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Ultimate Guide To Youtube SEO

Ultimate Guide To Youtube SEO: Everything You Need To Know

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SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an incredibly powerful technique for increasing organic growth. For those who aren’t aware, YouTube isn’t just a social media platform. YouTube is a vast search engine that pushes high-quality and informative video content to its users.

By understanding the purpose of YouTube, and what kind of videos may be preferred by the search engine, you can start using it to your advantage. In this article I will explain the core concept of SEO, the part it plays in the YouTube ecosystem, and I will share 13 SEO tips that will have your channel search engine optimized.

If you’re new to YouTube entirely, I highly recommend reading through my Ultimate Guide to YouTube first. There is a lot to understand when it comes to YouTube, and jumping right into SEO can be a bit overwhelming. Within my YouTube guide I take you from the channel creation process all the way up to measures of professional growth. 

By the end of this article you will have everything you need to assure that your Youtube channel is set up for maximized SEO. This will have your channel on track for healthy and efficient organic growth. Excited yet? Let’s jump on in!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links where I earn commission from qualifying purchases. However, I will never recommend a product or service I don’t have 100% faith in. Enjoy!

  1. Introduction To SEO
  2. SEO On Youtube
  3. Youtube Growth Tools
  4. Keyword Research
  5. Three Primary Hashtags
  6. Using Keywords In The Video Title
  7. Video File Name
  8. Answer Search Inquiries
  9. Video Length
  10. Video Chapters
  11. Video Categories
  12. Closed Captions
  13. Custom Thumbnails
  14. Watch Time
  15. Create Quality Content

Introduction To SEO

Youtube SEO

First I would like to take some time to go over the core concept of SEO. The first step to utilizing SEO is to understand it. If you already know all about SEO and want to jump right into my 13 tips for YouTube SEO, click here and you’ll be taken right to the list. Please stick around though if you want to know everything there is to know about SEO.

With SEO, you can drastically increase the likelihood that your website/blog/YouTube channel will be discovered through the search function on search engines (Google, YouTube, Bing, Pinterest). This process will increase the amount of organic clicks and views you receive on your content, thus contributing to the organic growth of your website/channel. 

Organic growth is an important factor to consider, as this is the type of growth that requires no advertising, social media posts, or manual labor. This is exactly why it is so important to set up your website/channel for excellent SEO. You’re missing out on a huge audience pool if you only focus on directed traffic. 

What Factors Contribute To SEO?

There are a ton of factors that contribute to the SEO health for a website or YouTube channel. Some of these factors are universal across any platform, while some are unique to the specifics of the platform.

For a website page speed, keyword research, page length, and alt text on images can greatly contribute towards SEO health. For YouTube it is important to have appropriate file titles, powerful keywords and hashtags, closed captions, ideal video length, and video chapters.
 
While different factors go into maintaining SEO health for a website and YouTube channel, you can likely see the similarities here. Keyword usage and user convenience are consistent factors for getting your content pushed by any search engine. Once you have the concept down, it becomes easier to understand how you can continue to increase SEO opportunities across your platforms.
 
Within this article I will go into great detail explaining exactly how you can maximize these elements for SEO, so don’t worry about trying to understand it all right here and now. 
 

SEO On Youtube

SEO on Youtube

Now that we know the basics of what SEO is and what it can do for us, let’s go further into the specifics of SEO on YouTube.

As I previously mentioned, there are unique factors you want to consider when it comes to Youtube. While Youtube is indeed a search engine (a lot of people don’t know this actually), it is a unique one with its own rules and trends.

For YouTube it is important to have SEO on the top of your mind from the initial conception of a video. You want to have a game plan regarding keyword usage, video length, video title, and more. Incorporating these concepts into your video is something you want to have in mind from the get-go.

Don’t worry if you struggle with this at first, as once you become more well-versed with SEO, most of it will come naturally as you create content. 

Now let’s jump into these 13 tips for mastering Youtube SEO.

#1 – Youtube Growth Tools

Youtube Growth Tools

The first tip for mastering YouTube SEO is to utilize a YouTube Growth Tool. I like to mention YouTube Growth Tools first because they can be a massive help at achieving most – if not all – tips on this list. These tools can guide you through the process of configuring SEO for your videos and channel, all while helping you manage and create content altogether. These tools are a must for any Youtuber, with most professional Youtubers utilizing one.

What is a Youtube Growth Tool?

YouTube Growth Tools are browser extensions added straight to the YouTube Studio. These tools add several helpful functions to the typical Youtube Studio, most of which being fantastic for SEO. These helpful SEO tools include keyword recommendations, revealing search volume, finding keyword appropriate tags, thumbnail generators, best time to post suggestions, SEO checklists, and much more!

Why Should I Use a YouTube Growth Tool?

YouTube Growth Tools make SEO easy, with post-time recommendations, thumbnail generation, keyword recommendations, and even SEO checklists. You can’t miss a step in the SEO process when utilizing a YouTube Growth Tool. This is why many successful Youtubers utilize YouTube Growth Tools, with most recommending them to their audience (including myself of course).

What Youtube Growth Tool Should I Use?

My two favorite Youtube Growth Tools are Tubebuddy and VidIQ. While I personally use Tubebuddy, both of these Youtube Growth Tools are comparable, and it really comes down to personal preference. 

Now I want to take some time to discuss each of these tools, and highlight the pros and cons of each of them.

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is a fan-favorite when it comes to Youtube Growth Tools and for good reason too! TubeBuddy is a well-designed Youtube Growth Tool with a user-friendly interface and helpful guides. Even the most novice Youtube creator can find success through TubeBuddy.

I find it very easy to recommend TubeBuddy because it has all the great features you need to boost the SEO of your Youtube Channel, all while remaining user-friendly and easy to understand. This combination of convenience and effectiveness make for one efficient tool. 

Now let’s go over some of the amazing features that allow TubeBuddy to take your Youtube SEO to the next level.

TubeBuddy Features
  1. Keyword Explorer
  2. SEO Studio
  3. Title Suggestion And Tag Finder
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Publishing Checklist
  6. Best Time To Publish Tool
  7. Video Topic Planner
  8. A/B Testing
  9. Sponsor Evaluation
  10. Brand Alerts
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Health Reports

The above table is a list of the many great features found within TubeBuddy. 

I highly recommend TubeBuddy for anyone who wants to up their keyword research game and optimize the growth of their channel. TubeBuddy is accessible and makes Youtube SEO easy even for a beginner. You can give TubeBuddy a try right now by clicking the link below.

TubeBuddy Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • User-friendly
  • Fantastic SEO and analytic resources built-in
  • Exceptional customer support
  • Robust and complete package
  • Keyword Research tools are a must-have
  • Affordable pricing

Cons:

  • License is limited to one channel
  •  Some users report bugs and crashes
  • Slow computers may experience lag
  • TubeBuddy mobile app has limited functionality
  • Free version is unimpressive

The strengths of TubeBuddy lie within its user-friendly interface and fantastic customer service. This accessible tool is easy to use and powerful, which makes it a perfect addition to any Youtuber’s arsenal. 

As for cons, TubeBuddy really doesn’t have many! Most of the complaints target the unimpressive free version, discounted versions, and mobile app. However, not many users experience issues with the full product. 

Which TubeBuddy Plan Is Best?

I recommend investing in the Legend version of TubeBuddy to maximize your experience with the Youtube Growth Tool. Treat yourself, as you and your channel deserve it! You can get started with TubeBuddy by clicking the link below.

If you want to know more about TubeBuddy, stay tuned for my upcoming TubeBuddy full-review. I will be going over everything from pros to cons, features, pricing, versions, and much more in more depth. Until then, I highly recommend checking out the TubeBuddy website and learning more for yourself.

Next up let’s discuss another viable Youtube Growth Tool for managing Youtube SEO.

VidIQ

VidIQ

VidIQ is another great option when it comes to Youtube Growth Tools. I would recommend VidIQ for those that have a mind that loves numbers and analytics. Many users consider VidIQ to be the definitive Youtube Growth Tool when it comes to the interface.

Overall I prefer TubeBuddy, but I like to recommend VidIQ to number nerds that value a more mature looking interface over accessibility.

Let’s take some time to discuss some of the features of vidIQ, so you can get a better idea on which Youtube Growth Tool matches your preferences best.

VidIQ Features
  1. Keyword Tools
  2. SEO Feedback
  3. Daily Ideas Through AI
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Channel Optimization Checklist
  6. Productivity Tools
  7. Trend Alerts
  8. Real-Time Stats Bar
  9. Tags Suggestion
  10. Video View Velocity Comparisons
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Audits

The above table is a list of some of the greatest features found within VidIQ. 

I recommend VidIQ for anyone who don’t quite mesh with what TubeBuddy has to offer, but wants to give a similar tool a try. These two Youtube Growth Tools are very similar, but approach each factor in a different manner. In the end your perfect match will all come down to personal preference. 

VidIQ Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Youtube certified
  • Fantastic SEO and analytic resources built-in
  • Includes great Competitor analysis tools
  • Keyword Research tools are a must-have
  • VidIQ Training Courses are helpful for beginners
  • Four plans to choose from

Cons:

  • Customer service doesn’t hold up to competitors
  • Free version lacks keyword research tools
  • Boost feature receives some criticism
  • Comparable versions are often more expensive than competing Youtube Growth Tools
  • VidIQ mobile app has limited functionality

The strengths of VidIQ lie within its competitor video analysis tools and keyword research tools. 

