| name | platform-youtube |
| description | Use when creating a Youtube channel plan covering account setup, content, community and measurement for Uganda or East Africa. Use a playbook for cross-channel operations and a strategy skill for channel selection. |
| metadata | {"portable":true,"compatible_with":["claude-code","codex"]} |
YouTube Channel Strategy
Use When
- Create or revise a Youtube-specific presence, growth or publishing plan.
- Translate a confirmed audience, offer and objective into channel decisions.
Do Not Use When
- The task is cross-channel operating procedure; use the closest
playbook-* skill.
- The task is choosing channels or business direction; use
strategy-channel-architecture.
Required Inputs
| Artefact | Source/provider | Required? | If absent |
|---|
| Client objective, audience and offer | Approved brief or client interview | Yes | Stop and request the missing decision; do not invent it |
| Current account and content evidence | Native account export, screenshots or supplied audit | Conditional | Mark the account baseline unassessed and qualify recommendations |
| Current platform rules and feature limits | Official Youtube help or policy source | Conditional | Omit volatile specifications or flag them for live verification |
Capability and Permission Boundaries
Read supplied artefacts and search relevant evidence. Treat review, audit and planning as read-only. Editing the requested draft is allowed; publishing, messaging, production changes, personal-data processing, spending, destructive actions and certification claims require explicit authority. Use network access only for authorised verification.
Degraded Mode
If accounts, files, network, rendering or current evidence are unavailable, return the narrowest useful qualified Youtube channel plan plus an evidence-gap list. Mark each unavailable check not assessed; never convert it into a pass.
Decision Rules
| Condition | Action | Failure or risk avoided |
|---|
| The query needs a durable explanation | Use a searchable long-form video and derive Shorts afterwards | Short-lived clips with no depth |
| Account is absent or not accessible | Produce a setup plan with assumptions labelled | False optimisation against invented history |
| Evidence shows an established account | Prioritise measured gaps and retained strengths | Destructive reset of working assets |
| A rule, limit or feature is time-sensitive | Verify against the official platform source before stating it | Stale platform advice |
Workflow
- Confirm the consumer, objective, market, decision owner and permission boundary; stop if the objective or owner is missing.
- Inspect supplied evidence and verify volatile claims; record missing inputs rather than filling them with assumptions.
- Apply the decision rules, preserve useful existing material and draft the Youtube channel plan.
- Test each action against platform, privacy, safeguarding, brand and approval constraints; stop and escalate a blocking risk.
- Run the quality and anti-slop gates. If a check fails, correct the draft and rerun it before handoff.
Outputs
| Artefact | Consumer | Acceptance condition |
|---|
| Youtube channel plan | Client owner and delivery team | Uses named inputs, assigns actions, states decisions and contains no unverified specifics |
| Assumption and gap register | Approver or next workflow | Every missing source, unassessed check and required approval has an owner or next action |
Evidence Produced
| Evidence | Format | Acceptance condition |
|---|
| Decision and verification record | Inline table or appendix | Each material choice traces to an input, source or labelled assumption |
| Release-gate result | Completed checklist | No blocking policy, factual, permission or anti-slop finding remains |
Quality Standards
Use British English and the specified market context. Recommendations must be executable with the stated capacity, current claims must be verified or qualified, and acceptance conditions must be observable. A worked example must use a labelled scenario, not fabricated client evidence.
Anti-Patterns
- Inventing a client fact, benchmark, budget or approval. Fix: cite the source or label the assumption and its effect.
- Copying one channel or client pattern unchanged. Fix: tie each choice to the named audience, objective and evidence.
- Stating volatile platform or legal details from memory. Fix: verify the current official source or omit the claim.
- Treating an inaccessible account, file or metric as healthy. Fix: mark it
not assessed and bound the conclusion.
- Publishing, spending, messaging or changing production state from planning authority. Fix: obtain explicit action authority.
- Delivering actions without owner, timing or acceptance. Fix: assign all three or return the item as an unresolved gap.
References
Required Input
Before generating this strategy, collect the following from the client:
- Client name and trading name (if different)
- Industry and primary products/services sold
- Country/city (default: Uganda/East Africa)
- Primary goal (brand authority / lead generation / tutorial library / product showcase / community building)
- Target audience (demographics, what problems they are trying to solve, what they search for)
- Topics the client has genuine expertise in — YouTube rewards depth and credibility
- Posting frequency capacity (how many videos can the client realistically produce per month?)
