[FAQ]

I’ve built up a decent library of videos on my YouTube channel, but I have to admit I haven’t really been using the Playlist feature very much, other than just having a list of all my uploads. I feel like I’m missing out on a big opportunity to increase my channel’s watch time and keep viewers engaged.

What are some of the best strategies for creating and organising playlists in 2025 to really encourage viewers to watch more than one of my videos in a session? I’m wondering about things like how I should order the videos, what I should name the playlists, and how to best promote them.

[Jeff Bullas]

Using YouTube Playlists strategically is one of the most effective, yet often underutilised, ways to increase viewer session duration and total watch time on your channel. The key is to think of them as curated viewing experiences, not just folders for your videos.

There are several effective practices to implement. First, you must create playlists based on specific, logical themes or series. Do not just have one generic playlist with all your uploads. Group your videos into tightly focused topics that a viewer would be interested in watching back-to-back. For example, if you run a channel about digital marketing, you might have separate playlists for “Beginner SEO Tips,” “Advanced Google Ads Strategies,” and “Email Marketing Case Studies.”

Second, you should strategically order the videos within your playlists. You have full control over the sequence. A common strategy is to start the playlist with your highest-performing or most engaging video on that topic to immediately hook the viewer. For a multi-part series, you should, of course, order them chronologically. You can also arrange them to create a natural learning progression, guiding a viewer from a foundational topic to a more advanced one.

Third, you need to optimise your playlist’s title and description for search. A playlist can rank in Youtube results independently of your videos. Use relevant keywords in your playlist titles and write a clear description of what the playlist covers. A well-named playlist like “Complete Guide to Landscape Photography” is far more discoverable than “My Photo Videos.”

Fourth, if you have a set of videos that are meant to be watched in a specific order, you can go into the playlist’s settings and designate it as an “official series playlist.” This gives a stronger signal to YouTube that the videos are part of a formal series, which can help the platform recommend the next video in the series to your viewers.

Fifth, you must actively promote your playlists. Do not just create them and assume people will find them. You should link to relevant playlists in the descriptions and on the end screens of your individual videos. For instance, at the end of a video about choosing a camera, you could verbally and visually direct viewers to your full playlist on “Beginner Photography Gear.” You should also feature your most important playlists prominently on your channel’s homepage.

The primary goal of a playlist is to create a “lean-back” viewing experience. Once a viewer finishes one video, YouTube’s autoplay feature will automatically queue up the next video in your curated playlist, which is precisely how you increase session watch time. By guiding viewers from one relevant video to the next, you keep them on your channel for longer and significantly boost your key performance metrics.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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