When creating a new release you’re extremely excited about, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement and forget some major steps along the way. To keep you on track and help you produce the best results, we’ve created the ultimate checklist for YouTube release campaigns.
Check out our YouTube Release Checklist:
Pay Attention to Details
Your YouTube video description is very important to the success and searchability of your release on the platform. Making sure your title includes what your audience will be searching for is crucial. In most cases, it’s best to keep it structured as follows: Artist Name – Release Name.
Any extra details can be left for the video description.
Speaking of your video description, always give credit where credit is due. Don’t forget to include thanks to collaborators, videographers, etc. when writing your video description. Additionally, be sure you do not skip on adding important links like your socials or audio download links for your release, the description is a prime location for all this information.
Don’t forget about the hashtags! Many people tend to overlook video tags when creating their release, or, they use too few tags when they could include a few more to increase their reach. YouTube video tags are a great way to tag specific key terms to your video to help your audience find it.
Feature Yourself
Many artists tend to forget they have the ability to feature new content on their profile, not only in featured video space but also in their header artwork on their channel. These two areas on a YouTube channel are optimal placements for making sure your new release gets seen by returning visitors & new visitors alike. Always make sure to cover these two bases so that you’re not missing out on key views when your new release drops.
In addition to the featured locations, it’s always a good idea to take advantage of updating your existing video cards and end screens to ensure that you have maximum views on your new video. Going back through your past videos and making your new release the first card at the end of your video, or even creating a new release end screen to include on popular releases is a great method for increasing your views. These are areas of opportunity that many tend to overlook or forget they even have at their disposal when caught up in the excitement of a new release.
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Learn more:
The Complete YouTubeGuide for The Music Industry
YouTube Analytics Tips for Musicians
5 Tips for Boosting Your YouTube Views
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Enable Merch Shelf and Concert Tickets
YouTube’s Merch Shelf allows eligible channels to showcase their official branded merchandise on YouTube.
To be considered for the merch shelf, you have to meet these minimum requirements:
- Have more than 10,000 subscribers
- Be approved for monetization
- Your channel’s audience is not set as made for kids
- Be based in a country or region where the YouTube Partner Program is available
You’ll be automatically notified in YouTube Studio if your channel is eligible for the merch shelf.
Concert Tickets. — You may be eligible to feature your upcoming concert listings on your video watch pages. This feature will be automatically enabled on eligible artist channels.
- Once enabled, viewers who are watching official music content from your YouTube channel will see a shelf just below the video with your tour dates.
- The shelf will show the event that is geographically closest to the viewer, as well as show them more available event dates.
Don’t Shy Away From Ads
Some say ads are cringy, but that honestly couldn’t be further from the truth. Ads are an essential tool for helping increase awareness & views on any release, let alone new releases, on YouTube. Ads can help increase engagement on popular content in addition to increasing views on new content releases. With the use of Google AdWords, you can create a campaign that allows you to place your new video on content related to similar videos, artists, and affinities across YouTube, giving you the opportunity to grow your views and subscribers. Setting aside a reasonable budget for advertising your new release is always a great idea when discussing the marketing for your new release.
You’re the Star
Don’t forget that YouTube has this great feature allowing you to do video premieres. Ahead of a new release, YouTube Premieres lets you set up reminders for your subscribers to let them know about a new release premiere on the platform. During the premiere, you’ll have a chat room available to you and your audience allowing them to chat with you and share in the hype leading up to the publication of your new video. Premieres are a great way for you to engage with your fans, share exclusive content to attendees, and get instant feedback on your latest release. When used correctly, a premiere can provide an entirely different connection between an artist and their fanbase.
Check the list TWICE
You can never be too thorough. Always make sure to re-check yourself before going live. Nothing is worse than going live with new content to find out you mistyped something in your description or incorrectly spelled a collaborator’s name in the credits.
I’ve included a checklist below for your reference:
- Use a searchable title structure – Keep it simple & don’t be confusing or long-winded.
Ex: Artist Name – Track Title (Type of Video or Quality) - Give credit where credit is due – always credit those who made your release possible.
- Self promote – utilize the video description to promote your socials and downloads. Include your call-to-action above the fold, like a DSP link to the featured track.
- Tag to your heart’s desire – don’t be shy, tag away. Use descriptions to include keywords and relevant information. (descriptions are just as searchable as the video’s keywords)
- Feature your video – don’t forget to add your new release to the featured video space.
- Update your channel header – if you wish to use this space to promote your new video.
- Cards & end screens – always remember to update your video cards with your new release and your video end screens.
- Don’t be afraid to spend some $$$. YouTube advertising is a wildly effective and legitimate way to get views for your content and build a release’s momentum.
- Set up a premiere.
- Revisit this list – check it and double-check it before you hit publish.
With this checklist, you’ll be on the right track towards making your next YouTube video release a successful one. Keep in mind, our marketing team here at Symphonic is always here if you ever need some assistance.
Be resourceful! The tools for success are out there; you just need to use them.
