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"[New] Boosting Engagement on YouTube Edit, Update & Enhance Metadata"
Boosting Engagement on YouTube: Edit, Update & Enhance Metadata
How to Optimize YouTube Tags/Title/Description for More Views
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Making awesome video content is just the first hurdle to overcome. Getting people to watch them is the next and a much bigger obstacle in your path. Just as a blogger must work hard to get people to read their blog, so a YouTuber needs to find ways to get more views on their videos.
For any piece of content on the internet, discoverability is key to exposure. After all, nobody will watch your video or read your blog if they can’t find it, right? A blogger would do this by lacing their content with SEO - search engine optimization. But how can a YouTuber do the same? The answer lies in something known as YouTube tags optimization. In this article, we will let you know how to add, edit and optimize YouTube tags easily for more views, and some tips on YouTube title and description.
Quick Jump Menu
- What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
- How to come up with YouTube tags and optimize them
- How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
- How to Improve YouTube video Metadata: Tags, Title, Description
- Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
Before we get started, I want to recommend the best video editing software for YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only to cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features:
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part 1: What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
YouTube tags are used when you upload a video on YouTube. You need to specify the type of video. In other words, you need to describe your video with keywords. But you might think about why you need to add these words. YouTube can’t figure out what my videos are about? Unfortunately, YouTube can’t though its algorithm is much more advanced than before.
You must know the competition between videos is furious since 500 hours of video per minute are uploaded on YouTube . In this case, it is important to let the YouTube algorithm know your video by adding related tags to have a higher ranking. So the better tags we choose, the higher chance to rank in the top 1, which means you will get more views!
Using YouTube meta tags wisely can broaden your reach and help new people discover your content. However, don’t be tempted to insert irrelevant tags just because you know they are high traffic. You will be found out and penalized as a result. Just as you did with your description, research your keywords, place the most important ones first and use as many as you can.
What are the three YouTube tag types?
YouTube has three different types of tags and each of them has a specific purpose. The tags are-
Specific – The specific tag types are keywords-oriented. These keywords specifically pertain to the content of your video. In this tag type, the particular video is highlighted with the keyword tags. Often while typing the keywords in your mind, YouTube suggests phrases and keywords according to the content of your video. You may apply the suggestions and also add more general or common versions of the same keywords.
Compound – The compound tags are usually using more than two words. Many a time it is seen that users prefer tagging the complete title of the video. If you are using your video title as the compound tag, ensure that you do not include the prepositions like or, as, and, etc. This is because YouTube allows just 500 characters in the title and ignore the prepositions. It is always advised to use all the 500 characters YouTube has allowed without wasting the characters on prepositions as it will automatically be ignored.
Generic – The generic tags are the ones that describe the entire video in one or two words. These tags are used in all the videos of yours. These tags are used across your channel for all the videos you post. It is important to have such general constant tags.
Part 2: How to add YouTube tags and optimize them
The more relevant tags you add, the better it is. The best part is YouTube doesn’t restrict the number of tags but adding all is not possible and adding something irrelevant doesn’t make sense. So, your YouTube video tags must be the smart ones for more views. Educated tagging is what is required.
1. Brand-Specific Tags Addition - Every business wants their brand name to show up in the search results on YouTube and Google. Self-referencing your video or tagging your brand name in a number of variations is a smart way of letting others know your brand.
2. Using YouTube Auto Suggest – Play with the search option on YouTube and check out the YouTube suggestions when you search. Try to recognize the common videos that pop up while searching for something important and relevant to yours. Try searching for random keywords according to your YouTube search experience.
3. Use the YouTube Keyword Search Tool – Lastly, you may use the YouTube keyword suggestion tool. It helps you to extract the relevant keywords from the videos of your competitors and create suggestions according to the basic term provided by you.
4. Use Specific Tags - After using tools, you need to narrow down your tags specifically, like tags “learn 3D paper cutting”. The search volume may not be huge, but these kinds of tags can let YouTube know your video very well. Give it a try!
5. Check competitor’s Tags - When you check tags from other brands, it is not suggested to copy them all. What you need to do is find what you are missing and try to cover that area. However, only third-party tools can help you do that. In the market, VidIQ is highly used. It has a free version. Most of all data including tags can be found for higher views.
YouTube Tags Bonus Tips
Here you can learn some tips when optimizing tags. You can use singular and plural tags. Sometimes remember to add some misspelling tags because users tend to mistype some words, so it’s better to cover this kind of tag. You can get more information on misspelled words . More tips are listed below.
- Build on what you learned in your keyword research and use high traffic keywords as tags
- Use as many tags as possible, but without being spammy
- Build related playlists using particular tags
- Be generic; ‘big’, ‘funny’ and ‘sweet’ are fine, but ‘luscious’, ‘delightful’ and ‘splendid’ don’t make the best tags
- Put the most important tags first
- Mix single word tags with ‘long tail’ tags, e.g. ‘how to’
Part 3: How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
For a New Video
- Step 1. The first thing you need to do is to sign in to your YouTube account .
- Step 2. Then click the Upload button that’s found on the top right corner of the window.
- Step 3. Then select the video that you want to upload. You will be asked to add a title, description, and tags.
- Step 4. After uploading, you can still edit the YouTube title, description, and tags.
For a Published Video
There are times when you want to change the title, description or tag of an already published video. The good news is that YouTube allows you to re-edit them whenever you want to.
- Step 1. Log into your YouTube account
- Step 2. Click the account name found at the top right-hand corner of the screen. Then you will have a dropdown menu. Select Video Manager to show a list of your uploaded videos.
- Step 3. Click the Edit button that’s found right next to the video that you want to modify. In the Video Information, you can now change the title, description or any of the tags. Click on the Save Changes button when you are done.
Part 4: How to Improve YouTube Video Title and Description
Metadata on YouTube is where both the viewers and the platform itself can find out what your video is all about. It helps people search for your video, helps YouTube to categorize it correctly and, when done well, can broaden the reach of your content. YouTube meta consists of three main parts: tags, title and description. Here’s how you can use each of these three elements to create powerful metadata for your video:
1. Title
YouTube titles play a big part in the ranking factors for search. That means you’ve got to think about what the people most likely to want to see your video will type into the search bar, as well as the words that accurately describe your video.
For example, if you have a clip of your cat Fluffy climbing a tree, calling your video ‘Fluffy climbs a tree’ is not the best idea. Nobody knows who Fluffy is; it could be your rabbit, dog, daughter or feather duster for all the YouTube community knows, and nobody is going to be searching for it.
A better title would be ‘cat climbs a tree, but you could even improve on that. How about ‘funny cat climbs a tree’, which would capture all those people looking for funny cat videos. Or, even better, ‘funny Persian cat climbs a tree’, also capturing those people who adore Persian cats.
You can see how building awesome YouTube titles can happen organically like this, but it’s also worth doing your homework too. We have collected a handful of YouTube Keyword tools for you to improve your YouTube meta, so check out the suggestions and work forwards from there.
