Do your YouTube videos earn enough watch time? It's not an easy question to answer, but it's one you should ask often.

. It represents the total amount of time people spend watching your videos, so it's in your best interest to increase that number. The more watch time you have, the easier it is to monetize your channel and get more video views.

 to qualify for the YouTube Partner Program (along with 1,000 subscribers). Once you're in, you can make money through video advertisements and hopefully earn a full-time income.

Plus, videos with high watch time – among other things – send a positive signal to YouTube's algorithm. So as you improve that metric, YouTube might 

But if you're struggling to get YouTube watch hours, don't worry. Here's how to increase the amount of time people spend watching your videos.

1. Start with an Attractive Title and Thumbnail

Imagine what it's like to browse the YouTube homepage. There are dozens of videos to look at, with bold, colorful thumbnails. If you want to earn any watch time to begin with, you need a graphic that stands out and encourages viewers to click.

YouTube Thumbnail Guide: 9 Ways to Boost Click-Through Rate

Take a look at the vidIQ thumbnail below. It's paired with one of our popular videos, "How To Check Who Has Subscribed to Your YouTube Channel (New Method)."

Viewers responded so well to this thumbnail that the video has:

In other words, 15% of people who saw the thumbnail decided to click on the video – which is pretty good! And once viewers clicked, we gave them a fantastic video that has collected 

Thumbnails pop out at viewers first, but titles play a role too. Make sure yours are better than the standard YouTube title, which has relevant keywords and a clear topic. 

 have all of that, plus a mysterious aura that whispers, "Click me."

Your video needs more than a basic introduction if you want to increase your watch hours. It's best to create a 

 that reels viewers in and keeps them watching past the 30-second mark, where most people click away.

To see what we mean, go to your YouTube analytics and look at the 

Finally, click on any video and scroll down to 

Take a look at the audience retention graph for the video you selected. More than likely, it has a line trending downward after 30 seconds. That line is shaped like a hockey stick, and the first "bend" is where people stopped watching your video.

The right video hook should do four things to combat this:

Do all of the above in less than 30 seconds

Need an example? The video below checks all four boxes. The hook is only 20 seconds long, and Rob Wilson (our expert YouTuber) is having fun. He's teasing valuable parts of the video, being playful, and making us chuckle at a few memes.

Thanks to our hook, 71% of viewers were still watching at the 30-second mark. That's better than our typical performance.

Over time, little victories like these increase your watch hours on YouTube.

Have you ever watched a YouTube video with long, never-ending scenes? How did it make you feel inside?

If words like "bored" or "disinterested" come to mind, you can guarantee your viewers feel the same way. No one wants to see the same thing for several minutes, especially if nothing new pops onto the screen. That's the fastest way to kill your watch time as people exit the video.

The solution? Use the almighty jump cut. It's a video editing technique that breaks longer scenes into two or more clips to 

, arguably the best YouTuber ever, does it. He's the jump-cut king, so there's never a dull moment in his videos.

As mentioned before, hundreds of people leave videos at the 30-second mark. They either get bored, look for better videos, or leave to do non-YouTube-related things. It's normal and to be expected.

But if you want to squeeze in some extra watch time, place 

 is anything that changes a person's behavior or thinking process for a short while. On YouTube, the best pattern interrupters stop viewers from thinking, "I should leave this video."

If your content has any of these elements, you're already using pattern interrupters:

These elements break up the monotony of previous scenes, so viewers stay engaged.

5. Don't Announce the End of a Video – Just Leave

This might be an unpopular opinion, but most videos don't need outros. If the viewer already got what they came for – entertainment, instruction, etc. – there's no incentive to keep watching beyond that.

So instead of doing an outro, just end the video without warning. Otherwise, people will look for the X button when you say things like, "That's about it" and "Those are all of my tips." 

And when they leave, they'll take extra watch time with them.

Want more tips for boosting your watch time on YouTube? 

Learn which videos don't count toward the 4,000 hours you need to monetize your channel.

Are you wondering how to get watch time on YouTube? Minute by minute, here’s how to hold viewers’ attention on any video.

5 Ways to Increase YouTube Watch Time on Any Video

Did you hear the news? YouTube released a 

 to help you make better videos. It's located in the YouTube Studio – as most tools are – and tries to improve your content in three ways:

Reveal what viewers are searching for on YouTube

Display what your specific audience is searching for

Suggest content you should make in the future

 keywords for your channel? After all, keyword research should help you target the right audience and 

 show words and phrases your viewers are searching for. And that's worth knowing.

