Show What It's About in the Thumbnail
Create eye-catching and relevant thumbnails for your videos! A striking thumbnail can significantly increase your click-through rate. It has also been shown that thumbnails featuring the song and artist name perform better. Ideally, you should also show your face in the thumbnail to boost recognition of you as an artist.
Make Use of Your Video Description
Write a detailed and informative video description that includes relevant keywords and links. This includes your social media and streaming links, your website, and if applicable, a link to sign up for your email list. The most important details should be placed within the first two lines:
Tags and Keywords
Just like Google, YouTube is a massive search engine that operates on keywords. Use the keywords that are most relevant to you as an artist, your release, and your album if applicable, so that people can easily find your video through Google and YouTube search. You can also assign tags to your video — use the most important ones: artist name, song name, album name, and if relevant, a hashtag tied to a current trend that fits your video.
Use Playlists
Add the video to your channel playlists. This could be, for example, a playlist featuring your most-played or latest songs (or both). If you consistently work with recurring moods or themes, you can also group those together in a playlist.
Share Your Videos on Other Platforms Too
Spread your video through your Spotify Artist Pick, your email list, YouTube Shorts, YouTube Community Posts, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and more — making sure everyone sees your video somewhere, ideally even multiple times.
End Screens / Endcards
With an end screen on YouTube, you have several options to guide viewers toward further engagement. Place additional videos from your channel as well as your channel page here, so users can discover more of your content.