YouTube Creator Blog [UK]

Improvements to YouTube Uploading

2013-05-15T09:40:00.003-07:00

We've heard your feedback about uploading videos being a bit of a drag, so today we're announcing two improvements to make it easier.

Upload Notification Emails

Tired of refreshing the upload page to see if your video is finally done and ready to be watched and shared? Starting this week, we will send you an email to notify you that your video is done uploading and processing. You can then forward that email to friends or family for easy sharing.

Prefer not to receive these emails? You can opt out by visiting your email settings.

More Control Over Publishing and Sharing

Ever had a public video publish to YouTube before you’ve finished filling in its information? You’ll soon be able to decide when your video gets published, giving you as much time as you need to input the title, description, custom message to send to your subscribers, etc.

Until you tell us to publish your video, we'll treat it as private so it’ll be visible only to you. We’ll start rolling out this change next week, so hang tight if you don't see this change just yet-- and don’t forget to press Publish!

As always, if you want to share your feedback about these new features you can post in the YouTube Help forum or use the Send Feedback link at the bottom of any YouTube page.

Balazs Dezso, YouTube engineer, recently watched Follow Me on Twitter.

Back by popular demand! A Virtual Master Class from your own room

2013-05-08T10:19:00.002-07:00

Ever wanted to ask a specific question about production for your video? YouTube Space London is offering one virtual master class for creators via a Hangout On Air live from the YouTube Space London this month.

A virtual master class is an online classroom that is streamed right from the YouTube Space London. The classes are all production focused and will cover topics intended to help you make your videos better.

The first master class will be on Tuesday, May 28th, at 7pm GMT on the YouTube Creators YouTube Channel. The topic for this master class is Introduction to Lighting. If you have any questions about lighting, please enter your questions here.

You will also be able to ask questions live during the virtual master class! During the Hangout On Air, submit questions via the comments below the video as we will be taking them live.

The virtual master classes will be available through video on demand on our channel.

Kelly Greaves, YouTube Creator Programmes Specialist, recently watched London Bus Characters by MallumTV

Coming soon: More videos in the homepage

2013-04-19T10:04:00.000-07:00

We know that the YouTube homepage, or the “sub box” as it’s lovingly called by long-time YouTubers, is a very important part of the site for creators. It’s where all your die-hard fans come to catch your latest uploads and we’re working hard to improve the experience for all of your viewers.

Starting next week, you’ll see an update to the homepage for signed-in viewers that puts more videos above the fold. Rather than one video per channel, your fans will now get to see more of your uploads on a single row of the homepage.

In addition, we’ve also added some variety to how updates from channels are displayed. For example, if someone has been watching a few episodes from a series, there’s a good chance they’ll see an update on their homepage that encourages them to watch the next episode:

This update is a first of a series of improvements you’ll see us make over the coming months to make the homepage smarter.

To help someone find the next best thing to watch, we’re looking for patterns in how viewers use YouTube. We know that a lot of fans come back to watch every single video from their favorite channels, regardless of whether those videos were uploaded yesterday or last year. For those most loyal fans, we want to make sure that their favorite channels are always up top so they never miss a beat. And for those fans that watch mainly from their subscriptions, we’ll move their other recommendations further down so they can always see their favorite channels first.

This update is another in a series of improvements you’ll see over the coming months to make the home page smarter. We’ll keep you updated along the way, and we hope you enjoy these new improvements as well.

Norberto Guimaraes recently subscribed to bigthink.

Tailored Strategies Just for You

2013-04-10T07:43:00.001-07:00

The Creator Playbook is a great resource to learn about best practice on YouTube, but wouldn’t you like to get your hands on a Playbook with tailored tips and strategies specific to the type of content you create? After all, each one of you creates something completely unique. As a music creator, maybe you’re wondering how to successfully release an album or song on YouTube. Or, if you’re a sports creator, maybe you’re stumped on how to program your content during the off-season. Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered.

Today, we’re announcing the creation of Playbook Guides - a new set of resources designed for the unique needs of different content creators. Playbook Guides are now available in the following categories: Sports, Music, Education, Media Companies, and Nonprofits.

Don’t forget to use these resources alongside the Creator Playbook, which is still the one-stop shop for site-wide best practices.

Lauren Vilders, Audience Development, recently watched “Hip Hop Shopping Spree | CDZA Opus No. 21.“

Convert viewers into subscribers with your Channel Trailer

2013-04-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

If you’ve upgraded to the new YouTube One Channel, you’ve probably noticed that you can feature a trailer to convert viewers into subscribers. When you enable the Browse Tab in channel settings, only non-subscribers will see this trailer.

A compelling channel trailer is the most engaging way of introducing your channel and encouraging your viewers to subscribe, so that they’ll make you part of their YouTube habit.

