Streaming your favorite K-Pop artists music videos on YouTube is one of the best ways to show your love and appreciation. Plus, streaming goes a long way in supporting a group or soloist.
Why stream in K-Pop? The more views a video has, the more likely YouTube is to promote it to non-fans, helping to spread the act’s music far and wide. Groups with high views are also more likely to get press and media coverage internationally. Views even count towards Billboard’s ‘Streaming Songs’ chart — a ranking of the most-streamed songs in the United States.
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of how to stream K-Pop on YouTube so you can be an active fandom participant and help propel your group to the top. Let’s dive in!
Step-by-step: How to stream on YouTube in K-Pop
Note: While no one knows exactly how the YouTube algorithm works, the steps outlined below are widely agreed upon by multiple K-Pop fandoms who regularly achieve high view counts, based on both experience and testing. Following these steps should help ensure all your views count towards your favorite act’s success.
Step 1: Open YouTube
Naturally, to start streaming, you’ll first need to open YouTube.
You can open YouTube on your computer, or you can download the app on your phone or table. For the purposes of K-Pop streaming, both options work.
Note that while you can stream on multiple devices simultaneously, it’s best to connect them to different internet networks (for example, your laptop on Wi-Fi and your phone on cellular data). Streaming with multiple devices on the same IP address may cause YouTube to see you as a spam bot, which may invalidate your views.
Step 2: Log in
Logging into your YouTube account is a highly recommended step in the streaming process. Streaming while logged in sends another signal to YouTube that you’re not a bot.
Remember, it’s crucial that you avoid looking like a bot because YouTube filters views. If the platform suspects you are a bot, your views won’t count and your efforts will be futile.
Step 3: Search for the song
Next, it’s time to find the music video you want to stream. Instead of pasting a link directly into your browser, search for the song using the YouTube search bar.
You don’t need to type the exact title, but many believe that searching manually rather than clicking a link helps you appear more like a genuine viewer.
Step 4: Play the music video
Now, start streaming!
Remember that in some cases (particularly with groups from smaller companies, a music video may be posted on two different channels. For example, there may be one upload on a channel like 1theK, and another on the artist or agency’s own official channel. If this is the case for your favorite artist, make sure you check with your fandom and agree which video to focus your streaming impact on.
Step 5: Check your player settings
Once the video is playing, don’t forget to check your YouTube player settings. Keep the video quality at 480p or higher and make sure that the video is not muted, just like a casual viewer would.
Step 6: Watch other related videos
After the music video is over, the next essential step is to watch a couple of different videos. While this may seem counterproductive, watching the same video repeatedly may be interpreted as bot behavior.
Thankfully, you can still help your favorite artists without watching the target music video on repeat. Simply rotate their comeback video with past music videos or content on their channel.
Aim to watch 3 to 4 different videos between each comeback stream.
Step 7: Repeat the process from Step 3
Now that you’ve watched a few other videos, it’s time to search for the song again and repeat the process for as long as you’d like.
Following this method will help you contribute several views per hour to your favorite artist’s music video, boosting their popularity and rankings.
Top tips for streaming K-Pop on YouTube
Want to really maximize your streaming efforts and make the biggest impact possible? We’ve compiled a list of top tips to help you become a more efficient and effective K-Pop streamer.
1. Check the comeback goals
Large fanbases often post “goals” for a group’s comeback on social media. Typically organized in graphic or video format, these goal lists include the number of YouTube views your fandom is aiming for this comeback.
Checking these goals can help keep you motivated and focused on the bigger picture. When you align your own streaming efforts with your fandom’s objectives, you can all work together to ensure your favorite group gets the attention they deserve.
2. Use headphones
If you don’t want to play the music video out loud every time (of if your family or roommates are begging you to turn the music down!), consider using headphones. You won’t need to mute the video and void your streams, but you won’t have to listen to the song on repeat either.
3. Don’t spam the comments
Spamming multiple comments may come from the heart, but it could make you look like a bot to YouTube. Many fandoms also recommend avoiding comments containing words like “stream” or “views.”
Instead, focus on leaving a single, meaningful comment supporting the group. It’ll help with engagement and encourage other fans to do the same, all without harming your streaming efforts.
4. Don’t use playlists at first
Although playlists can be a convenient way to stream on autopilot, many fandoms recommend that you don’t use playlists during the first 24 hours after a music video’s release. This is an extra precaution to ensure that all views count.
5. Remember to stream on other platforms
While YouTube is a crucial platform for K-Pop streaming, don’t forget about other platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Streaming on these platforms helps to boost other chart rankings, and contributes a little financial support to your favorite artists. The best part is that you can stream on multiple different platforms at the same time without worrying about looking like a bot.
6. Take breaks!
Although streaming is a great way to support your favorite group, there’s no point in streaming if it’s not enjoyable for you.
Don’t neglect eating, drinking, showering, working, studying, or spending time with friends and family in favor of streaming. Taking care of yourself is always more important than racking up views!
Conclusion
Now you know how to stream on YouTube in K-Pop. Follow these steps and tips, and your favorite group should see their YouTube views skyrocket in no time.
Remember to share this guide with your fellow fans to ensure your efforts don’t go to waste!