How to Find YouTube's Keyword Research Tool

Here, you can "research some of the top searches from viewers on your channel and across YouTube in the last 28 days."

How to Use YouTube's Keyword Research Tool

The tool itself is divided into three tabs:

Want to see the search volume for any YouTube keyword? Here's how to do that:

, then type any word or phrase into the search bar. We'll use "dogs" as an example.

Here, you'll see variations of the original word or phrase you typed in. For example, our query for "dogs" returned phrases like "who let the dogs out" and "cute dogs." Each term is labeled as having low, medium, or high search volume.

You can display all keywords at once or just your "content gaps" – video topics  that currently have 

 results on YouTube. A geography setting also shows keywords people use in specific locations.

Finally, click the three dots on the far right

 to save a keyword, remove it, report it, or analyze it on Google Trends.

On this tab, YouTube shows the topics your audience is searching for. The terms should look familiar, as they're all related to your YouTube niche – which is extremely helpful.

 to see your viewers' searches on YouTube, plus search volume.

This tab is similar to the "Searches Across YouTube" one. You can access the same options as before: filtering for content gaps, browsing keywords from specific locations, saving or removing terms, etc.

Check the previous section (Searches Across YouTube) for all filtering/saving instructions.

The last tab shows the keywords you saved from previous searches. Here's how to use it:

click the three dots on the far right or click the bookmark icon.

Does YouTube's Research Tool Help You Get Views?

? Will the recommended keywords produce 

 do, but it has a long way to go in terms of providing 

Here's an example of what we mean: While using the tool, YouTube tells us that the phrase "how to change YouTube channel name" is a content gap for vidIQ.

We made a video on that topic two years ago, and it has more than 600,000 views. Since then, we've posted two updated videos, and each one got significantly fewer views – 138,000, then 34,000.

 video, but is it worth our time if we're getting fewer views already? Probably not.

And it's not just us. We made a video reviewing the new research tool, and 

"Yes, that happened to me. My old video continues to be preferred over my new video that's nearly identical for the title and description."

To be fair, this may happen for a couple of reasons:

Competitors are making better videos on the same topic (fair enough).

Search-based videos take a while to get views, but once they do, they rank highly for a long time – which is rough for those looking to add new videos to the pile.

Despite that, we expected the tool to give us 

But if you want to know the search volume for different keywords and which ones your viewers use, the research tool from YouTube does just that – in a basic way.

Watch this video to see a full review of the tool.

A Better Option for YouTube Keyword Research

Overall, the research tool from YouTube shows related keywords, search volume, and content gaps.

But if you need a more detailed view, try 

The exact number of searches per month for any keyword (not just low, medium, or high)

A keyword score that measures competition and search volume

Check out the example below. We typed "copyright claim" into vidIQ's keyword explorer, and the 

That's a medium score, as 100 is considered "perfect" for lowest competition and highest search volume. Also, "copyright claim" is searched 36,000 times per month. We'd pull in some decent traffic from that keyword.

Suggestions like "remove copyright claim" or "how to remove copyright claims on YouTube" give us more options for brainstorming video titles.

These questions are great for building video ideas that solve specific problems. The tool shows us questions like "how to use NCS music without copyright claim" and "how to give a copyright claim."

OK – that's a lot of information. But truthfully, you need as many details as possible to find suitable keywords for your content.

Want to use all of the features above? Here's how:

 to access keyword scores, related keywords, monthly search volume, and more.

And if you really want to grow your views, here's a guide for finding the best YouTube keywords for your channel.

YouTube has a new keyword research tool, but will it help you get more views? Here’s how to use the feature, plus an honest review of its usefulness.

YouTube's New Keyword Research Tool: Will It Boost Your Views?

As an online influencer, it’s much easier to get brand deals when you have an impressive media kit.

But if you’ve never had to create one, two questions come to mind: What is a media kit for influencers? Do I need one?

For influencers, a media kit is a digital resume showing three things:

So whether you’re creating on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or Twitch, 

. It helps you stand out from other influencers and answer a brand’s most pressing questions:

Does this creator speak to our target audience?

Have they worked on this type of campaign before?

What results did they achieve for other brands?

We’ll show you how to create an influencer media kit in this post. We’ll also share advice from Justin Moore (sponsorship coach at 

), plus pages from a sample influencer media kit.

What to Include In Your Influencer Media Kit (Most to Least Important)

Overall, your media kit needs five sections:

The first page of your media kit will be the cover itself. 

This is where you’ll introduce yourself to brands and share basic information they might need:

The title of the document (likely just “media kit”)

Your title (beauty influencer, gaming creator, etc.)