Best practices
- Research your keywords and include high traffic keywords at the start of the title
- Keep titles under 70 characters
- Branding, episode number, and other non-essential info should be at the end of the title
- Review your YouTube titles from time to time and update with new keywords as search trends change
- Avoid clickbait titles or misleading titles as this will affect your view time and subsequently your ranking in search
2. Description
Your description is a much longer piece of YouTube meta, so you can really go to town with your YouTube keywords here. You’ve got up to 5,000 characters to fill in, and we strongly advise that you aim to use every single one. This really is a golden opportunity, not only to get people motivated to watch all of your video, but also to be indexed correctly through well researched YouTube keywords.
You may have noticed that, on the search page itself, only a small part of the description actually shows up; 120 characters of it to be precise. This doesn’t affect indexing, but it does mean you have to plan your YouTube description carefully to really hook people into clicking through from just the first sentence or two.
Best practices
- Make the first sentence or two compelling and captivating to get people to click
- Research the best YouTube keywords to use to ensure your video is correctly indexed
- At the end of your YouTube description, include a call to action to direct viewers on what to do next (subscribe, click through to the website, look at a product, watch more videos, etc.)
- If your video is long, consider placing time codes in your description to help users jump to their areas of interest
- Add links to products showcased, your social channels, or website as you wish
- Don’t forget to credit any music you’ve used here
Part 5: Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
So, now we’ve got the basics down, let’s move on to some top tips for getting your metadata just right:
- 1. Do not spam
Irrelevant keywords will not do you any favors in the long run. Using a popular search term such as ‘funny cat’ when actually it’s a video of you unboxing your product will simply irritate your viewers. You’ll get more views, but for shorter durations, and that will hurt not only your ranking but also your reputation. The people you want to draw in with your YouTube meta should be those who are genuinely interested in your videos, as these are the people who will share, comment and interact with you.
- 2. Don’t put tags in the description
YouTube has given you a place to put your tags, and that’s not in the description area of your meta. Placing tags in the description area is known as tag stuffing and can lead to videos being removed or penalized.
- 3. Update regularly
YouTube meta is not a static thing. Trends change, search statistics fluctuate, and the needs of your viewers alter as time goes on. For this reason, you should look to update your meta from time to time, at least once every six months or so. Re-research your keywords and optimize for today’s trending search terms.
You May Also Like: YouTube SEO Complete Guide
Conclusion
Take some time to perfect your meta on YouTube and see how many more views it helps you get. Let us know if you have any other tips for developing powerful metadata, and how optimizing your meta has worked for you!
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Making awesome video content is just the first hurdle to overcome. Getting people to watch them is the next and a much bigger obstacle in your path. Just as a blogger must work hard to get people to read their blog, so a YouTuber needs to find ways to get more views on their videos.
For any piece of content on the internet, discoverability is key to exposure. After all, nobody will watch your video or read your blog if they can’t find it, right? A blogger would do this by lacing their content with SEO - search engine optimization. But how can a YouTuber do the same? The answer lies in something known as YouTube tags optimization. In this article, we will let you know how to add, edit and optimize YouTube tags easily for more views, and some tips on YouTube title and description.
Quick Jump Menu
- What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
- How to come up with YouTube tags and optimize them
- How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
- How to Improve YouTube video Metadata: Tags, Title, Description
- Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
Before we get started, I want to recommend the best video editing software for YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only to cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features:
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part 1: What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
YouTube tags are used when you upload a video on YouTube. You need to specify the type of video. In other words, you need to describe your video with keywords. But you might think about why you need to add these words. YouTube can’t figure out what my videos are about? Unfortunately, YouTube can’t though its algorithm is much more advanced than before.
You must know the competition between videos is furious since 500 hours of video per minute are uploaded on YouTube . In this case, it is important to let the YouTube algorithm know your video by adding related tags to have a higher ranking. So the better tags we choose, the higher chance to rank in the top 1, which means you will get more views!
Using YouTube meta tags wisely can broaden your reach and help new people discover your content. However, don’t be tempted to insert irrelevant tags just because you know they are high traffic. You will be found out and penalized as a result. Just as you did with your description, research your keywords, place the most important ones first and use as many as you can.
What are the three YouTube tag types?
YouTube has three different types of tags and each of them has a specific purpose. The tags are-
Specific – The specific tag types are keywords-oriented. These keywords specifically pertain to the content of your video. In this tag type, the particular video is highlighted with the keyword tags. Often while typing the keywords in your mind, YouTube suggests phrases and keywords according to the content of your video. You may apply the suggestions and also add more general or common versions of the same keywords.
Compound – The compound tags are usually using more than two words. Many a time it is seen that users prefer tagging the complete title of the video. If you are using your video title as the compound tag, ensure that you do not include the prepositions like or, as, and, etc. This is because YouTube allows just 500 characters in the title and ignore the prepositions. It is always advised to use all the 500 characters YouTube has allowed without wasting the characters on prepositions as it will automatically be ignored.
Generic – The generic tags are the ones that describe the entire video in one or two words. These tags are used in all the videos of yours. These tags are used across your channel for all the videos you post. It is important to have such general constant tags.
Part 2: How to add YouTube tags and optimize them
The more relevant tags you add, the better it is. The best part is YouTube doesn’t restrict the number of tags but adding all is not possible and adding something irrelevant doesn’t make sense. So, your YouTube video tags must be the smart ones for more views. Educated tagging is what is required.
1. Brand-Specific Tags Addition - Every business wants their brand name to show up in the search results on YouTube and Google. Self-referencing your video or tagging your brand name in a number of variations is a smart way of letting others know your brand.
2. Using YouTube Auto Suggest – Play with the search option on YouTube and check out the YouTube suggestions when you search. Try to recognize the common videos that pop up while searching for something important and relevant to yours. Try searching for random keywords according to your YouTube search experience.
3. Use the YouTube Keyword Search Tool – Lastly, you may use the YouTube keyword suggestion tool. It helps you to extract the relevant keywords from the videos of your competitors and create suggestions according to the basic term provided by you.
4. Use Specific Tags - After using tools, you need to narrow down your tags specifically, like tags “learn 3D paper cutting”. The search volume may not be huge, but these kinds of tags can let YouTube know your video very well. Give it a try!
5. Check competitor’s Tags - When you check tags from other brands, it is not suggested to copy them all. What you need to do is find what you are missing and try to cover that area. However, only third-party tools can help you do that. In the market, VidIQ is highly used. It has a free version. Most of all data including tags can be found for higher views.
YouTube Tags Bonus Tips
Here you can learn some tips when optimizing tags. You can use singular and plural tags. Sometimes remember to add some misspelling tags because users tend to mistype some words, so it’s better to cover this kind of tag. You can get more information on misspelled words . More tips are listed below.
- Build on what you learned in your keyword research and use high traffic keywords as tags
- Use as many tags as possible, but without being spammy
- Build related playlists using particular tags
- Be generic; ‘big’, ‘funny’ and ‘sweet’ are fine, but ‘luscious’, ‘delightful’ and ‘splendid’ don’t make the best tags
- Put the most important tags first
- Mix single word tags with ‘long tail’ tags, e.g. ‘how to’
Part 3: How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
For a New Video
- Step 1. The first thing you need to do is to sign in to your YouTube account .
- Step 2. Then click the Upload button that’s found on the top right corner of the window.
- Step 3. Then select the video that you want to upload. You will be asked to add a title, description, and tags.
- Step 4. After uploading, you can still edit the YouTube title, description, and tags.
