Greg Jarboe's presentation, "How to become a YouTube expert in less than 15 years (without too much trial and error)," to Ask Avi Arya University and Internet Moguls on March 25, 2021.

1. How to become a YouTube
expert in less than 15 years
(without too much trial and error)
Greg Jarboe
President and co-founder of SEO-PR
AskAviArya University and Internet Moguls
March 25, 2021

2. To become a YouTube expert, just write a book and
then update 75% of your content 27 months later
• The first edition of YouTube and Video
Marketing: An Hour A Day was
published in August 2009.
• It sold well, so my published asked me to
write a second edition.
• This gave the opportunity to “thoroughly
update” 75% of what I had written.
• The second edition was published 27
months later in November 2011.
• Today, the only chapter of the second
edition that isn’t woefully out-of-date is
Chapter 1: A Short History of YouTube.
• So, please don’t buy my book.

3. Now, how can I help you become YouTube experts
in 20 minutes without too much trial and error?
• To become a YouTube expert, you just
need to learn how to get your videos:
• Discovered.
• Watched.
• Monetized.
• In the next 20 minutes, I’ll share some
strategic insights, critical data, tactical
advice, and trends in the digital video
marketing business.
• This won’t eliminate the need for some
trial and error, but it should help you to
become a YouTube expert sooner rather
than later.
Source: Greg Jarboe, Search Engine Journal, “6 Lessons In Video Storytelling You Can Learn from Indian Brands,” Oct. 18, 2018

4. With 265 million users, India is YouTube’s largest
and one of its fastest growing markets in the world
• “India is now both our biggest
audience and one of our fastest-
growing audiences in the world,” said
YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.
• “YouTube’s consumption on mobile has
increased to 85%, with 60% of the watch
time coming from outside the six largest
metros in India,” she added.
• “Today, YouTube creators have become
effective storytellers, with more than
1,200 Indian creators crossing the million
subscriber-milestone, compared to five
years ago, when there were only two
creators,” she concluded.
Source: The Hindu, “India becomes YouTube’s largest and fastest growing market,” April 9, 2019

5. More than 500 hours of video are uploaded to
YouTube every minute, so nobody can watch it all
• So, many logged-in YouTube users
tend to look at the recommendations
on their Home page and decide if they
want to watch one of these videos.
• And, yes, their activity on YouTube,
Google, and Chrome influences the
recommendations on their Home
page as well as in YouTube search
results and suggested videos.
• YouTube says this constructs a
“personal primetime” for each logged-
in user based on their passions.
Source: Greg Jarboe, YouTube Home page, March 12, 2021

6. Since YouTube is the world’s second-largest search
engine, optimize your title, description, and tags
• The first goal of YouTube’s search and
discovery system is to help viewers
find the videos they want to watch.
• So, optimize your titles, descriptions,
tags, and other metadata.
• Title: Keyword near beginning, less than
50 characters, engaging for high CTR.
• Description: 50 to 150 words describing
video, keyword 1-3 times, minimize
excessive boilerplate text.
• Tags: Target keyword firs, then in order of
importance; tightly focused on topic, 1-5
word phrases, 100 to 300 characters.
Source: Greg Jarboe, Search Engine Journal, “YouTube Algorithm: 7 Key Findings You Must Know,” March 13, 2019

7. Use Google Trends to see YouTube search interest
in India over last 2 years for coronavirus and news
• Which of these search terms should
you use to optimize a YouTube video?
• Now, scroll down to compared
breakdown by 34 sub-regions.
• Then, scroll farther down to see the
rising and top related queries for both
search terms (e.g. NEET 2020 latest
news vs coronavirus video).
• Finally, use Google Trends to discover
if people are using another search
term or topic that you might use to
optimize your next YouTube video.
Source: Google Trends, India, 3/11/19-3/11/21, All categories, YouTube Search interest in coronavirus vs COVID 19

8. Users can ‘easily’ discover Shorts on the YouTube
homepage in a new shelf for short, vertical videos
• “Shorts is a new short-form video
experience for creators and artists
who want to shoot short, catchy
videos using nothing but their mobile
phones,“ says Chris Jaffe, VP of
Product Management at YouTube.
• They are “easily discoverable on the
YouTube homepage (in the new Shorts
shelf), as well as across other parts of
the app,” he adds.
• YouTube Shorts rolled out in the US
this month.
Source: Greg Jarboe, Search Engine Journal, “YouTube Shorts: An Introductory Guide,” Sept. 30, 2020

