Category: YOUTUBE TUTORIALS

Learn how to start your youtube channel, grow your youtube channel and how to use all the features on YouTube

How To Start A YouTube Channel – An Illustrated Guide

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 19 May 2020
2 Comments on How To Start A YouTube Channel – An Illustrated Guide

Everyone’s on YouTube, from Dwayne Johnson to Huda Kattan to your neighbors. What started as a steaming platform has turned into the second largest search engine and a reliable way to market products and services. Everyone wants to know How To Start A YouTube Channel!

YouTube has given us internet celebs like Logan Paul and PewDiePie. It’s also helping people make millions. All that you need is a YouTube channel and a decent number of views and subscribers.

In this article, we’ll tell you how to start a YouTube channel so you can begin your YouTube journey.

Step #1 Get a Gmail Account

You must have a Gmail account in order to create a channel on YouTube since both the platforms are owned by the same company – Google.

You do not have to make a new account if you already have one unless you want to keep your YouTube page separate.

Go here to sign up for a free Gmail account. You will be required to enter personal details including your name, gender, birthday, etc.
The system will ask you to choose a unique Google username. Be careful when selecting one as it will end up being your YouTube channel name. Stick to your business name if you’re opening a business account but make sure you have the right to use it.

You can also come up with a unique username. It does not have to be your legal name and Google will not ask you to verify that you own the name. We suggest that you stick to a name that is easy to remember and spell.

Google will give you the option to add a phone number to your account. We suggest that you do not skip this step and link your phone number to your account so that you do not lose access to it. It can also be used to authenticate accounts. Moreover, you can also add a recovery email.

Once done, move to creating your Google Account Profile. Be careful when selecting an image as it will show on your YouTube channel.

You can edit the image by signing into your Google account. Find the Settings option in the top right. Scroll down and click About me in the ‘My Picture’ section.
Upload a profile photo by clicking on the “Add Profile Photo” button on the page. It can be any image relevant to your account including a selfie. Make sure to only upload images that you have a right to use. The image must be the right size and pixels, otherwise the page will return an error.

Step #2: Create a YouTube Channel

Once your Google account is ready, it is time to create a YouTube channel. Sign in to YouTube and move ahead.

You can create a personal channel or a business channel:

Creating a Personal Channel

The easiest way to create a YouTube personal channel is to try to upload a video. The website will ask you to sign up for a channel.

Verify your name and photo and confirm.

Your new channel is ready. You will now be able to upload videos, post comments, etc.

Creating a Business YouTube Channel

Creating a YouTube business channel can be a little complicated. However, we suggest this option if you want your YouTube channel to display a name and image other than the name and photo on your Google account.

Use the account that you just created to sign in to YouTube.
Go here and choose ‘Create a New Channel’.

YouTube will ask you to create a brand account, i.e: a business account.
Enter the required details and click Create.
Done. Your new channel is ready.

Step #3: Personalize Your YouTube Channel

Your new YouTube channel is ready to post videos but you’re not done yet. Make sure to personalize the channel so that you can attract more subscribers.

Upload a profile picture by following the steps explained above. You can also upload one directly from YouTube by clicking your account option given on the top right corner. Click it and select the ‘Manage your Google Account’ option.

This will open a new window, choose Personal Info. Here you can add a profile picture. This will get linked to your YouTube account.

Once the photo is ready, it is time to further customize your page.

Click the ‘Customize Channel’ option and enter the following details:

Channel Art: You can choose one from the gallery or upload one of your own photos. It is best to choose a relevant and high quality image that helps users connect with your content.

Home: You can edit this part by adding sections. This section will be available once you have videos uploaded to your channel. Click ‘Add a section’ and choose the contents and layout. You can display popular videos, live videos, playlists, etc.

Playlists: This section is where you can create your own playlists for subscribers and visitors to see. Choose an apt name for each playlist and make it easy for users to find what they need.

Channels: Here you can add other channels including your sister channels. Click the ‘Add Channels’ option on the right to add channels.

About: This is a very important section as it will tell others what your channel is all about. Write a description. Make sure to be SEO friendly and use tags that are popular among users. Also, add your contact details and a location.

Review all your changes and you are done.

Step #4: Verify Your Account

Now that your channel is ready, it is time to verify your YouTube account. Do not worry, you will not have to upload any documents and the process is instant.

Go here to verify your account. Select country, choose how you wish to receive a code, enter your phone number, and click Submit.
You will receive a call or text on the given number. Enter it and your account will get verified. Remember that one number can only be used to verify two accounts per year.

While it is possible to use your YouTube account without verifying it, we suggest that you go through the process as unverified accounts come with some limitations.

Unverified accounts cannot upload longer videos (up to 15 minutes). Plus, they cannot go live or choose custom thumbnails. Hence, complete this step before moving to uploading videos.

Step #5: Upload a Video

Now that your channel is ready, it is time to kick start it by uploading a video. There is no limit on the number of videos you can upload. However, the maximum file size is 128GB, which is about 12 hours.

Here’s how to start a YouTube channel and post videos:

Go here to upload a video. You can also find this section by going to YouTube and clicking the ‘camera’ icon on the top.

The system will ask you to select a video that you wish to upload. Remember that you can only upload videos that belong to you. Uploading copyrighted content can get your account temporarily suspended or permanently blocked. Plus, copyrighted content owners may also have a right to take legal actions against you. Hence, be careful.
Drag and drop the file and it will begin to upload. You can also click ‘Select Files’ and choose the video that you wish to upload. You can select multiple videos at a time.

