A YouTube Playlist is like an album. It is a way to organize and group similar content so that it is easy to found. For instance, if you have a YouTube cooking channel, you could create a playlist on desserts or how to cook with kids. Users love Playlists because they contain specific information without all the extra stuff to weed through. Plenty of parents would probably view the entire Playlist titles cooking with kids because it’s a specialized niche. Playlists can be a vital part of your YouTube SEO strategy if you utilize them properly.

Playlists Are Vital

YouTube seems to return Playlists in most search results right at the top of the page. Why? Playlists create an immersive experience where users can lean back and watch the material. After the first video finishes, the next one automatically plays, and it’s already the right content. When users query a specific topic or keyword, what they get is a collection of particular material related to the query.

YouTube ranks videos by factors including watch time and session duration. A Playlist typically increases these factors thereby beefing up your SEO. It also improves your engagement rate which is another measured factor. In the massive YouTube ecosystem, your video has a higher chance of being viewed as part of a playlist rather than on its own because YouTube heavily promotes Playlists.

Utilize Curated Playlists

Playlists are vital to exposure, we have established that. However, it can be difficult to publish enough fresh, quality content to create and fill Playlists continuously. That is a standard issue especially for the up and coming. So, what to do? Create a curated playlist of videos created by your fans and followers. You still manage the Playlist using videos generated by your fans. They often get many more views than publishers’ Playlists which always increase exposure. Plus, curated playlists allow you to show up in more feeds. If people are making videos about your products or services, then they are fair game on YouTube. It can be anything from the fan of the week to the song of the day. Be creative and use something inspired by fans. They will tell you what they love.

Drive Traffic

YouTube measures several factors on their platform. For instance, if a visitor watches your video and then continues watching other videos for an extended period, it still reflects well on your video. A video ranks well if it is engaging enough to encourage continual views, even if on other videos. Playlists help drive watch time, thereby driving traffic.

There are multiple ways that Playlists can help drive traffic. One fantastic way to utilize a Playlist in this fashion is to link to it. When you link to one of your videos, use the URL for the Playlist instead of the individual video. You should do this on YouTube, on end cards, and on other platforms. Anytime someone pulls up one of your videos on YouTube they should be pulling up a Playlist, even if it’s a curated Playlist. That is the best way to drive watch time, and YouTube will reward you for it. Don’t forget; they heavily promote Playlists anyway.

Playlists are the best way to maximize exposure on YouTube. Use these guidelines, and you will be well on your way to lots of organic traffic and high watch time. Utilize Playlists with your content and when you have a good fan base, start utilizing curated Playlists. Fans love engaging with each other and watching other fans of the same product. A Playlist is free advertising that you shouldn’t ignore.