Interacting with YouTube Comments 101

As a creator, the process doesn’t stop once you upload a video. Whether it’s optimizing your videos with suitable tags and titles or connecting with your community, there are important steps you need to take for growth. Unfortunately, comments are often left unanswered or conclude in a dead-end conversation. It’s necessary to take time out of your day to reply to comments and continue discussions. 
Here is what you need to know about interacting with YouTube comments.

Create Conversations 
When your video gets enough views and likes, YouTube will start pushing your video up the search ranks, but what happens if it doesn’t garner any comments? YouTube might assume the video isn’t exciting enough or that the views are fake and will stop promoting it. On the other hand, if your video is getting comments but not a lot of views, YouTube can see that your video is engaging and could start to boost it.
For starter channels, the comment section can be scarce. For many viewers, liking and disliking a video is the most they’ll partake in. However, instead of waiting for viewers to engage on their own, take the initiative and make the first comment. Encourage participation by asking a question in the comment section and in your video.
When replying to comments, don’t close off the exchange by thanking them and nothing else. Follow up with an inquiry and keep the discussion going. By doing this, you can learn more about your audience as well as allowing them to provide feedback. It is exciting to see a YouTuber interacting with their audience. In return, this kind of activity will encourage others to join.
Remember, conversations are what create communities, but it can go both ways. Always moderate your comment section and keep it a healthy and safe place for your subscribers.

Leave No Comments Unturned
New comments can easily overlap older discussions. Sometimes, YouTube might not even notify you of a new comment and it’ll be swept under the rug. Be sure you don’t miss anything by using comment filters. Through YouTube, you can filter comments that haven’t been responded to yet or find unanswered questions. If you want even more variety, TubeBuddy’s Comment Filters can locate links, negative or positive sentiments, profanity, and more.
Since comments are often ignored by many, surprise your watchers by responding in a quick matter. If you’re a channel that is selling a product, it’s very impactful on your business to answer your customer’s queries. The same goes for even if you have a gaming or review channel.
As more comments come in, so do the repetitive questions. If you find one item–in particular–is a hot topic for your channel, save a response for it. For TubeBuddy users, you can use our feature Canned Responses. You can create a reply that can be immediately used within your comment section and is readily customizable. It helps speed up your process as you won’t have to type the same thing repeatedly.


Self-Promotion Through Comments And Subscribers
It’s important to give a good impression both on and off camera. It can be discouraging for new viewers to find your lack of presence in your own comment section, and they may remain as lurkers, instead of invested subscribers. If you do engage with your audience, your subscribers will be inspired to promote your channel to their friends and family. This will bring in potential new subscribers and more chances to converse and build community.
You don’t have to stay within your comment section to engage. Whenever you’re watching a video from your subscription list or from a new channel, make sure to comment. Be informative or funny. The more you put yourself out in the YouTube community, the more exposure you’ll gain. There are many channels like Justin Y or StickMaster500 that have gained notoriety through their comments. However, please note that promoting your channel in other people’s videos is against YouTube’s ToS and is highly frowned upon.
There are other ways of reaching out to comments after responding, like ‘hearting’ or pinning it. If you find a thread particularly interesting, pin it so more people will read it. If you think somebody’s comment is funny or intriguing, heart it to notify them. This is a clear indicator for your audience that you enjoyed their inputs. 

It is essential to interact with your community as it not only affects how YouTube views your video, but also how your subscribers interpret you. If you provide the key to their inquiries, viewers will look forward to your next insight.