Your video will begin to upload. The system will show you the remaining time. You can cancel the upload during the process.
You will get a message once the uploading and processing finishes.

Once done, you’ll be asked to provide details including a title, description, tags, etc. Provide the required details and complete the process.
To maximize the chances of your videos being found in search and get more views try browser plugins like TubeBuddy or VidIQ

Congratulations! your channel is up and running. Start sharing the URL with others.

How To Start A YouTube Channel: FAQ

#1 How many channels can I create on YouTube?

You can use one Gmail account to create 50 YouTube channels.

#2 Can I change the name of my YouTube channel?

Yes, it is possible to change the name of your YouTube channel if you have a personal account. YouTube does not currently allow users to change brand names.

Go to your Google Account, and change the name on your Google profile. The change will appear on your YouTube account.

#3 Can I delete a YouTube channel?

Yes, you can, but be careful as doing so will permanently delete all your playlists, history, videos, and subscribers.

Go here and select the Delete channel option at the bottom. Enter your login details and confirm the action.

You can also choose to temporarily hide your channel.

#4 Is it free to start a YouTube channel?

Yes, it is absolutely free to start a YouTube channel. However, the company offers some paid marketing tools to YouTube content creators.

#5 Can I make money by starting a YouTube channel?

Making a channel will not earn you any money, however, you can monetize it and use other tactics to make money via YouTube.

#6 What is the age limit to start a YouTube channel?

You must be 18 to create your own YouTube channel. Children between the ages of 13 and 17 can own a YouTube channel with parental permission.

#7 What can a YouTube channel be about?

YouTube does not expressly ban any topic, however, there are Community Guidelines that must be followed. It prohibits nudity, abuse, copyrighted content, and false news.

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HOW TO GET MORE VIEWS ON YOUTUBE SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE YOUTUBE TUTORIALS

Add Timestamp YouTube Video Chapters and Win In Search

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 4 May 2020
No Comments on Add Timestamp YouTube Video Chapters and Win In Search

Add Timestamp Chapters To YouTube Videos and Win In Search 2

YouTube video timestamps now come with skippable chapters that can help you rank better in search. Learn how to add chapters to youtube videos with time stamps and why they are so useful for YouTube and Google search results.

The new time stamp video chapters for YouTube videos give you the opportunity to add relevant sub titles to sections of your videos. This means people can skip to these parts quicker, helping them get the answer they want more directly. These snippets can work well for youtube promotion as they can also be found by Google and using in the search results as video snippets or result snippets for quick answers in results.

What Are YouTube Video Timestamps?

Timestamps on YouTube videos give you the chance to skim through the video quickly and find what you are looking for using the mini sub headings.

The timestamps are normally added to the video description by the video creator. You start with 0:00 to show YouTube where the video starts and you add time stamps to important parts of the video with index marks for example “2:53 – Step By Step Tutorial”.

The user can then either click the timestamp in the description to quickly jump to that part of the video.

Why Use YouTube Video Chapters?

YouTube video chapters can help you find the important part of the video faster.

If you are a creator and you upload videos, the chapters give you the opportunity to add additional, relevant keywords to the description of the video.

Why add keywords to the description?

YouTube search and google works on relevancy and meta data. If you post a video tutorial that has 5-6 different parts to it then you can section it out. Each questions could have a time stamp. Each of those time stamps could be a search term and each could have a chance of dominating search results with google snippets.

What Are Google Snippets?

Google Snippets (featured snippets) are short selections of text or clips of YouTube videos appearing at the top of Google’s search results that are designed to answer a searcher’s query.

The content that appears inside of a Featured Snippet is automatically pulled from web pages in Google’s index or snippets from YouTube Videos with timestamps. Common types of Featured Snippets include definitions, tables, steps and lists.

How featured snippets are chosen?

Featured snippets come from web search listings. Google’s automated systems determine whether a page would make a good featured snippet to highlight for a specific search request.

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How To Download A YouTube Video

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 1 May 2020
1 Comment on How To Download A YouTube Video

How to download a YouTube video — the official, legitimate ways.

The clean routes are YouTube Premium’s offline download (now on mobile and desktop) and downloading your own uploads from YouTube Studio. This guide covers exactly how to do both, the settings, what the downloads actually are, and the honest legal picture — so you save videos the right way.

Why trust this? I’m Alan Spicer — a YouTube Certified Expert with two decades on the platform and six Silver Play Buttons. I download my own videos constantly for re-edits and b-roll, and I know exactly what YouTube does and doesn’t allow.

Building your own channel? Book a free discovery call.

🔑 Key takeaways

YouTube Premium is the official way — download on mobile and desktop web.
Premium downloads are cached in-app, not transferable files, and expire ~30 days offline.
Your own uploads download free from YouTube Studio as an MP4.
No official free download exists for other people’s videos without Premium.
Third-party downloaders breach YouTube’s Terms and can infringe copyright.

📌 The full guide — jump to any part:

Can you download YouTube videos?
The legitimate methods
Download with Premium (mobile)
Download on desktop/computer
Download your OWN videos
Download settings & quality
What the downloads actually are
Is it legal?
Downloading without Premium
Third-party downloaders
Downloader safety & red flags
People also ask
FAQ

⚡ QUICK ANSWER: How do you download a YouTube video?
The official way is YouTube Premium: sign in, open the video, and tap or click Download below it — this works in the mobile app and on desktop in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera. The video saves for offline viewing inside YouTube. If it’s your own video, download the actual MP4 from YouTube Studio. There’s no official free way to download other people’s videos without Premium.