Some creators have already started featuring amazingly effective Channel Trailers. Here are a few examples: MysteryGuitarMan, Indy Mogul and Veritasium Science

Imagine this trailer as an ad for your channel. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you’re making your Channel Trailer:

Have a clear call to action to subscribe (scripted and annotated in the video, and in the video description as well)

Entertain the viewer - when in doubt “show” what your channel is about, don’t “tell”

Indicate the type of videos you upload and when you upload them

Think about the video’s context; it will be seen on the channel, potentially after a viewer has already seen at least one of your videos

There’s no perfect length, but shorter is better

For a full rundown of strategies to build your audience with the new YouTube One Channel, visit the revised YouTube Playbook. Now go and create something great!

Andres Palmiter, Audience Development Strategist, recently subscribed to AgentXPQ and xperpetualmotion

We’re simplifying earnings reporting for all partners

2013-03-26T10:38:00.003-07:00

One of the most exciting things about YouTube is all the partners building businesses around doing what they love. We now have thousands of partners who are making video creation a full-time endeavour. And, we’re listening to feedback and working to improve the process of earning money on YouTube.

So, in an effort to ensure that we deliver our partners the most accurate and consistent financial performance data for their videos, we are making some changes in how YouTube interacts with AdSense. Starting 1 April 2013, AdSense will no longer calculate and report AdSense for Content Host earnings for YouTube partners. Instead, AdSense earnings from YouTube videos will only be calculated by YouTube and displayed in YouTube Analytics.

What does this mean for you as a YouTube partner?

First, expect no change in how you are paid. The payments tab in AdSense will show your monthly YouTube payments as one total amount as you will continue to be paid via AdSense. Rather, this change means that if you want to view your YouTube financial performance, you should go to YouTube Analytics where you can continue to find a comprehensive view of all your sources of earnings for your YouTube videos. YouTube Analytics has improved the timeliness of earnings reporting to within 24 hours after the end of the day, Pacific Time. You can still view page views and clicks and also manage ad blocking in the AdSense interface for your YouTube videos. If you use other AdSense products, their calculation and reports will be unchanged in the AdSense reporting interface.

Have you ever wondered what the difference between AdSense earnings and YouTube earnings was? As a bit of background, many YouTube partners have ad earnings from two sources: auction-sold ads (AdSense earnings) and reserve-sold ads (YouTube earnings). YouTube serves the optimal ads when a viewer watches the video. Previously, AdSense calculated and reported the auction-sold AdSense earnings. YouTube calculated reserve-sold and miscellaneous earnings and reported both AdSense and YouTube earnings. Now, having only the YouTube system calculate all your earnings will simplify and streamline your video reporting.

We take accurate financial calculation and reporting very seriously, and believe this change will reduce reporting confusion and prepare all our partners for new ways to grow their earnings.

Andy Stack, YouTube Product Manager, recently LHFAO while watching “Pepsi MAX & Jeff Gordon Present: Test Drive”

YouTube Next Vlogger 2013

2013-03-21T10:27:00.005-07:00

Vlogging. Anyone with a camera, the initiative and a YouTube account can be a vlogger. But do you have what it takes to be a YouTube Next Vlogger? Today we’re launching an all-new competition to find the next round of vloggers: and this time, we’re looking for vloggers who have personal stories of triumph to share with the world.

Have you ever had to overcome a seemingly insurmountable obstacle? Was there a goal you reached through hard-work and perseverance? Have you incorporated these inspiring tales of accomplishment into your channel? Starting today through April 18, 2013, applications will be open for 16 inspired and inspiring vloggers to tell us about their struggles and victories - whether they’re big or small, we want you to inspire us!

This iteration of YouTube Next Vlogger will provide the 16 winning entrants the opportunity to collaborate on videos with other similarly passionate vloggers. They’ll also take part in three months of intimate educational workshops held on Google+ Hangouts. And to top it off, each vlogger will receive $4,000 worth of video equipment and mentoring from industry experts and content creators on YouTube.

By nature, vloggers are sharers; giving us glimpses into their lives and experiences through the YouTube window. We can’t wait to see the stories you have to share with us.

Posted by Matthew Yeager, YouTube Next Lab Production Coordinator, recently watched Next Vlogger 1.0 alum AmazingPhil.

Virtual Master Class from your own room!

2013-03-20T04:46:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to ask a specific question about production for your video? Well YouTube Space London is offering two virtual master classes for creators via a Hangout On Air (HOA) live from the YouTube Space London this month.

A virtual master class is an online classroom that is set up via a YouTube Hangout On Air streamed right from the YouTube Space, London. The classes are all production focused and will cover topics intended to help you make your videos better and better. Simply enter any questions you have on our question page and we'll select the ten best questions and answer them in a live demo during the Hangout.

The first master class will be on Monday, March 25th 7pm GMT live via a Hangout On Air on the partner support channel. The topic for this master class is lighting. So, if you have any questions about lighting then please enter your questions here.

