Looking to improve your YouTube lingo? Our Glossary for YouTubers has got you covered! Explore the most important terms and phrases used by creators and audiences alike, and become a YouTube pro in no time.
This glossary includes some common terms and phrases used by YouTubers.
We’d welcome your suggestions on new terms to include.
Backlink
A link from one website to another, which can help increase visibility and search engine rankings.
Boost
To increase the visibility or performance of a video or channel, typically through promotion or advertising.
Brand deal
An agreement between a YouTuber and a brand or sponsor, typically involving payment or compensation in exchange for promotion or endorsement.
Branding
The use of consistent visual elements and messaging to establish and promote a recognizable brand identity on YouTube.
Brand recognition
The degree to which a brand or logo is recognized and associated with a specific product or service.
Caption
Text that appears on a YouTube video to provide a transcript of the spoken dialogue, often used to make videos accessible to viewers with hearing impairments or in noisy environments.
Learn how to add multiple Subtitles or add multiple Captions to your YouTube videos with our free video tutorial.
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Channel
A YouTube account that hosts videos and other content, typically organized around a specific theme or topic.
Learn how to add new YouTube channels to your account.
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Collaboration
Working with another YouTuber or creator to produce a video or series of videos.
Comment
A written response or feedback left by a viewer on a YouTube video or channel.
Community guidelines
The set of rules and standards that govern acceptable behavior and content on YouTube.
Content creator
A person who creates videos or other content for distribution on YouTube or other platforms.
Copyright
Legal protection for creative works, such as music, images, and video content, which prohibits unauthorized use or reproduction.
Creative Commons
A set of copyright licenses that allow creators to share their work with certain restrictions and permissions, such as requiring attribution or prohibiting commercial use.
Creator Studio
The dashboard and suite of tools used by YouTubers to manage and optimize their channels, videos, and other content.
CTA
CTA stands for "Call To Action" and it is a prompt or request for viewers to take a specific action, such as subscribing to the channel or liking the video.
CTR
CTR stands for "Click-through rate" and it refers to the percentage of viewers who click on an ad or call-to-action within a YouTube video or description, typically used as a measure of ad performance.
Custom thumbnail
An image that is chosen by a YouTuber to represent their video on search results and other areas of the site.
Demonetization
The process of removing advertising from a video or channel, typically due to violations of YouTube's community guidelines or advertising policies.
Description
The text that appears below a YouTube video, which can include information about the video's content, the YouTuber, or other relevant details.
Duet
A type of collaborative video in which two YouTubers perform or react to the same piece of content, often using split-screen editing.
Fair use
A legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as commentary, criticism, and parody.
Featured channels section
The "Featured Channels" section on a YouTube channel is a list of channels that are recommended by the YouTuber.
Learn how to add a featured channels section to your YouTube homepage.
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Featured video
A video that is prominently displayed on a YouTuber's channel or on the YouTube homepage or search results.
Gaming
A popular category of content on YouTube, focused on video games and related topics such as walkthroughs, reviews, and commentary.
Ghost subscribers
A term used to describe inactive or non-engaging subscribers on a YouTube channel, who may not actually watch or engage with the channel's content.
Giveaway
A promotional event or contest on YouTube that offers prizes or rewards to viewers or subscribers, often used to build engagement and grow the channel's audience.
Google AdSense
A program run by Google that allows YouTubers to earn money from advertisements placed on their videos and channel.
Growth hack
A strategy or technique used to rapidly grow and expand a YouTube channel's audience and reach.
Hashtag
A word or phrase preceded by the "#" symbol, used to identify and categorize YouTube videos and content related to a specific topic or theme.
Hit the like button
A phrase often used by YouTubers to encourage viewers to "like" or "thumbs up" their videos, which can help increase engagement and visibility on the platform.
Hook
An attention-grabbing introduction or opening to a YouTube video, designed to capture the viewer's interest and encourage them to keep watching.
How-to
A type of instructional YouTube video that teaches viewers how to do something, such as cook a meal, fix a problem, or complete a task.