9. Getting your video discovered is just the beginning;
you must also make videos that are worth watching
• Consumers are using video in ever-
evolving ways: for inspiration and
enlightenment, education and
entertainment, and even as guidance
or a confidence booster for key
decision-making moments.
• On YouTube, nearly 2 billion viewers
each month seek out and engage with
content that feels tailored to them.
• And each time a user logs in, YouTube
recommends a “personal primetime”
based on their passions.
Source: Cenk Bulbul, Official YouTube Blog, “2020 Brandcast Delivered: A NewFront Just for You,” June 25, 2020

10. Create a compelling opening to your videos that
hooks your viewers in the first 10 to 15 seconds
• 50% of the typical audience is lost in
the first 20 seconds.
• So, you need to create a compelling
opening to your videos that hooks
viewers right from the start and gives
them a reason to stick around.
• Content creators like Nas Daily and
Mark Wiens address/welcome the
audience, ask a question, spark the
viewer’s curiosity, and tease the rest
of the video.
• Packaging and branding should be
minimal and short (5 seconds is optimal).
Source: Greg Jarboe, Search Engine Journal, “YouTube Algorithm: 7 Key Findings You Must Know,” March 13, 2019

11. Then, use effective storytelling techniques to
maintain and build interest throughout the video
• Be an effective editor: After creating
a compelling opening to your videos,
then use storytelling techniques to
maintain and build interest.
• Engage your audience: Involve your
audience in your videos, encourage
comments, and interact with your
viewers as part of the content.
• Use end screens: You can add up to 4
elements to promote your content,
channel, and websites, during the last
5-20 seconds of a video.

12. Viewers dislike videos under 2 minutes long, but
tend to like videos that are 2 to 20 minutes long
Source: Greg Jarboe, Search Engine Journal, “YouTube Algorithm: 7 Key Findings You Must Know,” March 13, 2019

13. You need to apply for and be accepted into the
YouTube Partner Program to monetize your videos
• Are you interested in making money
on YouTube?
• YouTube creators in the UAE can apply to
join the YouTube Partner Program.
• To be eligible, you need to hit 4,000
watch hours in the previous 12
months and 1,000 subscribers.
• This threshold helps ensure revenue only
flows to creators who play by the rules.
• If everything looks good, you’ll be able
to join the YouTube Partner Program.
• YouTube will then begin serving ads on
some or all of your video content.
Source: YouTube Creators, “Intro to Making Money on YouTube,“ January 22, 2019

14. YouTube Select is a reimagination and unification of
ad solutions like Google Preferred and prime packs
• YouTube has announced YouTube
Select – a “reimagination and
unification” of Google Preferred and
prime packs — to help advertisers to
“reach their target audiences where
they are watching, and find the right
content for their brand.”
• YouTube Select surfaces a diverse mix
of content packages called lineups –
each tailored to globally and locally
relevant needs like beauty & fashion,
entertainment, technology, sports,
and everything in between.
Source: Vishal Sharma, Google Ads & Commerce Blog, “Make the best of YouTube yours with YouTube Select,” May 19, 2020

15. Look over YouTube Select’s content lineups in the
US ‘because that’s where the money is’ in India
• The new YouTube Select landing page
lists 10 examples of content lineups:
• Comedy: Lilly Singh.
• Entertainment & Pop Culture: MrBeast.
• Technology: Marques Brownlee.
• Food & Recipes: Gordon Ramsey.
• Gaming: Markiplier.
• Sports: MLB.
• Music: Dua Lipa.
• Science & Education: Physics Girl.
• Beauty, Fashion & Lifestyle: James
Charles.
• Spanish Language: Los Angeles Azules.
Source: Make the best of YouTube yours with YouTube Select

16. Members of the YouTube Partner Program have
several other ways to make money on the platform
• BrandConnect.
• YouTube BrandConnect (fka FameBit) is a monetization service that connects creators with
brands for branded content campaigns in the U.S.
• When it rolls out, BrandConnect can help members of the YouTube Partner Program get paid
to include advertiser content in their videos, and access campaign management resources.
• Super Chat and Super Stickers.
• Viewers can purchase Super Chats to highlight your message within live chat.
• They can also purchase Super Stickers to see a digital image that pops up in the live chat feed.
• Channel Memberships.
• Viewers can pay monthly to support your channel in exchange for member-only perks.
• Merchandise.
• Selling merchandise is a great way to make money and keep engaging your community.

17. The alternative to optimizing your YouTube videos
for relevance and watch time is to get very lucky
• The goals of YouTube’s search and
discovery system are twofold:
• To help viewers find the videos they want
to watch.
• To maximize long-term viewer
engagement and satisfaction.
• So, to be successful on YouTube, your
videos need to be:
• Discovered.
• Watched.
• Monetized.
• The alternative is hoping that you get
lucky (and that isn’t a strategy).

18. Thank you for all of your questions and feedback;
when you become rich and famous, please say “Hi”