Many users report that the competitor video analysis tools are useful for understanding other videos in your niche. By comparing your channel to competing channels, users can learn from successful channels, and avoid the mistakes of failing channels. 

When it come to the Keyword research tools, non-experts appreciate the ability to find the perfect keywords for their videos. This helps with SEO, which is exactly what any Youtuber aims for.

As for cons, I think the main weakness with VidIQ is that many find their customer support lacking. If this isn’t a deal breaker for you, than VidIQ may still be a viable option.

Which vidIQ plan is best?

I recommend investing in the Boost version of VidIQ to maximize your experience with the Youtube Growth Tool. The Boost version includes the vidIQ Keyword Engine and SEO title and description recommendations. If your goal is to maximize your Youtube SEO, then this is the one for you.

 

If you want to know more about VidIQ, stay tuned for my upcoming VidIQ full-review. I will be going over everything from pros to cons, features, pricing, versions, and much more in more depth. Until then, I highly recommend checking out the VidIQ website and learning more for yourself.

TubeBuddy VS. vidIQ

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to Youtube Growth Tools. Half of all users may recommend TubeBuddy, the other half will recommend VidIQ. I would recommend doing some personal research on both tools if you are still unsure which Youtube Growth Tool is the perfect match for you.

Now that we have discussed what a Youtube Growth Tool can do for your Youtube channel, let’s discuss what keyword research is and how it can help with Youtube SEO.

#2 – Keyword Research

Keyword Research

One of the most important factors for SEO is keyword research. By understanding keyword research, you can  score a top ranking Youtube video organically. 

Let’s take some time to discuss what exactly keyword research is, and how it helps with SEO and allows you to rank on Youtube.

What is Keyword Research?

Keyword research is an effective way to know what topics you should create content around, and how well you can expect to perform within such topics. With keyword research you can attempt to match search intent and create content that answers search inquiries. 

Why do this? Because you already know there is a demand for these answers, and you already know people are actively looking it up. By utilizing keyword research you are able to answer questions nobody has personally asked you, but you know people are asking somewhere. 

How Does Keyword Research Help SEO?

Keyword Research

There are many reasons why Keyword Research is important to consider, and I will go over a few of them.

Keyword research is important for Youtube because:

  1. If a keyword is over saturated, your content won’t easy to find
  2. If a keyword has no search inquiries, there is no demand for that topic
  3. Keyword research can increase SEO and help your videos rank on Youtube
  4. Naming videos is easier when you know what people are searching for specifically
  5. Search Engines like Google and Youtube prefer content that answers search inquiries
  6. Matching search intent is an easy way to secure clicks and sales, thus improving click-rate

Those were some direct ways that utilizing keyword research can help grow your channel, and this doesn’t even include the countless ways it indirectly helps your channels. More clicks means more views, more views means more subscribers, more subscribers means more consistent views, and so on and so on.

How To Use Keyword Research

Keyword Research

By now you likely understand the importance of Keyword Research, but how exactly does one start conducting keyword research?

Fortunately, this is process is actually very easy when utilizing Youtube Growth Tools (as mentioned in the previous section). These tools often have keyword suggestion tools and keyword search functions that show stats for specific keywords. These stats include difficulty ranking, search frequency, and much more.
 
Outside of Youtube Growth Tools, there are also specific Keyword Research Tools like Ahrefs and Serpstat. These Keyword Research Tools are more general, and I prefer to use them for my blog. For Youtube I like to stick with Youtube Growth Tools. This is because they are specific to Youtube and include a ton of quality-of-life features. These features can help maintain a Youtube channel in a professional manner and its capabilities go beyond just keyword research.
 
Now that we know how to utilize keyword research, let’s jump into the next Youtube SEO tip.

#3 – Three Descriptive Hashtags

Three Youtube Hashtags

If you are familiar with Youtube, you might have noticed that above the title of a video there are often three hashtags present. This is because three hashtags are the optimal amount of hashtags one would want to use in the description of a Youtube video. Once three hashtags are placed in the Youtube video’s description, they will automatically appear above the video’s title when viewed. 

You’ll want to pick three descriptive hashtags to use within the description of your Youtube video. These hashtags matter, so you’ll want to make sure you’ve done sufficient keyword research before selecting these three hashtags. For example, if I was picking three hashtags for a video similar to the contents of this article, I would pick something like #SEO, #YoutubeSEO, and #SearchEngineTips. 

Why Use Hashtags On A Youtube Video?

Hashtags help with SEO on Youtube by connecting your videos to other videos that cover similar content. The Youtube algorithm boosts videos that cover hot topics and suggest these videos to viewers that watch similar content. This is useful because you can nearly guarantee that the people your videos are referred to are interested in the topic you are covering.

Some Youtube viewers even click on these hashtags or utilize the Youtube explore page to find more content related to a topic they enjoy. By utilizing hashtags you can land on the explore page, and people will be able to find your video with ease. This is a great strategy for getting more views from people who are specifically interested in your video topic.

Hashtags are important for Youtube SEO because they help the algorithm categorize your videos (more on video categories later). This helps Youtube recommend your content to people who are interested in the topic covered within your video. Youtube is a search engine, and its algorithm is designed to push the right content to the right people.

How To Pick Hashtags For A Youtube Video

Picking Hashtags for Youtube Videos

Now that you know why hashtags are important for Youtube SEO, you should have a pretty good idea on how to pick hashtags for a Youtube video. If not, that’s okay too!

You’ll want to use three hashtags that other creators use or will use, and what Youtube viewers might search for. It is important that the hashtags you use accurately relate to your video. So don’t force it, just pick three of the best hashtags that actually sum up the content of your video.

If you follow good hashtag etiquette, you’ll have likeminded viewers organically landing on your videos. Organic growth is an incredibly powerful and convenient tool, so this is definitely a major win for your channel! In fact, people who find your videos through hashtags are even more likely to subscribe to your channel, as they know you create content they are interested in. I think that is pretty neat!

This is exactly why it is important to increase the organic growth of your channel and master Youtube SEO.

#4 – Use Keywords In The Video Title

Youtube Video Title

We’ve discussed utilizing keyword research and hashtags to help with Youtube SEO, but now let’s take some time to discuss the importance of using these within the title of a Youtube video. 

How To Title A Youtube Video For SEO

Your keywords and hashtags are the perfect little cheat sheet for creating the perfect video title. The best part is that you already did all the work finding these during your keyword research! Now it is just time to utilize them.

Aside from just using your powerful keywords in your video title, you’re going to want to match the search intent of people using Youtube. Search intent is all about what someone is actually typing into the search bar on Youtube, and what videos these individuals are hoping to find within their search.

To predict search intent, you have to think outside of your own mind as a creator, and think about what a YouTube user might search for naturally. I recommend paying close attention to your own search habits when you are looking for an answer unrelated to the content you creator, such as a recipe or guide. 

By utilizing efficient and powerful keywords and also matching search intent, you can create a Youtube title that hits every checkmark on the SEO checklist. This can help put your Youtube video on the front page for a search inquiry organically! In fact, if you do it well enough and have only a reasonable amount of competition, you can even do this as a new creator. This is exactly why SEO is such a powerful tool to master on Youtube.

#5 – Video File Name

Video file name

Did you know something as small as the video file name of your Youtube video can help with SEO? I sure didn’t till last year! Appropriately titling the video file for your Youtube video is one little factor that can actually help with SEO. When you think about it enough, that makes sense. 

Search engines are like spider-webs, and an indexing bot is like a spider. The indexing bot runs all around the web of the search engine connecting keywords, websites, videos, pictures, hashtags, and even snippets of text.

The video file name is one more opportunity to utilize relevant keywords and attach them to your Youtube video. More specifically, you should assure that your video file name is the same as your Youtube video. 

For example, if your video is titled “12 blogging tips for beginners”, make sure the video file is titled “12 blogging tips for beginners” as well. Many Youtubers leave the video file as a generic title, but by renaming the video file to something relevant, you can help with the SEO of your Youtube video.

#6 – Answer Search Inquiries

Answering Google Search Inquiries

Like Google, Youtube is a search engine that seeks answers to search inquiries. This is exactly answering search inquiries with your Youtube videos can help with the SEO of your Youtube channel. There are countless videos already published on Youtube, and it can be difficult to break through and get noticed.

How Does Answering Search Inquiries Help SEO On Youtube?

By answering common search inquiries with your Youtube videos posts, you are able to attract new viewers that may not have ever found your Youtube channel. The best part is that each and every Youtube video you post increases the likelihood of this happening. 

Youtube videos don’t just go away, they stay around as long as you want them to. Many videos even get picked up in the Youtube algorithm and get recommended to viewers several years after their initial release. Once your Youtube channel has dozens of helpful videos that answer search inquiries, you are likely to see thousands of daily viewers you never would have had visit your channel otherwise. 

Google loves educational and helpful articles, and Youtube is no different. By contributing to your field in a meaningful way, you are likely to land on Youtube’s good side. This directly helps with SEO, as the more Youtube prefers your content, the more often you’re videos will rank on Youtube. 

