By Enric Llonch, on 21 June 2023
If you want to grow on YouTube and boost your video marketing strategy, you need to be familiar with YouTube Studio and its features. To access it, you will have to log in to YouTube and click on your icon photo in the upper right corner of the main screen. A menu will appear and YouTube Studio will be the third option listed on it.
But, what is YouTube Studio? In this article, we'll answer this question and go over everything you can do on this platform to create and share your audiovisual content.
What Is YouTube Studio?
YouTube Studio is the tool provided by YouTube that allows you to manage your own channel. In it, you can find all the information you need to analyze large amounts of data. In addition, if you are considered a partner by the platform, you can start monetizing your YouTube videos, analyzing your earnings, and downloading free music to use in your videos.
YouTube Studio also provides a feature called Channel Dashboard which gives an overall snapshot of your channel’s performance, including views, watch time, subscriber count, and your latest video performance. This can be a great way to quickly gauge how your channel is doing.
What Can You Do in YouTube Studio?
If you want to enhance your video marketing strategy, YouTube Studio is for you! But, it's essential to know exactly what it has to offer so that you can take full advantage of it. Below are some of the most important features you can find in YouTube Studio.
Manage Your Channels
YouTube Studio only allows you to monitor the account you are logged in to, but if you have multiple accounts, you can easily switch between the them by logging and clicking on your image in the upper right corner. A menu will pop up and it will give you the option to change your account.
YouTube Studio also lets you manage other aspects of your channel, such as your channel’s branding (including logo, banner image, and watermark), and basic info like the channel description and contact email.
View Analytics
Analytics is one of the main features of YouTube Studio. It allows you to see the performance of your channel and analyze your audience, views, impressions, and engagement. It also gives you information about your subscribers and the playback time of your videos.
YouTube Studio's advanced analytics can provide insights into traffic sources, showing you where viewers are finding your videos. It can also show what other videos your viewers watch, providing an opportunity to tailor your content to their broader interests.
To access the analytics, simply click on the "statistics" section of the dashboard on the left side of the screen. Whether you are a company with a branded channel or an individual content creator, monitoring analytics is essential for planning strategies.
Edit, Schedule, and Upload Videos
With YouTube Studio, you can edit and upload your videos, as well as schedule them to be published on a specific day and time.
While it's true that it doesn't have advanced editing tools, it does allow you to perform basic editing, so you can add cuts, merge frames, add a final screen, create blurs, and add video elements or audio.
YouTube Studio also provides options for adding end screens and cards to your videos. These features can be used to promote your other videos, encourage viewers to subscribe, or direct viewers to your website.
As for uploading videos, though you can do it through the mobile app, we recommend that you do it from your computer. To do so, go to the "Create" tab located next to your profile picture in the upper right corner.
Allow Access for Multiple Users
At the enterprise level, this is a very useful feature of YouTube Studio. To enable it, you need to go to the "Permissions" section of the "Settings" panel located in the left menu. Once you are there, click on the "Manage permissions" option. Once you have authenticated your account, click on the "+" sign to invite other users.
Be aware that the users you add will have different access levels, such as viewer, editor, and manager, each of which comes with a different set of permissions.
Design Your Playlists
Playlists are a great way to keep your channel organized for your audience. They allow your followers and viewers to easily navigate your channel and identify the videos they're interested in. To create a playlist, simply click on "Lists" and then on "New playlist".
You can also optimize the title and description of your playlists for SEO, which can help your playlists rank in search results and drive more views to your videos.
Manage Comments
Through YouTube Studio, you can decide how to filter the comments that people leave on your videos. You can allow all comments, moderate them before they're published, or disable them completely.
YouTube Studio’s comment management also allows you to pin a comment to the top, which can be a useful way to highlight positive comments or share important updates with your viewers.
Add Subtitles to Your Videos
To boost your video marketing strategy and have your content reach audiences in other countries, you should add subtitles in the languages of the countries where your brand has a presence as well as the markets that you want to break into.
Remember to ensure the accuracy of the subtitles, as incorrect or misleading subtitles can frustrate viewers and possibly violate YouTube's policies.