Can You Download YouTube Videos?

Yes — through the routes YouTube actually provides. People download videos to watch offline on a flight or commute, to save data, to keep lectures for study, or (as a creator) to reuse their own footage as b-roll. The key is which method, because they’re not all equal — and only some are within YouTube’s rules.

There are two legitimate, YouTube-sanctioned ways: the built-in Premium offline download for watching inside YouTube, and downloading your own uploads from YouTube Studio as a real file. Everything else — the third-party “downloader” sites — sits outside YouTube’s Terms and carries copyright and security risks. This guide focuses on doing it properly.

The Legitimate Ways to Download — At a Glance

Method	What you get	Cost	Real file?
Premium (mobile)	Any eligible video, offline in-app	Premium sub	❌ Cached in-app
Premium (desktop web)	Any eligible video, offline in browser	Premium sub	❌ Cached in-app
YouTube Studio (your uploads)	Your own videos as MP4	Free	✅ Yes (MP4)
Google Takeout (your uploads)	Bulk export of your content	Free	✅ Yes
Public-domain / Creative Commons	Permitted content to reuse	Free	Varies

How to Download a YouTube Video With Premium (Mobile)

This is the built-in, one-tap method on your phone or tablet:

Open the YouTube app signed in to your Premium account.
Go to the watch page of the video you want.
Tap Download below the video (or via the three-dot menu).
Choose a quality if prompted — the download icon turns black when done.
Find it any time under Downloads in your Library, and watch offline.

How to Download on Desktop / Computer

YouTube expanded offline downloads to the desktop, so Premium members are no longer stuck on mobile:

Visit youtube.com signed in to Premium, using Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Opera.
Open the video’s watch page and click Download below the player.
Access saved videos from the Downloads section in the left-hand sidebar — even when you’re offline.

Handy for saving lectures or training on a laptop where the Wi-Fi can’t be trusted.

How to Download Your OWN YouTube Videos

This is the one that gives you an actual file — and it’s completely legitimate because you own the content. As a creator you’ll want this for re-edits, backups and b-roll:

Sign in to YouTube Studio and open Content.
Hover the video, open the three-dot options menu, and choose Download.
YouTube gives you an MP4 (note: it may be compressed from your original master).
For bulk exports of everything, use Google Takeout to download all your uploads at once.

Because the file can be compressed, it’s always worth keeping your original exports too — see my best 1080p rendering settings so your masters are top quality in the first place.

Download Settings & Quality (Premium)

A few Premium settings worth knowing:

Download quality — set a default (from low up to 1080p on supported videos) in the app’s download settings to balance clarity against storage.
Smart/recommended downloads — YouTube can auto-download suggested videos while on Wi-Fi so you always have something to watch offline.
Wi-Fi only — restrict downloads to Wi-Fi to protect your mobile data.

What YouTube Premium Downloads Actually Are

This trips a lot of people up, so it’s worth being clear:

They’re cached, not files. Premium downloads live inside the YouTube app or site. They won’t show up in your camera roll, gallery, Files app or a desktop folder.
You can’t transfer them. No moving them to a USB stick, another device, or a different media player.
They expire. You must reconnect to the internet roughly every 30 days so YouTube can verify your membership, or they become unavailable.
Some videos are blocked. Certain music videos, Kids content and region-locked videos have the download option disabled.

If you want a genuine, permanent, editable file, the only clean routes are your own uploads or properly licensed/public-domain content — not a cached Premium copy.

Downloading your own videos to reuse and grow?

On a free discovery call we’ll turn your back catalogue into a content strategy that drives traffic to older videos.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

Is It Legal to Download YouTube Videos?

Short version: downloading through YouTube’s own tools is fine; going around them usually isn’t.

Legitimate: Premium offline downloads, your own uploads from Studio, and public-domain or Creative Commons content you’re permitted to use.
Problematic: third-party “downloader” sites and apps that save other people’s videos. These generally breach YouTube’s Terms of Service, can amount to copyright infringement (the video belongs to its creator), and frequently bundle ads or malware.

It’s the same principle covered in is it legal to download YouTube videos and is screen recording YouTube illegal: capturing content is one thing, but the rights stay with the creator, and republishing it is where real trouble starts. If you need footage to use, get it from public-domain sources and check how much of a video you can legally use. (This is general information, not legal advice — for anything with real stakes, check a lawyer and YouTube’s current terms.)

Can You Download YouTube Videos Without Premium?

Honestly? There’s no official free way to download other people’s videos without Premium — the built-in button is a Premium perk. What you can do for free and legitimately:

Download your own uploads from YouTube Studio (covered above).
Save public-domain or Creative Commons content you’re allowed to reuse.
Use YouTube Music for offline songs if you have Music Premium — see downloading music from YouTube.

You’ll find plenty of third-party downloader sites promising free saves of any video. I don’t recommend them: they breach YouTube’s Terms, risk copyright infringement, and are a common source of malware and scam ads. If you just want to keep watching offline, Premium is the safe, creator-supporting option — and if you only need background audio, there are ways to play YouTube in the background without Premium.

What About Third-Party YouTube Downloaders?

