Here are 50 YouTube Settings that can F**k a YouTube channel.
Including secrets that EVEN the gurus with a $5000 course don’t know.
#1 Like this setting
Where you can click on allowed for these 2 categories:
And instantly make more money if you are monetized
Like it did for one of my channels.
But if you are not monetized yet, let’s start with the next settings to get there ASAP.
PS: Prefer to watch the full walkthrough? 👇
#2 Like the NEW Test & Compare feature
Use it to A/B/C Test 3 thumbnails
And if you CAN try to do it like MrBeast
By first testing 3 VERY different thumbnails
And only later split test smaller changes like this
#3 And if you doubt which category to pick
For example “education” or “blog”
Then right-click on a viral video similar to yours
Click on “View Page Source”
Then Control + F to search for “category”
So you know the best category for you to choose
#4 and for Customization
Add a trustworthy profile picture
I use a free tool (Artflow.ai)
Which created images of me like this
You can create 400 images per month for free
And if you want to know 75+ other free tools I use
Without any affiliate links or sponsored BS
You can access the free sheet here:
#5 Next setting: create a strategic Home Tab Layout like Iman Gadzhi
Who puts an emotionally triggering video on top
Which is above all: VERY relatable to his audience of young men
After all…this idea of young men giving back to their mother is inspiring to many.
#6 Which brings me to Playlists
Always add your video when uploading to a playlist
It is an extra opportunity to be shown by the algorithm in the search results
Especially if you use the keywords in the Title and Description of your Playlist
From the secret keyword research method I explain later in the letter
So you have a higher chance to show up in the search results
Remember: YouTube, just like Google is a search engine
#7 And you can actually see how many views your playlists get in the analytics here:
#8 And add your Playlists on your Home page (Featured Section)
TIP: if have appeared on Podcasts on other channels…
You CAN actually add those videos from other channels into ONE playlist called “Podcast Appearances”
Which can add authority when people open your channel.
#9 And did you know can also embed those playlists on your website for example?
#10 And for your Video watermark: Just don’t use it
I mean…have you ever clicked on one to subscribe?
And also: It covers a part of your video that people can’t see.
Having said that…prevent that your graphics and captions are covered by the user interface
On short-form video too.
Use this free overlay that you can send to your editor:
#11 And if your video is a YT short/Reel/TikTok here is the secret to how you can get those custom thumbnails on your shorts
You want to add your thumbnail image NOT as the 1st frame
But as the first 2 frames of the video when editing
Then when you upload your short
Manually drag the slider to the beginning of the video
And your custom thumbnail will show
Giving you a much higher chance to go viral
Especially because almost no one is doing this
#12 Just like number 12:
The recently UPDATED inspiration tab
Which I think is underrated
As YouTube shows you the search terms of YOUR viewers
That are Trending Upwards
So use this tab to your advantage when researching new video ideas.
#13 Talking about research…
Use VidIQ’s Free Chrome Extension to see the channel tags of someone else
And copy them to a Google sheet
Because I will show you later in this letter how to find out which keywords to use in
YOUR Channel Tags
But also which ones in your VIDEO Tags
AND as Description Hashtags
#14 But before that use this little hack
By adding “?sub_confirmation=1” to your Channel URL
Like this: https://www.youtube.com/@thejordankruk?sub_confirmation=1
You can now use this link at strategic places like your Newsletter
#15 But did you know that if people have your channel link
They can see all the channels you have subscribed to?
If you don’t want that…Turn off this setting
Under Account > Privacy > Keep all my subscriptions private
I actually use it to my advantage, to better understand my subscribers
#16 Because did you know you can see all your subscribers who left that setting on
Here in your youtube studio.
You may even watch some of their videos so you know better who is on the other side of the screen watching your videos.
#17 And if you prefer your own privacy
Remove your Contact Info: If you don’t want to receive SPAM
But know that potential sponsors or partners use this to contact you too.
I leave it on and just use Gmail’s Spam button for all the spam artists 😉
#18 And turn these Notifications off
If you care about the truth.
Or leave it on to read all the comments on your videos
And feel the stress and pride that comes with it
I turned it off. Because reading opinions leads me further from the truth, not closer.
#19 And to get you closer to more views
Change this in your channel defaults
Unless you make content specifically for kids.
Because YouTube won’t show comments
They will target young children
And show limited ads on these videos.
Hurting your views and revenue…
#20 And now that we are in the channel defaults change these settings as well
To save yourself time
Leave your currency on USD
Before you go through the monetization process.
Even though I don’t have proof if YouTube will show your videos more to a US audience,
There can only be an upside by leaving this on USD
Just make sure you change it before you apply for Adsense
#21 The same applies for your Country of Residence
Leave it empty
Or add your country IF that is the country you want to target…
#22 Allow viewers to clip your content.
I mean…Why Not? I view it as free promotion.
#23 Obviously Thumbnails are a must to get more views.
So make sure you verify your phone number in the Feature eligibility.
I also think it plays a role in YouTube’s Algorithm
And that they deprioritize accounts that are not verified.
But that is just a little conspiracy
#24 But adding hashtags to your video description is NOT
I’ve noticed more than once that they are effective in getting you more views
So I did Hashtag research on YouTube.
YES very few people do this.
I look for the videos that show up under hashtags with a high video count.
If those videos are similar to mine, I add them to the sheet I talked about earlier
I’ve seen videos with 3 hashtags in the description perform the best
So generally I pick 2 big hashtags with lots of videos using it
Like #marketing and #contentcreator
And if I can find it: 1 smaller niched hashtag like #multipotentialite
#25 And as mentioned earlier here is what I personally do to find the best keywords to use as hashtags
Or channel tags
Or video tags
Or keywords for in the Video title
And description
And for those who think it’s a waste of time…
If YouTube gives you this option…
Do you really think it has NO effect at all?