Your contact information (an email address will do)

For the cover photo, try to pick one that represents you and your niche. For example, family and lifestyle influencer 

 used a photo of herself, her husband Justin Moore, and two kids. She creates from a space of motherhood and togetherness, and you can tell just by looking at the cover.

The next thing to show in your media kit is campaigns you’ve worked on in the past. According to Moore, this is what brands want to see more than anything else – not your bio or the number of followers you have. They just want to feel confident in your abilities.

“Oftentimes, [brands have] already made their decision,” Moore says. “They’re excited about working with you, and now they just need a little reinforcement that hiring you is the right decision.”

contact the brand and ask about its campaign goals

. With that information, you can showcase partnerships representing the brand's vision.

For example, there are three types of campaigns:

: driving sales, app downloads, coupon redemptions, etc.

: creating diverse assets for the brand, such as TikTok videos that can become advertisements

: spreading the word about the brand or its latest product

And that brings us to our second influencer media kit example. Take a look at how April Moore presented her brand awareness campaign with Morton Salt:

But what if the brand is interested in a different outcome, such as conversions or collecting content? In that case, you’ll have to show different metrics.

: Present a conversion campaign where you turned viewers into customers for the brand. Provide relevant data, such as newsletter sign-ups, app downloads, online purchases, etc.

: Present a content-repurposing campaign where you made assets for a brand. Those could be videos for the company’s website, Instagram, Facebook, etc.

What to Do If You Haven’t Worked With Brands

Are you chasing your first brand deal on social media? You won’t have any sponsored posts to show off in your media kit, but don’t worry; you can still impress brands and get hired. All you need is a 

Buy a product you love and make content about it

. If the content performs well, this proves your ability to influence people and drive engagement. Put 

Showcase a piece of content that could have been sponsored. 

Do you have a video or image that's centered around a brand and also performed well? Add that to your media kit to help brands envision what you would create for them.

When you finish a fun campaign, it’s smart to ask for personal reviews you can use as testimonials. Were you easy to work with? Extremely responsive? Good at producing high-quality content?

If you read a testimonial that makes you smile, add it to your media kit – right after all the facts, figures, and percentages of the campaign itself.

You see, numbers are extremely important to brands – but so is likability. They want to feel comfortable working with you, so showing that other companies would work with you again is a huge benefit. It proves that you’d be a great partner.

Check out these awesome testimonials from April Moore’s media kit:

In this section, describe your personal brand in more detail. Which interests or hobbies play a role in shaping your content? What ideas and beliefs do you share with your audience? Infuse your personality and let brands know who you are.

This section doesn’t have to be long. Your bio can be just five sentences or a series of quick bullet points. 

Or, you can do both, as shown here in April Moore's kit:

And here’s another tip: Fight the urge to put your bio on the cover page of your media kit.

“Basically, take that about me section that everyone puts on page one, and put that to the end,” Moore says. “The number one thing brands care about when they’re requesting your media kit is case studies and testimonials.”

5. Your Social Media Channels, Content Performance, and Audience Demographics

By this point, brands are reaching the end of your media kit. Now there’s just one more thing to address: Do you and the brand share the same target audience? In the world of influencer marketing, brands want to speak to their core consumers – not just anyone on the internet.

1. Go to the analytics dashboard for each of your social media channels, and 

 (the core characteristics of your followers). Then add the following information to your media kit:

The age range of your audience, broken down by percentage

The percentage of male and female viewers

The physical location of your viewers, broken down by country

For example, here’s the gender, age, and location breakdown for viewers on the vidIQ YouTube channel. This is the information brands want to see.

2. Next, show your follower/subscriber count for each platform. You don't need a humongous following to land a brand deal, but it's important to include for some campaigns – especially brand awareness.

3. Add your monthly performance for each social platform, such as:

The metrics you use will depend on where you create content. Monthly views are important for YouTube creators, but Instagram influencers might show likes and engagement ratio, too. Pick the data that matters most for your social platforms.

And finally, here’s an example of how it all comes together. At the end of April Moore’s media kit, you’ll see her social media channels, subscriber/follower counts, and overall audience demographics.

FAQ: Extra Things to Know About Media Kits

Need extra help crafting your media kit? Here’s a brief Q&A with Justin Moore, sponsorship and brand deals coach.

Q: How long should an influencer’s media kit be?

 There’s no minimum or maximum number of pages to put in your media kit. Still, you have to be realistic. A brand probably doesn’t want to read 20 or more pages – just enough to confirm that you’re right for the campaign.