Search “YouTube downloader” and you’ll find hundreds of tools promising to save any video as a file. It’s worth understanding what they are — and why I don’t recommend using them for other people’s content. They fall into three broad camps:

Type	What it claims to do	The catch
Online converter sites	Paste a link, get an MP4/MP3 in the browser	Heaviest on ads, pop-ups and malware; often break
Desktop apps	Install software to save videos in bulk	Bundled extras; can carry adware; you install it with full permissions
Browser extensions	Add a download button to YouTube	Against YouTube/store policies; often removed; can read your browsing

Whatever the format, they share the same fundamental problems — and none of them are worth the risk for the sake of a video you can watch for free anyway:

They breach YouTube’s Terms of Service. Saving content outside YouTube’s own tools isn’t permitted, full stop.
They can infringe copyright. The video belongs to its creator; downloading and — especially — reusing or reuploading it can be infringement, as covered in is it legal to download YouTube videos.
They’re a security minefield. Free downloader sites are one of the most common sources of malware, fake buttons and scam ads on the web.
They’re unreliable. YouTube changes its systems regularly, so these tools break, disappear, or quietly start serving something nastier than a video.
They don’t support the creator. Premium downloads send a slice of your subscription to the people you watch; a ripper sends nothing.

The honest bottom line: if you want to keep watching offline, Premium does it cleanly and safely. If you want a real file, use your own uploads or properly licensed and public-domain content. The third-party route trades a small convenience for legal exposure and a genuine malware risk — a bad deal.

Downloader Safety: Red Flags to Watch For

If you’re researching these tools, know the warning signs — the same tricks turn up again and again on downloader and “free MP3” sites:

Fake download buttons. The biggest, greenest “DOWNLOAD” button is usually an ad that installs something else. The real link (if any) is small and plain.
“Your device is infected” pop-ups. Always a scam — no website can scan your device. Close the tab; don’t click.
Requests to install software or “a codec.” A browser converter never needs you to install anything to play an MP4.
Endless redirects and permission prompts. Notifications, “allow” boxes and new tabs on every click are adware funnels.
Asking you to sign in with Google. Never hand a downloader site your Google credentials — it’s a phishing red flag.

Simple rule: if a site is aggressively pushing you to click, install or sign in, back out. Nothing about saving a video should require any of that.

Downloading YouTube Videos: FAQ

How do you download a YouTube video?

The official way is with YouTube Premium: sign in, open the video, and tap or click the Download button below it. This works in the mobile app and on desktop in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera. The video is saved for offline viewing inside YouTube. If it’s your own video, you can also download the file from YouTube Studio.

Can you download YouTube videos without Premium?

Not through any official YouTube feature for other people’s videos — the built-in download is a YouTube Premium benefit. The free, legitimate exceptions are downloading your own uploads from YouTube Studio, and saving Creative Commons or public-domain content you’re permitted to use. Third-party downloader sites exist but breach YouTube’s Terms of Service, can infringe copyright, and often carry malware, so they’re best avoided.

How do I download my own YouTube videos?

Sign in to YouTube Studio, go to Content, find the video, open the options menu and choose Download. YouTube gives you an MP4 file (which may be compressed from your original). You can also export all your content via Google Takeout. This is completely legitimate because you own the videos.

Can you download YouTube videos on a computer?

Yes, if you’re a YouTube Premium member. YouTube expanded offline downloads to desktop, so you can save videos from youtube.com in Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera. Click Download below the video and find it in the Downloads section of the sidebar. The video stays inside YouTube rather than becoming a file on your hard drive.

Are YouTube Premium downloads real video files?

No. Premium downloads are cached copies stored inside the YouTube app or site for offline viewing — they don’t appear in your camera roll, gallery or file system, and you can’t transfer them to another device or player. They also require you to reconnect to the internet roughly every 30 days so YouTube can confirm your membership.

Is it legal to download YouTube videos?

Downloading through YouTube’s own tools — Premium offline, or your own uploads from Studio — is legitimate and within the Terms of Service. Using third-party tools to save other people’s videos generally breaches YouTube’s Terms and can be copyright infringement, since the content belongs to its creator. Downloading public-domain, Creative Commons or permitted content is fine.

Why can’t I download a YouTube video?

The download button only appears for YouTube Premium members, and even then some videos have it disabled — music videos with licensing restrictions, YouTube Kids content, and some region-locked videos. If you don’t have Premium, or the video is restricted, you won’t see a download option.

Are third-party YouTube downloaders safe and legal?

Generally no on both counts. Third-party downloader sites, apps and extensions breach YouTube’s Terms of Service, can amount to copyright infringement when used on other people’s videos, and are a common source of malware, fake download buttons and scam ads. The safe, legitimate alternatives are YouTube Premium for offline viewing and downloading your own uploads from YouTube Studio.

Final Thoughts

So, how do you download a YouTube video? The right way is the simple way: YouTube Premium for offline viewing on mobile or desktop, and YouTube Studio for pulling down your own uploads as real files. Both are built in, both are legitimate, and both keep you clear of the copyright and malware headaches that come with third-party downloader sites. Save the videos you’re entitled to, support the creators you watch, and if you’re a creator yourself, treat your own back catalogue as the reusable asset it is.

📚 Keep reading — downloads, Premium & rights:

From watching to creating.

If you’re ready to make your own videos worth downloading, a free discovery call gets you a two-decade head start on building a channel that grows.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

A note on this guide: download features, availability and rules reflect YouTube’s official offline viewing help and Terms of Service at the time of writing (July 2026); features and availability vary by country and change over time. This is general information for creators and viewers, not legal advice.

