I've done quite a bit of TubeBuddying this year. I've trying to sort out what works, what doesn't. I'll start by saying, I love TubeBuddy and the tools it offers. I've been polishing my channel and seeing results in all of the main quad categories.If you're considering using the service, DO IT!!! Their tools that help improve in a variety of areas SEO, Tagging, making shorter videos, picking those video topics from my long-form content, Improving titles on and on, TubeBuddy is absolutely worth the investment for a channel like mine.
I've had discussions with folks inside and outside of TB...and there's a good bit of disagreement on whether or not ads work. Adding a little bit of an ad budget absolutely works. The content has to be strong, the ad targeted, and currently, on FB it's working...posted a #short yesterday on my channel. The video was on a normal path...maybe it'd catch, maybe not. I posted it on - LinkedIn, Steemit, Gab, Locals, FB (several channels), Minds and in my community tab...the video continued on a common path.
After waiting a few hours...I built an ad, 90 dollars for 5 days. I picked a specific audience and stepped back...you can see my views are up dramatically. Also watch time has increased on the video.
Further, when I run ads like this, my discovery outside of YouTube goes up significantly. It's hard to compete for certain terms on YT, so I use this outside door technique to get people to my channel. My channels skew heavily male in YT...but my podcast is more balanced...when I run an ad, I'm also getting more female viewers. This, I suggest is important. YT, at least for my channel, is male dominated....if I can get women to subscribe and view...I'm growing in a way that I cant seem to replicate w/o ads (at least not to scale)
One more note on ads. It's not a magic formula...I've had ads fall on their face. I can't speak to, what will or won't work for you. I can suggest some practices...but ultimately, you've got to learn which media channel is best and the nature of your ad, audience etc.
Back to the value of TubeBuddy - once I've got the viewer on my channel...it's that TB work that gets them to stay and watch something else. For the most part YT does a good job of suggesting vids through my end screens...that's a reflection of TB working and improving my performance on YT.
Overall, my experience is this. Think both YT internal and external. If you've got a hot show that struggles to compete internally, check all the TB boxes and consider a FB ad to drive audience from external sources. If they comment on that video, engage!!! ask them if you can recommend another video...if they say yes...send a link in the comments then ask them to "do me a favor" and comment in the next one with what you think. "I'm really interested in your thoughts" If they do that ask them to subscribe, I even encourage them to connect with me on other social media. I can't stress this enough...these subs are powerful. You've found someone that reonates with your stuff, it's like a 1-100 person take the time to acknowledge the...be excited-it works.
Can I say one more time? TB is fantastic. Use it...make your channel sing...maintain it daily. Then learn to use ads. You WILL grow your channel.