Additionally, even individuals searching directly though Google will be able to find your Youtube videos and channel. This will introduce a whole new type of audience to your content.

#7 – Video Length

Video Length

The length of a Youtube video matters. The sweet spot seems to be around 10 minutes in length to maximize SEO. Videos that have a duration of 10 minutes are more likely to rank on Youtube and be pushed by the algorithm.

How Does The Length Of A Youtube Video Help SEO?

The length of your video matters for SEO because longer videos contain more opportunities for search indexing. What this means is there is more content (keywords, hashtags, search phrases, etc.) in a longer video for Google to index.
 
This is how the length of a Youtube video can directly help with SEO. The 10-minute Youtube video is ideal for retaining viewer attention while simultaneously hitting the sweet spot for indexing.
 

In What Other Ways Does Video Length Help With Ranking On Youtube?

There are other benefits to a 10-minute Youtube video outside of just SEO. 10 minutes is also the optimal length for ads and other forms of monetization. Videos less than 10 minutes in length often feel tacky with ads, but when placed within a long video, ads can be done in an appropriate manner. 

I like 10-minute videos because they are just long enough to be beneficial and interesting, but just short enough to maintain my attention. This 10 minute sweet spot is great for SEO, monetization, and viewer retention. 

Later in the article we will be discussing how view duration is important for SEO too. So be sure to keep video length in mind while creating your Youtube video.

Note: Don’t force a video to be 10 minutes long. Make every second count. If the video feels like it is dragging on or is intentionally long, viewers will leave your video and this will hurt your SEO rather than help it.

#8 – Video Chapters

Youtube Video Chapters

This next Youtube SEO tip is easy to miss! By adding video chapters to your videos, you can increase the SEO of your video, all while making them easier to navigate for viewers.

What Are Video Chapters on Youtube?

Video chapters are named sections of a Youtube video that viewers can directly take themselves to by clicking on the section on the playbar. Additionally, the video chapters can be accessed within the description of the Youtube video.

How To Create Video Chapters On Youtube

Video chapters on Youtube can be created by adding timestamps into the description of the Youtube video. Once the timestamps are added to the description of the respective Youtube video, viewers will be able to see the video chapter’s title and location on the Youtube playbar.
 

How Do Video Chapters Help With SEO?

How does something entirely optional like video chapters help with SEO? Well Youtube’s algorithm scans videos on Youtube for any information that it can use to categorize videos. This means that your video chapters create more opportunities to get your video recommended to viewers and pushed within the algorithm. In turn, this will all help your video be ranked and found by viewers.

This additional information offered by video chapters is indexed by Youtube. Each point of information that can be indexed is another boost for the SEO of your channel. Be sure to take every SEO opportunity you can for your channel. It all adds up in a huge way!

Speaking of video categories, let’s take some time to discuss categorizing a Youtube video before uploading.

#9 – Video Categories

Youtube Video Categories

This one is a pretty simple, and typically involved in the usual process of uploading a Youtube video. Despite this, it is helpful for SEO, so you won’t want to gloss over this one. It is important to correctly categorize a Youtube video, because Youtube uses these video categories within its algorithm to appropriately recommend your content to viewers. 

If a Youtube video is mislabeled, it is unlikely to rank nearly as high as other competing videos. This means that even though people are clicking on categories and looking for content similar to yours, they will be unable to find it. This is exactly what SEO helps with. SEO is all about perfecting the mechanisms of your video, allowing it to be found easily through search functionality. 

Some creators forget to pick a video category for their Youtube video because it is found at the bottom of the video upload page under the “advance settings”. I highly recommend making a habit out of selecting a category for your video.

Just like with the video title and description, Youtube will index a video’s category. This is another opportunity to have your video correctly categorized by the platform. It’s in the name right? That’s exactly what categorizing your video is for.

#10 – Closed Captions

Closed Captions Youtube

This is a Youtube SEO factor that a ton of people underestimate. Closed captions are actually important for SEO, and by utilizing them, you can rank higher than competing videos that lack closed captions. 

How Do Closed Captions Help With Youtube SEO?

Youtube’s algorithm is more likely to push content that is accessible to all users. This makes including closed captions in your videos a must. By adding closed captions, your video is opened up a wider audience. Plus, it is nice to accommodate all types of viewers anyways, so adding closed captions is a great thing to do regardless of any perks.

Closed captions also help with SEO in a more direct way. Closed captions add further context to your video, allowing for further indexing by the Youtube search algorithm. Incredible how so many aspects factor into SEO huh? Honestly, any opportunity to crawlable text to your content is a golden opportunity to increase the SEO of your videos and channel.

How To Add Closed Captions To A Youtube Video

How To Add Closed Captions On Youtube

Here is the step-by-step guide for turning on closed captions on a Youtube video:

  1. Go to the Youtube homepage at Youtube.com
  2. Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen
  3. Click “Youtube Studio” which should be the third option on the list
  4. Locate the options on the left-hand side of the page
  5. Select the sixth option “Subtitles”
  6. Click on the video you’d like to add captions for
  7. Select the “Add Language” option
  8. Select “Add” under the Subtitles column
  9. Pick “Upload File” or “Type Manually”
After selecting your upload method fit to your preference, you will now have closed captions enabled on your video! Youtube does automatically place closed captions when enabled, but they are often inaccurate. This method ensures that the closed captions are accurate and up to your high-standard!
 

#11 – Custom Thumbnails

Custom Youtube Thumbnail

Like my example above, the vast majority of successful Youtube videos have a custom thumbnail. The benefits of a custom thumbnail can indirectly help with SEO, so it is a must have for any Youtube content creator.

Custom thumbnails display a lot about a video. A custom thumbnail conveys the subject matter of a video from just a glance, it shows effort and quality, and is a great way to showoff one’s creativity right off the bat.

How Does A Youtube Video Thumbnail Help With SEO?

An effective custom thumbnail will attract viewers and lure them to your video. A truly captivating thumbnail can even help with viewer retention, as viewers may not leave the video prematurely if they are intrigued by the thumbnail. This will indirectly help with SEO, as viewer duration, views, and clicks all directly help with SEO.

Creating A Youtube Video Thumbnail

Youtube Video Thumbnail

I will go more into depth with the process of creating the perfect custom Youtube video thumbnail in a future artice. However, for now I will leave some general tips so you can go ahead and get started!

  1. Use a royalty-free media service such as Unsplash to download images to use
  2. Utilize a picture editing tool such as Pixlr or Canva to add text and graphics to your thumbnail image
  3. Reference the content or your video within your thumbnail, make it relevant
  4. Upload the image to your video from the Youtube Studio

And just like that you now have a perfect custom Youtube video thumbnail! Pretty painless huh? To make your content more personable and approachable, I recommend adding yourself into your thumbnail. I will discuss how to do this in  future article all about Youtube thumbnailsa, so stay tuned!

#12 – Watch Time

Youtube Watch Time

We’ve discussed watch time a ton of times throughout this article, but now it is time to give the concept some dedicated attention.

Watch time is another one of those factors that indirectly affect the SEO of Youtube videos. This doesn’t mean it isn’t important however. In fact, it may be one of the most important factors for boosting your videos above all the rest. 

What Is Watch Time On Youtube?

Watch time is an indicator to Youtube that your content is entertaining, engaging, and most likely high-quality. Watch time on Youtube is a metric that records the amount of time viewers actually watch a Youtube video for. This is also used to measure viewer retention. 

Watch time is one of the SEO factors that are more related to the content of your video, while previous tips mostly involved technical factors surrounding the uploading process of a Youtube video. 

This can be a difficult factor to master, as many people incorrectly predict how viewers will receive their content. One may think that their video is perfect for retaining viewers, but unless you are an expert, it can be difficult to truly predict this.

How To Increase Watch Time On Youtube

Here are some tips on how to increase watch time on a Youtube video.

  1. Keep your video around 10 minutes in length
  2. Get to the point, don’t fill your video with fluff
  3. Bring the energy, stay engaging and entertaining
  4. Keep your intros below 12 seconds, the shorter the better
  5. Create useful content, viewer retention is long on helpful content
  6. Know your audience and create content they will enjoy
  7. Limit ads, viewers will leave if you utilize ads inappropriately
  8.  Use your keywords appropriately, viewers will exit falsely advertised content
By utilizing the above tips, you can do the best of your capabilities to increase the watch time of your Youtube videos. Nothing can guarantee that viewers will stick around though, but you’ll learn what works as you go!
 
Be sure to check the stats of your Youtube videos. You can find the stats of your video within the Youtube Studio. Find out which videos have the highest watch time and see what you did right in those videos.
 

#13 – Create Quality Content

Create Quality Content

Last – but certainly not least – I recommend you create quality content. This entails creating content that is educational, useful, or genuinely entertaining. Clickbait and false advertisement is a short-term play and is generally unsustainable. 

This is the tip that brings this whole article full-circle. By simply focusing on the quality of your Youtube content, you can hit nearly every SEO checkpoint naturally. By practicing good keyword research and utilizing it appropriately within your content, you’ll maximize your opportunities for SEO while simultaneously creating content people will enjoy. 