- Current YouTube channel stats (if a channel already exists: subscriber count, average views, top 3 videos by watch time)
- Any existing video content that can be repurposed or serves as a benchmark for tone
EA Market Context
YouTube in Uganda and the wider East African market is used primarily for research, tutorials, and entertainment. It is the dominant platform for "how to" searches in English and Swahili. Data costs mean shorter videos (5–12 minutes) perform better than long-form for most topics — audiences will not sit through padding. Shorts (under 60 seconds) are growing rapidly and have their own independent algorithm.
The Hero/Hub/Hygiene content model (YouTube/Google) applies directly here: Hero content drives peak awareness (big campaigns, viral potential), Hub content keeps subscribers engaged (regular series), and Hygiene content answers evergreen search queries (tutorials, FAQs). Most East African business channels should prioritise Hygiene first — build the searchable library, then layer in Hub series once an audience forms.
EA keyword opportunity: Most EA businesses optimise only for English. Low-competition keyword gaps exist in Luganda, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda for the same topics. A bilingual title strategy ("How to Start a Business in Uganda / Okusooka Omugga mu Uganda") captures both audiences with one video.
1. Channel Setup and Optimisation
Channel Art (Banner)
Dimensions: 2560×1440px. Keep all key content within the safe zone of 1546×423px at centre — this is the area guaranteed to display on all screen sizes (desktop, mobile, TV). Include in the safe zone: channel name, tagline, posting schedule, and social handles.
Channel Icon
800×800px. Use the brand logo or founder photo. Consistency with other platform profile photos is important — YouTube appears in Google search results and a mismatch creates confusion.
About Section
Maximum 1,000 characters. Lead with the value proposition: what does a viewer gain by subscribing? Include keywords naturally in the first two sentences — YouTube indexes this text for search. End with links: website, WhatsApp number, Instagram, and any other active channels.
Example structure: "[Channel name] helps [target audience] with [core topics]. Subscribe for [posting frequency] videos on [topic 1], [topic 2], and [topic 3]. Based in [city], serving [market]. New videos every [day(s)]. [Website] | WhatsApp: [number] | Instagram: @[handle]"
Channel Trailer
60–90 seconds. Structure: hook (who is this for and what will they learn?) / proof (credentials, examples, what they'll see) / CTA (subscribe and enable notifications). Always add captions. This video displays to non-subscribers on the channel homepage — it is the primary conversion tool for the channel.
Playlist Structure
Organise into playlists from the first video. Playlists increase watch time by auto-playing related content. Recommended structure:
| Playlist | Purpose |
|---|
| [Industry] Tips | Educational how-to content |
| [Product/Service] Guide | Product demonstrations and service explainers |
| Client Stories | Testimonials and case studies |
| Behind the Scenes | Business culture and process content |
| FAQ | Answers to the most common questions |
| Shorts | All Shorts content in one playlist |
End Screens
Set up an end screen template before uploading the first video. Include: subscribe button + link to a recommended playlist + link to the most recent video. Apply this template to every video — end screens are shown in the final 20 seconds.
Cards
Use info cards at relevant moments mid-video to link to related videos, playlists, or an external URL. Do not overuse — one or two cards per video is sufficient.
2. Video Type Taxonomy
Six video types form the content architecture. Each serves a different purpose in the viewer's journey (Chaffey, 2024 — RACE framework: Reach, Act, Convert, Engage).
| Type | Purpose | Ideal length | Production notes |
|---|
| Tutorial / How-to | Solve a specific problem step-by-step. Generates search traffic from people actively looking for solutions. | 5–15 min | Screen recordings, close-up demonstrations, or talking head with b-roll. Chapters are essential. |
| Vlog / Behind-the-scenes | Humanise the brand. Show the people, the process, the workspace. Builds emotional connection. | 3–8 min | Smartphone works well. Authenticity matters more than production quality. |
| Product/service showcase | Demonstrate value, not just features. Show the product in use, the service in action, the result it produces. | 3–6 min | Good lighting essential. Show the before and after wherever possible. |
| Client testimonial / case study | Social proof in video form. Structured as: client's situation before → what they did → result achieved. | 2–5 min | Film at the client's premises where possible. Real environment beats a studio for credibility. |
| Q&A / FAQ | Answer the most common questions in one video. Draws search traffic and reduces repetitive inbound enquiries. | 5–12 min | Compile real questions from WhatsApp, comments, and DMs. Organise into chapters by question. |
| Opinion / Commentary | Take a clear position on industry news, trends, or a common misconception. Establishes thought leadership. | 5–10 min | Requires genuine expertise and a defensible point of view. Vague takes do not perform. |
3. YouTube SEO Content Guidance
Note: this is content-level SEO guidance — it covers titles, descriptions, tags, and thumbnails. It is not a technical channel audit.