The second master class will be held on Tuesday 26th March 7pm GMT live via a Hangout On Air here, and the topic that we will be discussing is cameras. So, if you have any questions on cameras that you are using for your videos that you upload to YouTube then please enter your questions here.

You will also be able to ask questions live during the virtual master class: we will have a live link during the Hangout On Air for you to submit those to our production specialists.

Both virtual master classes will be available through video on demand on our channel, just incase you miss anything, you can watch it later!

We are looking forward to seeing your questions and hope to answer all of them: see you on the 25th & 26th March!

*If you can’t make the live stream of the virtual master class, the video will be available straight after on demand.

Posted by Kelly Greaves, Programming Strategist for YouTube NextLab EMEA, who recently watched Coachella Music Festival Survival Tips by AndreasChoice

Get your YouTube video captions professionally translated into 36 languages

2013-03-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

Back in September, we launched a feature that made it easier to make your YouTube video accessible in more than 300 languages and help grow your audience globally, by translating the video’s captions yourself or inviting friends or people you know to help translate. Now you can connect directly with translation vendors and pay to get your captions translated quickly and professionally.

  When you request a translation for your captions in YouTube, we’ll display a list of vendors along with their estimated pricing and delivery date so you can easily compare. We’ve initially collaborated with two companies, Gengo and Translated.net, to make their services available to you and to streamline the ordering process.     

So, how can I (you) start?  

1. First of all check your YouTube Analytics reports. Here you can see the top geographies viewing your video, so you can choose the languages spoken in these countries. Learn more about YouTube Analytics here.  

2. Before you can translate your video, you’ll first need a caption track for your video. One of the easiest and quickest way to create a caption track is to create or upload a transcript of your video. YouTube will then automatically sync your transcript with the video and create the time codes to generate the caption track. For more info, watch this video or take a look at this helpful guide.  

3. Now, you can order the translation:

Click “Start order” next to the vendor you’d like to use. This will create an order and direct you to the vendor’s website to complete payment.
When the translator completes the translation, they’ll send the translated caption directly back to YouTube.
Once you approve, the translated caption will now be available for all your viewers!

 Here’s how the final result might look like once you turn on the captions.

Now that you know how to make your content available to your international audience, turn on the captions!

Posted by Jeff Chin, Product Manager, who recently watched the “H+” digital series which has been captioned and subtitled into Spanish.  

YouTube One Channel, now available for everyone

2013-03-08T00:29:00.000-08:00

We’re happy to announce that YouTube One Channel is open for everyone.

You may have noticed that some YouTube channels have a new look. We’ve been running a limited beta test, and after collecting and implementing lots of feedback from creators, we’re ready for all channels on YouTube to upgrade to the new design.

The main focus of this update is to make your new channel look great on browsers across all screens and devices. It will also help you convert more visitors into subscribers with a slot for a channel trailer, and you can customize how you organize your videos and playlists so it fits your programming strategy.

Try these three activities to get the most out of your new channel:

Create a trailer, which will play for any visitor who isn’t yet subscribed to your channel. This is your chance to hook them and win a new fan. Treat this trailer as if it were an ad. Keep it short and engaging and have a compelling call to action at the end.
Create and upload a big, beautiful piece of Channel Art. This will act as your channel’s visual identity. And unlike the branding on the old channels, it will look good across all screens and devices, no matter how big or small.
Organize your channel’s videos and playlists so they work best for your audience and programming. With the new channel home and customizable sections, you’re in control of what subscribers see when they click on your channel from the guide.

Check out www.youtube.com/onechannel and click the button at the bottom to get started. We’ll migrate your channel to the new design, and walk you through it. For a limited time, you’ll be able to switch back to the previous design if you like. For more tips and strategies for how to optimize your YouTube One Channel, check out Channel Optimization in the YouTube Creator Playbook.

Jeb Havens, Product Manager, recently subscribed to SORTED Food.

Easily update thousands of videos at once with Bulk Actions

2013-02-27T09:46:00.000-08:00

We are constantly working on finding new ways to help you more efficiently manage your videos. So we’re excited to announce Bulk Actions, for everyone.

  Bulk Actions allow you to make one or more updates to several (or all) videos at once. Just select the videos you want to edit, then select Actions > Advanced, and choose what you want to change. You can do things like change the privacy of videos, add tags to videos, monetize videos and more.    

After you submit your update, you can get on with your life. There’s no need to stay on the page to wait for it to finish. This feature is available to all users in Video Manager.

  If you have any feedback or suggestions for more actions you’d like to see added, please let us know. We look forward to hearing what you think.  

Maxime Curioni, Software Engineer, recently watched The Higgs Boson Explained.