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You Can Still Access YouTube Studio Classic Mode – Old YouTube Creator Studio

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 10 April 2020
No Comments on You Can Still Access YouTube Studio Classic Mode – Old YouTube Creator Studio

YouTube have recently updated to the new YouTube studio. There are many new features but some of us still prefer the “old” classic creator dashboard.

How To Access YouTube Studio Classic Mode?

To access the old YouTube Studio click on your avatar in the top left hand corner and goto your channel home page. Click on the big blue customise channel button. This is display the only channel design, now click on your subscriber number and it will load you into the old dashboard. Simply click all videos and enjoy the classic studio.

The Definitive Guide to Growing on YouTube in 2026 (SEO Authority Edition)

Old YouTube Creator Studio – YouTube Studio Beta is being rolled out and will be the default dashboard for all users in early 2020. But if you’re like me, you prefer the familiar basic look and feel of the classic mode. So this is how you can still access classic mode.

In February, YouTube devs started auto-defaulting users to new Studio, regardless of their previous choice. For the time being, Classic is going to stay, but old platform’s days are practically numbered. How can we still switch back to good old classic version and set it to be our default – at least, while it lasts and YouTube doesn’t permanently shut it down?

We still prefer Classic over new Studio version. Force of habit is probably a dominant cause in this case, let’s admit that right now. Classic still offers a lot of features which Studio doesn’t at the moment, despite the fact that it receives constant updates with ported features and analytics charts literally on a weekly basis, getting new existing and exclusive ones like impressions and click-through rates, performance comparison between videos/channels, and easing access to others, like subscribers per each video and so on.

Still, one feature that we really miss is the x-axis time control. We still cannot select x-axis reporting interval and set it to be weekly/monthly/quarterly/yearly or pre-defined rolling range in order to more easily visualize and see cumulative growth (or regression) over time on a simplified chart. With so much data available, it is often easy to miss a forest for a single tree.

Need help ranking your videos and growing your YouTube channel – I have a whole page of tools that can help you get started!

Another, relatively recent change, that is going away with Classic design is the top-left MENU button, that allowed direct access to MAIN YouTube menu (History, My Channel, Subscriptions, Trending, Premium, YouTube TV …), which now doesn’t do that any more. Instead, it does simple Collapse Menu action. Same thing happened to main YouTube page, where it collapses the menu, instead providing access to useful shortcuts.

Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

Very quickly before you go here are 5 amazing tools I have used every day to grow my YouTube channel from 0 to 30K subscribers in the last 12 months that I could not live without.

VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

I almost exclusively switched to VidIQ from a rival in 2020.

Within 12 months I tripled the size of my channel and very quickly learnt the power of thumbnails, click through rate and proper search optimization. Best of all, they are FREE!

Rev.com helps people read my videos

You can’t always listen to a video.

Maybe you’re on a bus, a train or sat in a living room with a 5 year old singing baby shark on loop… for HOURS. Or, you are trying to make as little noise as possible while your new born is FINALLY sleeping.

This is where Rev can help you or your audience consume your content on the go, in silence or in a language not native to the video.

Rev.com can help you translate your videos, transcribe your videos, add subtitles and even convert those subtitles into other languages – all from just $1.50 per minute.

A GREAT way to find an audience and keep them hooked no matter where they are watching your content.

Learn new skills for FREE with Skillshare

I SUCK reading books to learn, but I LOVE online video courses.

Every month I learn something new. Editing, writing, video skills, how to cook, how to run a business – even how to meditate to calm a busy mind.

I find all of these for FREE with Skillshare – Sign up, pick all the courses you want and cancel anytime you need.

Shutterstock helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

I mainly make tutorials and talking head videos.

And in this modern world this can be a little boring if you don’t see something funky every once in a while.

I try with overlays, jump cuts and being funny but my secret weapon is b-roll overlay content.

I can talk about skydiving, food, money, kids, cats – ANYTHING I WANT – with a quick search on the Shutterstock website I can find a great looking clip to overlay on my videos, keeping them entertained and watching for longer.

They have a wide library of videos, graphics, images and even a video maker tool and it wont break the bank with plans starting from as little as £8.25 ($9) per month.

Get More Views on Social Media Fast

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How To Go Live on Facebook 2020 (NEW METHOD)

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 3 April 2020
No Comments on How To Go Live on Facebook 2020 (NEW METHOD)

It’s time learn how to go live on facebook! Facebook Live is great for livestreaming on facebook with Webcam lessons, remote learning, talking with family members or vlogging. Live stream to facebook from your pc, add polls, screen share and more in this how to use facebook live tutorial.

How To Livestream on Facebook Tutorial
0:15 – Start of How To Facebook live stream tutorial
0:24 – Facebook livestream dashboard
1:03 – How To Live Steam from a Facebook Page
1:27 – How To Crosspost Facebook Livestream
2:03 – How To Screen Share on Facebook Live

If this Facebook live streaming tutorial is helpful maybe the videos below would interest you too!

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SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE YOUTUBE TUTORIALS

How To Turn On SECRET YouTube Stats for Nerds

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 2 April 2020
No Comments on How To Turn On SECRET YouTube Stats for Nerds

YouTube has a hidden diagnostics panel built right into every video — and most people have never seen it. It’s called Stats for Nerds, and it reveals exactly what’s happening under the hood: the resolution you’re really getting, the codecs in use, dropped frames, your connection speed and more. It’s really useful for troubleshooting playback and checking quality — and turning it on takes about three seconds. Here’s how, on desktop and mobile, plus what every stat actually means.