Title structure
Format: [Primary keyword] — [Benefit] | [Brand name]
Example: "How to Register a Business in Uganda — Step by Step | [Brand Name]"
Keep titles under 60 characters where possible — YouTube truncates longer titles in search results. Include the primary keyword as close to the start of the title as possible.
Description
The first 150 characters are displayed in search results before the "read more" cutoff — make these count. Include the primary keyword in the first sentence. Full description structure:
- First 150 characters: what this video covers + who it is for (keyword-rich)
- Paragraph 2: deeper detail on the topic and what the viewer will learn
- Paragraph 3: about the channel and why the creator is credible on this topic
- Timestamps (chapter markers): list every chapter with its timestamp (e.g. "0:00 — Introduction / 1:45 — Step 1: [Topic]")
- Links: website, WhatsApp, Instagram, playlist links
- Paragraph 4 (optional): keywords paragraph — list related search terms naturally integrated into a short paragraph
Tags
5–10 tags per video. Include: the exact title phrase, 3–5 keyword variations, 2–3 broader category terms. Tags are lower priority than they were historically but remain worth completing. Competitor tag research: find the top 3 competitor videos on a given topic, right-click → View Page Source, search for "keywords" — this reveals their full tag list. Use the same top-performing tags with better content to rank alongside them and multiply Google search listings.
Closed captions
Upload a manual transcript for every video. Closed captions are indexed by YouTube and Google — they function as retroactive SEO that can boost existing videos months after publication without re-uploading.
Thumbnail text guidance
- 3–5 words maximum on the thumbnail — more than 5 words becomes illegible on mobile
- High-contrast text on a background that stands out in a feed of other thumbnails
- Include a human face where possible — faces in thumbnails increase click-through rate by 20–30% (this is well-documented in YouTube creator data)
- Maintain a consistent visual style across all thumbnails: same font, same colour palette, same layout — this makes the channel recognisable in search results and subscription feeds
Chapter markers
Add timestamp chapters to every video over 5 minutes. Chapters serve two purposes: they help viewers navigate to the section they need (increasing satisfaction and completion), and YouTube indexes chapter titles as additional search signals.
4. Video Cadence
Minimum for algorithm traction
1 video per week, consistently. Missing weeks in the early growth phase (first 6 months) significantly impairs channel growth. The YouTube algorithm rewards consistent supply — it learns when to expect new content from a channel and promotes it accordingly.
Ideal for growth
2 videos per week: one Tutorial/Educational video + one Lifestyle/Community/Behind-the-scenes video. Different video types reach different audience segments and search queries.
Best upload times for EA
Tuesday and Thursday, 6–8pm EAT. Viewers are typically home from work or school. Upload 2–3 hours before the target viewing time to allow YouTube's processing and indexing to complete.
Upload workflow — private first
Upload videos as Private to complete the title, description, tags, chapters, end screens, and cards before going live. Switch to Public (or use Scheduled) only when metadata is complete. Public videos with incomplete metadata miss the algorithm's initial indexing window — a gap that cannot be recovered.
Post-publish boost window
YouTube gives every newly published video a 24–48 hour promotional window to test audience response. Stack all community promotion, email notifications, and social sharing in this window to maximise the algorithm signal from the first day.
Scheduling vs. live upload
Use YouTube's scheduled upload feature to maintain consistency even when production is ahead of schedule. Pre-schedule the next 2 weeks of content whenever possible.
5. YouTube Shorts Strategy
What Shorts are
Shorts are vertical videos under 60 seconds with their own algorithm, their own subscriber shelf on the channel homepage, and their own audience discovery pathway. They grow independently from long-form videos and attract a different — typically younger — audience segment.
Content for Shorts
- Repurpose TikTok and Instagram Reels content as Shorts (ensure vertical format: 1080×1920px, under 60 seconds)
- Create Shorts as "trailers" for long-form videos: take the most interesting 30–45 seconds from a tutorial and post as a Short with "Full video in the description"
- Quick tips that work as standalone content — one tip per Short
Shorts CTA
Always include one of the following: "Full guide in the description", "Watch the full video — link below", or "Subscribe for the full tutorial." Shorts drive viewers to long-form content — this is the primary commercial use of Shorts for business channels.
Frequency
3–5 Shorts per week in addition to long-form uploads. Shorts require significantly less production time. Batch-produce Shorts from existing long-form footage to maintain frequency without additional filming.
Shorts and subscriber counting
Subscribers gained through Shorts are counted the same as long-form subscribers for monetisation milestones. However, Shorts audiences do not always cross over to watch long-form content — monitor both separately.