A friendly reminder and monetization advice

2013-02-21T13:38:00.002-08:00

We’re always working to bring to you the latest tips and updates so you can make the most of your YouTube experience. One of the benefits of being a YouTube partner is your ability to monetize your uploaded content, and we have a few best practices and guidelines to help you understand the monetization process. Read on to review some of the commonly-asked questions and our suggestions for how you can maximize your YouTube earnings! Keep in mind these monetization basics:

Create an AdSense account. You can enable video monetization and display ads without associating an AdSense account with YouTube, but in order to be paid you’ll need to create - and associate - an AdSense account.
Enable relevant ad formats. Set your monetization ad defaults, and allow all ad types that are relevant for your videos.
Look at the monetization symbol next to your video.

Videos with a grey “$” button are not yet monetized.
Videos with a green “$” button have been enabled for monetization
Videos with an orange “!” symbol next to them indicate that YouTube might need more information to approve your video for monetization. In that case, check your Video Manager and your e-mail.

Make sure you own commercial use rights before you monetize.

Whenever possible, take the opportunity to be creative - create your own unique audio and visuals!
If you want to monetize a video that contains audio or visuals you didn’t personally create, you’ll need the content creator to provide express written permission for commercial use. If you have written permission to use third-party material, be sure to mention/include it when you publish a video or when asked to provide information for monetization.
Check the licenses for any audio you include, and where possible, use royalty-free music that's licensed for commercial use.
Remember that fair use is a tricky subject. Don't assume you can monetize third-party content because you’ve claimed it as fair use.

Going forward, don’t forget to:

Keep your AdSense account in good standing. Encouraging viewers to click on your ads, or clicking on them yourself, is strictly prohibited. Learn more here.
Do your homework to understand whether you actually own commercial use rights. Purchasing a song, game, or program may not mean you own the rights to monetize, and there could be consequences for claiming content you don't own.
Create family-friendly content that advertisers want to sponsor. Keep in mind some advertisers have a family audience and may not want their ads appearing next to content containing profanity, offensive, or derogatory language/images.
Review our policies. Make sure you’re familiar with our spam policies and avoid spamming your viewers.
Follow our audience development best practices outlined in the Creator Playbook to build your fan base and increase views and watch time. Using misleading tags, thumbnails, and metadata may give your fans a negative viewing experience, reduce your watch time, and could affect your monetization status.

Thanks again for helping make the YouTube partner community so vibrant. We hope you find these tips useful, and if you have any additional questions, don’t forget about the resources YouTube makes available: monetization tips and audience development best practices abound in the YouTube Help Center, the Playbook, the Partner Forum, the Creator Hub, the YouTube Creators channel and here on the YouTube Creator Blog. Vasiliki Kanistra & Devon Storbeck, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “Kittens On The Beat.”

Meet Ragenineteen, our winner of the Next Up Europe 2012

2013-01-25T05:54:00.001-08:00

We always try to find new ways to help our creators grow on YouTube. The YouTube NextUp is a program that help our creators succeed in YouTube by sharing their knowledge and expertise with each other, collaborate in many creative ways and create great quality content. This year, we selected 25 Winners across 8 European countries, and a few weeks ago, we held the NextUp Creator Camp in the YouTube Space London! Today, we’re looking at one of our UK NextUp winners success story and share their tips and best practices.

Introduction:

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What is your name, your channel name? Where are you from, your fanbase?

Hello. My name is Jamie. I am known as RageNineteen on youtube thanks to Battlefield 2142. I started my YouTube career by animating asdfmovie3. I've since branched out into live action sketches. Recently I began releasing content far too regularly and as such have decided to focus on longer more detailed animations rather than short jokes.

Channel:

Please explain your channel. What's the story behind your channel? How did you come up with your channel concept?

My channel is Ragenineteen. I chose that name because I was young and stupid and obsessed with a game called Battlefield 2142 in which i gave myself the handle 'Ragenineteen' because I was nineteen and angry. I've always loved cartoons and animation, It's actually one of the 3 things I am good at, the other two being Sport Fishing and rescuing trapped dogs.

YouTube Welcome Guide - Be Successful on YouTube

2012-12-11T00:52:00.000-08:00

We are always looking for ways to help you create great quality content and take your channel to the next level. With this in mind we created a series of videos called the YouTube Welcome Guide that can guide you through the fundamentals of setting up a successful channel.

Want to know how to set up your YouTube account?
Ever wondered how can you grow your audience with YouTube Tools and Social Media?
Interested in getting started with YouTube Analytics?
Have you found yourself wondering about YouTube Policies?
Wanna know more about complying with Copyright?

The YouTube Welcome Guide has all the answers for you! Simply watch these 6 short videos and be on top of everything. We want you to be an active and engaging member of our growing community. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to be a successful creator.

Vasiliki Kanistra, YouTube Partner Communication Specialist, recently watched: “You in Greece (English)”

The Improved YouTube is Here

2012-12-07T03:56:00.001-08:00

We are excited to announce an improved YouTube, one you helped us build! The new site design will help you build a bigger, more connected audience by improving new channel discovery, simplifying subscriptions, and keeping your fans plugged in and aware of your new videos no matter where they are. Click here to learn more.