The 3-second version: right-click any playing video (desktop) or open the three-dot menu (mobile) and choose “Stats for nerds”. A live technical overlay appears. That’s it.

The rest of this guide explains what all those numbers mean and how to use them.

Why trust this? I’m Alan Spicer — a YouTube Certified Expert with two decades on the platform and six Silver Play Buttons. I use Stats for Nerds to diagnose playback and encoding issues on real channels, so this is the practical version.

Want help turning your channel’s data into growth? Book a free discovery call.

📌 Jump to a section:

What is Stats for Nerds?
How to turn it on
What each stat means
Why use it
Stats for Nerds vs Analytics
FAQ

⚡ QUICK ANSWER: How do you turn on Stats for Nerds?
On desktop, right-click directly on the playing video and choose “Stats for nerds”. On the mobile app, tap the video, open the three-dot menu, and select the same option where it’s available. A small overlay appears on the video with live technical stats. Tap or click the X to close it.

What Is YouTube Stats for Nerds?

Stats for Nerds is a built-in YouTube feature — on both the desktop site and the mobile app — that displays live technical statistics about the video you’re currently watching. It shows things like the video ID, the resolution being played versus the optimal resolution, the video and audio codecs in use, dropped frames, your current connection speed, network activity and buffer health.

It’s called “for nerds” because most viewers never need it — but if you’re a creator, a gamer, or anyone troubleshooting why a video looks soft or keeps buffering, it’s the fastest way to see what’s actually happening. Think of it as YouTube’s hidden diagnostics readout, sitting in plain view behind a right-click.

How to Turn On Stats for Nerds (Desktop & Mobile)

It’s really a few seconds’ work. Here’s the exact process.

💻 On desktop (browser):

Open and play any YouTube video.
Right-click directly on the video image (not the surrounding page).
From the menu that appears, click “Stats for nerds”.
A small overlay appears in the top-left of the video. Click the X to close it.

📱 On the mobile app:

Open and play a video, then tap it to show the controls.
Tap the three-dot menu.
Select “Stats for nerds” where it’s available (some app versions surface it under Settings).
Read the overlay, then tap away or close it.

That’s the whole trick. The feature is a toggle per video — turn it on when you need it, close it when you don’t.

What Each Stat Actually Means

The panel throws a lot of numbers at you. Here’s what the important ones tell you.

Stat	What it tells you
Video ID / sCPN	The unique video identifier and playback session ID
Viewport / Frames	The player size and how many frames have dropped versus total
Current / Optimal Res	The resolution playing now vs the best one for your screen
Codecs	The video codec (VP9, AV1 or AVC) and audio codec (Opus or AAC) being served
Color	The colour space — e.g. BT.709 for SDR, BT.2020 for HDR
Connection Speed	Your estimated available bandwidth
Network Activity	How much data is transferring right now
Buffer Health	Seconds of video loaded ahead — low numbers mean buffering risk
Live Latency	For live streams, how far behind real time you are

Why Use Stats for Nerds?

It’s not just trivia — it answers real questions fast:

“Why does this look blurry?” Check Current vs Optimal Res. If current is lower, your connection or buffer health is forcing a smaller stream — or the video is still processing higher resolutions.
“Why does it keep buffering?” Watch Buffer Health and Connection Speed. A low, dropping buffer with a weak connection is your answer.
“Why is playback stuttering?” A fast-climbing dropped-frames count points to your device or connection struggling, not the video.
“What codec is YouTube serving me?” The Codecs line tells you instantly — handy when comparing AV1, VP9 and AVC playback.

For creators, it’s a quick sanity check that your upload is being served at full quality — which pairs naturally with getting your upload bitrate and resolution right in the first place.

Love the data? Let’s turn it into growth.

Stats for Nerds is playback data — the numbers that actually grow a channel live in your analytics. On a free discovery call we’ll read them together.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

Stats for Nerds vs YouTube Analytics

People mix these up, so let’s be clear. Stats for Nerds shows the playback technicals of a single video you’re watching — on any channel, yours or anyone else’s. It’s about how the video is being streamed to your device right now.

YouTube Analytics is the creator dashboard for your channel — views, watch time, traffic sources, audience and revenue. It’s about how your content performs. If you want to understand and grow your channel, that’s the tool that matters, and I break it down fully in YouTube Analytics explained. For a deeper dive on the playback readout itself, see Stats for Nerds explained. And when it comes to actually growing, it all feeds a real growth strategy — plus an understanding of how the algorithm works. A tool like vidIQ sits on top of your analytics to help you act on them.

Stats for Nerds FAQ

How do you turn on Stats for Nerds on YouTube?

On desktop, right-click directly on the video and choose ‘Stats for nerds’ from the menu — a small overlay of live technical stats appears on the video. On the mobile app, tap the video and open the three-dot menu to find the same option where available. Click or tap the X to close it again.

What is YouTube Stats for Nerds?

Stats for Nerds is a hidden YouTube feature that shows live technical information about the video you’re watching — the resolution being played, the video and audio codecs, dropped frames, your connection speed, buffer health and more. It’s built into both the desktop site and the mobile app and is mainly used for troubleshooting playback.

What does Stats for Nerds tell you?