Hide Your Channel
If you have just created your channel and you only have a few videos, it will take time to create enough content to get your audience interested in your account. For this reason, it can be a good idea to hide your channel until you have enough material. To do this, go to the "Settings" panel located in the menu. Then click on "Channel" and "Advanced settings." Finally, select "Remove content from your channel" and you will be able to delete or hide your channel from the public.
Keep in mind that hiding your channel will also hide your comments, likes, subscriptions, and other user data, so make sure this is what you want to do before proceeding.
Access the News Section
Creator Insider is the channel for YouTube Studio news. Here, you can find updated information about the latest features from the platform, both for YouTube Studio and YouTube in general. We recommend that you check it frequently to make sure you don't miss anything.
If you subscribe to the Creator Insider channel, you can receive notifications about new videos, helping you stay informed about all the latest changes and features on the platform.
Copyright Claims
You can use YouTube Studio to monitor the copyright status of your videos, learn about any policy violations, and appeal against any copyright claims. It's essential to keep an eye on these aspects to avoid running into trouble with YouTube's policies.
YouTube Studio Mobile App
For content creators on-the-go, YouTube offers a YouTube Studio mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. It gives you a more convenient way to manage your channel, reply to comments, and get personalized notifications. You can also get quick insights and channel analytics, including real-time stats for your channel and videos.
Monetization Options in YouTube Studio
YouTube Studio also lets you manage various monetization options for your channel. This includes joining the YouTube Partner Program, enabling ads on your videos, setting up Super Chat for your live streams, and more. It's important to understand each monetization option's requirements and rules to make the most out of your channel's earning potential.
Community Tab Management
Once your channel reaches 1,000 subscribers, YouTube Studio provides access to the Community Tab. This is a space where you can interact with your viewers outside of video comments, such as by making text posts, sharing images, running polls, and more. It can be a great way to engage your audience, share updates, and even gather feedback.
Customization Options in YouTube Studio
Beyond video uploading and editing, YouTube Studio also provides several customization options for your channel's appearance and layout. You can customize your channel's homepage layout, add a channel trailer, highlight featured channels, and more. These customizations can help you manage your viewers' first impression of your channel and guide them towards your best content.
YouTube Shorts in YouTube Studio
Since 2021, YouTube has introduced YouTube Shorts. You can upload and edit your Shorts in the YouTube Studio app just like any other video. The only difference is that, if you want your video to be a YouTube Short, it needs to be less than 60 seconds long and be in a portrait format.
Differences Between YouTube Studio and YouTube Channels
YouTube Studio is for content creators. It allows them to manage everything on their channels. Meanwhile, a YouTube channel is where users can watch videos, share them, and interact with both the creator and other viewers. In short, a YouTube channel is the center stage, and YouTube Studio is the behind-the-scenes.
As soon as you create a YouTube account, you will have instant access to YouTube Studio. You don't need to upload a certain number of videos or reach a minimum number of subscribers. YouTube gives you access to it from the start so that you can grow as fast as possible. Even if you create an account with the sole purpose of commenting on videos on your favorite channel, you will automatically have access to YouTube Studio and be able to upload videos whenever you want.
If you have a YouTube account to view videos, comment on them, and interact with the community, a YouTube channel is perfect for you. On the other hand, if you want to create content, you will need access to both a YouTube Channel and YouTube Studio (to manage your account).
Here are the main differences between the two platforms:
- YouTube is a social network, while YouTube Studio is a tool for analyzing and managing YouTube channels.
- Having a YouTube account allows you to share, like, and comment on videos. YouTube Studio allows you to analyze, edit, schedule, and upload videos, among other things related to content creation and control.
- Like other social networks such as Instagram or TikTok, YouTube has designed a space where those who want to create content can do so easily while having access to different features. With YouTube Studio, any user can upload content, analyze results, and manage their account.
Both brands and individual creators use YouTube to increase brand awareness for their businesses and monetize their channels. The ability for creators to make money from their YouTube channels is a major incentive.
If your video marketing strategy is limited by the formats of social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, YouTube will give you a fresh space with many features to create unique and engaging content.