So, what does this improved YouTube mean for you as a creator?

Here are the key changes:

The subscription Guide is now everywhere, and it showcases your channel activity to your fans
All the video information and engagement are consolidated below the video player, helping your video take center stage on the viewing page

We are making it easier to subscribe with enhanced channel recommendations.

Check out this one-pager for more information.

Your feedback matters

We know change isn’t easy, so we don’t take it lightly. Our experiments show that the new design drives subscriptions and keeps fans better connected to their favorite content. We’ll be hosting a Google+ Hangout
on Air as well as a Reddit IAmA to answer any questions you may have. Stay tuned for more information.

Let’s keep building the future of video together.

Alandha Scott, Content Creator Communications Lead, recently watched "Written By A Kid - the tale of a paper, panty-clad horse in ‘La Munkya”

YouTube Creator Playbook and Creator Hub: fresher, bolder and live on the web

2012-12-06T06:34:00.000-08:00

The new YouTube Creator Playbook, your definitive resource for building an audience on YouTube, is now live, both on the web and available for download. Check it out and bookmark youtube.com/playbook.

Since we released the second edition of the Creator Playbook in February 2012, much has changed in the world of YouTube. This new version provides fresh tips and strategies to help creators grow their audiences. It includes brand new sections to address YouTube’s recent focus on watchtime, such as how to captivate your audience and how to create the best channel experience for your viewers. The latest edition also highlights new tools like paid promotion, Hangouts on Air and InVideo programming to help you reach the widest audience possible.

And what’s YouTube without video? On the Creator Playbook site, we’re featuring great new video examples from inspiring creators who are finding creative ways to use YouTube. So go ahead and check it out - share it with other creators. And most of all, let us know what you think so that we can continue to make this the best resource for you!

We’ve also completely rebuilt, refreshed and revamped the YouTube Creator Hub, which is chock full of resources and tools to help you build larger audiences, improve your skills and make more money. On the new Creator Hub, you’ll be able to:
· Stay up to date on the latest feature announcements with our new bi-weekly Product Bulletin
· Learn from other creators via video tutorials
· Find new opportunities to join programmes for emerging channels

We’ll continue to keep both the Creator Playbook and Creator Hubs updated, so keep them bookmarked, and remember to follow us on Google+.

Lauren Vilders, Audience Development Coordinator, recently watched “You need to toughen up a bit”

Coming soon: Link your channel with a Google+ page (and keep your channel name)

2012-12-05T00:27:00.000-08:00

Over the past several months we’ve been giving YouTube users the ability to change how they appear on YouTube, by using their Google+ profile on their YouTube channel. Well-known creators such as Michael Buckley, Philip DeFranco, Kina Grannis and Felipe Neto have chosen to use their Google name as their identity on YouTube, by linking their Google+ profile with their Channel. This has helped them access engagement and social features like Hangouts on Air.

You may have seen a prompt like the one below inviting you to use your Google identity on YouTube. If you haven’t, you can opt in right now using your account settings.

Or you can keep your channel name!

While using a full name from a Google+ profile might work well for a creator who wants to build their brand as an individual, this simply doesn’t work if you don’t want a full name on your channel. If you run a channel with a name like BlueXephos or VlogBrothers, you should create a Google+ page (as opposed to a profile) with that name.

In the coming weeks we’ll launch the option to link your channel with a Google+ page, which will allow you to use your channel name (even with spaces in it!) as your Google identity. And yes, the advanced Google+ page management features that enable up to 50 people manage a single Google+ page, or a single person to manage up to 50 Google+ pages, will also work for channels that are linked with Google+ pages.

We’ve been beta testing this option with some channels such as Google Analytics and YouTube Creators, and we’re planning to make this feature available to all creators in the coming weeks.

Why should creators use a Google identity?

If you unify your YouTube identity with Google+, it will be easier for your audience to find and connect with you on YouTube, Google and across the web, and it will help you build your brand across all of Google’s products. We’re also continually developing new engagement features like Hangouts on Air that take advantage of the best that both YouTube and Google+ have to offer.

David Boyle, recently watched MEERKATS 3D

The Channelisation of YouTube: how you can build a cohesive channel experience

2012-12-04T01:41:00.000-08:00

This blog post is part of an ongoing series that shares tips from theYouTube Creator Playbook. The Playbook is YouTube’s official resource of best practices for audience development.

You’ve heard about the channel-isation of YouTube. Success is no longer just about getting a one-off viral hit. Now, more than ever, to be successful on YouTube, you need to think about how to create a cohesive channel experience for your audience. You have to take on the role of channel programmer. This means really investing time into your channel, and building your subscriber base. Why? The numbers speak for themselves: subscribers watch nearly twice as long as non-subscribers. In other words, your subscribers are your fan base.

