YouTube is a video streaming site that anyone can create and download. There are millions of different videos at your service, you can also upload your own video if you want to be seen by the whole world. If the content you provide is good enough, you can even make money from it!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Watching Videos
Step 1. Sign in to the site using your Google account
This will provide you with a number of advantages: you can comment on the video, remember it for later viewing, subscribe to channels and upload your own videos.
Create a free Google account if you want to have access to all the possibilities that YouTube has to offer. YouTube accounts are no longer separate from the main Google account
Step 2. Use the search bar to find the video you want
This panel works in the same way as in the Google service: based on the data already entered, the most popular queries will be displayed on the screen. To find a video, you can simply type the related terms. You can also use search operators for a more precise search.
Step 3. Browse YouTube channels
If you don't know what exactly you are looking for, you can watch the most popular content by choosing from various categories. Click on the Channel Directory button in the navigation menu on the left. Channels are organized by category: this allows you to find the most popular channels that suit your interests most quickly.
A YouTube channel is a page created by an individual, group or company. Each such channel stores all the videos uploaded by its owner, and for all other users it acts as a profile page
Step 4. Subscribe to your favorite channels
By doing this, you will receive an alert whenever a new video appears on the channel. For the very same subscription, you need to click on the red "Subscribe" button under any of the video of the channel you have chosen, or on a similar button on the channel page.
Step 5. Comment
If you entered the site using your username, you can leave comments on those videos, in the settings of which this action is allowed. Tell whoever uploaded the video if it was helpful, fun, or flawlessly done. YouTube comments can be awful at times, don't follow a bad example - be respectful of others. To leave a comment, click on the field that says "What do you think about this?", Which is located directly below the video, and enter your text. You can also reply to other comments by clicking on the "Reply" button below them.
Not all videos allow commenting
Step 6. Add the video to a dedicated section to watch later
Found a video that you liked, but don't have time to watch it right now? Add it to the Watch Later section so you can access it whenever you want. Click the + Add To button below the video title, then select Watch Later or another playlist.
Part 2 of 3: Uploading Videos
Step 1. Edit video before uploading
Of course, YouTube has video editing tools, but you have a lot more options if you do this right before uploading.
- You can use video editing software to combine multiple clips into one. This is very useful when editing multiple frames or compiling multiple videos.
- Until you verify your account, there is a limit of 15 minutes on the length of the uploaded video. You can do this by providing YouTube with your mobile phone number. Then you will be sent a code: this is what you need to enter to verify your account.
Step 2. Upload the video
When the video is uploaded, it will be added to your personal channel. You don't have to do anything with this channel for this to happen. Going forward, if you decide to get serious about uploading videos, you can start customizing the channel to your liking and grow your subscriber base (see the next section).
- See Downloading from Your Computer to download videos from your computer.
- Watch Download from Your Phone or Tablet to download videos from your mobile device.
- You can also record video directly with your webcam, bypassing the download process. Then, when you're done recording, you can use the video editor to make small adjustments to the video.
Step 3. Add a title and description
When well designed, they can play a big role in the number of video views. Make sure that the title and description are relevant to the content of the video, otherwise you will not receive any views.
The description will appear below the video as soon as someone selects the video to watch. Use the description to describe in more detail all aspects of the video, leave links to sites related to the video, or tell whatever you want about it
Step 4. Add tags (keywords)
They will help you display your video in the results of the related search query. Tags are single words or short phrases that serve as a mini description. Use the most common words associated with your video (cute, funny, animal, advice, etc.). Smart tags can significantly increase the number of views for your video.
Do not overdo it with the number of keywords, and do not put those tags that can mislead users - the YouTube search engine will punish you, and you may not get many views
Step 5. Set privacy settings for your video
When you upload a video, you have three main options to choose from for setting your privacy. You can make it so that everyone can find your video, or so that the video is viewed only when you enter a link to it, and finally, you can make the video private - only those to whom you have allowed it can view it.
If you select the "Private" option for your video and want to share it with certain people, then they must have a Google account
Step 6. Monetize your video
If you meet the requirements, you can make money from ad views for your video. Most likely, you will not earn much, or nothing at all, if the number of views of your videos is low. Celebrities, however, make millions every year.
If you really want to get paid for your videos, you probably want to create a channel that attracts users (see the next section)
Step 7. Share the link to your video
Post your videos on your favorite social network or pin them on your blog. This is the first step to getting the video going viral. Many major social networks have a YouTube video embed feature.
If you want to embed a video on your site, YouTube will generate an embed code
Part 3 of 3: Create a Channel
Step 1. Understand the purpose of the channels
They are your custom YouTube page. Each YouTube account comes with a channel, and more than one if you want to create additional ones. Each channel comes bundled with a linked Google+ page, allowing you to cross-promote.
Step 2. Customize the channel design
The key to it lies in creating a banner that will help your channel stand out from others and make it more recognizable. The design of your channel should match the content of your videos or your nature. It will help your viewers subconsciously remember which channel they are currently watching.
Step 3. Name your channel and come up with a description for it
A good description will help attract people, and a catchy name will help you remember it. The description should also contain both links to your site and a brief overview of the purpose of your channel.
Renaming a channel will also rename its associated Google+ page
Step 4. Update and add your content
Setting up your channel is just the beginning of the journey. Once your channel is on its feet, it's time to upload content and engage viewers. There is a lot to be said about how to expand your channel and increase your subscriber base. Our detailed guides below will help you with all this.
- Create and release quality content on a regular basis to build a loyal subscriber base.
- Don't follow the lead of the masses, try to make your channel unique, niche.
- Partner with YouTube so your content has a greater impact and you gain access to advanced tools.