For a Published Video
There are times when you want to change the title, description or tag of an already published video. The good news is that YouTube allows you to re-edit them whenever you want to.
- Step 1. Log into your YouTube account
- Step 2. Click the account name found at the top right-hand corner of the screen. Then you will have a dropdown menu. Select Video Manager to show a list of your uploaded videos.
- Step 3. Click the Edit button that’s found right next to the video that you want to modify. In the Video Information, you can now change the title, description or any of the tags. Click on the Save Changes button when you are done.
Part 4: How to Improve YouTube Video Title and Description
Metadata on YouTube is where both the viewers and the platform itself can find out what your video is all about. It helps people search for your video, helps YouTube to categorize it correctly and, when done well, can broaden the reach of your content. YouTube meta consists of three main parts: tags, title and description. Here’s how you can use each of these three elements to create powerful metadata for your video:
1. Title
YouTube titles play a big part in the ranking factors for search. That means you’ve got to think about what the people most likely to want to see your video will type into the search bar, as well as the words that accurately describe your video.
For example, if you have a clip of your cat Fluffy climbing a tree, calling your video ‘Fluffy climbs a tree’ is not the best idea. Nobody knows who Fluffy is; it could be your rabbit, dog, daughter or feather duster for all the YouTube community knows, and nobody is going to be searching for it.
A better title would be ‘cat climbs a tree, but you could even improve on that. How about ‘funny cat climbs a tree’, which would capture all those people looking for funny cat videos. Or, even better, ‘funny Persian cat climbs a tree’, also capturing those people who adore Persian cats.
You can see how building awesome YouTube titles can happen organically like this, but it’s also worth doing your homework too. We have collected a handful of YouTube Keyword tools for you to improve your YouTube meta, so check out the suggestions and work forwards from there.
Best practices
- Research your keywords and include high traffic keywords at the start of the title
- Keep titles under 70 characters
- Branding, episode number, and other non-essential info should be at the end of the title
- Review your YouTube titles from time to time and update with new keywords as search trends change
- Avoid clickbait titles or misleading titles as this will affect your view time and subsequently your ranking in search
2. Description
Your description is a much longer piece of YouTube meta, so you can really go to town with your YouTube keywords here. You’ve got up to 5,000 characters to fill in, and we strongly advise that you aim to use every single one. This really is a golden opportunity, not only to get people motivated to watch all of your video, but also to be indexed correctly through well researched YouTube keywords.
You may have noticed that, on the search page itself, only a small part of the description actually shows up; 120 characters of it to be precise. This doesn’t affect indexing, but it does mean you have to plan your YouTube description carefully to really hook people into clicking through from just the first sentence or two.
Best practices
- Make the first sentence or two compelling and captivating to get people to click
- Research the best YouTube keywords to use to ensure your video is correctly indexed
- At the end of your YouTube description, include a call to action to direct viewers on what to do next (subscribe, click through to the website, look at a product, watch more videos, etc.)
- If your video is long, consider placing time codes in your description to help users jump to their areas of interest
- Add links to products showcased, your social channels, or website as you wish
- Don’t forget to credit any music you’ve used here
Part 5: Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
So, now we’ve got the basics down, let’s move on to some top tips for getting your metadata just right:
- 1. Do not spam
Irrelevant keywords will not do you any favors in the long run. Using a popular search term such as ‘funny cat’ when actually it’s a video of you unboxing your product will simply irritate your viewers. You’ll get more views, but for shorter durations, and that will hurt not only your ranking but also your reputation. The people you want to draw in with your YouTube meta should be those who are genuinely interested in your videos, as these are the people who will share, comment and interact with you.
- 2. Don’t put tags in the description
YouTube has given you a place to put your tags, and that’s not in the description area of your meta. Placing tags in the description area is known as tag stuffing and can lead to videos being removed or penalized.
- 3. Update regularly
YouTube meta is not a static thing. Trends change, search statistics fluctuate, and the needs of your viewers alter as time goes on. For this reason, you should look to update your meta from time to time, at least once every six months or so. Re-research your keywords and optimize for today’s trending search terms.
You May Also Like: YouTube SEO Complete Guide
Conclusion
Take some time to perfect your meta on YouTube and see how many more views it helps you get. Let us know if you have any other tips for developing powerful metadata, and how optimizing your meta has worked for you!
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Making awesome video content is just the first hurdle to overcome. Getting people to watch them is the next and a much bigger obstacle in your path. Just as a blogger must work hard to get people to read their blog, so a YouTuber needs to find ways to get more views on their videos.
For any piece of content on the internet, discoverability is key to exposure. After all, nobody will watch your video or read your blog if they can’t find it, right? A blogger would do this by lacing their content with SEO - search engine optimization. But how can a YouTuber do the same? The answer lies in something known as YouTube tags optimization. In this article, we will let you know how to add, edit and optimize YouTube tags easily for more views, and some tips on YouTube title and description.
Quick Jump Menu
- What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
- How to come up with YouTube tags and optimize them
- How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
- How to Improve YouTube video Metadata: Tags, Title, Description
- Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
Before we get started, I want to recommend the best video editing software for YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only to cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features:
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part 1: What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
YouTube tags are used when you upload a video on YouTube. You need to specify the type of video. In other words, you need to describe your video with keywords. But you might think about why you need to add these words. YouTube can’t figure out what my videos are about? Unfortunately, YouTube can’t though its algorithm is much more advanced than before.
You must know the competition between videos is furious since 500 hours of video per minute are uploaded on YouTube . In this case, it is important to let the YouTube algorithm know your video by adding related tags to have a higher ranking. So the better tags we choose, the higher chance to rank in the top 1, which means you will get more views!
Using YouTube meta tags wisely can broaden your reach and help new people discover your content. However, don’t be tempted to insert irrelevant tags just because you know they are high traffic. You will be found out and penalized as a result. Just as you did with your description, research your keywords, place the most important ones first and use as many as you can.
What are the three YouTube tag types?
YouTube has three different types of tags and each of them has a specific purpose. The tags are-
Specific – The specific tag types are keywords-oriented. These keywords specifically pertain to the content of your video. In this tag type, the particular video is highlighted with the keyword tags. Often while typing the keywords in your mind, YouTube suggests phrases and keywords according to the content of your video. You may apply the suggestions and also add more general or common versions of the same keywords.
Compound – The compound tags are usually using more than two words. Many a time it is seen that users prefer tagging the complete title of the video. If you are using your video title as the compound tag, ensure that you do not include the prepositions like or, as, and, etc. This is because YouTube allows just 500 characters in the title and ignore the prepositions. It is always advised to use all the 500 characters YouTube has allowed without wasting the characters on prepositions as it will automatically be ignored.
Generic – The generic tags are the ones that describe the entire video in one or two words. These tags are used in all the videos of yours. These tags are used across your channel for all the videos you post. It is important to have such general constant tags.
Part 2: How to add YouTube tags and optimize them
The more relevant tags you add, the better it is. The best part is YouTube doesn’t restrict the number of tags but adding all is not possible and adding something irrelevant doesn’t make sense. So, your YouTube video tags must be the smart ones for more views. Educated tagging is what is required.