Why Create Quality Content On Youtube?

Producing quality content is a sure way to satisfy SEO requirements, create conversation around your Youtube videos. and gain a loyal following. Since Youtube is a search engine, every video is an opportunity to answer pressing questions that other people are actively searching for. There is a real service to deliver by creating useful and educational content. 

Long story short, investing in high-quality content is beneficial to you and your viewers. So take the time and make sure your videos are up to your standards and the rest will come. However, with that said, don’t be a perfectionist to the point of never posting. Just post your content and use each video as an opportunity to learn and do better next time.

How To Produce Quality Content On Youtube

Here are some ways to increase the quality of your Youtube content.

  1. Conduct keyword research before filming a Youtube video
  2. Write out a script, this will help with the flow of the video
  3.  Use a video editing software to edit your video and increase professionalism (you can hire a video editor on Fiverr too at affordable prices)
  4. Have an appropriate run-time for your video
  5. Custom thumbnails are a great indicator of video quality
  6. Utilize a Youtube Growth Tool to help you manage your Youtube channel

These are just some of the many ways that you can increase the quality of your Youtube videos. In the end, you’ll find your own style and preferences, so I highly recommend just getting started and learning from experience.

If you’re interested in investing in the quality of your Youtube videos, I highly recommend you read my Ultimate Guide To Youtube. In this article I list all my recommended products and tools that I use to take my Youtube videos to the next level. Additionally, there are plenty of Youtube tips that go beyond SEO.

Closing Thoughts

Content Foundation Building

Youtube SEO can be an intimidating thing to take on, but it is highly rewarding. By working on the SEO of your Youtube channel and videos, you can maximize your organic growth. I hope these 13 tips will help you accomplish your SEO goals, and get your channel to where you want it to be.

As you get comfortable with SEO on Youtube, you’ll start naturally implementing good SEO practices naturally, so don’t get overwhelmed. Just start practicing good SEO habits as you go, and you’ll get it down in no time.

Feel free to reach out to me through email or in the comments if you have any additional questions regarding Youtube SEO. I am always happy to help! Best of luck to you and your channel!

How To Grow A Youtube Channel

How To Grow A Youtube Channel: 10 Effective Growth Tips

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Starting a Youtube channel can be an incredibly rewarding project, but growing a channel to where you want it to be can be difficult. There is a lot more to growing a Youtube channel than you’d think, and there are plenty of tools and ideas that can help stimulate the growth of your channel. In this Youtube Channel Growth Guide I will share everything you need to know on how to grow a Youtube channel.

Today I will be sharing 10 of my favorite ways to grow a Youtube channel. Every idea I share within this article is something I use, believe in, and practice. So I hope some of these ideas can resonate with you and help your Youtube channel grow and flourish!

By the end of this article you will have everything you need to grow your Youtube channel to new heights. Let’s jump on into this guide on How To Grow A Youtube Channel!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links where I earn commission from qualifying purchases. However, I will never recommend a product or service I don’t have 100% faith in. Enjoy!

Note: If you are brand new to Youtube or haven’t created a channel yet, I recommend you reading my Ultimate Guide To Youtube. In this article I guide you through the process of creating a Youtube channel from start-to-finish. Enjoy!

Content

  1. Youtube Growth Overview
  2. Search Engine Optimization
  3. Keyword Research
  4. Youtube Growth Tools
  5. Email Lists
  6. Social Media
  7. Discord
  8. Establishing A Community
  9. Collaborations
  10. Diversifying Your Content
  11. Expanding Your Brand

Youtube Growth Overview

Youtube Logo

There are a ton of ways to help grow a Youtube channel, and today I will be sharing 10 amazing ways to do so. Some of these ways revolve around a tool or service that can assist you with Youtube channel growth, and other techniques require the use of social media, Youtube communities, and raising brand awareness. 

First I will start off by discussing the tools you should be using for your Youtube channel (since I recommend having these tools from the get-go), and then we will move on to some tips that can get you noticed on the Youtube platform.

Each of these methods are useful on their own, so if one doesn’t sound appealing to you don’t fret. I can assure you that each of these techniques work though, but feel free to try a few at a time so you aren’t overwhelmed by implementing too many new practices at once.

With all of that out of the way, let’s jump into one of the most powerful skills for growing a Youtube channel. Search Engine Optimization!

#1 – Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an incredibly powerful tool for increasing organic growth. By increasing SEO, you can get your videos shown to more people without spending any money on marketing or even by physically sharing it around (although definitely still do this!). 

The process of maximizing SEO involves using effective keywords, tags, and having a great title. Youtube is a search engine like Google. Youtube pushes high-quality content that answers search inquiries, sparks conversation, and gets good reception. 

Now that I have explained how SEO works and what it looks like on Youtube, let me share some tips to increase the SEO of your Youtube channel and videos.

The best ways to increase the SEO on Youtube videos are:

  •  Answer Search Inquiries With Videos
  • Use Captivating Thumbnails
  • Use Great Keywords
  • Use Three Hashtags
  • Have Video Lengths Over 10 Minutes
  • Name Your Video File Your Video Title
  • Use The Primary Keyword In The Title
  • Increase Watch Time
  • Create Quality Content
  • Implement Closed Captions
  • Use Video Chapters

I go more in-depth on exactly how you can implement these ideas in my Ultimate Guide To YouTube SEO. I highly recommend reading through the article if you want to know everything there is to know about SEO on YouTube.

#2 – Keyword Research

Keyword Research

Keyword research is an effective way to know what topics you should create content around, and how well you can expect to perform within such topics. With keyword research you can attempt to match search intent and create content that answers search inquiries. 

Why do this? Because you already know there is a demand for these answers, and you already know people are actively looking it up. By utilizing keyword research you are able to answer questions nobody has personally asked you, but you know people are asking somewhere. 

There are many reasons why this is important, and I will go over a few of them.

Keyword research is important for Youtube because:

  1. If a keyword is over saturated, your content won’t easily found
  2. If a keyword has no search inquiries, there is no demand for that topic
  3. Keyword research can increase SEO and help your videos rank on Youtube
  4. Naming videos is easier when you know what people are searching for specifically
  5. Search Engines like Google and Youtube prefer content that answers search inquiries
  6. Matching search intent is an easy way to secure clicks and sales, thus improving click-rate

Those were some direct ways that utilizing keyword research can help grow your channel, and this doesn’t even include the countless ways it indirectly helps your channels. More clicks means more views, more views means more subscribers, more subscribers means more consistent views, and so on and so on.

Now that we understand the importance of keyword research even on Youtube, let’s discuss the best way to conduct your own keyword research. 

#3 – Youtube Growth Tools

Youtube Subscribers

This next step is perfect because it ties into the previous keyword research section.

If you want to take your keyword research to the next level, Youtube Growth Tools are a powerful addition to your repertoire as a Youtube content creator. With Youtube Growth Tools you can know a video’s potential before you even post it! This can save you a ton of time, and help grow your channel to new heights.

Youtube Growth Tools can help your Youtube channel by:

  •  Conducting Keyword Research
  • Showing Search Volume
  • Suggesting Best Times To Post
  • Recommending Keyword Focused Titles
  • Creating Automatic Thumbnails
  • Supplying An SEO Checklist
  • Finding Keyword Appropriate Tags
  • And More!

For the purposes of this article, I want to spend some time discussing two of the best Youtube Growth Tools that I recommend to any and all Youtube creators. Beginner or pro it is never too late to get started.

Tubebuddy

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is one of the most popular Youtube Growth Tools and for good reason! TubeBuddy has an accessible and clean interface that makes Youtube content creation easy and convenient. The tool has everything you’ll need and more to improve your keyword research game, maximize SEO, and conveniently manage your Youtube channel.

TubeBuddy really does it all, and I am very impressed with all of its features. Speaking of TubeBuddy’s features, let’s break down everything TubeBuddy can do for you. 

TubeBuddy Features

  1. Keyword Explorer
  2. SEO Studio
  3. Title Suggestion And Tag Finder
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Publishing Checklist
  6. Best Time To Publish Tool
  7. Video Topic Planner
  8. A/B Testing
  9. Sponsor Evaluation
  10. Brand Alerts
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Health Reports

The above table is a list of some of the greatest features found within TubeBuddy. 

I highly recommend TubeBuddy for anyone who wants to up their keyword research game and optimize the growth of their channel. You can give TubeBuddy a try by clicking the link below.

In the near future, I will write up a full review and break down each and every feature TubeBuddy has to offer. In this review I will go into more depth on what each of these features entail and how they can help your channel grow. 

For now I will move onto another viable Youtube Growth Tool.

VidIQ

VidIQ

VidIQ is another great option when it comes to Youtube Growth Tools. I would recommend VidIQ for those that have a mind that loves numbers and analytics. Many users consider VidIQ to be the definitive Youtube Growth Tool when it comes to the statistics interface. 

Other than that, I would recommend Tubebuddy. I personally use TubeBuddy as I find the tool more charming, and I enjoy some of the bonus features such as A/B testing. However, everyone is different so take a look at the features of VidIQ and see for yourself!

This is a tough comparison as both tools are incredibly useful and you really can’t go wrong with either of them.

