YouTube is one of the most versatile video services on the web. The Google-owned service allows you to search for and watch videos, create a channel to which you can upload your own videos, comment on others’ videos, share videos, create playlists to organize video content and live-stream yourPlayCroco Casinoand other gaming adventures.
Tricks and Tips for YouTube
Only Facebook has a more extensive reach than YouTube. Most people are aware of the YouTube basics – watching videos, uploading their own video content and signing up to receive notifications from content creators in order to obtain the latest material.
However, there are many additional tools that aren’t as well known. For instance, you can create a link which will allow a viewer to go straight to a specific moment in the video. Or you can view any video in 360 degrees via the YouTube Virtual Reality setting.
You can turn a YouTube moment into a GIF, watch a written transcript of a video, upload your own written transcript, add creative effects to your video, live stream videos and more.
With a few extra clicks you can go way beyond watching and creating videos. Some of the best and most under-used YouTube tools include:
URL for YouTube Moment
Instead of sending someone a YouTube video and telling them to “look at the point in 2 minutes, 33 seconds” in order to show them exactly what you want them to see, you can create a link that will start the video at a the designated point.
To create such a link, open the video and click the “Share” button (far right of the video title). A window of options will open – check the “Start at” box and then type in the time that you want the video to start for the recipient of the URL that you are sending.
If you stop the video at the designated time, the “Start at” field in the window will autofill. A tag will add itself to the end of the video’s YouTube link which you copy and send.
Text
Unless you manually hide a transcript from a video, the video will automatically display the written text for what is spoken on the video. This is a great tool to help you help your viewers clarify what was said, write down a quote, find a specific spot in the video and more.
To see a video’s transcript, press the “More” tab on the video’s page and select the “Transcript” option from the drop-down menu. This transcript will appear accompanying the video in the same window.
Upload a Transcript
You can upload your own transcript in order to help your video get found in a YouTube search. The transcript is one of the items that the Google/YouTube algorithms identify when determining what searches will bring up your video.
Some SEO experts suggest that you add your transcript to the video description in order to make your video more visible in a search.
To add a transcript to your video, click on the “subtitles/CC” icon which is located just below the play button to the far right. (CC stands for “Closed Captions.)
- Set your language
- Upload a timed subtitles file or a pre-written text transcript, or
- Paste in a full transcript of the video, wherein subtitle timings will be set automatically, or
- Type the text in as you watch the video. There’s a “Pause video while typing” option that facilitates the process.
If a video that you’re watching doesn’t come with an automated transcription, you can create your own while you watch.Clickthe “More” tab underneath the video title when the drop-down menu appears, choose “Transcript.”
Share
You can create, collaborate and share using the video playlists. You can create a YouTube “playlist” where you organize your videos, both your own and those of other creators.
You can make your lists public, make them private or share the entire list with others. You can organize your lists by subject or keep all of the lists of specific creators together.
To create a playlist, click on your account icon (top right) and chose “Creator Studio”. Click “Video Manager” and then “Playlists.” You can see all your playlists here or create a new playlist by clicking “New Playlist.”
Set it to be public or private. Videos can be added to your playlist by clicking the “Add to” icon below the video title and then selecting the playlist to which you’d like to add the video.
Promote
You can add an end-screen to your video so the video will end with acall-to-action. The CTA cards appear in the last 30 seconds of your video with suggestions of sites and other videos that will keep viewers on your channel and at your website.
To add a CTA, click “Edit” next to your video manager icon and click “End screen & Annotations” from the drop-down menu. YouTube will take you to the End Screen creator studio where you’ll find different background and templates to create your end screen card.
Once you’ve selected the template and background that you want, click “Add Element” and add in the playlist, video or website that you want your viewers to see.
Sound Effects/Music
You can add sound effects and music to your video. YouTube features royalty-free, high-quality audio content that you can add to your videos.
To add the music/sound effects, open the YouTube Audio Library through the Creator Studio and then scroll through the various options. You’ll be able to hear samples of each option and you can then choose the option that you want to accompany your video.