Channel Review Looking to get more views, not sure where to go from here...

[MrJay]

User name: MrJay
Title of thread: Looking to get more views, not sure where to go from here...
Self review: So I started this channel a few months ago. When I pushed out my first video, it got over 200 views so I was pretty excited. Every video from then on has been averaging about 20ish views. I push out 2 types of videos, a "Full Episode" every 2 weeks and a "Will Mr. Jay Eat It" every two weeks. I have the schedules so that I am releasing a new video every weekend. I spent quite some time about 2 weeks ago trying to optimize my titles, tags and thumbnails but didn't really see that it made a difference. I've been trying to mix it up with some different camera angles but haven't had a lot of success. I'm on a limited budget and am doing must of my shooting with either my iPhone or a 1080 webcam and Fifine covered mic on my laptop. I try to cut my videos in Adobe Premier and normalize the sound, but it does end up being softer than I would like. Looking for honest critiques, here - and if the honest critique is that my content stinks then let me have it. I can take it.
Channel review or Video review? Channel review
Link to channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0UiXDoL_B0CFpxwlKUN-fA/
Link to other review post: https://community.tubebuddy.com/index.php?threads/45628/

 

[Clint]

Yo, what's up Mr. Jay. Love the channel idea...reaching kids where they are at, which is youtube.
1. I don't think you need a Will Mr. Jay Eat It vid. While fun to watch it doesn't really translate to the message of your channel. Maybe instead make a short comedy about being patient or promises or whatever...kind of like a preview for your coming full-length vid that week.
2. If you are on a budget (which who isn't) then I highly recommend a tripod and a shotgun mic (or wireless) from amazon. The mic is about $50 and the tripod is around $20. So for $70 you can run your iPhone in a nice professional setup that will improve your audio greatly.
3. The intro...either cut it or trim it. Kids won't sit through a 3+ second intro, they will just click away. Attention spans are super short.
4. Your banner is cool and I understand that you dress up and do skits...but maybe add some text? Maybe Mr. Jay Does Skits.

What I liked about your channel:
1. You're upbeat.
2. You are passionate about what you do.
3. You clearly have a sense of humor.

Bonus* Just a thought, but what if you added a choose your own adventure with chapters/timestamps. You could offer the options and then shoot three different outcomes and timestamp each.

 

[MattCommand1]

I am offering only a first impression as to what might hold me back to clicking further to check your content.

The thing I noticed first was the long titles, subtitles, sub-subtitles, etc.

A lot of your subtitles is a duplicate of your playlist names so you are using more text than you need.

Also, many of your subtitles, sub-subtitles don't really offer SEO benefit. I say this because if a sub title or sub-subtitle is duplicative or doesn't provide SEO benefit, I am inclined to just remove it.

In your "Will Your Mr. Jay eat it?" thumbnails, there is a lot of text. If you are saying "Disgusting Mac & Cheese", it seems unnecessary to add "Will You Eat It?"

There are some YTubers who don't like text on thumbnails. I am okay with it as long as I don't have to read so much. Most of your thumbnails are of good text size but some are small or have low contrast compared to the background.

My thinking is that if you want children to watch your videos, you can't kill them will all that text in the thumbnails and titles. Even literate adults like me get a bit overwhelmed with it.

But I think you are on the right path overall.

 

[MrJay]

@matt3006 -- Yeah, I had played around with the titles based on recommendations from the TubeBuddy SEO tool -- but I didn't see that it made a difference. I did remove all that extra stuff. And, yeah, I see what you mean about the thumbnails - I cleaned those up as well. Thanks for the advice!

@Clint -- I've actually gotten several emails from folks who like the Will Mr. Jay Eat It videos, so I don't know if I'm quite ready to cut them yet. Probably could stand to shorten them, though. Maybe a shorter eat it video and a preview of what's coming in my next full episode? I like that idea...

 

[MattCommand1]

I've had many videos on other channels that were SEO friendly but they didn't necessarily do any better than an ordinary but readable title. I am not deny incorporating SEO principles can work but to let SEO be the dominant factor for creating titles is not a good way to keep humans around. This issue has been spoken about by experienced Ytubers in the Derral Eves camp as well as Derral Eves himself.

Anecdotally, as a viewer, I hate super long titles myself. But I struggle with the dilemma myself of balancing things.

Where we have a lot more SEO freedom is in the description area and tags area, though.

 

[SunShineDelightYT]

CHANNEL REVIEW REPLY:

Hey there Mr. Jay! Thank you for sharing your channel and being open for advice. I think you have a handle on what your channel is about, your skits and comedy are apparent. ItΓÇÖs definitely entertaining. The only suggestion I have personally, would to consider doing a video every week or biweekly that is a bit longer in time. The shorts get the most views and fast, however; elaborating on a previous video or even asking viewers for requests perhaps? I think asking viewers what topic or what they want to see you do in your next video would engage your audience! Best of luck to you IΓÇÖm in the same boat lol!