VidIQ Features

  1. Keyword Tools
  2. SEO Feedback
  3. Daily Ideas Through AI
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Channel Optimization Checklist
  6. Productivity Tools
  7. Trend Alerts
  8. Real-Time Stats Bar
  9. Tags Suggestion
  10. Video View Velocity Comparisons
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Audits

The above table is a list of some of the greatest features found within VidIQ. 

VidIQ is a fantastic alternative to TubeBuddy. As I mentioned previously, some prefer VidIQ over Tubebuddy, so I would recommend looking into VidIQ just incase it is more your style.

Like with TubeBuddy, In the near future, I will write up a full review and break down each and every feature VidIQ has to offer. In this review I will break down exactly what makes VidIQ different from TubeBuddy, and why some people may even prefer it.

I may even put TubeBuddy and VidIQ up against each other in a more in-depth comparison article. I hope to be able to further illuminate the differences between these great tools. 

Enough about Youtube Growth Tools for now, let’s jump into the next tip on growing a Youtube channel.

#4 – Email Lists

Keyword Research

 Email Lists may sound a bit old-school, but they are actually more effective than ever these days! Email marketing is still a powerful tool that can keep your viewers coming back time and time again.

Aside from the standard Youtube subscribe button, an email list is actually the best way to retain your leads. In fact some Youtubers express frustration with subscribers not being alerted off their new uploads! An email list can help alert even your subscribers of new content.

The main perk of an email list however is that you can contact your viewers regarding updates unrelated to Youtube. Say you release a new book, educational course, or even publish a blog post like this one! If yu have an email list that your viewers have subscribed too, you’ll be able to lead them directly to these new streams of content. This is just one example on how an email list can even benefit a Youtube channel.

Here are some examples of how an email list can benefit a Youtube channel:

  • Turn viewers into leads
  • Retain viewership for future releases
  • Allow advertisement for non-Youtube related projects
  • Notify fans of new uploads when Youtube fails to
  • Continue communications with fans outside of Youtube
  • Increase brand awareness
  • And more!

Email listing is not only still a powerful marketing tactic, it is surprisingly more effective than ever thans to the continued growth of the internet, email providers such as Gmail and Outlook, and the increases efficiency of email marketing tools.

Next up I will spend a little bit of time discussing one of my favorite email marketing tools that can get you get started with an impressive email marketing campaign.

Moosend

Moosend

Moosend is a great email marketing tool, and this is especially true to beginners. Why? Because Moosend’s price scales with your subscriber limit and the amount of emails you send out. So if you’re a smaller brand and are looking to get started on a lower budget, Moosend is a great match for you.

Moosend has great features for email marketing. These features include:

  • Email Campaigns
  • Transactional Emails
  • Sign-up and Subscription Forms
  • Landing Pages
 

#5 – Social Media

Social Media Logos

By now most people are aware of the power of social media. By creating social media accounts for your Youtube channel you can extend the reach of your channel to many other platforms, all while increasing your brand awareness. 

While your channel/brand should have a presence on all social media outlets, I will go over some of the most effective ones in more detail. First let’s discuss which social media accounts you should have.

To effectively market a Youtube channel on social media you should utilize the following social media sites:

  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  •  Facebook
  • Instagram

The Best Social Media For Youtubers

Youtubers and Youtube videos tend to thrive on specific social media sites more than others. I find that Youtubers have the most success spreading their content on Tiktok, Twitter, and Instagram. These social media sites are very video friendly and if you can do Youtube you should have some luck on these sites. 

By sharing videos and video clips on these social media platforms you can reach a wider audience than ever before. It is often these social media platforms that are responsible for making a Youtube channel go viral.

In addition to re-posting your content, if you really want to maximize your social media growth, be sure to post original content well-tailored for that specific social media platform as well. Your social media presence can be as big or effective as you want it to be. 

#6 – Discord

Discord

While Discord is considered a social media application, I want to give it a dedicated section because it is a powerful tool that is under-utilized by Youtubers. 

What makes Discord so special is that you can create your own chatroom server for dedicated fans of your content. Discord is different from TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter because rather that being a place to post status updates and pictures, Discord functions as a free-form chatroom. 

Why Is Discord Useful For Youtubers?

By maintaining an active Discord server, you can keep fans engaged and conversating with each other. A well-designed and well-ran Discord chat is a perfect place to evolve your community.

On Discord you can even send your community members alerts when you post new content. This is great for you because Youtube loves to promote content that gets attention quickly after release. This can cause your content to perform well right-off-the-bat and get your video pushed within the algorithm. 

Many modern successful Youtubers have used Discord to massive amounts of success, but not enough content creators are talking about this phenomenon. I find this to be extremely beneficial, and I highly recommend jumping on the Discord band-wagon. 

Speaking of which… I should take my own advice and start a Discord group! I will update this article once I have my Discord server up and running.

#7 – Establishing A Community

Youtube Community

This next step is heavily related to the last two steps, but in this section I will go more in-depth on building a dedicated community for your Youtube channel.

Whether your community is full of Gregs, Little Stinkers, or Padildos, it is important to establish a true community surrounding your Youtube channel. This transcends social media, Discord, and even Youtube itself. By establishing a legitimate community your audience can feel closer than ever to you, your content, and fellow fans.

Youtube Communities Love To Support Content Creators

Many Youtube creators even create Patreon profiles and other places where the community can subscribe for premium content. This is a perfect place to post content that casual fans may not be interested in, but hardcore fans would appreciate. 

By establish a full-fledged community, your Youtube channel becomes more than just a group of videos. A Youtube channel can experience exponential growth once it breaks the boundaries of Youtube. Die-hard fans are way more likely to share content, especially when they feel connected to a larger community.

#8 – Collaborations

Youtube Collaborations

A great way to organically grow a Youtube channel is by engaging with other content creators and collaborating for videos. This is a great way to not only further grow your community, but also to gain new fans from another community. 

By collaborating with other creators, you can get yourself noticed by other communities and grow your Youtube channel by raising your overall presence on the platform. 

These collaborations are often two-way streets, which means the other creator will usually collaborate for a video for your channel as well. This will bring their community and their viewers directly to your channel as well to view the collaboration.

It can be intimidating to collaborate with other creators – especially early into a Youtube career – however I encourage you to put yourself out there and work to build up relations with other Youtubers within your niche!

#9 – Diversifying Your Content

Youtube Mobile

Another way to expand your audience and grow your Youtube channel is by diversifying your content. Now I don’t mean posting random content unrelated to your niche. By diversifying your content I mean branching out to new ideas and creating new categories of videos. 

For example: Say you post review of hard rock albums, perhaps you can branch out and start critiquing live performances. This would allow you to create a whole new style of video that can capture new viewers all while likely still entertaining your previous viewers. 
 
Additionally you can compile these two different video types into separate Youtube playlists. Video playlists are a great way to keep viewers watching, and this technique is also helpful for SEO.
 
So brainstorm, branch-out, and try new things! Remember to keep your primary audience in-mind when diversifying your content however, as you don’t want to lose subscribers. 

#10 – Expanding Your Brand

Podcast

This last tip on how to grow a Youtube channel is the most indirect, but definitely important for the sake of your overall brand. If you want to grow your Youtube channel to superstar levels, I would advise that you expand your brand.

The most successful Youtubers often grow their channel and authority by gaining popularity in other sectors. 

For example: many Youtubers create podcasts, publish books (autobiographical, fictional, or educational), have mobile apps (games, companion apps, or social apps), create video content outside of Youtube (TV shows, documentaries, reality shows) and many even go on real-life tours.

By transcending into these other mediums of content you can gain a bigger following that in turn now views your Youtube channel too.

I saved this piece for last because by this point you would be an influencer or a celebrity first and a Youtuber second, but hey why not shoot for the stars? 

Final Thoughts

Youtuber

There you have it. That was 10 amazing ways to grow a Youtube channel. I highly recommend starting off slow and implementing these tips at an appropriate pace.

A great place to start would be to begin utilizing keyword research tools before creating content, increasing the SEO of your Youtube channel, and creating and growing your respective social media accounts. 

These are sure ways to maximize the effectiveness of your content creation all while organically building a brand surrounding your channel and content.

What did you think of these 10 tips on growing a Youtube channel? Do you have any tips to add? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Ultimate Guide To YouTube

The Ultimate Guide To Youtube: Everything You Need To Know

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Starting a Youtube career can be intimidating and often seem inaccessible, but it doesn’t have to be. I conducted a ton of research and tested countless products and services in order to efficiently start my Youtube ventures. I am now very happy with my channel, and I want to extend this knowledge onto you lovely readers. In this Ultimate Youtube Guide I will take you through the process of having a Youtube career from start to finish.

Every product mentioned within this article I own and actively use, and I did so on a tight budget. Any product on this list is an affordable option that still delivers on quality. So while there may be cheaper options available, these products are the biggest -bang-for-your-buck.

By the end of this article you will have everything you need to start a Youtube channel, and you’ll know how to grow and monetize your channel to the point of success. Excited yet? Let’s jump on into the Ultimate Youtube Guide!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links where I earn commission from qualifying purchases. However, I will never recommend a product or service I don’t have 100% faith in. Enjoy!