1. Brand-Specific Tags Addition - Every business wants their brand name to show up in the search results on YouTube and Google. Self-referencing your video or tagging your brand name in a number of variations is a smart way of letting others know your brand.
2. Using YouTube Auto Suggest – Play with the search option on YouTube and check out the YouTube suggestions when you search. Try to recognize the common videos that pop up while searching for something important and relevant to yours. Try searching for random keywords according to your YouTube search experience.
3. Use the YouTube Keyword Search Tool – Lastly, you may use the YouTube keyword suggestion tool. It helps you to extract the relevant keywords from the videos of your competitors and create suggestions according to the basic term provided by you.
4. Use Specific Tags - After using tools, you need to narrow down your tags specifically, like tags “learn 3D paper cutting”. The search volume may not be huge, but these kinds of tags can let YouTube know your video very well. Give it a try!
5. Check competitor’s Tags - When you check tags from other brands, it is not suggested to copy them all. What you need to do is find what you are missing and try to cover that area. However, only third-party tools can help you do that. In the market, VidIQ is highly used. It has a free version. Most of all data including tags can be found for higher views.
YouTube Tags Bonus Tips
Here you can learn some tips when optimizing tags. You can use singular and plural tags. Sometimes remember to add some misspelling tags because users tend to mistype some words, so it’s better to cover this kind of tag. You can get more information on misspelled words . More tips are listed below.
- Build on what you learned in your keyword research and use high traffic keywords as tags
- Use as many tags as possible, but without being spammy
- Build related playlists using particular tags
- Be generic; ‘big’, ‘funny’ and ‘sweet’ are fine, but ‘luscious’, ‘delightful’ and ‘splendid’ don’t make the best tags
- Put the most important tags first
- Mix single word tags with ‘long tail’ tags, e.g. ‘how to’
Part 3: How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
For a New Video
- Step 1. The first thing you need to do is to sign in to your YouTube account .
- Step 2. Then click the Upload button that’s found on the top right corner of the window.
- Step 3. Then select the video that you want to upload. You will be asked to add a title, description, and tags.
- Step 4. After uploading, you can still edit the YouTube title, description, and tags.
For a Published Video
There are times when you want to change the title, description or tag of an already published video. The good news is that YouTube allows you to re-edit them whenever you want to.
- Step 1. Log into your YouTube account
- Step 2. Click the account name found at the top right-hand corner of the screen. Then you will have a dropdown menu. Select Video Manager to show a list of your uploaded videos.
- Step 3. Click the Edit button that’s found right next to the video that you want to modify. In the Video Information, you can now change the title, description or any of the tags. Click on the Save Changes button when you are done.
Part 4: How to Improve YouTube Video Title and Description
Metadata on YouTube is where both the viewers and the platform itself can find out what your video is all about. It helps people search for your video, helps YouTube to categorize it correctly and, when done well, can broaden the reach of your content. YouTube meta consists of three main parts: tags, title and description. Here’s how you can use each of these three elements to create powerful metadata for your video:
1. Title
YouTube titles play a big part in the ranking factors for search. That means you’ve got to think about what the people most likely to want to see your video will type into the search bar, as well as the words that accurately describe your video.
For example, if you have a clip of your cat Fluffy climbing a tree, calling your video ‘Fluffy climbs a tree’ is not the best idea. Nobody knows who Fluffy is; it could be your rabbit, dog, daughter or feather duster for all the YouTube community knows, and nobody is going to be searching for it.
A better title would be ‘cat climbs a tree, but you could even improve on that. How about ‘funny cat climbs a tree’, which would capture all those people looking for funny cat videos. Or, even better, ‘funny Persian cat climbs a tree’, also capturing those people who adore Persian cats.
You can see how building awesome YouTube titles can happen organically like this, but it’s also worth doing your homework too. We have collected a handful of YouTube Keyword tools for you to improve your YouTube meta, so check out the suggestions and work forwards from there.
Best practices
- Research your keywords and include high traffic keywords at the start of the title
- Keep titles under 70 characters
- Branding, episode number, and other non-essential info should be at the end of the title
- Review your YouTube titles from time to time and update with new keywords as search trends change
- Avoid clickbait titles or misleading titles as this will affect your view time and subsequently your ranking in search
2. Description
Your description is a much longer piece of YouTube meta, so you can really go to town with your YouTube keywords here. You’ve got up to 5,000 characters to fill in, and we strongly advise that you aim to use every single one. This really is a golden opportunity, not only to get people motivated to watch all of your video, but also to be indexed correctly through well researched YouTube keywords.
You may have noticed that, on the search page itself, only a small part of the description actually shows up; 120 characters of it to be precise. This doesn’t affect indexing, but it does mean you have to plan your YouTube description carefully to really hook people into clicking through from just the first sentence or two.
Best practices
- Make the first sentence or two compelling and captivating to get people to click
- Research the best YouTube keywords to use to ensure your video is correctly indexed
- At the end of your YouTube description, include a call to action to direct viewers on what to do next (subscribe, click through to the website, look at a product, watch more videos, etc.)
- If your video is long, consider placing time codes in your description to help users jump to their areas of interest
- Add links to products showcased, your social channels, or website as you wish
- Don’t forget to credit any music you’ve used here
Part 5: Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
So, now we’ve got the basics down, let’s move on to some top tips for getting your metadata just right:
- 1. Do not spam
Irrelevant keywords will not do you any favors in the long run. Using a popular search term such as ‘funny cat’ when actually it’s a video of you unboxing your product will simply irritate your viewers. You’ll get more views, but for shorter durations, and that will hurt not only your ranking but also your reputation. The people you want to draw in with your YouTube meta should be those who are genuinely interested in your videos, as these are the people who will share, comment and interact with you.
- 2. Don’t put tags in the description
YouTube has given you a place to put your tags, and that’s not in the description area of your meta. Placing tags in the description area is known as tag stuffing and can lead to videos being removed or penalized.
- 3. Update regularly
YouTube meta is not a static thing. Trends change, search statistics fluctuate, and the needs of your viewers alter as time goes on. For this reason, you should look to update your meta from time to time, at least once every six months or so. Re-research your keywords and optimize for today’s trending search terms.
You May Also Like: YouTube SEO Complete Guide
Conclusion
Take some time to perfect your meta on YouTube and see how many more views it helps you get. Let us know if you have any other tips for developing powerful metadata, and how optimizing your meta has worked for you!
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Making awesome video content is just the first hurdle to overcome. Getting people to watch them is the next and a much bigger obstacle in your path. Just as a blogger must work hard to get people to read their blog, so a YouTuber needs to find ways to get more views on their videos.
For any piece of content on the internet, discoverability is key to exposure. After all, nobody will watch your video or read your blog if they can’t find it, right? A blogger would do this by lacing their content with SEO - search engine optimization. But how can a YouTuber do the same? The answer lies in something known as YouTube tags optimization. In this article, we will let you know how to add, edit and optimize YouTube tags easily for more views, and some tips on YouTube title and description.
