This is an updated version of a post I wrote in February. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions via comments, email, Twitter and carrier pigeon.

It’s fairly cheap and easy to produce videos and make them available to the world via YouTube these days. But how do you get people to then watch them? Here are six tips to get you started on building your YouTube audiences.

1. Go local with YouTube

Most YouTube videos done for a political purpose get relatively few views. If you take a look at national videos from the main political parties, viewing figures are usually at best in the thousands or tens of thousands whilst it takes millions of votes to win a general election.

However, at the local level where views are often in the hundreds, it only takes hundreds or thousands of votes to win. That’s a good enough ratio to be able to make a big impact.

(There is a role for YouTube on the national stage, particularly in communicating with niche audiences such as party members, but it’s always worth remembering what the much-hyped and expensive WebCameron is reduced to these days: www.webcameron.org.uk simply takes you to the main Conservative website, where WebCameron is nothing more than the title given to their latest David Cameron film. All a  far cry from the hype regurgitated at the time of launch by the likes of The Guardian: “Tories unveil their secret weapon … watch out BBC, ITV, Channel 4, we’re the new competition”.)

2. Get your YouTube information right

Around 45% of online video views come from people visiting a video site and then searching or browsing around (source: TubeMogul). When they are doing this, the title and description play a big part in determining whether or not people decide to watch the video. Make it sound interesting. Make it sound relevant. Don’t use political jargon. And give a clue about what the viewer will get out of watching it.

Good: What is happening to the Anytown High Street development? William Gladstone MP explains all.

Bad: Footage of Anytown Council Planning Subcommittee meeting on my new camera. Sorry about the poor lighting and the sound which is very hard to hear but turn up the volume and it might be ok.

YouTube also gives you the chance to specify exactly where the film was made. Entering a postcode means the clip will then appear on Google Maps (for people who have the option to display films on the map ticked). This can provide a nice little stream of extra traffic. You don’t know exactly who is deciding to look at your film through this route, but unless your film is at a location such as a sports ground or tourist attraction, there’s a high chance that it is people living in the area or thinking of living in the area.