Content

  1. Why Start A Youtube Channel?
  2. What You Need To Get Started
  3. How To Start A Youtube Channel
  4. Creating Your Content
  5. Publishing Your Content
  6. Growing Your Youtube Channel
  7. Monetizing Your Channel

Why Start A Youtube Channel?

Youtube Logo

Before I jump into my product recommendations, I want to explain why I encourage readers to start a Youtube channel. Honestly, anyone can – and should – have a Youtube channel. There isn’t a niche or hobby that can’t benefit from posting video content to Youtube.

 

Heck, these days you don’t even have to show your face if you don’t want to (although for the purposes of this article, I will be assuming you will be). The site has countless types of creators and I promise there is a content creation style that fits your comfort zone. This flexibility is exactly why I find Youtube channels to be a great addition to any brand.

 

How Does Youtube Help My Brand?

 

The reason I advocate for Youtube content creation is that it is the best way to gain a personalized fanbase that really connects with you. This is especially true for those who do show their face on the platform. I would even say this is the best and most powerful way to gain a dedicated audience. 

 

These valuable viewers are far more likely to follow your links and engage with your other forms of content than the audience from more impersonal platforms. Youtube is a great way to gain a following that genuinely trusts you and your opinions / recommendations.

 

Add in Youtube’s generous ad compensation –  which does vary from niche to niche – along with some well placed affiliate links, and Youtube can be a great way to further monetize your brand. By now you’re hopefully convinced about the power of Youtube, so let’s jump on into the logistics of starting up a Youtube career.

What You Need To Get Started

Youtube Setup
Here is everything I would recommend to anyone starting a Youtube channel. It is important not to spend too much money too quickly, as you might not even end up sticking with Youtube. I recommend starting at a decent middle-point and upgrading your setup as you grow your channel. 
 
  • Webcam (logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam 1080P Camera for HD Video Streaming & Recording)
  • Microphone (Razer Seiren X USB Streaming Microphone)
  • Video Editing Software (Videopad)
  • Lights (Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K USB LED Video Light with Adjustable Tripod Stand and Color Filters) 
  • Green Screen (Elgato Green Screen – Collapsible Chroma Key Panel For Background Removal)
  • Photo Editing Software (Pixlr)
  • Laptop/Computer (XPS 15)

Now I will describe each product I recommend and why I think they make great additions to any Youtube setup.

Microphone

Razer Seiren X USB Streaming Microphone

A decent microphone is necessary for anyone who wants to venture into the domain of Youtube. Whether you do reviews, video narrations, reactions, voice-overs, you name it, you’ll need a decent mic. It is unlikely that any webcam you use (especially affordable ones) will record your audio effectively. 

Now the microphone I use is technically not the cheapest you can find from online retailers, but it is my personal favorite. The Razer Seiren X USB Streaming Microphone (as of current pricing) is the best bang-for-your-buck deal out there. I also got my own during an equivalent deal. 

The Razer Seiren X Is A Great Mic For Youtube And Streaming

At $72.66 (typically retails for $99.99) the Razer Seiren X is priced only slightly above less desirable mics, and down right cheaper than rivaling mics. This is why I chose it when starting off my Youtube channel. 

The mic itself is quite impressive. It connects to the computer through a simple USB connection, and it sits upon a nearly flat round stand. The microphone is incredibly easy to use and just sits in front of the monitor or laptop (I use a laptop for work myself).

The sound quality is perfectly fine especially for any beginner. I have yet to feel the need to upgrade, and I intend on using this product for a while. I couldn’t recommend the Razer Seiren X more for any starting Youtuber.

Additionally (as the name suggests), the Razer Seiren X USB Streaming Microphone is a great mic for streaming too. Streaming is a great way to grow your Youtube community, and I highly recommend trying it out sometime.

Webcam

Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam

This one is technically optional if you are working on a laptop like I am. My XPS 15 comes with a decent camera built-in. In fact, I initially tried starting my Youtube career without buying a separate webcam. However, after toying with the quality of my content, I decided to make a worthy investment, and I am glad I did. 

I ended up purchasing the Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam. My recordings were not high quality enough to stand out, and if I am not impressed, I can’t expect any other viewers to be either. I also realized that a high quality webcam can help me create worthy thumbnails for my content.

The Logitech C922 Pro Makes Beginners Look Professional

Long story short, I encourage even new Youtubers to invest in the quality of their content and their recordings. Now this is why the Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam is the perfect investment. The webcam works exceptionally well despite the affordable price tag. My thumbnail pictures are top-notch and the video content comes out crisp and clear. 

As I mentioned earlier, I was on the fence about even purchasing a webcam at all, but I am really glad I grabbed this one. If you really want to save some money, you can skip out on a decent webcam for now, and just work with what you have available. However, I personally think a solid webcam is worth having even from the start, and I highly recommend getting one.

What About A Camera?

Sony Camera

A high-quality camera is a great choice for Youtube! However, I do not recommend running out and buying a camera when first starting off. In fact, I would say this is the last thing you should do. I wouldn’t buy a high-grade camera for Youtube until you are making decent money from your channel. 

An impressive camera will cost hundreds of dollars more than a fitting webcam. Additionally, it is very convenient to just record a video from your webcam and go straight into editing. The Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam costs only a fraction of the price of any suitable camera, so I would highly recommend sticking to the webcam for now. 

The best part about starting a Youtube channel is that it can be affordable at first if you play your cards right. Stick with what works for now, and upgrade as appropriate. Treat your Youtube channel like an expanding business and you’ll be just fine.

Lighting

Neewer Dimmable LED Video Lights

Lighting is a lot more important than you might think. In my opinion, lighting can make all the difference in how high-quality your videos look. Even a great webcam can’t make up for shooting in a dim environment. 

It can be a bit difficult to find the perfect lights because lighting varies so much from place to place. One light that may work wonderfully for someone else might not end up helping someone that lives in another area. Keep this in mind throughout this portion of the article. 

When I first started Youtube I lived in an apartment that had little natural lighting and poor quality indoor lighting. I used the same product then that I do now, so I hope this can help the majority of readers solve the same issues I had. Let’s now jump on into my lighting recommendations.

Neewer 2-Pack Dimmable 5600K USB LED Video Light

For lighting I use the Neewer dimmable LED video lights. The pack comes with two so you can set up a consistent lighting environment from both sides. I position one to the left of my computer and one on the right which does a great job at lighting up my whole scene.
 
As for brightness, these lights can be turned up to bright levels that I can’t imagine anyone ever needing. I really enjoy just how many options you have when it comes to brightness. My apartment had wildly inconsistent lighting, but the Neewer dimmable video lights made it easy to adjust for this.
 
Thanks to the adjustable brightness options, I am easily able to adjust the brightness to whatever level I need at any given time. I highly recommend using the Neewer dimmable lights if you are on a budget. These lights are still my lighting option to this day, so I know you will get a ton of use out of them.

Green Screen

Elgato Collapsible Green Screen

A green screen is one of the most handy tools for any Youtuber.  With a green screen you can establish a consistent background that always gets the job done. This is especially useful if filming in a bedroom or small apartment. With a green screen you can easily separate your living area from your video recording settings. Even if you don’t use a green screen as a background when filming, you can use it for taking high-quality thumbnail images. 

The tough part is finding a good green screen because this is something you can’t test until it arrives. Due to their large size they can be difficult to test and return, so it is really convenient to get this right the first time. Fortunately for you I have already tried out many green screens, and I believe I have found the perfect one I would recommend to anyone.

Elgato Collapsible Green Screen

The Elgato Collapsible Green Screen is an amazing option that I couldn’t recommend enough to any aspiring Youtuber. This product has saved me so many headaches that I previously had to deal with. It is incredibly easy to set up and put away, easy to store, and entirely wrinkle-proof.
 
I tried many “portable” and “wrinkle-proof” green screens in the past (even highly recommended ones), and honestly they don’t cut it at all. The Elgato Collapsible Green Screen left me so impressive that I may just consider it my all-time favorite tool for Youtube. I don’t see me upgrading from this green screen ever.
 

Is The Elgato Collapsible Green Screen Worth The Price?

With that all said, the only real con with the Elgato Collapsible Green Screen is the price. While I don’t see it as a con, and I believe that a green screen is the perfect place to invest a little more money into for the sake of quality, I can see others going for cheaper options.
 
I highly recommend just going straight for the Elgato Collapsible Green Screen because it is worth it in every way. You will save money in the long-run by having a consistent and trustworthy green screen right from the start.
 
This high-quality green screen will elevate your content to a level you never expected you could reach right from the start. I love the thumbnails I am able to create by using the Elgato Collapsible Green Screen and I love the freedom to film at any time and from wherever I want.

Picture Editing Software

Pixlr Photo Editor

Now that you have a great webcam (built-in or external) and green screen. Now it is time to find a picture editing software that can help us create click-worthy thumbnails for upcoming videos. Honestly, you can’t go wrong here. If you already have a program like Photoshop, you’re already in a perfect spot.

However, if you don’t have a go-to picture editing software already, I highly recommend using Pixlr. The photo editing application is completely free and I have used it to create every single thumbnail I have ever made. It is easy to use, easy to learn, and you can create professional grade thumbnails that are perfect for your videos. 

