YouTube comments can make or break a channel’s success. For businesses, they can be the key to building strong customer relationships, increasing brand awareness, and generating leads. For creators, they are a crucial factor in engagement, community building, and channel growth. In this article, we will dive deep into the importance of mastering YouTube comments for both businesses and creators.
By the end, you’ll have a better understanding of why YouTube comments matter and how you can use them to your advantage.
Why YouTube comments matter for Businesses
Most importantly, YouTube comments can be a powerful tool for building customer relationships. By responding to comments and engaging with viewers, businesses can create a sense of community around their brand. This not only improves customer loyalty but also increases the likelihood that viewers will become customers.
Besides that, YouTube comments can also help businesses to increase brand awareness. When viewers see that a brand is actively engaging with its audience in the comment section, they are more likely to remember the brand and share its content with others.
According to a study by Google, 70% of YouTube viewers feel more connected to creators who respond to comments. Therefore, businesses that prioritize responding to comments are more likely to build a loyal fan base and generate leads.
Examples of successful businesses that prioritize YouTube comments include Glossier, a skincare and makeup brand that regularly responds to comments and uses user-generated content in their videos, and Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand that engages with its audience through Q&A sessions and product giveaways in the comment section.
In the next section, we will explore why YouTube comments matter for creators and how they impact engagement, community building, and channel growth.
Why YouTube comments matter for Creators
YouTube comments play a crucial role in engagement, community building, and channel growth. Firstly, comments provide creators with valuable feedback that they can use to improve their content and connect with their audience. Additionally, responding to comments can help creators to build a loyal fan base and increase their reach on the platform.
According to a study by Hootsuite, channels that regularly respond to comments receive 4x more views and 8x more comments than those that don’t. Therefore, engaging with viewers in the comment section can significantly impact a channel’s growth and success.
Examples of successful YouTube channels that prioritize comments include PewDiePie, a gaming channel with over 110 million subscribers, and Jenna Marbles, a lifestyle and comedy channel with over 20 million subscribers. Both channels regularly respond to comments and incorporate viewer suggestions into their content.
The good, the bad, and the ugly of YouTube comments
While positive comments can be beneficial for creators and businesses, negative comments can have the opposite effect. Trolling, hate comments, and spam can harm a brand’s reputation and drive away viewers.
However, constructive criticism can be valuable for creators and help them to improve their content. According to a study by Think with Google, 72% of viewers believe that channels that respond to criticism are more credible.
Therefore, it’s important to moderate comments to ensure that only constructive feedback and positive interactions are present. This can be done by setting filters to catch spam and hate comments, disabling comments on controversial videos, and responding promptly and professionally to constructive criticism.
In the next section, we will explore the best practices for managing YouTube comments and how to use them to grow your business or channel.
Mastering engagement through YouTube comments
Engaging with your audience is crucial for building a strong community on YouTube. Here are some tips to encourage audience participation:
- Ask open-ended questions in your videos to prompt discussion in the comments.
- Respond to comments promptly and genuinely to show your audience that you care about their opinions and feedback.
- Host Q&A sessions or live streams to directly interact with your audience and answer their questions.
- Use call-to-actions (CTAs) to encourage viewers to comment, such as “Let me know what you think in the comments below” or “Share your own experiences in the comments.”
Examples of successful engagement strategies by popular YouTubers and businesses:
- Casey Neistat, a popular YouTuber, often responds to his viewers’ comments and uses their feedback to create new video content.
- Lululemon, an athletic apparel brand, hosts virtual events and workouts on their YouTube channel and engages with viewers in the comment section.
Dealing with negative comments and trolls
While most YouTube comments are positive and constructive, there may be negative comments or trolls that can affect your mental health and business growth. Here’s how to handle them:
- Don’t engage with trolls or respond to hate comments as it can fuel their negativity.
- Use the block and report features to remove negative commenters from your channel.
- Take a break from reading comments if they start affecting your mental health.