It shows the current and optimal resolution, the codecs YouTube is serving (such as VP9, AV1 or AVC), the number of dropped frames, your estimated connection speed, live network activity, buffer health and colour space. Together these help you diagnose buffering, stuttering or lower-than-expected quality.

Is Stats for Nerds the same as YouTube Analytics?

No. Stats for Nerds shows the playback and streaming technicals of a single video you’re watching, on any channel. YouTube Analytics is the creator dashboard that reports your channel’s views, watch time, audience and revenue. One is about playback tech; the other is about performance.

What do dropped frames in Stats for Nerds mean?

Dropped frames are video frames your device couldn’t render in time, usually because of a slow connection, an overloaded device or a demanding stream. A few dropped frames are normal; a rapidly climbing count points to a network or hardware bottleneck rather than a problem with the video itself.

Why is YouTube not showing my video in high resolution?

Open Stats for Nerds and compare ‘Current’ and ‘Optimal’ resolution. If the current resolution is lower, it’s usually your connection speed or buffer health forcing YouTube to serve a smaller stream, or a newly uploaded video still being processed into higher resolutions. Give processing time and check your connection speed in the panel.

Final Thoughts

Stats for Nerds is one of those features that feels like a secret because it hides behind a right-click — but once you know it’s there, it’s the quickest way to see what YouTube is really doing with a video. Turn it on when something looks soft or keeps buffering, read the resolution, codecs, dropped frames and buffer health, and you’ll usually spot the culprit in seconds. And if you’re a creator, remember the bigger picture: the playback stats are handy, but the numbers that actually grow your channel live in your analytics.

📚 Keep reading — YouTube tech & growth:

Ready to grow the channel behind the stats?

A free discovery call gets you a two-decade head start on reading your real data and turning it into subscribers and revenue.

Book Your Free Discovery Call →

A note on this guide: the Stats for Nerds feature and its fields reflect YouTube’s desktop and mobile apps at the time of writing (July 2026); the exact menu location and available stats can change between app versions. See YouTube’s official Help Centre for the latest. The vidIQ link is an affiliate link (rel=”sponsored”) and never changes the price you pay.

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HOW TO GET MORE VIEWS ON YOUTUBE SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS & TRICKS VIDEO YOUTUBE YOUTUBE TUTORIALS

Add Thumbnails To YouTube Videos On Mobile (iPhone And Android)

Post author By Alan Spicer - YouTube Certified Expert
Post date 26 May 2019
1 Comment on Add Thumbnails To YouTube Videos On Mobile (iPhone And Android)

How To Add A Thumbnail To YouTube Videos On Mobile (iPhone And Android) 4

A thumbnail is important to stand out and get noticed on YouTube. You need something eye catching but not too weird!

Once you’ve created your masterpiece its time to upload the thumbnail! Learn how to add a thumbnail to your YouTube videos using your Mobile phone (iPhone or Android device).

Download YouTube Studio App from the Google Play Store. Open the App, Click on the top left menu, choose videos, find the video you want to edit, click the pencil icon, and in the thumbnail click the thumbnail again, click change and upload your desired thumbnail image.

You’ve probably heard this phrase plenty times – “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Though these are words to live by, it is often the most neglected advice.

Every day, every minute, every second, your videos are judged by their thumbnails. In fact, video thumbnail plays a very important role in encouraging viewers to hit the PLAY button.

With so many videos on the Internet competing for attention, a video thumbnail can determine whether your video is watched or ignored, that is why use Adobe Express Thumbnail Maker.

Here are few points to keep in mind when you select a thumbnail for your video – How To Make A Great YouTube Thumbnail.

Why are YouTube Thumbnails important?

Thumbnails are the most important aspect of any video’s release, other than the content itself. Seriously.

This is because thumbnails, in combination with titles, are often the biggest deciding factor in whether or not a person will click to watch a video.

These are insights gained from conversations with creators, reading the YouTube Playbook, and countless experiments with various design types, all while measuring the click through rates and performance of our thumbnails through YouTube’s TrueView advertising.

Add text to represent your video content

Your thumbnail should convey your viewer what they’re going to see in the video. This is why it should sync with the title, description and the content of the video.

A good tip is to include some text in your thumbnails. Platforms like Facebook have a restriction on the amount of text you can put into a video thumbnail, so keep that in mind!

In fact, you can also include some hashtags in the thumbnail. Compare the views of this Jimmy Falon video to others:

As someone who regularly watches videos on different platforms, I request you to avoid using click-bait video thumbnails. This causes a lot of annoyance to the viewer and give out a ‘cheating’ vibe. And this is not good for your brand.

In the not so distant future, platforms like YouTube and Facebook can slowly start identifying such users using machine learning, and start penalising them.

Make it visually appealing

Impress your audience at first sight. Use the right color palette, but also make sure it doesn’t end up too gaudy and bright. You can use some image editing tools like PlaceIt.

PlaceIt even has a huge gallery of templates to get you started. I have used PlaceIT for YouTube branding inspiration for years and its always a great way to research a starting design. Or you can buy templates for as little as $14.99.

Tubular Insights claim that something as simple as sharpening the edges can have also a subliminal effect on your thumbnail!

Include a human face to build an emotional connect

This usually makes people click you video because it makes them feel more connected. Once that connection is made, viewers are more likely to watch the entire video.

If possible, use a close-up shot because it helps the image stand out, irrespective of the device it is being viewed on. Look at the views on these BuzzFeed videos:

Tip: Based on what emotion your video is trying to evoke, use a face that exaggerates this emotion!