Beginners shouldn’t need to upgrade to the premium version of Pixlr, as the free version has everything you’d need to get started. However, if you want to get more out of Pixlr you can click here to check out premium plans.

Video Editing Software

Videopad Video Editor

You won’t be using this until after you record your first video, but you’ll definitely be needing video editing software. I wanted to take the time to talk about video editing software in this section so you can at least have a decent idea on where to head after filming. I recall being pretty lost here, and it was somewhat frustrating to finish recording a video and then not knowing what to do next.

While there are plenty of incredible video editing software tools on the market, I wanted to find something with a generous free trial that gave me everything I needed to get started on Youtube. After doing some research I ended up using Videopad Video Editor. 

Videopad Video Editor

I chose Videopad Video Editor for my video editing because after testing it out I felt that it had everything I needed for the purposes of my Youtube channel, and it had a generous free trial that allowed me to give it a fair shot. I never heard of Videopad Video Editor until that day, but I am glad I know of it now! 

Thanks to the trial, I was able to fully edit my videos without paying a ton of money. This was a safe way to get started with my Youtube career, and for that I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Once you try out Videopad Video Editor for yourself, you’ll able to make your own judgement call on whether you want to update to the pro version for permanent access. You’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a shot, so I highly recommend it.

Laptop / Computer

Blogging

Last thing you’ll need – but certainly not least – is a laptop or computer. I imagine most readers already have access to some type of computer if they are reading a guide about starting a Youtube channel, however I want to be thorough with this guide, so I will take some time to discuss computer options for anyone interested. If you want to skip to the next section, click here. 

While smartphones are more powerful and accessible than ever, I don’t recommend using one for Youtube. Maybe a smartphone is fine for Youtube if you are running a very personal channel for yourself, but if your channel represents your brand or business, I highly recommend having a decent laptop at the very least.

I personally prefer – and recommend – a laptop for Youtube because you just have more freedom with it. I like video editing at coffee shops or at travel destinations, and a laptop can accomplish anything needed for Youtube.

Additionally, I often record in different areas, and since I use a webcam I always have my laptop with me for recording. If you are like me and enjoy working from a laptop, I have a couple of recommendations for you!

Laptop Recommendations

My laptop is the Dell XPS 15 and I love it! I have never had an issue with it and every program I’ve tried runs flawlessly. This is easily the best laptop I have ever used.

However, an aspiring Youtuber doesn’t need to jump into a laptop this fancy. I already had this laptop for work, and I wouldn’t have purchased it just for Youtube.

If you need a new laptop I would recommend the Lenovo Ideapad 3. I had four of them for business purposes and they worked great with everything we needed them to do. The Lenovo Ideapad 3 is an incredibly affordable option that will get the job done for sure. It isn’t a perfect laptop, but this is a great place to start if you’re just trying to get into Youtube. 

Alright! That is everything you need to start a Youtube channel! I hope you were able to get some great deals and some bang-for-your-buck purchases! Let’s now jump on into creating a Youtube channel.

How To Start A Youtube Channel

Youtube Channel

Now that we have everything we need to start a Youtube channel, let’s go over the channel creation process. 

The first step is to simply create your Youtube account. If you already have a personal account, I would recommend just creating a new one so that you can start fresh. To create a Youtube channel just go to the Youtube homepage and click the profile logo in the top right-hand corner. 

From there you will just follow the standard account setup procedures such as filling out personal information, contact information, channel title, channel type, and more. 

After all of that fun stuff is all filled out you’ll be immediately able to post content! I advise putting up a fitting profile picture and banner photo before posting content though. From my experience, a channel can grow much quicker when it looks legitimate and professional.

Now that your account looks snazzy it is time to move on to the content creation process! This is where the fun really begins.

Creating Your Youtube Content

Youtube Content

The hardest part about Youtube content creation is breaking out of those mental blocks and getting started. I think it is tough to get started because the content just never feels good enough. Trust me on this main point: Just try your best and post your content. 

You will get better at creating quality content over time, and if you really want to you can delete your old content when the time comes. If you never post you’ll never learn. Youtube is just like any real job, you have to learn on the job, and no amount of teaching can truly prepare you for the work ahead.

With all this said, it is important to try your best every single time. Don’t just post bad quality content thinking you’ll magically get better. You have to put in the work. So there is a fine line here between posting imperfect rookie content and bad quality content, and your task here is to find a good standard to reach and perfect as you go.

Now that we have an understanding on standards of content creation, let’s get into some ideas and content creation styles.

Content Styles And Ideas

Youtube Content

I previously mentioned that there are countless ways to go about creating Youtube content. Here is a list of styles I can think of just on the top of my head.

  • Social Commentary
  • Product/Service Reviews
  • Live Reaction Videos
  • Compilation Videos
  • Personal Vlogging
  • Advice/Tips
  • Tutorials
  • Comedy Skits / Routines
  • & Much, Much More!

That was just what I could think of at the spur of the moment, but I am sure you get the idea! There are nearly no bounds to what you can do with a Youtube channel. The best part is, almost all of these ideas work within ANY niche. Let me prove it. I will use the topic of one of my other blogs as an example. That topic is metal music.

  1. Social Commentary
  2. Product/Service Reviews
  3. Live Reaction Videos
  4. Compilation Videos
  5. Personal Vlogging
  6. Advice/Tips
  7. Tutorials
  8. Comedic Skits
  • Discuss the latest scene trends
  •  Review the latest albums by current bands
  • Film initial reaction to popular songs/albums
  • Compile top 10 lists for songs/albums/concerts/etc. 
  • Film experiences at popular tours or festivals
  • Share tips on how bands can utilize SEO and social media to gain fans
  • Teach bands how to use these skills and platforms to extend their reach
  • Create funny skits relatable to other metalheads

By now I am sure you are convinced of the power of Youtube! I encourage you to toy around with some of these ideas as well as some of your own. I promise you can come up with a near endless stream of content if you put your mind to it.

When in doubt, do some research and see what other Youtubers are doing. There is always a creative way to make these trends work well within your niche. There is nothing wrong with looking around and gaining some inspiration!

Publishing Your Youtube Content

Youtube Content

You just finished editing your first Youtube video! Congratulations! However, we have one last chore to do, and that is going through the uploading procedures. Here you will upload your thumbnail, write your post title and description, select your video tags, and more. Once you do this correctly once, you’ll have it down forever! With that said, I recommend putting a bit of work into this the first time. 

To optimize your Youtube video you should have a hooky title that informs the reader of the video’s material, an informative description that utilizes three relevant hashtags, a high-quality thumbnail that shows off the quality of your channel before anyone even watches a single video, and more relevant tags in the tag section. 

Youtube Video Title and Tags

Think of your tags as a keyword for a blog article. If this article was a video I would likely use tags like Youtube Tutorial, Youtube Complete Guide, How To Start A Youtube Channel, Youtube On A Budget, Youtube For Beginners, and etc.

Like Google, Youtube is a search engine. You can match searcher’s intent by answering search inquiries with your video’s title and tags. In the next section we will touch more upon this concept, and how you can utilize it to grow your channel.

Congratulations! You just posted your first video! I highly recommend creating a consistent posting schedule that you can realistically follow. After that, make sure you take it seriously and keep the content rolling. However, we still need to figure out exactly how we can get attention to our Youtube channel and maximize its growth. Fortunately there are incredible tools that can help with this exact problem.

How To Grow A Youtube Channel

Youtube Content

Your channel is up and running, and the first video is now live! You have already accomplished more than most people do, so good for you! Now it is time to get into the marketing side of owning a Youtube channel. Everything covered in this section will allow you to develop and grow your Youtube channel to where you want it to be. 

I will start with the concept of keyword research and then move on to the specific Youtube tools that can allow you to utilize this concept on your Youtube channel. As a blog owner, keyword research is incredibly important and absolutely necessary to take your blog to the next level. Since Google and Youtube are both search engines, this concept is important for both content hubs.
 

Keyword Research

Keyword Research

Keyword research is an effective way to know what topics you should create content around, and how well you can expect to perform within such topics. With keyword research you can attempt to match search intent and create content that answers search inquiries. 

Why do this? Because you already know there is a demand for these answers, and you already know people are actively looking it up. By utilizing keyword research you are able to answer questions nobody has personally asked you, but you know people are asking somewhere. 

There are many reasons why this is important, and I will go over a few of them.

  1. If a keyword is over saturated, your content won’t easily found
  2. If a keyword has no search inquiries, there is no demand for that topic
  3. Keyword research can increase SEO and help your videos rank on Youtube
  4. Naming videos is easier when you know what people are searching for specifically
  5. Search Engines like Google and Youtube prefer content that answers search inquiries
  6. Matching search intent is an easy way to secure clicks and sales, thus improving click-rate

Those were some direct ways that utilizing keyword research can help grow your channel, and this doesn’t even include the countless ways it indirectly helps your channels. More clicks means more views, more views means more subscribers, more subscribers means more consistent views, and so on and so on.

Now that we understand the importance of keyword research even on Youtube, let’s discuss the best way to conduct your own keyword research. 

Youtube Growth Tools

If you want to take your keyword research to the next level, I highly recommend investing in a Youtube Growth Tool. These tools are powerful additions to your repertoire as a Youtube content creator. With Youtube Growth Tools you can know a video’s potential before you even post it! This can save you a ton of time, and help grow your channel to new heights.

