YouTube is a web video sharing and viewing platform that allows anyone to create and upload videos. You can watch millions of different movies, or upload your own to share with the world. If the content is good enough, you might even be able to make some money!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Watching Videos
Step 1. Sign in with your Google account
This way you will have several benefits, including the ability to comment, save movies to watch later, subscribe to channels and upload your videos.
Create a free Google account to be able to access all YouTube features. YouTube accounts now coincide with a general Google account
Step 2. Use the search bar to find videos
YouTube's search bar works much like Google's and will show you expected results based on your search. When you are looking for a video and you don't know the title, it is generally enough to enter some related terms. Videos tagged with good descriptions will show up in many related searches. To get more specific, you can also use search operators (via the advanced search options).
Step 3. Browse YouTube channels
If you don't know exactly what you are looking for, you can browse the most popular content by checking the different categories. Click on the "Browse Channels" button in the left navigation menu. The channels are organized by category, allowing you to quickly find the most popular ones related to your interests.
A YouTube Channel is a page opened by an individual, group or company. These Channels host all owner uploaded content and serve as a profile page for all YouTube users
Step 4. Subscribe to your favorite channels
Thanks to the subscription, you will receive an alert every time a new video is uploaded on the chosen channel. To do this, just click on the red "Subscribe" button that you find under a video of that channel, or click on the same button on the relevant page.
Step 5. Leave comments
When connected, you can leave comments on videos that have this feature enabled. Let the uploader know that their videos are useful, funny, or particularly well done. YouTube comments can be very harsh, so try to stand out in a calm and respectful tone. To leave a comment, click on the "Add a public comment" field below the video and enter your annotation. You can also reply to other comments by clicking on the "Reply" link below them.
Not all videos have comments enabled
Step 6. Add a video to the "Watch Later" list
Have you found a good movie, but don't have time to watch it now? By adding it to this list, you can quickly access it at any time. Under the video name, click on the "+ Add" field and select your "Watch Later" or another playlist.
Part 2 of 3: Upload Videos
Step 1. Edit the video before uploading it
YouTube has some tools for editing movies, but you can do a lot more by making edits before uploading them. Check out this guide for details on video editing for YouTube.
- You can use editing programs to create a video consisting of several sequences. These software are great for editing multi-element footage or making multiple movies.
- Videos must be up to 15 minutes long until your account has been verified. By providing YouTube with your mobile number, you will be able to verify: a code will be sent to you which you will need to enter to confirm your account.
Step 2. Upload the video
When you upload a movie, it will be added to your personal channel. The channel and video upload do not require any settings. Later, if you decide to seriously consider uploading movies continuously, you can start customizing your channel and building your following of subscribers (see next section).
- Check out this guide if you upload videos from a computer.
- Check out this guide if you upload your videos from a mobile device.
- You can also record directly from the webcam, thus skipping the upload process. When you are done using the YouTube editor, you will be able to make slight changes to the video.
Step 3. Add a title and description
The assignment of a good title and a good description make the difference in attracting visitors; make sure they are relevant to the video content if you want to ensure a good number of views.
The description will appear below the video as someone watches it. Use the description to communicate the characteristics of the video, links to related sites or for other explanations you deem appropriate
Step 4. Add tags
Tags help the video appear in search results and related videos and are single words or short phrases that summarize the description. Associate your video with the most common words (("cute", "funny", "animals", "how to …" and so on.) By assigning good tags, you can significantly increase its views.
Don't overdo it with excessive or misleading tags - YouTube's search feature will penalize you and you won't get many views
Step 5. Choose the video privacy settings
When you upload a movie, you have three basic options for managing privacy. You can set it so that anyone can search for the video, or that it can only be viewed by typing the relative link or, again, in Private mode, accessible only by users to whom you give permission.
If you decide to set the video as "Private" and want to share it with certain people, each of them will need to have a Google account
Step 6. Monetize your videos
You may be able to make money with ad views for video if you meet the requirements. With just a few views, you probably won't make any money, but the big names on YouTube make millions every year. Check out this guide for more details on how to make a profit with videos.
If you really want to make money, you'll need to set up your channel to attract views (see next section)
Step 7. Share the video
Publish the videos on your favorite social network or post them on your blog. Sharing is the first step towards their dissemination. YouTube is equipped with sharing functions for most of the major social networks.
If you want to include a video on your website, YouTube will provide you with the necessary code to insert on the website
Part 3 of 3: Creating a Channel
Step 1. Understand the purpose of the Channels
Channels are your user page on YouTube. All accounts have a channel and, as a user, you will be able to create others. Each channel is associated with a Google+ page that allows you to cross-promote.
Step 2. Add the graphics
By graphics we mean the logo at the top of the channel, which sets it apart from others and solidifies your brand. The graphics should be relevant to the content of your videos or to your personality: this way visitors will subconsciously remember which channel they are viewing at that moment.
See this guide for details on how to create a graphic sign
Step 3. Describe the channel and give it a name
A good description will attract visitors and a catchy name will help them remember it. The description should include the link to your website and a brief overview explaining its purpose.
Note that changing the channel name will change the name of the Google+ account associated with it
Step 4. Develop and curate the content
Channel customization is just the beginning. Once you've consolidated your channel, it's time to upload its content and attract views. There is a lot to be said about expanding your channel and increasing your subscribers - for more detailed instructions read the guides below.
- Create and publish quality content on a regular basis to gain a loyal fan following.
- Stand out from the rest and make your channel the industry's # 1 destination.
- Partner with YouTube to gain greater exposure and access advanced authoring tools.
Related wikiHows
- How to Cancel a YouTube Account
- How to Upload Videos to YouTube