Brand your thumbnails

Given the real estate of the thumbnail, it can become difficult to add your brand’s logo. But try to include it whenever you can. This ensures your video stands out in a collection/list, and helps the viewer identify your content.

Branding and logos are essential for great thumbnails. A good logo for brand recognition helps your thumbnails stand out against other thumbnails on YouTube because it’s a clear signal to the audience that this is one of your videos.

Since your audience is easily able to identify the video as one of yours, they are more likely to click that video.

Have a look at the Vice YouTube channel:

Try A/B Thumbnail Testing

A/B Testing is the process of testing two variants of the same thing. In video marketing, this involves comparing two different versions of a particular video to gauge which one does a better job at attracting more YouTube views or engaging an audience.

Video makers need to understand that nowadays, it is no longer just about putting out great content but being able to market it effectively enough to continue organic growth over time.

On top of having great quality content, video thumbnails, tags and descriptions contribute to driving traffic as well. Oftentimes, having great content with poor video descriptions or thumbnails can spell the difference between getting more YouTube views or not, and that’s not the only factor.

Having the ability to do an A/B test on videos prior to publishing them live to check which version and setup works better for their audience is essential to success.

Sadly, YouTube does not offer a feature for A/B Testing as of yet for its videos. I use the A/B thumbnail tool from TubeBuddy to help me boost views, rank higher and improve my click-through-rate.

Why should I Carry Out YouTube A/B Thumbnail Testing?

To most marketers, video is time-consuming and expensive to produce.

Then why am I suggesting you to make multiple variants of your videos?

Because your video is useful only if people actually watch it. And honestly, video that isn’t increasing your viewer engagement is a waste of your time and money.

YouTube A/B thumbnail testing will tell you what factors in your videos influence the probability of the viewer watching the entire video. And you can then use this insight to make more videos that your viewers love!

In fact, brands carry out A/B testing video ads on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook all the time to mazimise click-through-rate and conversions – more often than you’d imagine.

How do I know whether my impressions click-through rate is high or low?

For this I am going to refer to Googles play book directly as they deep dive into Tips for using impressions and CTR data.

What Drives Impressions? – When you upload a video, YouTube starts surfacing it to relevant audiences. Based on many factors, our system figures out which viewers are most likely to watch your video. The system continues to surface the video to audiences as long as it remains on YouTube.

How Do I Know If My Click-Through-Rate (CTR) is High or Low – Impressions click-through rate measures how often viewers watched a video after seeing a registered impression on YouTube. Some views don’t count towards impressions, like views on external websites or from end screens. Because of this, your impressions CTR probably represents a subset of your channel’s total views.

Impressions click-through rate will vary based on the type of content, audience and where on YouTube the impression was shown. Video thumbnails are always competing against other videos on the homepage, in ‘Up Next’, in search results and more.

Half of all channels and videos on YouTube have an impressions CTR that can range between 2% and 10%.

New videos or channels (like those less than a week old), or videos with fewer than 100 views can see an even wider range. If a video gets a lot of impressions (such as if it appears on the Home Page), it’s natural for the CTR to be lower. Videos where most of the impressions are from sources like your channel page may have a higher rate.

Ultimately, it’s best to compare CTRs between videos over the long term and keep in mind how their traffic sources will affect their CTRs.

Step #1 Get a Gmail Account

Step #2: Create a YouTube Channel

Creating a Personal Channel

Creating a Business YouTube Channel

Step #3: Personalize Your YouTube Channel

Step #4: Verify Your Account

Step #5: Upload a Video

How To Start A YouTube Channel: FAQ

What Are YouTube Video Timestamps?

Why Use YouTube Video Chapters?

What Are Google Snippets?

How featured snippets are chosen?

Can You Download YouTube Videos?

The Legitimate Ways to Download — At a Glance

How to Download a YouTube Video With Premium (Mobile)

How to Download on Desktop / Computer

How to Download Your OWN YouTube Videos

Download Settings & Quality (Premium)

What YouTube Premium Downloads Actually Are

Is It Legal to Download YouTube Videos?

Can You Download YouTube Videos Without Premium?

What About Third-Party YouTube Downloaders?

Downloader Safety: Red Flags to Watch For

People Also Ask

How do I download a YouTube video on my iPhone or Android?

How do I download a YouTube video to MP4?

Can I download a YouTube video to watch on a plane?

Is it safe to use a YouTube downloader?

Why has the download button disappeared?

Can I download other platforms’ videos too?

Downloading YouTube Videos: FAQ

Final Thoughts

Tools To Get You Started on YouTube

VidIQ helps boost my views and get found in search

Rev.com helps people read my videos

Learn new skills for FREE with Skillshare

Shutterstock helps me add amazing video b-roll cutaways

Get More Views on Social Media Fast

What Is YouTube Stats for Nerds?

How to Turn On Stats for Nerds (Desktop & Mobile)

What Each Stat Actually Means

Why Use Stats for Nerds?

Stats for Nerds vs YouTube Analytics

Stats for Nerds FAQ

Final Thoughts

Why are YouTube Thumbnails important?

Add text to represent your video content

Make it visually appealing

Include a human face to build an emotional connect

Brand your thumbnails

Try A/B Thumbnail Testing

Why should I Carry Out YouTube A/B Thumbnail Testing?

How do I know whether my impressions click-through rate is high or low?