Today I will discuss two of the best Youtube Growth Tools that I recommend to any and all Youtube creators. Beginner or pro it is never too late to get started.

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy

TubeBuddy is one of the most popular Youtube Growth Tools and for good reason! TubeBuddy has an accessible and clean interface that makes Youtube content creation easy and convenient. The tool has everything you’ll need and more to improve your keyword research game, maximize SEO, and conveniently manage your Youtube channel.

TubeBuddy really does it all, and I am very impressed with all of its features. Speaking of TubeBuddy’s features, let’s break down everything TubeBuddy can do for you. 

Tubebuddy Features

  1. Keyword Explorer
  2. SEO Studio
  3. Title Suggestion And Tag Finder
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Publishing Checklist
  6. Best Time To Publish Tool
  7. Video Topic Planner
  8. A/B Testing
  9. Sponsor Evaluation
  10. Brand Alerts
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Health Reports

The above table is a list of some of the greatest features found within TubeBuddy. 

I highly recommend TubeBuddy for anyone who wants to up their keyword research game and optimize the growth of their channel. You can give TubeBuddy a try by clicking the link below.

In the near future, I will write up a full review and break down each and every feature TubeBuddy has to offer. In this review I will go into more depth on what each of these features entail and how they can help your channel grow. 

For now I will move onto another viable Youtube Growth Tool.

VidIQ

VidIQ

VidIQ is another great option when it comes to Youtube Growth Tools. I would recommend VidIQ for those that have a mind that loves numbers and analytics. Many users consider VidIQ to be the definitive Youtube Growth Tool when it comes to the statistics interface. 

Other than that, I would recommend Tubebuddy. I personally use TubeBuddy as I find the tool more charming, and I enjoy some of the bonus features such as A/B testing. However, everyone is different so take a look at the features of VidIQ and see for yourself!

This is a tough comparison as both tools are incredibly useful and you really can’t go wrong with either of them.

VidIQ Features

  1. Keyword Tools
  2. SEO Feedback
  3. Daily Ideas Through AI
  4. Thumbnail Generator
  5. Channel Optimization Checklist
  6. Productivity Tools
  7. Trend Alerts
  8. Real-Time Stats Bar
  9. Tags Suggestion
  10. Video View Velocity Comparisons
  11. Competition Comparisons
  12. Channel Audits

The above table is a list of some of the greatest features found within VidIQ. 

VidIQ is a fantastic alternative to TubeBuddy. As I mentioned previously, some prefer VidIQ over Tubebuddy, so I would recommend looking into VidIQ just incase it is more your style. You can try out VidIQ by utilizing the link below.

Like with TubeBuddy, In the near future, I will write up a full review and break down each and every feature VidIQ has to offer. In this review I will break down exactly what makes VidIQ different from TubeBuddy, and why some people may even prefer it.

I may even put TubeBuddy and VidIQ up against each other in a more in-depth comparison article. I hope to be able to further illuminate the differences between these great tools. 

Enough about future content though, let’s jump into one last important tip to having a successful career on Youtube.

Monetizing Your Youtube Channel

Youtube Monetization

You now have an awesome Youtube channel that is destined to grow more and more with each passing day. Now it is time for the step that changes Youtube from a hobby to an amazing source of income. The last major component of starting a career through Youtube is to monetize your channel. There are several routes you can take when it comes to monetization, but today I will focus on two primary ways.

First I will quickly discuss Ad revenue. This is probably the most well-known way to make money on Youtube, but it is also the least consistent. Ad revenue heavily fluctuates from year-to-year and from channel-to-channel, so while it is a great way to passively earn some income, it is not the best way to make money on Youtube. 

You can apply for ad revenue once you have 10,000 subscribers, 400 watch hours, and 100,000 channel views. This is a great milestone to reach, and a great way to gain some income while also utilizing the two primary methods I will be discussing today.

Now that we have ad revenue out of the way, let’s jump into one of the best ways to monetize a Youtube channel.

Affiliate Programs

Affiliate Programs are easily one of the best (if not the best) ways to monetize a Youtube channel. Here is a quick list of why I love affiliate programs.

  1. You can start affiliate marketing right away at 0 subscribers (however this varies from program to program)
  2. You can provide a service to your viewers by recommending fantastic products and services
  3. There are several affiliate networks that make finding affiliate programs easy
  4.  Affiliate income adds up exponentially the more content you create
  5. Many affiliate programs pay on a recurring basis
  6. Your own services and products you use can become a source of income rather than an expense
These are several of the reasons why I love affiliate marketing. Honestly there are even more reasons why affiliate marketing is a fantastic way to monetize a Youtube channel, but I will leave it at that for now.
 

How To Get Started With Affiliate Marketing

There are two main avenues to take with affiliate marketing, and I recommend you do both. There two avenues are through 1.) Affiliate Programs and 2.) Affiliate Networks.
 
Affiliate programs are individual programs often offered directly from the company of interest’s own website. This can often be found at the bottom of the homepage of the website, so check out some of your favorite brands and see what you find. You’ll have to apply to each affiliate program seperately, so this can take some time, but it is worth it!
 
Meanwhile affiliate networks such as CJ Affiliate and Impact are networks you can join that have access to hundreds of affiliate programs. Once you join one of these affiliate networks (or both!), you’ll be able to apply for any affiliate program that is found within the respective affiliate network.
 
To maximize your affiliate marketing potential, I would recommend utilizing both independent affiliate programs and both affiliate networks I mentioned.
 

When To Start Utilizing Affiliate Marketing On Youtube

 
As I previously mentioned, you can start affiliate marketing as early as your first video. Never force this though, as you should only recommend relevant products that your audience could use (or enjoy). As long as you market appropriately, affiliate marketing can be a mutually beneficial practice that helps you and your viewers.
 
*Note: Not all affiliate programs will approve you without a significant channel size or viewer count, however I have never had much of a problem with this. I got approved for all but one program on a new blog that had zero active readers. So I encourage you to apply for some great affiliate programs and give it your best shot! Good luck!

Video Sponsors

Guest Blogging

Another way to monetize your Youtube channel is by creating sponsored content. How video sponsors work is that you (or your management team) negotiate plans with a company to advertise their product/service. In return the business will sponsor your video, and compensate you for creating an ad spot within the video. 

Terms and rules vary between each sponsor deal, but expect to discuss ad length, do’s/don’ts, compensation, and more. 

Sponsored content is a great way to get paid for making a video. Regardless of ad revenue or affiliate sales, you’re guaranteed to be compensated should your ad be approved. Another plus is that sponsored content and affiliate sales are not mutually exclusive. You can do both, and more often than not, your video sponsor will provide you with an affiliate link. This will allow you to make commission on any sales directly made due to your video. 

Sponsored content is a great way to get paid for your video, all while receiving recurring commission for any sales made. By utilizing both sponsored ads, affiliate links, and Youtube ad revenue, you can turn your Youtube channel into a glorious source of income. 

How To Create An Ad For A Sponsor

Creators working on their laptop and writing down a content strategy

There are many directions you can take with creating a sponsored ad for a Youtube video. I personally prefer finding sponsors that are relevant to the content of your channel or video. This can ensure that the product or service you are promoting will actually be useful or interesting to your viewers. This can also help boost sales through supplied affiliate links, as your reviews are more likely to actually want or need the product or service.

This is not a rule though, as many Youtubers promote mobile apps, mobile games, and other entertainment media not relevant to the overall theme of their channel. This is easier when you’re a large Youtuber or if you have a channel that discusses a large array of topics. These types of sponsors can feel less out of place within these types of channels.

Regardless of the sponsor, it is always best to be transparent. Always disclose when a video is sponsored, and discuss why it is sponsored with your audience. Don’t shill a product or service you dislike, and do your due diligence when seeking out products or services to sponsor. If the sponsor reaches out to you first, definitely research the business before making a decision.

By practicing good sponsor habits, you can gain all the benefits of having sponsored content while retaining the trust of your fanbase and the integrity of your channel.

Final Thoughts

Content Creation

Congratulations! You made it through the Ultimate Guide to Youtube! This was a huge and comprehensive article, but I hope you learned a lot of valuable information. 

Now you should know why you should have a Youtube channel, what you’ll need to get started, how to make a Youtube channel, how to publish content, how to grow your channel, and how to monetize your channel. If some of the material was lost on you, you’ll be able to check back in as you progress your channel! Isn’t the internet great!?

This may all seem like a ton of work, but this is a rewarding venture that allows you to create the content you are passionate about, and earn some income while doing so. No one ever said being a Youtube creator was easy, but hopefully this guide can help make it as easy as possible.

If you have any further questions, feel free to spark up a conversation in the comments. I will answer any and all questions you have, and I look forward to helping you create your Youtube channel! 

Was this Ultimate Guide to Youtube helpful? I hope so! Let me know your thoughts down in the comments as well. Best of luck!

Want To Learn More About Blogging Next?

If you enjoyed my complete Youtube guide and want to learn more about blogging next, check out my article on 12 amateur blogging mistakes to avoid and how to solve them. Thank you and see you next time!