Here’s how YOU can optimize your YouTube channel to show up more in search results
and can help you earn more views!
Let’s look at an unoptimized YouTube channel together.
Here you can see the TubeBuddy Support YouTube channel.
You’ll notice we don’t have a YouTube Channel banner, profile picture, videos shown,
or anything on the front page.
We need to set this up in two ways.
One for people to find the channel, and 2 when they’re on the channel they know what
content to start watching.
This video is going to be looking at channels already created.
If you want to learn HOW to create a channel we’ll have a link in the description down
below under the YouTube chapters.
The YouTube Chapters are there so you can jump to any part of the video and rewatch
if you need to!
One thing to remember is that all changes we make to our channel page on a desktop ALSO
affects how it looks on mobile phones.
Since 80% of traffic on YouTube is watching on mobile phones you want to make sure that
you keep people watching on their phones in mind.
Let’s head back to the TubeBuddy Support channel!
There are two ways you can optimize your channel on the channel page, by clicking on the blue
customize channel button or on the YouTube studio dashboard on the left hand side you’ll
see where it says “Your channel” and have your name.
Under that you’ll see the customization option.
Both of these pages will take you to the Channel Customization page.
Here you’ll see Layout, branding, and Basic Info!
We’ll start with layout, this is how you can make your channel setup with A Channel
Trailer, Videos for subscribers, and Playlists so they can know where to start watching content.
Like we have for the main TubeBuddy YouTube Channel here.
We’ll walk you through each section now!
When laying out a YouTube channel you want to think about it like your own personal netflix,
hulu, or Disney +!
Those platforms make it easy for you to see what shows are there, and how easy it is for
you to BINGE content on those platforms.
It’s VERY easy to do so, so let’s set up your YouTube channel that way.
Starting with the YouTube Channel Trailer.
As YouTube says here it is to “Share a preview of your channel!”
This is shown to people who haven’t subscribed to your channel yet.
To add it just click on the blue “ADD” button and select a video from your YouTube
Channel.
This video doesn’t have to be a DEDICATED:
“Welcome to my channel, here I do blank, blank, and blank” style of video.
You know the type.
NOW THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS, but there are more than one type of channel trailer.
It can be a recent video that gives them an idea of what type of content to expect on
your channel.
If you’re a vlogger it could be a recent vlog.
If you’re a gamer, it could be the game you're playing!
If you’re an artist the type of art you do.
So on and so forth!
If you haven’t uploaded a video yet don’t worry!
Just know when you do feature as a channel trailer to give people an expectation of the
content you make.
Regardless of the channel trailer type YOU SHOULD HAVE A CHANNEL TRAILER.
There is no reason not to have one!
AND it’s a great introduction to your content for new viewers.
This is also a recommendation from YOUTUBE THEMSELVES and we’ll have our sources also
linked in the description.
It is important to note that when you have a channel trailer it will automatically start
playing for people who aren’t subscribed, so keep that in mind.
Back to the Channel Customization page we have our featured video for returning subscribers.
This is a great opportunity to reach subscribers who haven’t been to your channel in a while.
You can update this with a video you didn’t think got a lot of views, and help that video
do better by using it to inform your returning subscribers!
To add it, just like the channel trailer click on the “ADD” Button and choose a video
you want to feature for returning subscribers.
One interesting note here from YouTube, if your subscribers have already watched the
video, it won’t be shown to them again!
Under that is the “Featured Sections.
Here you can customize Your YouTube channel with up to 10 unique sections.
These are under your channel trailer/ Featured Video.
Here you can add three different sections.
Click the + Add Section to choose between Videos, Playlists, and Channels.
The Videos section let’s you add your uploads, popular uploads, and SHORTS.
Shorts at the time of this video don't show up on your channel on a Computer, but YouTube
said they will in the future.
If you’re watching them you’ll see them on your channel, awesome if you make shorts
they’re good to have.