Quick Jump Menu
- What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
- How to come up with YouTube tags and optimize them
- How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
- How to Improve YouTube video Metadata: Tags, Title, Description
- Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
Before we get started, I want to recommend the best video editing software for YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora , an easy to use while powerful video editor that allows you not only to cut, split, crop, resize, reverse your videos, but also offers you multiple video effects specially designed for Fashion, Beauty, Gaming, Travel, Education, etc. Check the video to know more fantastic features:
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Part 1: What are YouTube tags and why they are so important
YouTube tags are used when you upload a video on YouTube. You need to specify the type of video. In other words, you need to describe your video with keywords. But you might think about why you need to add these words. YouTube can’t figure out what my videos are about? Unfortunately, YouTube can’t though its algorithm is much more advanced than before.
You must know the competition between videos is furious since 500 hours of video per minute are uploaded on YouTube . In this case, it is important to let the YouTube algorithm know your video by adding related tags to have a higher ranking. So the better tags we choose, the higher chance to rank in the top 1, which means you will get more views!
Using YouTube meta tags wisely can broaden your reach and help new people discover your content. However, don’t be tempted to insert irrelevant tags just because you know they are high traffic. You will be found out and penalized as a result. Just as you did with your description, research your keywords, place the most important ones first and use as many as you can.
What are the three YouTube tag types?
YouTube has three different types of tags and each of them has a specific purpose. The tags are-
Specific – The specific tag types are keywords-oriented. These keywords specifically pertain to the content of your video. In this tag type, the particular video is highlighted with the keyword tags. Often while typing the keywords in your mind, YouTube suggests phrases and keywords according to the content of your video. You may apply the suggestions and also add more general or common versions of the same keywords.
Compound – The compound tags are usually using more than two words. Many a time it is seen that users prefer tagging the complete title of the video. If you are using your video title as the compound tag, ensure that you do not include the prepositions like or, as, and, etc. This is because YouTube allows just 500 characters in the title and ignore the prepositions. It is always advised to use all the 500 characters YouTube has allowed without wasting the characters on prepositions as it will automatically be ignored.
Generic – The generic tags are the ones that describe the entire video in one or two words. These tags are used in all the videos of yours. These tags are used across your channel for all the videos you post. It is important to have such general constant tags.
Part 2: How to add YouTube tags and optimize them
The more relevant tags you add, the better it is. The best part is YouTube doesn’t restrict the number of tags but adding all is not possible and adding something irrelevant doesn’t make sense. So, your YouTube video tags must be the smart ones for more views. Educated tagging is what is required.
1. Brand-Specific Tags Addition - Every business wants their brand name to show up in the search results on YouTube and Google. Self-referencing your video or tagging your brand name in a number of variations is a smart way of letting others know your brand.
2. Using YouTube Auto Suggest – Play with the search option on YouTube and check out the YouTube suggestions when you search. Try to recognize the common videos that pop up while searching for something important and relevant to yours. Try searching for random keywords according to your YouTube search experience.
3. Use the YouTube Keyword Search Tool – Lastly, you may use the YouTube keyword suggestion tool. It helps you to extract the relevant keywords from the videos of your competitors and create suggestions according to the basic term provided by you.
4. Use Specific Tags - After using tools, you need to narrow down your tags specifically, like tags “learn 3D paper cutting”. The search volume may not be huge, but these kinds of tags can let YouTube know your video very well. Give it a try!
5. Check competitor’s Tags - When you check tags from other brands, it is not suggested to copy them all. What you need to do is find what you are missing and try to cover that area. However, only third-party tools can help you do that. In the market, VidIQ is highly used. It has a free version. Most of all data including tags can be found for higher views.
YouTube Tags Bonus Tips
Here you can learn some tips when optimizing tags. You can use singular and plural tags. Sometimes remember to add some misspelling tags because users tend to mistype some words, so it’s better to cover this kind of tag. You can get more information on misspelled words . More tips are listed below.
- Build on what you learned in your keyword research and use high traffic keywords as tags
- Use as many tags as possible, but without being spammy
- Build related playlists using particular tags
- Be generic; ‘big’, ‘funny’ and ‘sweet’ are fine, but ‘luscious’, ‘delightful’ and ‘splendid’ don’t make the best tags
- Put the most important tags first
- Mix single word tags with ‘long tail’ tags, e.g. ‘how to’
Part 3: How to Tag YouTube and Add Title, Description
For a New Video
- Step 1. The first thing you need to do is to sign in to your YouTube account .
- Step 2. Then click the Upload button that’s found on the top right corner of the window.
- Step 3. Then select the video that you want to upload. You will be asked to add a title, description, and tags.
- Step 4. After uploading, you can still edit the YouTube title, description, and tags.
For a Published Video
There are times when you want to change the title, description or tag of an already published video. The good news is that YouTube allows you to re-edit them whenever you want to.
- Step 1. Log into your YouTube account
- Step 2. Click the account name found at the top right-hand corner of the screen. Then you will have a dropdown menu. Select Video Manager to show a list of your uploaded videos.
- Step 3. Click the Edit button that’s found right next to the video that you want to modify. In the Video Information, you can now change the title, description or any of the tags. Click on the Save Changes button when you are done.
Part 4: How to Improve YouTube Video Title and Description
Metadata on YouTube is where both the viewers and the platform itself can find out what your video is all about. It helps people search for your video, helps YouTube to categorize it correctly and, when done well, can broaden the reach of your content. YouTube meta consists of three main parts: tags, title and description. Here’s how you can use each of these three elements to create powerful metadata for your video:
1. Title
YouTube titles play a big part in the ranking factors for search. That means you’ve got to think about what the people most likely to want to see your video will type into the search bar, as well as the words that accurately describe your video.
For example, if you have a clip of your cat Fluffy climbing a tree, calling your video ‘Fluffy climbs a tree’ is not the best idea. Nobody knows who Fluffy is; it could be your rabbit, dog, daughter or feather duster for all the YouTube community knows, and nobody is going to be searching for it.
A better title would be ‘cat climbs a tree, but you could even improve on that. How about ‘funny cat climbs a tree’, which would capture all those people looking for funny cat videos. Or, even better, ‘funny Persian cat climbs a tree’, also capturing those people who adore Persian cats.
You can see how building awesome YouTube titles can happen organically like this, but it’s also worth doing your homework too. We have collected a handful of YouTube Keyword tools for you to improve your YouTube meta, so check out the suggestions and work forwards from there.
Best practices
- Research your keywords and include high traffic keywords at the start of the title
- Keep titles under 70 characters
- Branding, episode number, and other non-essential info should be at the end of the title
- Review your YouTube titles from time to time and update with new keywords as search trends change
- Avoid clickbait titles or misleading titles as this will affect your view time and subsequently your ranking in search
2. Description
Your description is a much longer piece of YouTube meta, so you can really go to town with your YouTube keywords here. You’ve got up to 5,000 characters to fill in, and we strongly advise that you aim to use every single one. This really is a golden opportunity, not only to get people motivated to watch all of your video, but also to be indexed correctly through well researched YouTube keywords.
You may have noticed that, on the search page itself, only a small part of the description actually shows up; 120 characters of it to be precise. This doesn’t affect indexing, but it does mean you have to plan your YouTube description carefully to really hook people into clicking through from just the first sentence or two.
Best practices
- Make the first sentence or two compelling and captivating to get people to click
- Research the best YouTube keywords to use to ensure your video is correctly indexed
- At the end of your YouTube description, include a call to action to direct viewers on what to do next (subscribe, click through to the website, look at a product, watch more videos, etc.)
