4 Ways to Become a YouTube Expert

I have had the opportunity to become an expert in YouTube SEO. It was almost accidental. In fact, I was shy about admitting it. There is a snippet of my story in the Resource #2 section below.

It was after I had obtained success on behalf of well-known clients (who need to remain anonymous), that I decided to “own it.” This isn’t for kudos for me, but more importantly, so that I can share my tips with you, the Socialnomics readers! In that way, you, too, can become YouTube SEO Experts like me.

This list ranges from free (hint: Under the Resource #1 section) to very expensive (Resource #4), and everything in between. Fortunately, if you are referencing price range, most of these are under $100 and even under $30. Two of these resources have been the basis for a portion of my success (especially Resource #3) and the other two are well-trusted in the industry and by me, personally.

Keep in mind, these resources vary in “what” they offer for training, from production tips to YouTube SEO tips, and everything else, related to YouTube. Or, almost everything else.

There are no affiliate links in this article. Even though I have affiliate links for many of these resources, I stripped out the affiliate portion of the link. The only semi-exception is Resource #2 which does lead to a video that has an affiliate link in it. (There is more explanation is that section, below.)

What is my reasoning for stripping my own affiliate links? I wanted you, the reader, to know that I am recommending these resources because of their value and not because of the kick-back or incentive to me, personally. These truly are the resources that I recommend, based on what I share with you in the following sections.

Resource 1: Ileane Smith, YouTube Expert Extraordinaire

Ileane Smith is not only a personal friend, but a highly trusted business associate. In fact, so trusted that we are writing a book together (working title: “Ultimate Guide to Using Triberr”)! If you happen to follow Marketing Momentum (w/Charles & Deborah) you will hear me reference Ms. Ileane like every fifth episode.

Many of you already know Ms. Ileane and follow her on her blog, “Basic Blog Tips.” She is highly regarded by Jon Morrow and his guest blogging course, where he includes here in his “little black book.”

Ms. Ileane is known for many things (and an expert at all of them!), but one of the areas where she is most widely known is YouTube and her YouTube training videos. She has pulled all of that into a course where she tells you exactly how she did it, with proof! So, while I may not be able to say that her method has worked for me, yet, that is only because I just started her course. But, I can say that her methods definitely work and I have seen evidence of that in her own YouTube channel (and working with her, personally).

Here is a starter list of the resources that Ms. Ileane offers, related to YouTube training:

• Pinterest Board with YouTube resource links (free).
• Ms. Ileane’s YouTube channel, including a bunch of tutorials (free).
• Ms. Ileane’s patreon site, with YouTube coaching (nominal monthly fee).
• Full “How I did it” YouTube course that bares all ($79).

Resource 2: “YouTube Ranking Secrets Revealed”

Ok, before you watch the following video, you have to get your snickers out of the way. In some ways, I broke even my own rules, with the use of asterisks (*) and how I titled it. I made it back when whiteboard “explainer” videos were just starting to take off and before they became as common as a glass of water.

It was an experiment and it succeeded even more than I expected! Right away, it hit #1 on YouTube (yes, the video below!) and it hit #1 on Google. People didn’t believe me until I showed them the screenshots. The key thing is that I’m not here to prove anything, just to say that I used these very same “tactics” that are taught in this course to place this very same “campy” video at #1 and it stayed there for weeks, ranking for “YouTube Ranking Secrets Revealed.”

I hesitated to include this source in the list because it is a JVZoo product. I have nothing against JVZoo. In fact, many of my favorite tools come from programmers who got their start that way. So, there is some excellent quality there! It wouldn’t be fair to you, as readers, if I didn’t include the method that has worked for me. The other resources in this list are entirely legitimate and I know they work, but this is one that I experienced myself, as far as basically 100% success.

Keep in mind that just because I had success that that doesn’t mean you will necessarily rank for everything you do on YouTube. It still depends on the keywords and keyword phrases that you choose, as well as your competition. Also, the course itself (under $13) is linked via the video page (above).

Resource 3: Udemy

I sign up for every free Udemy course on videos that I can find. And, I watch for those $9 specials, Black Friday specials, and weekly specials. Hint: Sign up for Udemy and watch for specials, because they have them. You can sometimes get 90% off a course, bringing the cost way down.

When it comes to Udemy, I may not be able to tell you the most successful course out there, but there is one that was particularly helpful in understanding YouTube SEO. And, when you factor in that the cost is only $9, for full retail price, it isn’t a bad risk at all.

It is called “Internet Marketing – YouTube” and it is by Brian Dale. I don’t really have that much else to say about it except that it is an excellent primer for those wanting to know more and especially those who need help getting started. No offense to Mr. Dale, but if you do find a better course out there, remember I didn’t say that this resource was necessarily the best. And, it may be dated, but if you are a newbie and you need to get started and need some help, for $9 you have a step-by-step provided by this really nice instructor, Brian Dale.

Resource 4: Online College Courses

This list wouldn’t be complete without at least suggesting that YouTube and video marketing students look into opportunities to fine-tune their expertise at a college or university. And, these days, there is a really viable option in online colleges and universities.

Speaking of colleges and universities, there are even those who offer incentives like free laptops, discounted software, and other college-only benefits available to the student (including group projects and networking!).

The discounted software is particularly helpful for getting those really expensive software programs (i.e. Adobe products for the graphics in your YouTube videos) for really low prices. For that low price, you are only allowed to use it as a student and not use it in a business or make money from it, but think of it this way, you can start building your portfolio by using the software. Couple that with the education you are receiving and when you graduate, those jobs will seem like they almost fall into your lap. That is really the purpose behind incentives like academic-priced software and free laptop incentives.

If you opt to attend a college or university, the next step would be to make your list of those you are considering. Personally, I attended Los Angeles Film School and then later I attended Capella University, an online university where I finished my BSIT. I have heard good things (but do not have first-hand knowledge of schools like Full Sail. There are many different options, whether you go to a brick-and-mortar traditional school or enroll in an online school, to finish your degree. You may also want to look into certificate programs, which give you credibility, but not the high cost of the college credits. The best recommendation I can offer you is to check with alumni and find out what they think about the school but also what skill level they have. Are you finding that the alumni from the school you are considering are actually experts in that field? If they are experts, how much of that is attributed to the college or university and how much is attributed to their experience since college or their giftedness? Sometimes it is easier to go back to Resource #1-3 until you are ready for the larger investment of Resource #4.

Conclusion

So, there you have it. No matter what price level you are looking for, from free to many thousands of dollars, there is a way to become a YouTube expert. And, just think, after you have become that YouTube expert, maybe you can be featured on Hulu Plus commercials recommending that everyone come watch YOU on Youtube (and subscribe to your channel, of course!).