YouTube is one of the largest and most popular websites globally, with over 2.49 billion monthly active users (Source: Data Reportal 2023). It is free to use, as anyone with a Google account can sign into YouTube. Content is recommended for other users' feeds based on YouTube’s algorithm, keywords within the title, and engagement, such as longer watch times.
Uploading A YouTube Video
YouTube videos can be uploaded through the YouTube app or on the web browser. Anyone with a YouTube account can upload videos. By default, users can only upload videos up to 15 minutes long. Verified accounts can upload videos longer than 15 minutes. The verification process for a YouTube account requires a Google account. Here are the steps to upload a YouTube video:
- Open the YouTube app or web browser.
- Click on the Create button, which looks like a camera icon with a plus sign at the top right corner of the screen. Then select “Upload video.”
- Select the video desired to upload.
- Creators can create the video’s title, description, and thumbnail. They can also indicate whether or not the video is appropriate for children and change other settings, such as visibility, by making the video upload public, unlisted, private, or scheduled.
- Click ‘Publish’ or ‘Schedule,’ and that’s it.
*Note: YouTube video uploads can be scheduled in advance for weeks or months; however, depending on the content of the video (news, vlogs, etc.), it is recommended to schedule uploads at most two weeks in advance.
Visibility
Creators can choose the visibility of their content before publishing their videos. Different visibility settings include:
- Public: Anyone can see the video
- Unlisted: Only people with the link can see the video
- Private: Only the creator and the people the creator permits to see the video
- Schedule: Creators can set a specific date and time for the video to be published
- Members online: Creators who have channel memberships can upload videos that only allow channel members to view
Analytics
YouTube provides creators with the data that allows them to track and analyze the performance of their videos and YouTube channel. This data is crucial and can help creators understand their audience, optimize content, and grow their channels. Key metrics that creators should focus on include:
- Overview: This includes views, which is the total number of times a video has been watched; watch time, which is the total amount of time viewers have spent watching the video; subscriber count, which indicates the number of new subscribers gained and lost over a specific period, and revenue, which includes the estimated earnings from ads, channel memberships, and other monetization sources.
- Reach: Impressions which include the amount of times the video thumbnails were shown to viewers, click-through rate (CTR) which is the percentage of impressions that turned into views, traffic sources which include where the viewers came from (YouTube search, suggested videos, external websites, etc.)
- Engagement: Average view duration is the average length of time viewers spend watching a video. Likes, dislikes, comments, and shares which indicate viewer engagement and interaction with the content
- Audience: Unique viewers are the estimated number of people who have watched the videos. Returning viewers include accounts who have watched previous videos and have returned. Demographics include information about the viewers’ age, gender, and location. Watch time from subscribers is compared to the watch time from non-subscribers.
Monetizing Content
There are different ways creators can earn revenue from their videos. The primary ways to monetize YouTube video content are:
- Sponsored Content: Creators can partner with other brands and get paid to promote their products or services in their videos. These brand deals and partnerships can be very lucrative.
- YouTube Partner Program (YPP): YPP allows creators to access YouTube’s resources and monetization features and share revenue from ads. To be eligible, the creator must have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours in the past 12 months.
- Ad Revenue: YouTube places ads in the form of display ads, overlay ads, skippable ads, and non-skippable ads. These ads can play before the start of a YouTube video or in the middle. To include mid-roll ads, YouTube videos must be at least eight minutes long. Creators must be part of the YPP to receive shared revenue from these ads.
- Channel Memberships: Eligible channels can offer channel memberships, where viewers pay a monthly fee to become members. In return, members receive perks such as badges, emojis, and exclusive content. To be eligible, creators need to be part of the YPP, meet other requirements, and live in one of the available locations.
Subscribers versus Channel Members
Subscribers and channel members are two different groups of viewers on YouTube. Both groups are supporting the creator, however it is free to subscribe to a channel while there is a monthly fee that channel members must pay. Subscribers are essential for building a wider audience base and improving the visibility of content on YouTube. Subscribers are crucial for channel growth. Channel Members provide financial support to the creators and in return they receive exclusive content and perks. These channel members often form a more engaged and loyal community.
Key Differences:
- Cost –Subscribing is free, and channel memberships are a monthly fee.
- Engagement –Subscribers receive notifications whenever a new video is uploaded, while channel members receive exclusive content, which often leads to higher engagement and loyalty.
- Revenue –Subscribers do not directly contribute to revenue, whereas channel members provide direct financial support to the creator.
- Content Access –Subscribers can access all public content, while channel members can access exclusive content.
Ways to Boost Content
- Collaborations: Collaborations with other creators help them reach broader audiences and gain new subscribers. This also allows viewers to discover new channels and build their community.
- Thumbnail: The thumbnail should be eye-catching, grab the viewer's attention, and entice them to click on the video.
- Captivating title: The title should be catchy and use relevant keywords to attract viewers and improve search rankings.
- Detailed description: The description should include keywords, timestamps, and relevant links to help with SEO and provide viewers with additional information.
- Quality content: Creators should focus on uploading quality content to retain their audience and gain longer watch times. Quality content is suitable for brand credibility and will encourage viewers to watch more content from the same creator.
- Consistent upload schedule: Creators should upload regularly, and if they have a schedule, it helps generate more views as the audience can anticipate video uploads. Consistency helps the creator remain relevant and gain a loyal following.