- Use the opportunity to turn negative comments into constructive feedback and improve your content.
Examples of successful ways to shut down trolls and hate comments:
- Jimmy Kimmel, a late-night talk show host, created a segment called “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” where celebrities read and respond to negative comments about themselves in a humorous way.
- PewDiePie, a popular YouTuber, has a “Bro Army” of loyal fans who defend him against negative comments and trolls in the comment section.
Creating a Positive Comment Culture on Your YouTube Channel
Your YouTube channel’s comment section is a valuable space for engagement and interaction with your audience. Setting a positive tone in the comment section is crucial to creating a supportive community and fostering a positive image of your brand. In fact, according to a survey by Google, 75% of YouTube users believe that the comments section is an important part of the overall video viewing experience.
Therefore, it’s important to create a positive comment culture on your channel or business channel. Here are some tips to get started:
- Lead by example: The tone you set as the channel owner can have a huge impact on the overall tone of the comment section. Be positive and respectful in your responses to comments, and encourage others to do the same.
- Encourage engagement: Ask questions in your video descriptions or at the end of your videos to encourage viewers to leave comments. Respond to comments in a timely manner to show that you value engagement with your audience.
- Establish guidelines: Make your expectations for comment behavior clear by setting guidelines for your comment section. For example, you could prohibit hate speech, personal attacks, or spam.
- Moderate effectively: Regularly review and moderate comments to remove any that violate your guidelines or are otherwise inappropriate. Be transparent about your moderation process to build trust with your audience.
Advanced Comment Techniques
While the above tips are a good starting point for creating a positive comment culture, there are also more advanced comment techniques that can help businesses to build customer relationships, increase brand awareness, and generate leads. Here are a few to consider:
- User-generated content: Encourage your audience to create content related to your brand or product and share it in the comments section. This can help to build a sense of community and increase engagement with your brand.
- Comment analytics: Use comment analytics tools to track engagement and sentiment in your comment section. This can help you to identify trends and respond to issues in real-time.
- Comment notifications: Set up notifications for when comments are posted on your videos, so you can respond to comments quickly and stay engaged with your audience.
By implementing these advanced comment techniques, you can take your comment section to the next level and drive even more value for your business.
How to comment on a YouTube video
YouTube comments are a great way to engage with other viewers and creators on the platform. If you’re new to commenting on YouTube videos, here’s what you need to know:
- Find the video you want to comment on and scroll down to the comment section.
- Click on the “Add a public comment” field and start typing your comment.
- When you’re finished, hit “Enter” to submit your comment.
What is a highlighted comment?
A highlighted comment is a comment that has been featured by the video creator. These comments appear at the top of the comment section and are denoted by a special highlight.
Video creators use highlighted comments to showcase particularly insightful, funny, or otherwise noteworthy comments from their viewers. Highlighted comments can also help to encourage engagement and discussion within the comment section.
How to view your YouTube comment history
If you want to view your comment history on YouTube, simply follow these steps:
- Go to your YouTube profile and click on the “History” tab.
- From there, click on “Comments” to see a list of all the comments you’ve made on the platform.
This can be a great way to keep track of your past comments and engage with other users who have responded to them.
How to moderate comments on YouTube
As a YouTube creator, it’s important to maintain a positive and respectful comment section on your videos. Here are some tips for moderating comments effectively:
- Set clear rules and guidelines for your comment section, and enforce them consistently.
- Use YouTube’s built-in moderation tools to flag or hide comments that violate your guidelines.
- Consider turning on comment approval for your videos, so you can review and approve comments before they’re posted publicly.
- Be responsive to your viewers, and address any concerns or questions they may have in a timely manner.
By moderating your comment section effectively, you can help to foster a positive and supportive community around your channel.
How to edit YouTube comments
If you need to edit a comment you’ve made on YouTube, follow these steps:
- Go to the comment you want to edit and hover your mouse over it.
- Click on the three dots that appear in the top right corner of the comment.
- Select “Edit” from the dropdown menu.
