Hi hi hi hi Reader,
Last week I dropped the news that my YouTube channel FINALLY HIT 25k SUBSCRIBERS π₯³π₯³π₯³π₯³
(And to celebrate this, I'm hosting a FREE 14-Day "Fall in Love with SEO" Challenge on YouTube in September 2026. It's my way of giving back to YOU, in a way that feels actionable & practical. Yanno, my whole MO lolol --You can join the waitlist to get notified when the challenge is kickin' off, so you don't miss it!)
Here's some quick milestones behind my channel:
Started this channel in 2017.
Didnβt get monetized til 2021.
Hit 5k subscribers in 2023.
Got my first paid brand sponsorship in 2024.
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Notice: This was NOT an overnight success. This shit took TIME, but YouTube is my favorite part of content creation bc itβs the search engine that keeps on BUILDING momentum 24/7, in allllll different ways.
- I get paid monthly ($600-$1000/mo) through YouTube AdSense.
- It drives consulting clients.
- It brings in 75-100 new email subscribers every single month.
- And it's landed me 2 brand partnerships (Semrush and Adobe Acrobat) that came directly from people finding my channel.
The best part, in my opinion? I did it my way.
No Mr. Beast style jump editing, no talking head videos, no click-bait bullshit, no weekly posting. Just me, sharing tutorials on a bi-weekly basis to help business owners with SEO, tech, and websites.
So, if you wanna learn how to use YouTube as a fulllllll SEO asset, I wanna share some tips with you...
YouTube SEO tips that help move the needle:
1. Pick evergreen topics (bc YouTube is a LONG game).
Some of my videos don't even get picked up by the algorithm until 6+ months after I publish them. Search engines (including YouTube) like to play the long game.
So when I'm creating a video specifically for SEO (not all of my videos are, some are just for fun or BTS stuff), I choose keywords and topics that'll still be relevant and helpful a year from now, not just this week.
2. Take up ALL the damn space in your bio/about section.
Most people think about their YouTube about section as a one-liner social media caption OR an afterhtought. But YouTube actually READS that text to get more context on your channel...
Sooooo using up as much space as you're given here to be literal, in-depth, and "keyword-friendly" can come in handy. It's also a space that users read when they're deciding if they wanna subscribe to your channel OR if they think you're a one hit video wonder.
3. Add your website + social media + freebie links ASAP
In your About section, you also have the option to add a bunch of links. SO USE THEM. Add your social media profile links, the link to your website + your freebies, annnnnnd whatever else people would want to find.
When someone finds you through a YouTube video via search, and they like what you got goin' on, they usually WANT to go check out more of your stuff. Make it stupid silly easy for them to do that vs. sending them on a wild goose chase.
4. YouTube titles should match what people actually type
"The thing nobody talks about in business π€―" is a great social media caption. It's a terrible video title IF THE GOAL OF YOUR VIDEO IS TO GET PICKED UP BY SEO.
People search things like "how to price a website redesign" or "keyword research tools for YouTube" -- and I've learned that the YouTube algorithm is VERY literal when reading titles. Sometimes I'll start ranking for a keyword with a new video just because I used the EXACT keyword in the title + description. It's wild lol.
5. Use tags as your "SEO keywords"
YouTube tags are NOT a huge ranking factor on their own, but they're supporting clues that help YouTube (and Google) understand what your video's about. A LOT of people don't add tags to their videos.
Me on the other hand? I'm adding as many as YouTube will let me, but they're VERY literal and related to the keyword I want this video ranking for.
For example, here are some of my tags from a recent video "adobe acrobat, adobe acrobat free download, adobe acrobat tutorial, adobe acrobat tutorial for beginners, adobe acrobat reader, adobe acrobat reader tutorial, adobe acrobat reader features, adobe acrobat reader free"
THEY'RE SO LITERAL AND JUST SYNONYMS OF EACH OTHER lolol
Notice they're not "seo strategist, seo consultant, get your videos found, digital marketing tips" <-- like wtf are these vague ass tags lmao
Tags = keywords = context on the VIDEO TOPIC = better rankings
6. Don't follow a video style + cadence that you can't keep up with
THIS IS YOUR CHANNEL. You get to make the rules and break the rules. You don't have the follow what some "YouTube guru" said because most of the time they're giving tips on how to be a YouTube influencer. They're not a BUSINESS OWNER.
And there's a difference.
Let YouTube be fun, simple, and easy.
For example, I mostly create tutorial videos because they're EASY AS HELL for me, it's how my brain naturally works, and they require very light editing.
My cadence? I publish a new video every 2 weeks. Bi-weekly. For the past 5 years. Consistency over TIME matters more then quick bursts and then ghosting your channel again.
(Note: I can't even tell you how many "YouTube experts" told me I'll NEVER be able to grow a successful YouTube channel with just tutorials. And I won't grow without posting 1-3x weekly. I didn't listen bc I wanted this channel to work FOR ME).
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Action step for this week:
First things first, GO SIGN UP FOR THE 14-DAY FREE SEO CHALLENGE. Get on that waitlist. ASAP. You're not gonna wanna miss it. I promise.
(Also important context: The challenge is for SEO, not "YouTube SEO" -- the videos are just gonna be HOSTED on YouTube! Wanted to make that distinction).
π If you have a YouTube channel:
Take 10 minutes and do a lil' mini audit...
- Check your bio/about section. Are you using ALL the space you're given, clearly saying what you do and who you help, with searchable keywords? Check your links too, make sure your website, socials, and freebies are added.
- View your last 3 videos. Are the titles literal and searchable? Pick ONE and rewrite it so it matches what someone would actually type into search. You can edit titles anytime, no re-uploading needed. Then check the tags on that same video. Specific and literal, or vague and generic? Swap 'em out if needed.
π If you don't have a YouTube channel:
Sit with these questions, and be HONEST with yourself...
- Where are you overcomplicating things?
- Where are you following someone else's rule book for your marketing, instead of your own?
Maybe it's a content style you hate but keep doing bc "that's what works."
Maybe it's a posting schedule you can't sustain.
Maybe it's a format you think you're "supposed" to do.
Pick ONE thing you can shift THIS WEEK to make your content more YOU.
IT MAKES A HUGE FUCKING DIFFERENCE, I PROMISE!!!!
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