Impressions
The number of times a YouTube video thumbnail or advertisement is displayed to viewers on the platform.
Incognito mode
A privacy feature on web browsers that allows users to browse YouTube and other websites without their browsing history being saved.
Influencer
A person on YouTube or other social media platforms who has a large following and is often paid to promote products or services to their audience.
Like
A button on YouTube that viewers can click to express their appreciation or enjoyment of a video. Likes can help videos rank higher in search results and recommendations.
Livestream
A real-time broadcast of video and audio content on YouTube, allowing creators to interact with viewers in real-time.
Long-tail keywords
A specific, detailed phrase or combination of words used in YouTube search terms to help viewers find very specific content.
Metadata
The descriptive information associated with a YouTube video, including title, description, tags, category, and thumbnail image.
Monetization
The process of earning money from YouTube videos, typically through advertising revenue or sponsorships.
Music library
A collection of royalty-free music tracks and sound effects that YouTube creators can use in their videos without risking copyright infringement.
Optimization
The process of improving the visibility, discoverability, and performance of a YouTube video or channel through various tactics such as SEO, thumbnail design, and audience targeting.
Organic reach
The number of viewers who discover and engage with a YouTube video or channel through non-paid, natural means such as search, recommendations, or social sharing.
Partner program
A YouTube program that allows creators to monetize their content through ads, sponsorships, memberships, and merchandise.
Playlists
A curated list of YouTube videos that are grouped together based on a specific theme, topic, or purpose.
Learn how to move YouTube Playlists to another channel.
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Public video
A YouTube video that is accessible and viewable by anyone on the platform, often used for general content or promotional material.
SEO
SEO stands for "Search engine optimization" and it is the process of optimizing YouTube videos and channels to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) and increase visibility and traffic.
Shorts
A short-form video format on YouTube that allows creators to create and share videos up to 60 seconds long, often used to quickly capture and showcase creative content.
Sponsorship
A type of brand deal in which a YouTube creator promotes a product or service in exchange for compensation or other benefits.
Subscriber
A person who has chosen to follow a YouTube channel and receive updates when new content is posted.
Tags
Keywords that creators use to describe their videos and make them more discoverable on YouTube search results and related videos.
Thumbnail
The small image that represents a YouTube video in search results and on the video's page.
Timestamps
Specific points in a YouTube video that are labeled with timecodes and descriptions, often used to make longer videos more navigable and shareable.
up2dateSKILLS
Our very own project on YouTube, which offers multiple channels with videos for content creators, students and teachers.
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Unlisted
A video privacy setting on YouTube that allows creators to share videos with specific people or groups without making them publicly available in search results or recommendations.
View
A unit of measurement for video content, representing the number of times a video has been watched.
Views
The number of times a YouTube video has been watched, often used by creators to track and measure the popularity and engagement of their content.
Vlog
A type of video blog where creators share their daily lives, experiences, or opinions, often used by lifestyle and travel influencers to connect with their audience and showcase their personality.
Viral
Refers to a video or content that becomes popular and widely shared on social media and the internet, often used by marketers and creators to drive engagement and increase visibility.
Vlogger
A type of YouTuber who primarily creates video blogs or vlogs.
Watch time
The amount of time viewers spend watching YouTube videos, often used by creators to measure engagement and audience retention.
Watermark
A small logo or icon that appears in the bottom right corner of a YouTube video, often used by creators to promote their channel and encourage viewers to subscribe.
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website where users can upload, view, and share videos. It has become one of the most popular platforms for content creators and advertisers alike.
YPP
YPP stands for "YouTube Partner Program" and it is a program that allows eligible YouTubers to monetize their content through advertising revenue and other features.
YouTube tutorial
A YouTube tutorial is a type of instructional video that teaches viewers how to do something step-by-step. YouTube tutorials are a convenient way to learn a new skill or solve a problem, as viewers can watch and re-watch the video as many times as they need to fully understand the material.
Visit up2dateSKILLS YouTube Tutorials page.
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