Considering YouTube is from Google…the Search Engine we all know
Where SEO is perhaps the most important activity to rank your website
I leave it up to you…But I rather spend 20 minutes finding high-volume AND relevant keywords
That by the way, I can also use on other platforms
AND I have often found that during this keyword research I find terms that I never heard before that I can use in next video ideas.
Like the word “multipotentialite”
Anyways, here’s my process: I add all the keywords I can find and think off to a google sheet.
I use the free VidIQ extension
But also this free website to extract the tags of popular video’s
Then I use this free tool to find the search volume for each keyword
And competition level to prioritize the best keywords.
And then you can add some of them you always talk about in your sheet.
Using this free site that let’s you copy the entire column in Google sheet
And adds commas to it so you can easily paste it in your channel defaults
#26 And make sure you change the default Visibility to Private
Or Unlisted if you often share your video with a sponsor of your video before they approve your ad break.
#27 Talking about ad breaks…
Do you know why many video’s are just over 8 minutes long?
It’s so that they can make more money, because they can place more ads
If you are Monetized you can “Review your mid-roll ad placements” here:
And add more Ad breaks OR change the timestamps of your ad breaks.
I’ve never done this so far…I just let YouTube decide…
#28 Just like I let them decide my automatic chapters and key moments
Here is my best guess if you wonder if you should do the same…
When you look at MrBeast…they have it turned off
And I think they do on purpose.
But when you look at Steven Bartlett’s Podcast: the Diary of a CEO
Who A/B Test everything…
I assume they have tested using NO Chapters
But they ARE still using timestamps until now.
They of course wrote their own chapters.
So if you make PODCASTS as well, you may ask ChatGPT to give you timestamp chapters based on your transcript.
#29 I just leave them on
As well as: Allowing Automatic Places
#30 And Automatic Concepts
I recommend not overthinking these.
#31 As well as Default Language:
IF you create in English, I would select English instead of any of the English (subcountries)
As YouTube’s algorithm, may narrow your reach.
#32 And for Video License
If you’re small, you may use Creative Commons
As it makes it easier for others to use parts of your video in theirs.
But if you’re e.g. Alex Hormozi…you may keep as many rights to your videos as possible to prevent reputation damage.
#33 Even with Creative Commons License you still get notified here.
Consider reviewing the Copyright section weekly or monthly
And claim a removal request if you think a channel unrighly used a part of your video
And then we have YouTube Analytics…
I can make a whole video or even playlist about:
“How to Look at your Analytics so your channel can Blow up”
But here are SOME important features already
#34 When you click on Advanced Mode
You can export your stats to CSV
So you can import them in Google Sheets and analyze them there (which I prefer for many reasons)
And If you want to have free access to the Automated Dashboard I am working on.
#35 And if you are serious about finding the best time to upload
Go to the Audience tab to find out YOUR best times to post IF you have enough data
I recommend posting 1 hour before your peak hours begin
And checking the stats once a month or just before any upload
To know what time to schedule your post that day…
#36 And check this hidden setting that you can only change before your video goes public
I have tried turning this off ONCE, and the video got WAY less views.
But 1 is not a large enough sample size to conclude an experiment.
So find out for yourself.
Generally speaking you only want to experiment turning this off if you are switching topics on your channel a lot…
#37 And if you also change your video category often
And decide to choose Education,
I make sure I leave “Academic system”
And the other settings on “None”
To prevent a narrower reach.
#38 Like your Video Location
I don’t have evidence that changing your Video Location to the US
Makes YouTube show your video to more US viewers
BUT it could make sense
The best way to find out is to try it yourself
And look at your demographics in your analytics after to find the truth.
#39 And of course don’t forget to tick this box if you get sponsored,
Because you can get punished if you don’t.
#40 The same applies to “Altered Content”
And if you’re unsure if for example, your ElevenLabs voiceover falls under this category
#41 You can ask the Creator Support Chat if you have the option available
#42 What you for sure have available is the Audio Library tab
With copyright free access to Music
AND Sound FX
I would postpone paying for tools like Epidemic Sounds as long as possible
You can find all the free tools I use here in 1 Google Sheet.
Before I show you one of YouTube’s most effective settings…
#43 First if you are monetized turn on “Mid-roll Ads” here
So you can actually afford paid tools.
#44 And check your status under “Ad suitability”
And make sure it says this:
#45 And if you have a Shopify store like Ali Abdaal
Use the shopping feature to show your products like this
So you get the option available in your Analytics to see how your LINKS are performing like this:
#46 And then ONE Major setting to always turn on:
“End Screens”
Use 1 to 3 sentences at the end of your video to make your viewer curious about this next one
Seems to be the best and ONLY call to action you want to use at the END of your video
If your goal is to get more views.
#47 And if you prefer more privacy,
And prevent potential sponsors from giving you lower rates
I would turn this setting off
#48 And if you have separated your personal channel from your brand for Privacy
Than set your default channel here for convenience.
#49 And for this setting: Shorts remixing… I always leave it ON.
Why wouldn’t you allow other people to promote your video by turning them into shorts?
#50 And if your video is already a short,
Always add a related video here:
Or even better on your phone as you can also select the thumbnail there.
And for the related video, I prefer to link to another SHORT.
Instead of a long-form video,
Because I have never watched a long-form video
When I am in the flow state of scrolling through YouTube shorts
But I WOULD watch a similar Short.
And if you want to know how MrBeast
Can EVEN do giveaways in his YT Shorts (while making it profitable!)
And 6 other marketing techniques that I bet you don’t know.
Then watch this video with more golden nuggets.
PS: You can find all the free resources here…thank me later 😉
