We’ve seen it all year: optimizing for TV works. We told our 3,000 creators, and those who tried it saw it for themselves. This year at VidCon, YouTube backed it up.
YouTube announced that over 1 billion hours of content are watched on TVs every day. In the United States alone TV viewership on YouTube has overtaken mobile since last year.
So, for creators, optimizing content for TV screens seems like a no-brainer decision, because it improves the viewing experience and directly impacts revenue.
But there’s the tricky part as well. You need to move quickly, before competitors fully adapt.
That’s exactly what one of our music channel partners did, and the results are impressive.
340K Subs Channel, But Missing the TV Crowd
As it stands now, the music niche is one of the most competitive categories on YouTube. So, in order to be noticed, you have to try hard to stand out and stay relevant. Our partner, a music-focused channel with over 340K subscribers, already had quality content and charming music beats.
Their videos were performing decently, but they weren’t standing out in recommendations as much as they’d liked. The problem was: they needed a way to increase visibility and tap into the growing segment of TV viewers without completely changing their content and how they approach it.
One Change, Four Digits: 4K
After a thorough audit, our team at AIR Media-Tech suggested a simple, but effective change: try publishing all videos in 4K resolution. It doesn’t seem like much of a change, but hear us out.
TV viewers are far more likely to notice and appreciate the difference in video quality. YouTube’s algorithm caught on, and now also tends to favor higher-quality videos for larger screens, which can bring a boost in recommendations. After all, large TV screens and grainy images don’t mix well.
The first higher-quality video was published on May 12 of this year. And from that point, the changes started. Viewership climbed up noticeably, higher than the previous quarter’s averages.
And the positive impact urged our partner to release every new video in 4K from then on. Now let’s look at the numbers.
+52% in 90 Days
The next quarter brought in positive changes to revenue, it increased by 52% compared to the previous one.
Consistent use of 4K quality paid off pretty quick. It positioned the channel on recommended pages more often, which led to higher engagement and, by default, higher revenue.
Why TV Viewers Suddenly Noticed
YouTube is actively prioritizing TV-friendly content and pushing it in their algorithms. So, videos optimized for big screens have a better chance of being noticed by viewers who like their TV time.
This, and many other changes, can bring positive results for your channel as well. All you have to do is reach out for your personalized strategy.
Your +50% Could Start Now
Our partner’s case is just one of examples of how we can help creators adapt to YouTube’s updates and changes. If you want to make it on the big screen (of YouTube’s TV viewers), we have focused strategies ready! We can help with:
- Setting up 24/7 streaming: which is especially effective for music and entertainment channels, who prioritize background viewing.
- Translating metadata: this is very important for music creators that want to reach global audiences and TV viewers in multiple regions.
- Optimizing your channel: from thumbnails to playlists, we can help you make sure that your content is perfectly suited for TV screens.
The opportunity is here now, and the channels that move quickly will be the ones that will be on top of the game. At AIR Media-Tech, we’re ready to help you adapt and thrive in this era of YouTube viewing.
