YouTube Settings That Impact Small Channels

Key Settings to Manage for Better Engagement

1. Notifications to Subscribers

• Location: YouTube Studio > Content > Video Details
• Impact: If you produce different types of content, uncheck "Publish to subscriptions feed and notify subscribers" to avoid sending unrelated content to your existing audience. This avoids negative algorithm signals.

2. Made for Kids

• Location: Just below the playlist section in video details
• Importance: Correctly set whether your video is made for kids (under 13). Incorrect settings may limit video options or lead to fines.

3. Automatic Chapters

• Location: Video details
• Impact: YouTube’s AI may inaccurately create chapters. It is recommended to manually add chapters to ensure clarity and avoid spoilers.

4. Featured Places

• Location: Video details
• Action: Turn off to prevent doxing or unwanted sharing of your location.

5. Licensing and Distribution

• Location: Video details
• Recommendation: Use Creative Commons Attribution for potential free marketing by allowing others to reuse your content.

Channel Optimization Strategies

6. Channel Homepage Customization

• Action: Add featured sections to organize content and make your homepage look full and engaging, enhancing viewer retention.

7. Short Videos Placement

• Action: Move Shorts section lower unless your channel is dedicated to Shorts to focus on long-form content for deeper engagement.

8. Feature Eligibility Verification

• Importance: Verify your channel to upload longer videos and add custom thumbnails for better engagement.

9. Correct Country Selection

• Reason: Correct country information is crucial for accurate tax handling once monetized.

10. Subscription Link

• Technique: Enhance subscriber acquisition by adding a subscription prompt link (e.g., "/?sub_confirmation=1") on descriptions and social media.

Branding and Visibility

11. Branding Customization

• Action: Upload a watermark with a subscribe call to action to make subscribing easier for viewers.

12. Channel Keywords

• Action: Add relevant keywords to help users find your channel, though the impact may be minor.

13. Description Optimization

• Strategy: Use the channel description wisely for promotion as the first line shows on your homepage.

Uploading Defaults and Safety

14. Upload Visibility

• Recommendation: Set default upload visibility to unlisted to prevent accidental public release of videos.

15. Community and Comments

• Action: Set blocked words and links in community settings to prevent spam and negative impacts on viewer experience.

16. Shorts Remixing

• Recommendation: Allow remixing for potential additional exposure and marketing.

17. Video Category

• Action: Set the correct category for better algorithm-based promotion.

Scheduling and Engagement

18. Video Scheduling

• Strategy: Use YouTube analytics to schedule posts when most viewers are online for better engagement.

19. End Screens

• Purpose: Add end screens to increase session time by encouraging viewers to watch more videos from your channel.

20. Shorts Video Connections

• Technique: Connect Shorts to full-length videos for additional viewership opportunities.

Summary

Improving your channel involves making smart use of YouTube’s settings to optimize viewership, engagement, and content distribution. These settings can heavily influence the reach and success of both your short and long-form content.