How to Use YouTube

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Log in using your Google account.

   Logging in provides a variety of benefits, including being able to comment, save videos to watch later, subscribing to channels, and uploading your own videos.
   
   Create Google account for free if you want access to all of YouTube's features.
   
   YouTube accounts are no longer separate from a general Google account.
2. 2

   Step 2: Use the search bar to find videos.

   The YouTube search bar works much like the Google search bar, and will show you predicted results as you search.
   
   When looking for a video, you can generally just enter related terms if you don't know the title.
   
   Well-tagged videos with good descriptions will show up in lots of related searches.
   
   You can also use search operators for more specific searches. , If you don't know exactly what you're looking for, you can browse the most popular content on YouTube by checking out the different categories.
   
   Click the "Browse channels" button on the left navigation menu.
   
   Channels are organized by category, allowing you to quickly see the most popular channels for your favorite interests.
   
   A YouTube Channel is a page set up by an individual, group, or company.
   
   These Channels house all of the uploaded content for the channel owner, and act as profile page for all YouTube users. , Subscribing to a channel will alert you to whenever a new video is uploaded to that channel.
   
   To subscribe to a channel, click the red "Subscribe" button underneath a video from that channel, or click the "Subscribe" button on the channel page. , If you are logged in, you can leave comment son videos that have commenting enabled. let the uploader know that their video was helpful, funny, or particularly well-made.
   
   YouTube comments can get pretty bad, so set yourself apart and be respectful.
   
   To leave a comment, click the "Share your thoughts" field beneath the video and enter your comment.
   
   You can also reply to other comments by clicking the "Reply" link beneath the comment.
   
   Not all videos have comments enabled. , Found a good video but don't have time to watch it right now? Add it to your Watch Later list so that you can quickly access it at any time.
   
   Beneath the video name, click the "+ Add to" button and select your "Watch Later" list or other playlist. , YouTube has some video editing tools, but you'll be able to do far more if you edit before uploading.
   
   See this guide for details on editing your video for YouTube.
   
   You can use video editing software to combine multiple clips into one video.
   
   This is great for editing multiple takes together, or for compiling multiple videos.
   
   Videos must be under 15 minutes long until your verify your account.
   
   You can verify your account by providing YouTube with your mobile number.
   
   YouTube will send you a code, which you can then enter to verify your account. , When you upload a video, it will be added to your personal channel.
   
   You don't need to do anything to set your channel up in order to upload the video.
   
   Later, if you decide to take video uploading seriously, you can start customizing your channel and building subscribers (see the next section).
   
   See this guide to upload from a computer.
   
   See this guide to upload from a mobile device.
   
   You can also record directly from your webcam, skipping the upload process.
   
   You can use the YouTube video editor to make minor changes to the video after you're finished. , A good title and description can make a big difference for getting views.
   
   Make sure that the title and description are relevant to the content in the video, or you likely won't get as many views.
   
   The description will appear below the video when someone watches it.
   
   Use the description to go into more detail about aspects of the video, link to related sites, or explain anything else you want about the video. , Tags help your video appear in search results and as a related video.
   
   Tags are single words or short phrases that act as mini descriptions.
   
   Use the most common words associated with your video ("cute"
   
   "funny"
   
   "animal"
   
   "how-to"
   
   etc.).
   
   Good tagging can significantly increase the views your video gets.
   
   Don't go overboard with too many tags or misleading tags, as the YouTube search function will penalize you and you may not get many views. , When you upload a video, you have three basic options for privacy.
   
   You can set it so that anyone can search for your video, your video can only be viewed by entering the URL, or the video is private, and only users you allow can see the video.
   
   If you are setting a video to "Private" and want to share it with specific people, they will each need to have a Google account. , If you meet the requirements, you can make money off of ad views for your video.
   
   You probably won't see much, or anything, if you aren't getting a lot of views, but the big names in YouTube make millions a year.
   
   See this guide for more details on monetizing your videos.
   
   If you really want to monetize, you'll want to set up your channel to attract viewers (see the next section) . , Post your videos to your favorite social network, or embed the video in your blog.
   
   Sharing your video is the first step to it becoming viral.
   
   YouTube has built-in sharing functions for most of the major social networks.
   
   If you want to embed the video in your website, YouTube will provide the code that you need to insert into your website. , Channels are your userpage for YouTube.
   
   Every YouTube account comes with a channel, and you can create additional channels on your account.
   
   Each channel comes with an associated Google+ page, allowing you to cross-promote. , This is the banner at the top of your channel that helps distinguish your channel from others and solidify your brand.
   
   Your channel art should relate to the content of your videos or to your personality.
   
   Channel art will help your viewers subconsciously remember what channel they are currently viewing.
   
   See this guide for details on making banner art. , A good description will help draw people to your channel, and a catchy name will help people remember it.
   
   Your description should include links to your website, as well as a brief overview for the purpose of your channel.
   
   Changing your channel name will change the associated Google+ account name. , Customizing your channel is just the start.
   
   Once you have a solid channel, it's time to start uploading content and drawing in viewers.
   
   There's a lot to say about how to expand your channel and increase your subscribers, so check out the guides below for more detailed instructions.
   
   Create and release quality content on a regular schedule to build a loyal fanbase.
   
   Stand out from the rest of the pack and make your channel the premier destination for your niche.
   
   Become a YouTube partner to get increased exposure and access to advanced creation tools.
3. 3

   Step 3: Browse the YouTube channels.

4. 4

   Step 4: Subscribe to your favorite channels.

5. 5

   Step 5: Leave comments.

6. 6

   Step 6: Add a video to your "Watch Later" list.

7. 7

   Step 7: Edit the video before uploading.

8. 8

   Step 8: Upload the video.

9. 9

   Step 9: Add a title and description.

10. 10

    Step 10: Add tags.

11. 11

    Step 11: Set your video's privacy settings.

12. 12

    Step 12: Monetize your video.

13. 13

    Step 13: Share your video.

14. 14

    Step 14: Understand the purpose of Channels.

15. 15

    Step 15: Add channel art.

16. 16

    Step 16: Describe and name your channel.

17. 17

    Step 17: Develop and curate your content.

Detailed Guide

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