If they can get that assurance by reading one case study, that’s all they’re going to look at. Put as many pages as you need to illustrate your abilities.

Q: How do I tailor my media kit for specific brands?

 No matter what type of brand comes at you, have a case study to illustrate that you can solve the pain point or campaign they’re looking to run.

To do this, you need a media kit that covers every content vertical you explore and all the major campaign types. So if you’re a fashion and lifestyle creator, you need six case studies in your media kit:

Two conversion case studies: one for lifestyle, one for fashion

Two content-repurposing case studies: one for lifestyle, one for fashion

Two brand awareness case studies: one for lifestyle, one for fashion

Then it’s just a matter of swapping out pages as needed to send the most relevant version of your media kit. It doesn't take that long.

Q: Should I include a pricing page in my media kit?

 If there’s anything you get from this post, you should take that page of your media kit and drag it into the trash. Every deal you do with a brand will be different. You need to understand the goal of the campaign before you put a proposal together.

For example, if the brand comes to you and says, “Our goal is to get a bunch of great content from you that we can embed on our website,” you wouldn’t turn around and say, “Here’s my pricing for YouTube videos and Instagram posts.” The brand just told you they don’t care about that. Maybe what you pitch them are five to ten 30-second videos that you don’t even post on your social media.

Q: Where can I find influencer media kit templates?

Of course, your media kit is just one piece of the brand deal puzzle. 

Here are 10 pitching mistakes to avoid when trying to get brand deals (especially on YouTube).

What goes in an influencer’s media kit? If you’re a video creator looking to get brand deals, here’s a guide for building your best content resume.

How to Make a Stunning Influencer Media Kit for Brand Deals

Not long ago, all monetized creators received the 

. Today, that means anyone in the YouTube Partner Program can receive monetary “tips” on individual videos.

Here’s how it works: When you make a video that someone enjoys, they’ll express their gratitude by tapping the YouTube Super Thanks button. Viewers  will tip you $2, $5, $10, or $50, and an animated GIF will appear on the video (only the buyer can see it).

As an extra treat, buyers get to post a distinct, colorful comment on the video page. It truly stands out in the comment section and lets everyone know the person is a super fan.

Are you ready to enable Super Thanks on your channel? So far, there are plenty of reasons to love the feature:

The feature is more expansive than Super Chats and Super Stickers, which are for live streams only.

Now that you know the benefits, we’ll answer three questions about Super Thanks:

What makes someone purchase a Super Thanks?

Receiving Super Thanks: YouTube Eligibility

Here’s how to qualify for Super Thanks on your channel:

Comply with YouTube’s policies, such as the community guidelines, terms of service, and monetization rules.

 have a music channel under the Sound Recording Audio Visual agreement.

Check out this list of countries where creators can receive Super Thanks.

But those aren’t the only requirements. If one of your videos is…

A live stream or premiere (not video-on-demand content)

…it’s not eligible to receive Super Thanks.

How to Turn on Super Thanks for Your Channel

By default, Super Thanks isn't active on your channel until you turn it on. Here’s how to do that in the YouTube Studio.

1. Go to the YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com). Click 

The earn option is below the copyright option

When you enable Super Thanks on your channel, a heart icon will appear below your YouTube videos (excluding live streams and premieres).

Now that you know what Super Thanks are and how to turn them on, let’s address a bigger question: 

How do you get as many Super Thanks as possible?

According to YouTube, you have to talk to viewers, show them gratitude, and build genuine relationships.

Watch the video below if you need inspiration; YouTube shares six tips for boosting Super Thanks engagement, and the advice is pretty solid.

Viewers love feeling seen and appreciated by their favorite creators. Spend a few moments replying to their comments, and perhaps others will join in to purchase a Super Thanks.

2. Pin a comment of you acknowledging Super Thanks buyers.

This gesture lets everyone know that you see and appreciate your super fans — even those who haven’t revealed themselves yet.

3. Do an in-video shoutout to your super fans.

List the names of all your Super Thanks buyers in the closing credits of your next video.

Ready to activate Super Thanks on your channel? Here’s a quick guide to help you out, plus six tips to boost Super Thanks revenue.

Posts Written By Lydia Sweatt

5 Ways to Increase YouTube Watch Time on Any Video

YouTube's New Keyword Research Tool: Will It Boost Your Views?

How to Make a Stunning Influencer Media Kit for Brand Deals

YouTube Super Thanks: How to Enable Them and Make More Money

How to Monetize on YouTube Without the Partner Program

How to Join the YouTube Partner Program and Monetize Your Channel in 2024

YouTube Creator Awards: How to Get Your First Play Button

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