Here’s a few things you can do to develop your channel:

1. Promote your channel! Remember, your audience doesn’t know about your channel and all the great content that’s there unless you let them know! So, go ahead and message this out to your audience: invite your viewers to have a look at your channel through a call to action in the video’s introduction, or a branded end-card. Also, if you haven’t spent time with the new Invideo programming feature, go and have a look. This new, easy to use feature is a great way to reinforce channel branding across all videos in your library and drive your audience to all your other content.

Another easy way to promote your channel is through your videos’ metadata description. In addition to context around the specific, individual video, add a brief snippet about your channel and provide links to the channel page, as well as programmed playlists.

2. Make playlists a key piece of your channel strategy. Playlists create a programmed, extended viewing experience for your audience, and they’re also a great way to increase watch-time.

Use playlists to programme your channel - separate shows into different playlists, or group content around similar themes or tent-pole events. You can use the ‘start and end time’ feature to set in and out points for all the videos you curate into playlists. And, if you want to go the extra mile, consider creating and optimising hosted playlists. Hosted playlists have intros and/or interstitial content to provide context in between videos. Once you have your playlists all ready to go, publish full playlists to your subscribers through the channel post feature.

3. Programme the channel feed. Think of your channel’s activity feed as the your main line of communication with your subscribers. Make sure your feed is active so that your audience keeps coming back for more. When you add a video to a playlist, like or comment on a video, it appears in the feed for your subscribers to see. So, mix up your own uploads with curated content, and be a tastemaker for your audience.

All of the content you upload and promote through the activity feeds collectively tells your audience a story about your channel and what it stands for. Make it count - tell a strong, interesting one!

Those are just a few quick tips to help you start thinking about your channel strategy. As we roll out new features, we’ll be sure to let you know how you can use them to make the most out of your channel.

Lauren Vilders, Audience Development Coordinator, recently watched “Shaun Sperling Bar Mitzvah Dance - Madonna, Vogue - 3/14/92”

Meet ItsRaphaBlueBerry, November’s YouTube Partner Success Story!

2012-11-26T00:47:00.000-08:00

We have loads of partners across Europe that are taking advantage of the YouTube Partner Program, and becoming highly successful on YouTube. We've asked some of these partners to share their experience on YouTube and within the program, and shed light on how to best utilize the platform. This month featured partner is ItsRaphaBlueBerry, please read on for his story and best practices!

Introduction:

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What is your name, your channel name? Where are you from, your fanbase?

My name is Rafael, I live in London, England but I was born in a Portuguese family. My YouTube channel is ItsRaphaBlueBerry, I make cooking videos and comedic vlogs. The majority of my viewers are from the US and UK.

History:
Please tell us how it all started. How and when did you start creating videos? When did you decide to be active on YouTube and become a partner? What was your first video on YouTube?

I started uploading videos on my channel in 2010 using a low quality webcam and a really basic editing program. I was very inspired by other YouTubers and their success stories and I really enjoyed video making.

My first uploads didn't have many views but I was having fun so I just kept doing it regularly. Eventually people started watching and I finally felt like I had an audience - that's when I applied for the Partnership Program.

Channel:
Please explain your channel. What's the story behind your channel? How did you come up with your channel concept?

When I first started uploading on my channel I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. I uploaded many vlogs just sharing my life and opinions with my viewers and eventually I started receiving suggestions and video requests about specific topics. My first viewers definitely helped me shape and build my channel. Two years have passed and I couldn't be more pleased with my cooking tutorials and my random comedic vlogs.

YouTube Partnership:
Please share your experience of being a YouTube partner. How has being a YouTube partner helped/changed your business and personal life? Were there any surprises? What are your plans for the future of your channel and YouTube partnership?

Becoming a YouTube partner had an enormous impact on my business and personal life. It helped realise that I could be part of the entertainment industry and build my own audience using this amazing platform. I used to be a dental school student but I've decided to follow my real passion and explore the world of media and communication. I'm excited to see what the future holds.

Success:
How do you define success? How did you become successful on YouTube? What were your goals for your channel, and how did you achieve them? What would you recommend to newbie partners to be successful on YouTube?

I think I felt successful on YouTube when I realised I had an audience, a group of loyal viewers who look forward for my next creations. It's great knowing that there's someone who enjoys watching your videos. I would recommend everyone to use all the tools properly and have fun while making their videos. Don't over think how many views you get, just keep doing it and surprise your subscribers with new content regularly.

Creative inspiration:
Please tell us what inspires you. Do you have a particular creative aesthetic? Are there other YouTube channels you watch, creators you admire?

I usually get inspired when I get in touch with my viewers. Reading e-mails, comments and seeing their reactions to my uploads makes me want to create more often and surprise them with new content. I always carry a notepad with me and when I have an idea for a video, I write it down. There are many creators I admire such as FoodWishes, LauraVitalesKitchen or JoeyGraceffa.