Until then you’ll need to check your phone to see if the shorts section shows up!
Live now shows if you’re currently live streaming on YouTube helpful if you’re using
YouTube primarily for streaming.
Same with Past Live Streams, and Upcoming Live Streams.
Under that you can add playlists from yourself or other people with Single and Multiple playlists.
Whereas created playlists shows all the playlists YOU have created on your channel.
In the channels section, subscription and featured channels lets you feature other channels
you like, or your subscriptions.
YouTube calls your channel your store front, and this is where you can customize your channel
to be CLEAR and concise to new viewers on what they can expect from your channel.
Now first we don’t recommend using the default uploads and popular uploads that YouTube suggests.
Now you might be wondering:
“Why?
YouTube gives them to us?”
First these types of playlists are available to everyone on YouTube, and so they don’t
show up in search or suggested.
HOWEVER, if you create your own playlist with “your name recent uploads” for us at TubeBuddy
“TubeBuddy Recent Uploads” it CAN show up in search results and be suggested.
So we recommend crafting your own popular uploads and having fun with the names.
We could do a WHOLE video on how to set up playlists, so if you’d like to see that.
Let us know in the comments down below!
Let’s start adding some playlists and we’ll explain our reasoning as we go along!
We have our “New to TubeBuddy Start here playlist” which again helps viewers know
WHERE to go when they come to our channel.
This could be something like “Best videos to start watching.”
Again tell your audience where you want to go.
Then think about what your channel is about.
If it’s a gaming channel include the games you play in SINGLE Playlists where it’s
EASY to watch all videos about that one game.
Going back to the Netflix example, think about bingeing a show, you know what to expect.
This is the same thing in a playlist.
If you’re a vlogger feature all your travel vlogs in a playlist.
Your daily in another, and common topics on your channel in another playlist.
Group common video ideas into a playlist and give them a clear title, AND a description
so your viewers can know exactly what to expect!
On TubeBuddy, we have our Getting started playlist, followed by our latest tools playlist,
and then we have things people ask us about clearly displayed and described on the channel.
One of the reasons you want to lead with your newest videos is because you don’t want
people to think that your channel isn’t active anymore.
Sometimes creators will have their popular uploads playlist here, and those can be older
videos.
You want to show that you’re actively uploading so make sure that your recent content is up
higher.
When you layout your channel clearly and effectively new people know what content you make, and
what content to start watching.
Speaking of clear and effective, let’s move on to YouTube channel branding.
Let’s click on the branding tab on the top.
Here you can upload your channel art, your channel banner, and your video content branding.
Basically an icon on your video that brands it as yours, and that people can click on
to subscribe!
We’re going to start with the channel icon!
Your Channel Icon can be either JPEG, GIF, BMP, or PNG file (keep in mind no animated
GIFs) and we recommend a size between 800 X 800 px image.
Your Channel Icon is often either a logo, concept, or an image of yourself as the creator.
Try to choose which image best represents your channel at a glance and might be easily
remembered or recognized as you engage with the YouTube community.
To add this just click on the upload here.
In fact, we’ll add our image now!
Next up is the channel banner.
The channel banner is VERY IMPORTANT.
It shows at a glance what your channel is about.
Who is presenting the content.
WHEN THEY’RE presenting the content, and a reason a new viewer should subscribe to
the channel.
Let’s look at the TubeBuddy Channel banner.
The channel banner is seen more than ANY part of the channel and is important to make a
good first impression.
Your Channel Banner will appear differently on desktop, tablet, mobile and TV displays.
When making your banner, be sure that your text and logos do not get cut off or cropped
on any viewing device.
When making our banner we have WHO is presenting.
Here you can see it’s me.
Then we have what people can expect.
We say“TOOLS & TIPS FOR YOUTUBE SUCCESS” We let you know our schedule here.
Weekly uploads, and live streams every wednesday.
A schedule is important.