6. Community Tab
Available once the channel reaches 500 subscribers. Activate immediately upon reaching this threshold.
Use cases
| Post type | Content |
|---|
| Poll | "Which video should I make next?" — list 3–4 options. Polls generate notifications to subscribers and drive channel visits. |
| Behind-the-scenes image | Studio, workspace, or production photos. Humanises the channel between video uploads. |
| Announcement | New video alerts, upcoming events, offers, or milestones. |
| Re-share | Reshare a top-performing older video with new commentary: "This video from 6 months ago still gets [X] views per month. Here's why it still matters." |
| Question | Ask the audience a question about their challenges, preferences, or experiences. Use responses as video topic research. |
Frequency
2–3 Community posts per week once the tab is active. Community posts appear in the subscriber's notification feed — use them to stay visible between video uploads.
7. 30-Day Content Plan
4 long-form videos + 8 Shorts across 30 days. Adjust volume based on the client's stated production capacity.
| Week | # | Type | Title | 3-sentence video brief | Thumbnail concept | CTA |
|---|
| 1 | LF1 | Channel trailer / brand intro | "Welcome to [Channel Name] — What You'll Learn Here" | Founder introduces the channel, states who it is for, and lists 3 specific things viewers will learn from subscribing. Keep to 90 seconds. Show the workspace or product in the background. | Founder facing camera, bold text: "START HERE" | Subscribe + enable notifications |
| 1 | S1 | Short — Quick tip | "[One specific tip] in 30 seconds" | The single most useful tip the client can share in under 30 seconds. No intro. Start with the tip. | Text overlay on action shot | "Full guide in description" |
| 1 | S2 | Short — Product showcase | "This is [product] — and here's why it works" | Show the product in use. 20 seconds of demonstration, 10 seconds on the key benefit. No narration needed. | Close-up product shot + "Watch this" text | "Order via link in bio" |
| 2 | LF2 | Tutorial / How-to | "How to [Solve Specific Problem] — [Number] Steps" | Step-by-step guide to the most common problem the target audience faces. Include chapters. Real demonstration, not theoretical. | Founder + text: "[Problem] — SOLVED" | Subscribe + link to related playlist |
| 2 | S3 | Short — Behind-the-scenes | "A day in [Business Name] — 45 seconds" | Fast-cut behind-the-scenes of one operational moment. No narration required — text overlays and natural sound. | Action shot from behind-the-scenes | "Full vlog in description" |
| 2 | S4 | Short — Tip repurposed from LF2 | "The one step most people skip in [process]" | Clip the single most surprising step from LF2 and reframe it as a standalone insight. | Text: "Don't skip this" + action shot | "Watch the full tutorial — link below" |
| 3 | LF3 | Client testimonial / case study | "[Client Name]'s Story: From [Problem] to [Result]" | Interview or narrated case study. Opens with the problem, moves to the solution, ends with the measurable result. Real numbers or specific outcomes where the client consents. | Client face + result stat text overlay | Subscribe + DM or WhatsApp for enquiries |
8. YouTube-specific KPIs
Review monthly. Prioritise watch time and average view duration as the primary algorithm signals.
| KPI | Target / Benchmark | Why it matters |
|---|
| Views | Baseline Month 1; target 20% growth per month | Raw reach signal |
| Watch time (hours) | Most important metric for the algorithm. Track total and per-video. | YouTube distributes content with high watch time to more viewers |
| Average view duration | Target 40%+ of total video length | Low average duration signals weak content or misleading titles — YouTube demotes these videos |
| Subscribers gained per month | Track monthly; acceleration after a specific video indicates the topic resonates | Audience-building signal |
| CTR on impressions | Target 3–7% — this measures thumbnail + title performance | Low CTR means the title or thumbnail is not compelling enough to earn the click |
| Top traffic sources | Break down: YouTube search vs. browse features vs. suggested vs. external | High search traffic validates SEO. High browse/suggested traffic validates algorithm favour. |
| Top performing videos | Review monthly — identify the top 3 videos by watch time, not views. Make more content on those topics. | Reveals what the audience actually values |
| Shorts views vs. long-form views | Track separately — Shorts and long-form have distinct algorithms | Helps allocate production effort correctly |
9. Algorithm Intelligence
Understanding how YouTube distributes content is not optional — it determines the entire channel strategy.
How the algorithm works
YouTube uses a dual neural network: the first network assesses a video's candidacy (is it relevant to this viewer?), the second ranks candidates against each other (which is best for this viewer right now?). The algorithm optimises for viewer satisfaction, not publisher satisfaction.