- If your video is long, consider placing time codes in your description to help users jump to their areas of interest
- Add links to products showcased, your social channels, or website as you wish
- Don’t forget to credit any music you’ve used here
Part 5: Tips for Tagging YouTube and Writing Title, Description
So, now we’ve got the basics down, let’s move on to some top tips for getting your metadata just right:
- 1. Do not spam
Irrelevant keywords will not do you any favors in the long run. Using a popular search term such as ‘funny cat’ when actually it’s a video of you unboxing your product will simply irritate your viewers. You’ll get more views, but for shorter durations, and that will hurt not only your ranking but also your reputation. The people you want to draw in with your YouTube meta should be those who are genuinely interested in your videos, as these are the people who will share, comment and interact with you.
- 2. Don’t put tags in the description
YouTube has given you a place to put your tags, and that’s not in the description area of your meta. Placing tags in the description area is known as tag stuffing and can lead to videos being removed or penalized.
- 3. Update regularly
YouTube meta is not a static thing. Trends change, search statistics fluctuate, and the needs of your viewers alter as time goes on. For this reason, you should look to update your meta from time to time, at least once every six months or so. Re-research your keywords and optimize for today’s trending search terms.
You May Also Like: YouTube SEO Complete Guide
Conclusion
Take some time to perfect your meta on YouTube and see how many more views it helps you get. Let us know if you have any other tips for developing powerful metadata, and how optimizing your meta has worked for you!
Download Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
YouTube Video Aspect Ratio Guide: Optimal Upload Sizes
YouTube Video Dimensions/Size: Guide for Upload Settings
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.
It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.
Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.
But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!
You will Learn :
- The right YouTube video size for you
- Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
- What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
- What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
- The correct video image and YouTube screen size
- FAQs about Youtube upload settings
- Basic terminologies that you should know
The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora
As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.
Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.
The right YouTube video size for you
| Resolution | Equivalent Name | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 3840×2160 | 2160p | 4K |
| 2560×1440 | 1440p | 2K |
| 1920×1080 | 1080p | Highest YouTube HD video resolution |
| 1280×720 | 720p | Least YouTube HD video resolution |
| 854×480 | 480p | Standard definition |
| 640×360 | 360p | Conventional website resolution |
| 426×240 | 240p | Least YouTube video size available |
Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
| Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 426 x 420p |
|---|---|
| Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 3840 x 2160p |
| The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video | 16:9 |
| Maximum size of a YouTube file | 128GB |
| The maximum length of a YouTube video | 12 hours |
| Compatible YouTube video formats | avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv |
In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.
Image from learn.g2
What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.
These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.
If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.
What is the video aspect ratio?
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.
The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:
Image from learn.g2
The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.
Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.
Standard aspect ratios
Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.
Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:
| Aspect ratio | Application |
|---|---|
| 1:1 or 1x1 | This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape. |
| 4:3 or 4x3 | This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms! |
| 16:9 or 16x9 | The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos. |
| 21:9 or 21x9 | For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases. |
The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.
When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.
A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:
Image from learn.g2
The correct video image and YouTube screen size
Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!
The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.
So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!
Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!
1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo
The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.
The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.
Image from metricool
2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo
What is YouTube thumbnail?
A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.
You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.
Why is it important?
Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.
A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail
Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!
YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image
The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.
Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.
For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:
Image from learn.g2
3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner
YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.
For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.
Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.
Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.
The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.
| Displays | Banner image Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Video display | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
| Desktop display | 2560 x 423 pixels |
| Tablet display | 1855 x 423 pixels |
| Television | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:
Image from learn.g2
The right cover photo size on TV
The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.
The right cover photo size on desktop displays
The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.
The right cover photo size on Tablet displays
As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.
FAQs about Youtube upload settings
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?
The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?
The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.
How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?
Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.
Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.
Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.
Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.
Step 5: Click on save button.
How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.
Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.
Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.
Step 4: Click “Next”.
Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.
How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.
Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.
Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.
Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).
Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.
Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.
Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!
Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>
Basic terminologies that you should know
Video Format
A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.
So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.
Frame Rate
“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”
Resolution
Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.
It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.
File Size
File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.
As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.
Codec
Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.
The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.
While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.
Aspect ratio:
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
Need a YouTube support?
If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .
Final Verdict
Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.
It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.
Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.
But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!
You will Learn :
- The right YouTube video size for you
- Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
- What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
- What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
- The correct video image and YouTube screen size
- FAQs about Youtube upload settings
- Basic terminologies that you should know
The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora
As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.
Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.
The right YouTube video size for you
| Resolution | Equivalent Name | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 3840×2160 | 2160p | 4K |
| 2560×1440 | 1440p | 2K |
| 1920×1080 | 1080p | Highest YouTube HD video resolution |
| 1280×720 | 720p | Least YouTube HD video resolution |
| 854×480 | 480p | Standard definition |
| 640×360 | 360p | Conventional website resolution |
| 426×240 | 240p | Least YouTube video size available |
Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
| Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 426 x 420p |
|---|---|
| Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 3840 x 2160p |
| The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video | 16:9 |
| Maximum size of a YouTube file | 128GB |
| The maximum length of a YouTube video | 12 hours |
| Compatible YouTube video formats | avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv |
In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.
Image from learn.g2
What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.
These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.
If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.
What is the video aspect ratio?
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.
The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:
Image from learn.g2
The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.
Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.
Standard aspect ratios
Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.
Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:
| Aspect ratio | Application |
|---|---|
| 1:1 or 1x1 | This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape. |
| 4:3 or 4x3 | This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms! |
| 16:9 or 16x9 | The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos. |
| 21:9 or 21x9 | For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases. |
The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.
When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.
A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:
Image from learn.g2
The correct video image and YouTube screen size
Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!
The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.
So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!
Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!
1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo
The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.
The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.
Image from metricool
2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo
What is YouTube thumbnail?
A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.
You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.
Why is it important?
Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.
A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail
Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!
YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image
The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.
Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.
For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:
Image from learn.g2
3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner
YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.
For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.
Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.
Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.
The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.
| Displays | Banner image Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Video display | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
| Desktop display | 2560 x 423 pixels |
| Tablet display | 1855 x 423 pixels |
| Television | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:
Image from learn.g2
The right cover photo size on TV
The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.
The right cover photo size on desktop displays
The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.
The right cover photo size on Tablet displays
As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.
FAQs about Youtube upload settings
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?
The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?
The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.
How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?
Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.
Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.
Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.
Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.
Step 5: Click on save button.
How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.
Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.
Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.
Step 4: Click “Next”.
Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.
How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.
Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.
Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.
Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).
Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.
Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.
Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!
Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>
Basic terminologies that you should know
Video Format
A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.
So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.
Frame Rate
“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”
Resolution
Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.
It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.
File Size
File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.
As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.
Codec
Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.
The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.
While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.
Aspect ratio:
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
Need a YouTube support?
If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .
Final Verdict
Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.
It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.
Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.
But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!
You will Learn :
- The right YouTube video size for you
- Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
- What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
- What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
- The correct video image and YouTube screen size
- FAQs about Youtube upload settings
- Basic terminologies that you should know
The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora
As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.
Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.
