Aside from being the second largest search engine in the world, YouTube is also a platform where you can start a career (case in point– gaming enthusiast and highest paid YouTuber, Pewdiepie).

If you have a knack for making videos, as well as big dreams of turning a hobby or passion project into a career, YouTube just might be the right platform for you. Starting a YouTube channel is easy. Gaining views and subscribers, on the other hand, is a whole different story. To help you kickstart your YouTube venture, we’ve gathered seven great tips to increase USA YouTube views and following.

1. Come up with great videos.

YouTube is a hodgepodge of good, bad, and excellent video content. Unless you want to fall under the wrong video content category, you need to create exciting videos that will pique people’s curiosity. Go with the flow of trends, but make sure you also come up with something new. One of the primary purposes of YouTube is to entertain.

If your videos are slow and dragging, it is less likely for people to give you a chance. Great editing is also key to creating excellent content. You may ask a friend to help you out in this area.

2. Create meaningful descriptions and appropriate tags.

When you’re uploading your videos, it’s essential to put thought into your descriptions. This includes your (1) title, (2) video description, and (3) tags.

While you want to be as accurate as possible, you also want to lure people into your video. Think like an average YouTube viewer when you come up with a title. Study how online entertainment giants Buzzfeed and Upworthy compose their headlines and use them as a template for your titles.

Your video description is where you can unleash everything that a viewer needs to know about this video. It’s up to you if you want to be concise or detailed. Most YouTubers take advantage of the space allotted to give credit where it is due. If there are sponsored items on the video, for example, make sure you include the brand and item on the box.

The same applies if you used footage or background music. At the end of your description box, include your social media accounts and email address so that an interested passerby can reach you beyond YouTube. These can even lead to bigger opportunities for your channel and potential career.

Tags are what would drive random viewers to your video, so it is vital that you make this step right. Include tags that are (1) SEO-friendly– YouTube is a search engine, after all, and (2) relevant to your video– you don’t want to waste people’s time by misleading tags.

3. Choose an interesting thumbnail

Along with the title, the first thing a viewer sees when he comes across your video is its thumbnail. YouTube only gives you a few thumbnail options. If you can’t find a good photo from the provided selection, you can do this manually by taking a screenshot of an exciting scene from the video, put on text (usually the title), and pass it off as a thumbnail.

4. Take advantage of annotations.

A little-known trick to get those view numbers high will include annotations on your video. These are the text bubbles that pop up on a person’s video, encouraging users to “Subscribe!” or “Watch my previous video!” By using annotations, you’re giving viewers quicker access to your other videos and playlists; thus, you can increase USA YouTube views not just for a single video but across your entire channel.

4. Post often.

Once you start your YouTube channel, you must keep producing content regularly. Absence DOES NOT make the heart grow fonder when it comes to building an online presence. As in any brand or business, you want to make sure your presence is always felt. The more frequent you post, the more you get recognition from casual YouTube viewers. Most of the today’s popular YouTubers started out with weekly content and had gone up to a more frequent posting schedule when they decided to be a full-time YouTuber.

5. Collaborate with other YouTubers.

Collaborating with like-minded content creators is all the rage on YouTube. Nowadays, we’re seeing so many YouTubers making videos with each other to promote each other’s channels and entertain a larger scale of YouTube viewers. Attend and be active on YouTube and video conventions so that you can get to mingle with a newbie and experienced YouTubers. If you get the chance, talk to these people about collaborating. Unless they’re incredibly busy, there’s a chance they’ll happily oblige.

6. Share your video across social media platforms.

As in any venture, the best way to promote your YouTube channel is through social media. This will guarantee more organic views from people within your social networks. You can also promote your YouTube channel with paid ads. Facebook, for one, has a great advertising platform that you can take advantage of when building an online presence.

7. Engage and express gratitude.

When you’ve reached enough YouTube success, possibly with the help of these tips, don’t forget to engage with your subscribers and followers in various social media platforms. You want to let them know that you appreciate their comments, good or bad, and will strive to make bigger and better content for them to enjoy.