Traffic source breakdown for most channels:
- ~70% of views come from YouTube suggestions (Recommended, Browse Features, Up Next)
- <20% come from YouTube search
- The remainder comes from external sources (direct links, social media)
This means: the goal is to become a suggested video, not just a search result. SEO is the entry point; watch time and engagement are what keep the algorithm distributing content.
The watch time hierarchy
- Watch time (absolute minutes delivered) — the primary ranking signal
- Session time (total time a viewer stays on YouTube after watching your video)
- Engagement (likes, comments, shares) — important but third
Implication: a 15-minute video at 50% completion delivers more algorithm value than a 5-minute video at 80% completion. Longer videos that hold attention outperform shorter videos even when completion rate is lower. Playlists directly increase session time by auto-playing related content — this is the most underused lever for EA business channels.
Non-obvious algorithm rules
- A viewer clicking "Not interested" on your video trains the algorithm against your entire channel, not just that video — this makes misleading thumbnails and clickbait titles a strategic liability, not just an ethical one
- Consistent upload frequency matters more than high upload frequency — going from weekly to irregular is penalised harder than simply uploading once a week from the start
- The algorithm tracks topic coherence across the channel — a channel that suddenly pivots topics loses its suggested video placement in its original category
- Thumbnail updates can improve CTR on existing videos without re-uploading — a low-CTR video can be revived with a new thumbnail alone
CTA placement for EA
For data-cost-sensitive EA viewers, the primary CTA (subscribe, visit website, WhatsApp) must appear before the 3-minute mark. Viewers on metered data may close the video once their question is answered. Do not save the CTA only for the end screen. Use the reward-first CTA formula: deliver the most useful insight first, then ask for the subscription as a thank-you — not as a precondition.
B2B channels and monetisation caution
Business and professional channels using YouTube as a credibility tool should consider carefully before joining the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP). YPP places competitor advertisements on your videos, which can drive prospects away at the moment of highest intent. Workshop recordings, webinars, and client case study videos are excellent for B2B authority — the channel does not need to be monetised to be commercially valuable.
10. Blog Post Angles
Use with the blog-writer skill to generate client-attracting content for the agency's own channels or for clients in the content creation space.
| Title | Target audience |
|---|
| Why Your YouTube Videos Get No Views (And It's Not What You Think) | SME owners who have tried YouTube and failed |
| The YouTube Algorithm Explained in Plain English for East African Businesses | Business owners new to video marketing |
| How to Rank YouTube Videos in Uganda: A Step-by-Step SEO Guide | Local businesses targeting Ugandan search traffic |
| The 7 YouTube Mistakes That Are Costing You Subscribers | Channel owners with stalled growth |
| YouTube vs TikTok for East African Business: Which Platform Should You Choose? | Businesses deciding where to invest video effort |
| How to Start a YouTube Channel for Your Business With a Smartphone | Budget-conscious SMEs hesitant to start |
| The Exact Upload Schedule That Helped Our Clients Grow Their YouTube Channels | Aspiring video marketers looking for a plan |
| How to Get More Watch Time on YouTube: The Metric That Actually Matters | Intermediate creators who understand basic SEO |
| YouTube Shorts for Business: The Fast Track to Your First 1,000 Subscribers | New channels wanting quick growth |
| How to Use YouTube to Generate Leads for Your Business Without Running Ads | Business owners sceptical of paid advertising |
Quality Criteria
Output from this skill meets the standard when it:
- All ten sections are complete with no placeholders — the 30-day content plan includes a full title, three-sentence video brief, thumbnail concept, and CTA for every entry
- SEO content guidance is applied to the content plan — every long-form video title follows the
[Primary keyword] — [Benefit] | [Brand] format
- Video types are matched to the client's stated expertise and goals — a service business receives more testimonial and behind-the-scenes recommendations than product showcase videos
- The EA market context (shorter video preference, mobile-first viewing, data cost sensitivity, YouTube-as-research-tool) is reflected in video length recommendations and topic selection
- The Hero/Hub/Hygiene framework is correctly applied — the plan prioritises searchable Hygiene content in the first 30 days before layering in Hub series
- Shorts strategy is integrated with long-form strategy — Shorts are positioned as trailers and repurposed content, not as a separate workstream
- KPI explanations clarify why each metric matters, not just what it measures
- All production guidance is achievable with a smartphone and basic lighting — the skill does not assume studio production capability
- Algorithm guidance (Section 9) is referenced where it affects decisions — upload workflow, CTA placement, playlist strategy, and the watch-time hierarchy
- Blog post angles (Section 10) are present and targeted to specific audience pain points, not generic video marketing titles