EVEN IF YOU DON’T HAVE A HARD DEFINITIVE ONE, letting people know that maybe the content
monthly or weekly helps, and users will check back to your YouTube channel to see if you’ve
uploaded content if you’ve told them when you upload!
We also have our call to action, at tubebuddy we want you to try our free version, so we
point to it here.
We’ll talk about how to add links here in the “Basic info section.”
But for now, your banner should show WHO is presenting, what they’re presenting and
when they’re presenting, and what you want the viewer to do.
At the very least your banner should ask people to SUBSCRIBE to your channel, and NOT take
them off YouTube, keep them on YOUR Content.
When it comes to the video watermark we recommend keeping it on for the duration of your video,
and choose an icon that works.
It can say subscribe so people know, but for us it will be our support logo!
Let’s look at the final section, the Basic info section!
The first section is the about section!
When it comes to the about section, in the first few characters we recommend mentioning
who is in the videos and the channel name.
Why should you include your channel name.
Well, if we look up my Name Andrew Kan, notice how YouTube bolds the name?
That's not random, it's on purpose, so make sure to include your TARGET Keywords like
your channel name in the about section.
You should also include channel keywords naturally.
SO TubeBuddy support is our channel name and our channel’s purpose.
We could write something like.
“Welcome to TubeBuddy Support!
At TubeBuddy support we help you with all TubeBuddy Problems.”
TubeBuddy problems is a channel keyword and that’s how we fit it in naturally.
You should also mention the genre, niche, and other channel keywords.
Having your upload schedule here can help too but keep in mind it’s more beneficial
if it's in your YouTube channel banner!
Now because we mentioned channel keywords, let’s talk about how to add them, but be
sure to PUBLISH YOUR CHANGES FOR NOW!
You can do this by clicking here.
This is how to save what you’ve done.
Now, click on the settings cogwheel here.
In the channel section, you can add keywords here.
We have a whole video on channel keywords, and you can click that card on screen to learn
more about which channel keywords to add.
At the bare minimum a channel keyword should be your channel name, so we will add that
now.
The channel keywords are the words you should NATURALLY include as we mentioned earlier.
Heading back to basic info!
Below the about section you can see your channel link, and when you have 100 subscribers you
can create a custom URL and that will be shown here.
The TubeBuddy Support channel’s is https://www.youtube.com/c/TubeBuddySupport
Below your Channel URLS, you’ll see links.
Here is how you can add links to your channel banner.
WE recommend a subscribe link, a link to a website YOU OWN, maybe community sites like
a forum or discord, and other social media.
Keep in mind that if you drive people off YouTube and they don’t come back that could
in theory hurt your YouTube channel.
Under that is your contact information.
This is very useful if any brand or other YouTube creator wants to reach out and maybe
want to work out a deal with you.
What we’ll put is the public support email address!
PLEASE DO NOT PUT ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION IN YOUR ABOUT SECTION.
We’ve seen phone numbers, home addresses, etc.
DO NOT PUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION HERE.
With all of that information added, and if you’re happy with how your channel is set
up like you like.
You can click on the publish button.
To see those changes, click on the view channel button.
Do keep in mind it might take a few minutes for the changes to reflect on your channel
page, so just be a bit patient.
If you’ve done the things we’ve recommended you’ll be able to optimize your YouTube
channel.
Optimizing your YouTube channel is important because if we look at our analytics we can
see that the channel page is a traffic source for views.
So the more setup that your YouTube channel is, the more views you can earn when people
find your channel because you’ve put the viewer first and you’re helping them get
to know you and your video content!
Did you make make any changes to your channel page?
Let us know in those comments down below!
That video all about channel keywords is on screen so click it to watch it!
Do you want to learn more about YouTube and how to grow your channel, subscribe and ring
that bell!
I’m Andrew Kan from TubeBuddy and remember you get one first impression with your YouTube
channel so make it count!
Thank you so much for watching!