- Make your changes to the comment, and then hit “Enter” to save your edits.
It’s important to note that you can only edit comments for a short period of time after you’ve posted them. After that, the comment will be locked and cannot be edited.
How to reply to comments on YouTube
Replying to comments is an essential part of fostering engagement and building relationships with your audience. Here’s how to reply to comments on YouTube:
- Sign in to YouTube and navigate to the video with the comment you want to reply to.
- Scroll down to the comment you want to reply to.
- Click the “Reply” button below the comment.
- Type your reply in the “Add a public reply” field and press “Enter” or “Return” on your keyboard to post it.
How to delete YouTube comments
Deleting comments is a crucial part of managing your comment section and maintaining a positive comment culture. Here’s how to delete comments on YouTube:
- Sign in to YouTube and navigate to the video with the comment you want to delete.
- Scroll down to the comment you want to delete.
- Hover your mouse over the comment until the three-dot icon appears.
- Click the three-dot icon and select “Delete” from the dropdown menu.
- Confirm that you want to delete the comment by clicking “Delete” again in the pop-up window.
How to report YouTube comments
Reporting comments that violate YouTube’s community guidelines is essential to keep your comment section safe and positive. Here’s how to report comments on YouTube:
- Sign in to YouTube and navigate to the video with the comment you want to report.
- Scroll down to the comment you want to report.
- Hover your mouse over the comment until the three-dot icon appears.
- Click the three-dot icon and select “Report” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the reason for your report and provide any additional information requested.
- Click “Submit” to send your report to YouTube.
How to turn on comments on YouTube
Enabling comments on your YouTube videos is a critical step in fostering engagement and building a community around your content. Here’s how to turn on comments on YouTube:
- Sign in to YouTube and navigate to the video you want to enable comments on.
- Click the “Edit” button next to the video.
- Scroll down to the “Comments and ratings” section.
- Check the box next to “Allow comments.”
- Save your changes by clicking the “Save changes” button.
How to turn off comments on YouTube
Sometimes, you may need to turn off comments on your YouTube videos for various reasons, such as managing spam or addressing sensitive topics. Here’s how to turn off comments on YouTube:
- Sign in to YouTube and navigate to the video you want to turn off comments on.
- Click the “Edit” button next to the video.
- Scroll down to the “Comments and ratings” section.
- Uncheck the box next to “Allow comments.”
- Save your changes by clicking the “Save changes” button.
Conclusion
Mastering YouTube comments is an essential part of any successful YouTube channel or business strategy. By setting a positive tone in your comment section, encouraging engagement, and moderating effectively, you can build a supportive community and foster a positive image of your brand. Additionally, by using advanced comment techniques like user-generated content, comment analytics, and comment notifications, you can take your comment section to the next level and drive even more value for your business. So, prioritize your channel or business’s comment section and create a positive comment culture today!
FAQ
- How can I see my YouTube comments?
To see your YouTube comments, log in to your YouTube account, click on the three horizontal lines in the top left corner, select “History,” and then click on “Comments.” This will show you all the comments you’ve made on YouTube.
- Why can’t I see comments on YouTube?
There could be several reasons why you can’t see comments on YouTube. It could be a temporary glitch with YouTube’s servers, a problem with your internet connection, or the video you’re watching may have the comments disabled by the uploader. Try refreshing the page or checking on a different device to see if the issue persists.
- Which is the best comment for YouTube?
The “best” comment on a YouTube video is subjective and varies depending on the individual’s preferences. Some people may appreciate a comment that provides insightful analysis or adds to the conversation, while others may prefer comments that are funny or entertaining. Ultimately, the best comment is one that adds value to the discussion in a constructive and respectful way.
- Can I control YouTube comments?
As a creator, you have control over the comments on your videos. You can choose to approve comments before they appear on your videos, block certain users from commenting, and even turn off comments entirely if you prefer. As a viewer, you can control the comments you see by using the filtering options or reporting inappropriate comments to YouTube.