The right YouTube video size for you
| Resolution | Equivalent Name | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 3840×2160 | 2160p | 4K |
| 2560×1440 | 1440p | 2K |
| 1920×1080 | 1080p | Highest YouTube HD video resolution |
| 1280×720 | 720p | Least YouTube HD video resolution |
| 854×480 | 480p | Standard definition |
| 640×360 | 360p | Conventional website resolution |
| 426×240 | 240p | Least YouTube video size available |
Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
| Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 426 x 420p |
|---|---|
| Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 3840 x 2160p |
| The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video | 16:9 |
| Maximum size of a YouTube file | 128GB |
| The maximum length of a YouTube video | 12 hours |
| Compatible YouTube video formats | avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv |
In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.
Image from learn.g2
What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.
These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.
If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.
What is the video aspect ratio?
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.
The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:
Image from learn.g2
The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.
Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.
Standard aspect ratios
Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.
Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:
| Aspect ratio | Application |
|---|---|
| 1:1 or 1x1 | This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape. |
| 4:3 or 4x3 | This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms! |
| 16:9 or 16x9 | The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos. |
| 21:9 or 21x9 | For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases. |
The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.
When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.
A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:
Image from learn.g2
The correct video image and YouTube screen size
Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!
The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.
So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!
Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!
1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo
The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.
The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.
Image from metricool
2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo
What is YouTube thumbnail?
A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.
You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.
Why is it important?
Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.
A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail
Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!
YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image
The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.
Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.
For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:
Image from learn.g2
3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner
YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.
For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.
Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.
Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.
The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.
| Displays | Banner image Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Video display | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
| Desktop display | 2560 x 423 pixels |
| Tablet display | 1855 x 423 pixels |
| Television | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:
Image from learn.g2
The right cover photo size on TV
The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.
The right cover photo size on desktop displays
The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.
The right cover photo size on Tablet displays
As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.
FAQs about Youtube upload settings
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?
The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?
The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.
How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?
Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.
Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.
Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.
Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.
Step 5: Click on save button.
How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.
Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.
Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.
Step 4: Click “Next”.
Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.
How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.
Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.
Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.
Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).
Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.
Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.
Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!
Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>
Basic terminologies that you should know
Video Format
A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.
So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.
Frame Rate
“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”
Resolution
Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.
It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.
File Size
File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.
As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.
Codec
Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.
The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.
While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.
Aspect ratio:
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
Need a YouTube support?
If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .
Final Verdict
Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions
Every social media offers a distinct range of dimensions and settings for their publication. So does YouTube.
It’s acutely important to be aware of your setting choices and choosing the right video, thumbnail and screen dimensions of a YouTube video to elevate the user experience.
Merely watching the videos on YouTube is much easier but being able to upload a video there using the right size matters a lot more than one thinks of.
But how can one master it all by himself? Here we are to guide you all along the way! So sit back and relax and enjoy your first-rated content!
You will Learn :
- The right YouTube video size for you
- Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
- What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
- What is the right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
- The correct video image and YouTube screen size
- FAQs about Youtube upload settings
- Basic terminologies that you should know
The Best Video Editor for Successful YouTubers - Wondershare Filmora
As a easy-to-use video editor, Filmora is really perfect for successful YouTubers. Filmora not only allows you to cut, crop, rotate, reverse videos, but also offers your advanced features like PIP, Green Screen, or audio mixing. What’s more, you can find lots of effects for Fashion, gaming, education, tutorial, sports, etc.
Check below video to know more and download now to have a try for free.
The right YouTube video size for you
| Resolution | Equivalent Name | Quality |
|---|---|---|
| 3840×2160 | 2160p | 4K |
| 2560×1440 | 1440p | 2K |
| 1920×1080 | 1080p | Highest YouTube HD video resolution |
| 1280×720 | 720p | Least YouTube HD video resolution |
| 854×480 | 480p | Standard definition |
| 640×360 | 360p | Conventional website resolution |
| 426×240 | 240p | Least YouTube video size available |
Important guidelines for YouTube Video dimensions
| Maximum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 426 x 420p |
|---|---|
| Minimum acceptable size of a YouTube video | 3840 x 2160p |
| The right aspect ratio of a YouTube video | 16:9 |
| Maximum size of a YouTube file | 128GB |
| The maximum length of a YouTube video | 12 hours |
| Compatible YouTube video formats | avi mov mp4 (best video format for YouTube) 3GPP webM flv mpeg mpegps wmv |
In order to grasp all of the aforementioned configurations thoroughly, a pictorial depiction is a must. So here it is to give you a vivid vision.
Image from learn.g2
What’s the best YouTube video size for you?
It is recommended by professionals to use the YouTube video dimensions 1080p, or 1920 x 1080.
These ones are the ideal because it will not only facilitate the video with a professional and elite look but also consumes relatively much less data. Moreover, if you use a phone for recording your videos then using the quality higher than the ones mentioned above will cost you with ample memory.
If you are a newbie to the world of YouTube and want to up the device’s storage game then 720p would still do wonders.
What is the video aspect ratio?
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 unit wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
The aspect ratio of a video merely refers to the relationship among the width and height respectively and not the actual physical size of the image.
The most common aspect ratios used in the video are depicted below for sound understanding:
Image from learn.g2
The aspect ratio is the proportion of your video. This image displays the three most common aspect ratios.
Aspect ratio refers to the ratio of height and width although dimensions refer to two separate measurements of height and width rather than a ratio with “pixel” as its unit.
Standard aspect ratios
Below are the most common aspect ratios used for the video. There may be certain amendments to the ones mentioned below but the following formats are used mostly by the film and video makers.
Let’s review the quick breakdown of the available aspect ratio options that you can opt accordingly:
| Aspect ratio | Application |
|---|---|
| 1:1 or 1x1 | This aspect ratio will mostly be seen in the Instagram video. This 1:1 ratio gives a video a perfect square shape. |
| 4:3 or 4x3 | This aspect ratio was mostly seen few ages ago in almost the amidst 20th century on the TV. This was used to be a standard television format back then. So if you are a 90’s kid or an adult then you must be familiar with this format while watching your favorite old schooled sitcoms! |
| 16:9 or 16x9 | The format was enhanced to 16:9 aspect ratio for more HD quality and better viewing experience. This format is widely being used in televisions, theatres, DVD or high definition professional videos. |
| 21:9 or 21x9 | For more than merely an HD video quality and astonishing user experience, the formats have been upgraded to 21:9 aspect ratio. This is dominantly being used in the cinema for movie theatre releases. |
The right aspect ratio for YouTube videos
YouTube recommends using an aspect ratio of 16:9 according to the video player that YouTube uses. You are also given an option to upload your videos vertically but this will amend the aspect ratio respectively.
When you upload a video with an aspect ratio other than the one mention formerly then YouTube will automatically place the black bars on the sides. This is done to display the best quality video with the right resolution otherwise it will be displayed as distorted or cropped.
A vertical ratio with may be 4:3 video aspect ratio will be displayed like the image given below:
Image from learn.g2
The correct video image and YouTube screen size
Videos are undoubtedly the most important asset of YouTube but we cannot ignore the significance of the optimal images there! Using the right channel images will enhance the user experience and will ultimately level up your game!
The appealing and attractive cover photos, banners, thumbnails, channel icons possess equal importance as the video itself.
So don’t forget to tune your images! Just grab a cup of coffee and see how your views increase exponentially by this simple yet most important change!
Just skim through the checklist given below and you will be ready to nail it!
