You're releasing great music, uploading to YouTube, and… crickets? 🦗🦗🦗

The truth is, YouTube isn’t just a video platform; it’s a search engine, and if you’re not optimizing your content, you’re missing out on massive reach. Whether you’re new to YouTube or looking to improve your numbers, this guide covers 5 real tips that can help you rank higher, grow your views, and build a stronger fanbase in 2025.

Tip 1: Optimize Your Title, Description, and Tags (SEO Basics)

YouTube is considered the second-largest search engine, following Google. Therefore, optimizing your video’s title, description, and tags helps YouTube suggest your video to the right people.  

Your video title serves as a compass for the YouTube algorithm. Make sure to include your artist name, song title, and consider adding a keyword such as “official music video” or a genre (e.g., “lofi,” “pop punk”) in your title.

For the video description, write a concise paragraph about your song using clear language. You can include the lyrics, links to your socials, streaming links, and credits for the song.

Tags are the final piece of the SEO puzzle. They help YouTube understand your video’s topic and match it to the right audience. Use both general and specific tags, ensuring they are relevant to your work. Aim to keep the number of tags between 5 and 10, and avoid overusing them.

You can utilize free tools like Google Trends or Chrome extensions like TubeBuddy, VidIQ. They help track keyword performance and assist you in selecting better tags or titles. They also show you which tags popular videos are using.

Tip 2: Create a Custom Thumbnail That Pops

While YouTube auto-generates thumbnails, the videos that perform the best typically use custom-designed thumbnails to capture viewers' attention. Think of it as a poster for your music video, similar to a movie poster, as it helps your video stand out in search results.

Consider incorporating bold text, a clear image of yourself, or featuring your album or single cover. Anything that draws curiosity about your work can be effective. Stay consistent with your artist branding, use similar color palettes, and fonts. Your thumbnails should reflect the same vibe as your Instagram and Spotify artwork.

Ensure that all elements are easily readable and have high contrast, so they look great even on smaller screens like smartphones.

Tip 3: Keep People Watching (Retention Is the Key)

YouTube promotes videos that retain viewers for longer periods. If users leave a video after just 10 seconds, YouTube will consider the video to be not valuable. To enhance retention, avoid lengthy intros or black screens; otherwise people will click away.  

Always include a clear call to action, ask viewers to subscribe, like, or comment. Provide a link to your next video in the end screen. Engagement tells YouTube your video is worth showing to more people.

Additionally, create various playlists to keep viewers engaged and encourage them to explore more content on your channel.

Tip 4: Utilize YouTube Shorts

Alongside your videos, try to use Shorts more often. While long-form videos help build relationships with your viewers, short-form videos can enhance your discoverability!

You can easily repurpose content from your TikTok or Reels into Shorts, so there's no need to create entirely new content. Here are some ideas for using Shorts: 

• Announce your upcoming songs 
• Share a vlog on the day of your release 
• Post a quick acoustic cover
• Provide behind-the-scenes insights into your studio process 

Tip 5: Work With A Reliable Promo Company

If you want your music to get noticed on YouTube, you can’t rely on random clicks; you need a strategy. That’s where a reliable promotion company comes in.

At YouGrow, we focus on boosting your video through targeted ads, optimized placements, and real audience engagement. We value transparency, fast and personal communication, and organic results that genuinely help artists grow.

As the #1 rated music promotion company on Trustpilot, we’ve helped over 50,000 artists expand their careers and connect with new fans.

Ranking higher on YouTube isn’t about luck; it’s about strategy, consistency, and smart promotion. Start applying these tips to your next upload, and if you’re ready to take things to the next level, we’d love to support your journey. 

Need help reaching more listeners? Click here to launch your YouTube campaign.