Seven Guaranteed Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Views on YouTube

YouTube has 1.7+ billion unique monthly visitors. So why aren’t any of them watching your content?

What if, despite all the effort, your videos are attracting few views and even less engagement. Before you give up, take a look at 7 of the biggest reasons your video content is failing and what you can do about that right now

#1 Viewers Can’t Find Your Video in the First Place

Just like any other content, video needs to be optimized so that users can find it when searching on a set of keywords. It may seem totally obvious to you that the video you have just created for Model-X34C is something the world has been waiting for, but if the world doesn’t have a clue about your brand or what the heck X34C even means, the chances that they will be doing a keyword search on either is pretty tiny.

Take the time to do the keyword research and find out what people are searching for. Then optimize your video’s title and description,  giving you more than a fighting chance of appearing in the search results.

#2 Viewers Can Find You But are Confused

Maybe you’ve struck lucky, and your video appears in the search results on Google or YouTube, but your title and description are so vague, and your thumbnail so dull or misleading that viewers still won’t invest any time in clicking the link to watch.

If this is the case, take a really good look at the words you used to describe the video. Would anyone outside of your topic of choice know what it’s about?  

Is the thumbnail a compelling one? Is it the default image or a custom video thumbnail that’s much more relevant?

Have you optimized the video description and the title to invite viewers to watch? If you are appearing in the search results now, but your click-through rate is low, you stand every chance of falling lower and lower in the rankings. Various algorithms deployed by sites like YouTube and Google will determine your content isn’t relevant and replace it with content that is. Do something about that now.

#3 You’re Not Giving Viewers a Reason to Watch You

You may think that your latest video is the best thing since sliced bread, but with well over 500 hours of video being uploaded to YouTube every minute, what does your content provide in terms of information or entertainment that other videos don’t?

Does it provide an answer to a much-asked question? Does it give the viewer something they can’t get anywhere else? Is it going to give the viewer any value? We’re all very busy people, so give potential viewers a reason to take time out of their day to watch what you have to say. With so much competition, you need to raise your game if you want the results with views on YouTube.

#4 You Haven’t Promoted the Video on Social Media

This may be staggering obvious, but if you want to promote a video, then social media is perfect for getting the word out and also for allowing others to share the content to their own feeds. 

Every time you create and upload a video, let your target audience know it exists by publishing it via social media and encouraging them to watch, comment, like, and share.

#5 You Haven’t Built Up a Subscriber or Fan Base

Many videos gain a tremendous amount of attention by going viral but the vast majority get their views from fans of the creator and their channel. The biggest YouTubers, like MrBeast, have taken the time to cultivate a loyal and enthusiastic fan base that will tune into, and engage with, pretty much any video content they publish. 

It’s hard work and takes dedication and resources, but build your subscribers and fans, and you will start to attract the type of engagement you want.

#6 The Video is Far, Far, Far Too Long for Your Audience

Long-form content can do really well on YouTube. However, in the age of Shorts and other quickly consumed content,  that doesn’t mean that your target audience will have the time or even want to watch a video that’s going to eat into their day. 

If the retention rate for your video content drops off dramatically at any point in the video, then use that info to determine the ideal length.

#7 The Content is Irrelevant or Out of Date

A low engagement rate is a concern, however old your video is. Having said that, it is completely understandable if the content is now out of date or refers to a product or service that has been discontinued. If this applies to you, then consider creating new content that may attract more attention.

Note: Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water just for the sake of it. Many viewers still want to refer to old content for many reasons – like a comparison or for DIY and repair purposes. And many creators are making videos around old products and services that still interest viewers in their hundreds of thousands. If you think your old content may still be of benefit (and this metric is reflected in the stats), don’t delete it, but create new, more up-to-date videos.

Being a YouTube creator isn’t easy – you need the money, the creativity, the resources, and the time to turn your ideas into the type of content that viewers will respond to. Leave nothing to chance in your effort to promote your content so you reach the type and volume of the audience that you need to.