Key Takeaways:
Anything you want the YouTube audience to know about you, your channel, or being a YouTube Partner?

I genuinely have fun making my videos, that's why I started in first place. If you're interested in baking or you just want to watch one of my comedic vlogs feel free to visit my channel. My videos are happy and colourful and I hope you have a good time watching them.

ItsRaphaBlueBerry, YouTube Partner, recently watched “A Song for Music (Original)”

YouTube Space London opens its doors to Non-Profits

2012-11-23T03:22:00.001-08:00

A few months ago, YouTube Space London opened its doors to creators. Since then, tons of creators have come to the space to learn from industry experts, share ideas with each other and create amazing videos.

We are now welcoming non-profit organizations as well. If your non-profit is part of the YouTube Charities program in the UK, you're welcome to use the YouTube Space with all its equipment and professional facilities, whether it’s the recording studio, the sound stage, or our editing equipment.

Whether you are looking for the equipment to edit your video report or you want to give an update on the status of a particular campaign to your supporters, the YouTube Space could be the place for you. To book a spot, please fill in this form in advance. If you are not yet part of the YouTube Charities program, you can review the requirements and apply here.

We look forward to welcoming you to the YouTube Space London soon!

Anna Gradil, YouTube Partner Manager, recently watched Video Revolution 2.0 (YouTube Statistics 2012)

Giving you more control and convenience for publishing videos

2012-11-20T01:43:00.002-08:00

Many of you have told us you want more control and convenience when publishing videos to your YouTube channel. You want features that will save you time and give you more flexibility as you build an audience on your channel. Starting today all creators around the world will have three new publishing features: public videos that don’t notify subscribers, adding custom thumbnails while the video uploads, and a new tags editor.

Public videos that don’t notify subscribers

Have you ever wanted to upload a “behind the scenes” video to your channel and don’t want this video to take up valuable real estate in subscribers’ feeds? Or uploaded a long video but also wanted to publish short clips? Maybe you want to publish a quick video without interrupting your publishing schedule?

We’ve heard many creators want to upload public videos that don’t notify their subscribers in their homepage feed, via email (for opted in subscribers), and in youtube.com/my_subscriptions. Your default will remain that your subscribers are notified about your public uploads, but now you can choose to uncheck this option to “Notify subscribers” in the Advanced Settings section during the upload process. If you use our batch upload features in CMS, we also have an equivalent XML tag available. Public videos that you choose not to notify subscribers about will still be discoverable through search, suggested videos, and on your channel.

Upload a custom thumbnail right after the upload begins

In April, we launched one of the most requested features by creators, the ability to set the custom thumbnail directly in the upload interface, while the video is uploading. We received a lot of positive feedback about this change, but many of you pointed out that this would be even more convenient if you could upload the custom thumbnail earlier during the upload process, rather than towards the end. Beginning today, you can pick your preferred thumbnail right away, shortly after the video upload starts.

New tags editor

We now have a simpler interface to input and manage your tags. Just type in the text for each tag, and either add a comma or hit enter. This will store the text as a distinct tag. Once the tag has been entered, the text will be surrounded by a blue box which indicates that the word or phrase you entered has been entered as a tag.

Keep the feedback coming

We’re constantly working to make the upload process more efficient and effective for creators. Your feedback is always helpful and appreciated, so let us know at +YouTube Creators how we can continue to improve our publishing tools.

Johannes Leitner, Balazs Dezso, and Duane Barlow, YouTube Upload engineers, recently watched “自転車に乗る二足歩行ロボット・お使い編”

Lights, Camera, YouTube! Learn to Capture Your Passion with NitsanPictures, November’s Partner on the Rise!

2012-11-19T00:34:00.000-08:00

Since YouTube announced we we were giving more creators the opportunity to become partners, we have seen a flurry of creativity from our new partners. We’ve asked some of you to share your experiences of using our platform, and the resources you use to grow your audience, increase views and take your channel to new heights.

This month we are looking at Nitsan Simantov, a 23 year old Israeli living near London and working full time as a filmmaker and photographer. Nitsan’s channel, NitsanPictures, is about his professional video work as well as tutorials for creative photography and video production.

“I use my channel to communicate the things I'm passionate about.I get a lot of my inspiration from all the creative people on YouTube”

Shortly after filming his first video, a review of a Fancier brand tripod, Nitsan found that he loved talking to the camera. The positive reaction he got for his video from the filmmaking community on YouTube gave him the push to continue making more and more videos.

His channel is based upon videos of the things Nitsan finds most interesting. It is almost entirely made up of filmmaking and photography reviews, DIY builds, tutorials, and of course his rather impressive filmmaking portfolio!

Nitsan gets a lot of support from companies around the world that send him products for review, which, he says, is really helpful for someone working on a small budget. “Of course I never receive money for my product reviews. That would just make the video an advert rather than an honest review”, he adds.

