great. But how do I not only find music that I'm allowed to use in my videos, but how do I get my hands on like chart music for me to use in my videos?' Well, this is my segue to tell you about today's video sponsor: Lickd.
Lickd is the fastest growing chart music library where you can actually license chart music to use on your social media channels. Lickd basically believes that you shouldn't have to settle for like that generic background music that, I mean, I've used in my videos in the past, loads of other people use on their videos to this day. They believe that you shouldn't have to settle for that music and that you should be able to include the songs that you actually want to include in your videos. And when I tell you how excited I was when I heard about this company, I was like, 'As if this exists and I didn't know about it.' Because I don't know about you guys, but I really feel like when I'm watching someone else's YouTube video and I'm listening to the songs that they're using, it gives me a really direct insight into that person and what their vibe is like.
Now, one of the more practical tips I have for you today is all around video linking. I actually accredit this tip to really helping my channel have a bit of a blow up, like when it first started to really increase in terms of my watch hours. I actually think a big reason for that was because of this tip. So what I mean by video linking is the process of you pitching and linking to other videos in your current videos, if that makes sense. So let's break down the few different ways that you could do that.
Okay, so you know in the previous tip, I spoke about linking to other videos. In order for that to work properly, you need to know what kind of content your audience are interested in, so that you can not only create several videos about that topic, but also you can link to those videos and keep people on your channel and watching your content for longer. So let me talk about what this really means in practice, right? So if you're someone who doesn't have a clear idea of who your audience is and therefore every single time you create a video it's kind of for a different person, so you might create a video one day that someone who's really interested in fashion might love, but then the next day you might create a video for someone who is studying university. The day after that you might create a video for someone who is training to become a chef.
Okay, so another thing that you can do that's going to help you increase your watch time on YouTube, it's going to seem like a really obvious one, is to create longer videos. Now, before you kind of zone out here, I really need you to listen to me break down how to do this properly because I do feel like this is a tactic that a lot of people use but may not be using properly. And here's why.
Q: How can I increase watch hours through music?
A: You can increase watch hours through music by using chart music in your videos, which can help with audience retention and ultimately increase your watch hours.
Q: How can I license chart music for my videos?
A: You can license chart music for your videos through platforms like Lickd, a chart music library that provides licensing options for using popular music on social media channels.
Q: What is the video linking strategy and how can it help?
A: The video linking strategy involves linking to other videos within your current videos to keep viewers engaged and watching more of your content, thus increasing watch hours.
Q: Why is understanding your audience important for increased watch hours?
A: Understanding your audience helps you create relevant content that keeps viewers interested, leading to higher watch hours as viewers stay engaged with your channel.
Q: How can creating engaging longer videos help increase watch time?
A: Creating longer videos can increase watch time on YouTube, but it's important to engage viewers throughout the video to ensure the tactic is used effectively.