1. Perfect size for your YouTube profile photo
The profile photo of YouTube, often called a YouTube channel icon, is preferably a facial picture when is run by an individual and a respective logo if run by a brand or a business.
The suggested YouTube screen size of your YouTube profile picture or channel icon is 800 x800 pixels.
Image from metricool
2. Perfect size for your YouTube thumbnail photo
What is YouTube thumbnail?
A thumbnail photo is the picture of one of the frames of your video that you select to let the viewers see the quick glace or snapshot of your video while they browse YouTube.
You can choose any of the snapshots, technically known as a thumbnail, right after uploading your video on your channel. Either you can let YouTube choose any thumbnail or you choose your own.
Why is it important?
Choosing the appropriate thumbnail is one of the most important factors you cannot neglect. In order to gain views the most on your videos, a wise selection of a perfect YouTube video thumbnail dimensions will attract the viewers. Hence this will can uplift your views to a drastic extent.
A quick tip for the perfect YouTube thumbnail
Take a look at the popular you tubers and see what strategies they use when uploading their thumbnails. Usually, the video content is not as appealing as the thumbnail itself. That’s what you need to understand! Just see by yourself how large text and striking images will do wonders!
YouTube video thumbnail dimension for a perfect thumbnail image
The preferred YouTube screen size of your thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.
Similar to the YouTube video, the aspect ratio of your thumbnail is 16:9.
For even more clear understanding, look into this illustration:
Image from learn.g2
3. Perfect size for your YouTube banner
YouTube offers two main areas for image display of your channel. One is an icon image while other is what YouTube calls “Channel Art”. This is the same as Facebook’s cover photo. People often call it “YouTube banner”. It is a header image displayed at the top of your channel.
For each kind of display (mobile, desktop, and TV), channel art (or banner) dimension changes accordingly.
Either your cover photo or your YouTube banner is displayed at the top of the channel so it’s highly significant to consider what you are depicting about your channel through these images.
Hence, this being said or realized, selecting the appropriate banner resolution should be among your topmost priorities.
The recommended banner dimensions of a YouTube video as suggested by YouTube are 2560 x 1440 pixels. But the dimensions may slightly vary with the variation in the devices being used by the users.
| Displays | Banner image Dimensions |
|---|---|
| Video display | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
| Desktop display | 2560 x 423 pixels |
| Tablet display | 1855 x 423 pixels |
| Television | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
For a thorough understanding, refer to the image below:
Image from learn.g2
The right cover photo size on TV
The image displayed when accessing YouTube from TV will appear and be uploaded full or maximized. So a wise image size must be opted. So the accurate resolution would be 2560 x 1440 pixels which will cover the entire background of your channel.
The right cover photo size on desktop displays
The image size may vary to some extent as per the browser you are accessing with or the desktop itself. But generally, the suggested cover photo size for desktop displays is 2560 x 423 pixels.
The right cover photo size on Tablet displays
As per the recommendation for uploading the image while specifically considering the table display is 1855 x 423 pixels. This will cover the area appropriately.
FAQs about Youtube upload settings
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of size?
The allowed maximum video file size for uploading is 128GB at present.
What is the maximum YouTube upload limit of length?
The allowed maximum video length today for uploading is 12 hours.
How the default upload setting is reset on YouTube?
Step 1: Sign In to your YouTube account using a browser.
Step 2: By clicking your profile icon on the top right corner of the pane, you’ll see the YouTube Studio option. Click on it.
Step 3: Go on settings option where a pop-up window will appear.
Step 4: Look for upload defaults and change the configurations on 2 tabs.
Step 5: Click on save button.
How is YouTube video uploaded using the mobile application?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube channel using your mobile phone.
Step 2: Tap on the video camera icon to upload a video. Grant access to your photo gallery and camera is asked by the app while uploading for the first time.
Step 3: You may “Go Live” or simply drag an already made video file to upload.
Step 4: Click “Next”.
Step 5: Enter the video name, select visibility level and then click upload.
How is YouTube video uploaded using a web browser?
Step 1: Sign in to your YouTube account in a web browser.
Step 2: Click on the video icon appearing on the top of the pane.
Step 3: Click on upload video in the drop-down.
Step 4: You will be redirected to the video upload page. Click “public” under “Select files to upload” option and choose visibility level (public, private or scheduled).
Step 5: Click on a large arrow for video file selection or simply drag the file onto the page.
Step 6: You may enter miscellaneous information related to the video while the video is being uploaded.
Step 7: Click on publish and you are done!
Read More to Get : Best Video Websites Like YouTube >>
Basic terminologies that you should know
Video Format
A file format is a way that is standard for the storage of information in the encoded form within the computer file. It entails how exactly the bits are used while encoding the information in a digital storage medium.
So, a video file format is basically a type of file format in order to store the digital data of a video in the computer system. Mostly, video is often stored using the lossy compression in order to reduce the file size.
Frame Rate
“Frame rate” essentially entails the frequency (rate) at which the simultaneous images display on the screen. These images or called “frames”. Frame rate is expressed in “frames per second or FPS”. The unit or term is applicable for film, cameras, motion capture, video, and computer graphics. This is also known as “frame frequency”, expressed in the unit “hertz”
Resolution
Resolution is a measure to entail the clarity and sharpness of an image and most often used as a metric to judge the quality of cameras, monitors, printers, etc.
It basically refers to the number of different pixels in each dimension which can be viewed in any display device.
File Size
File size refers to the space that a file occupies in a storage medium, like hard drive or USB. The measure of file sizes can be expressed in bytes (B), kilobytes (KB), megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB), terabytes (TB), and so on.
As shown in the picture below, the files listed in the Windows Explorer assorted as per the file with the largest size first. The file with the name “family-safety.jpg” occupies the largest size of 47 KB and the smallest one with 32 KB size.
Codec
Codec is a device or maybe a computer program that is used to encode or decode a stream of digital data or signal. A codec is a short form of “coder-decoder”.
The basic function of a coder is to encode the stream of data or signal for storage or transmission, usually in an encrypted form.
While, a decoder decodes the encoded (possibly encrypted) data, which is merely a reverse process of a coder. The application of codec are in streaming media, videoconferencing, and video editing applications.
Aspect ratio:
This term refers to the proportion of your video. In other words, the video aspect ratio can be defined as the width or breadth (of an image or screen) with respect to its height. Such a ratio can be expressed or represented in the form of “width x height.
That means an aspect ratio of 4x3 refers to an image that is 4 units wide and 3 units high. Similarly, it can also be expressed with a colon in between the units such as 4:3 or 16:9.
Need a YouTube support?
If you need any support, guidance or may face any queries related to anything regarding your YouTube channel, here’s the link of YouTube support .
Final Verdict
Hopefully, with this detailed guide, you are now ready to make a wise decision regarding customizing your videos and channel as per viewers likeliness. So get ready to see your channel grow drastically!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
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- Title: "[New] Boosting Engagement on YouTube Edit, Update & Enhance Metadata"
- Author: Kevin
- Created at : 2024-05-25 15:54:25
- Updated at : 2024-05-26 15:54:25
- Link: https://youtube-videos.techidaily.com/new-boosting-engagement-on-youtube-edit-update-and-enhance-metadata/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