The filmmaking community on YouTube lies at the core of Nitsan’s support and inspiration. Nitsan says he is truly inspired by all the creative people on YouTube, Polcan99, Dombowerphoto, DigitalRev and Philipbloom to name but a few. He also enjoys other types of content on YouTube and highly recommends a daily dose of comedy from the likes of Toby Turner.

Nitsan looks forward to continue building up his viewership in the future. He makes sure he optimises each of his videos, and plans to regularly upload great quality videos for his growing audience, which is already taking his channel to new heights.

To become a YouTube Partner now, visit: www.youtube.com/partners, and get ready to take your channel to the next step! For more information on optimising, visit: www.youtube.com/creators

The YouTube Team

CreatorXCreator

2012-11-12T01:10:00.000-08:00

A few months ago we launched a new program called CreatorXCreator (CXC) to encourage collaboration across YouTube and drive subscribers.

CXC is an 8 week collaboration during which 9 YouTube Partners cross-promote their content and create videos together. There is a program mentor leading the project and the creators meet via Google Hangouts to share their ideas and plan their collaboration.

CXC was rolled out for the first time in Germany this past July. LeFloid was the mentor leading the program for 8 Mentees (list available below). Here's one of their collaboration videos including 8 different YouTubers: “Unknown Mercenary: Geschichten eines tödlichen Freaks”

The second German edition of CreatorXCreator started in November with 2 separate programs. SceneTakeTV and SpaceFrogsEnt are the Mentors leading these projects (they were Mentees of the previous program). You can view updates about their CXC work on their channels.

We would like to expand our collaboration programmes in other countries in Europe. If you are a YouTube Partner based in Europe and would like to participate in this program, please fill out this form.

8 Mentees list:

doktorallwissend maximnoise douniaslimani darkvikt0ry moviemaniacsde infitnesstv spacefrogsent scenetaketv

Joe McDermottroe, EMEA YouTube Next Creator Programmes Specialist, recently watched “Episode one - Photography, Lightroom and Photoshop tips by Serge Ramelli weekly podcast”

NextUp Europe: meet the next generation of YouTube stars

2012-11-08T03:23:00.001-08:00

Over the last couple of months some of Europe’s most exciting creative talents have sent us their entries for NextUp, a contest that aims to unearth some of the YouTube stars of tomorrow.

We’ve been busy watching all the entries and we’ve selected a list of 25 winners from across the continent. Each winning creator will receive an all-expenses-paid to trip to London, where they’ll attend a week of hands-on training and mentorship in our brand new creator space. In addition, winners will get a €4,000 video equipment package and €3,000 in cash to help boost the quality of their content.

languedepub2 - France
lemondedeloka - France
ikerplan - Spain
davidcpv- Spain
lasupercafetera - Spain
wohnprinz - Germany
alive4fashion - Germany
mirrorzfx - Germany
bullshittehvau - Germany
doktorallwissend - Germany
paei100 - Poland
bankowo1 - Poland
alexdyhovichniy - Russia
wanttoknowru - Russia
polinarepik - Russia
jlvi13 - Netherlands
tc - Netherlands
francescosanseverino - Italy
ifraffrog - Italy
licaoni - Italy
ragenineteen - UK
jackhoward - UK
rexpearson1 - UK
thatjennybee - UK
victorioussponge - UK

We’re delighted that we received so many high-quality entries that highlight the passion and talent of the YouTube community. Check out some of the above entries and click ‘Subscribe’ to get regular updates from their channels.

Kinzie Kramer, YouTube Partner Marketing

Keep your audience engaged with InVideo Programming

2012-10-26T02:19:00.000-07:00

Programming tools like annotations help you drive longer watch times. Today, you have another tool in your arsenal. Looking to promote your latest video? Trying the new feature called InVideo Programming.

InVideo Programming allows you to feature a video across your entire video library. In addition to featuring videos, you can also promote your channel branding. If you change your branding in the future, you can replace it with a single update. The best part is, your InVideo Programming travels with your videos wherever Video Annotations are available.

If you are a creator in good standing, you can get started with InVideo Programming by accessing the tool in your Channel Settings. Go ahead and try the following types of InVideo Programming:

1. Launch a new show/series: Launching a new series? Use “Feature a video” to showcase a new video to drive some initial traction.

Example: Here you can see how Noisey used InVideo Programming to feature a new video across their entire library.

2. Showcase an old video: Have an older video that you want to promote? Go ahead and feature one of your favorite videos from your channel to drive some new viewership to that older video.

3. Reinforce channel branding: Make sure your viewers are aware of your channel branding. Use “Feature your channel” to promote your logo across your library and make it easier for viewers to visit your channel page and subscribe.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll launch reporting, to give you the ability to track the performance of your InVideo Programming, and we'll make UI enhancements to help you give your
viewers more context behind your promotion.

Michael Rucker, YouTube Product Manager, recently watched "Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn - Part 1".