YouTube Community posts are a fantastic way to engage with your audience beyond just video uploads. They allow you to share quick updates, behind-the-scenes content, polls, images, and start conversations, fostering a stronger connection with your subscribers. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about creating effective Community posts on YouTube.
**What are YouTube Community Posts?**
Community posts are text, image, GIF, poll, or video-based updates that you can share with your subscribers on the Community tab of your YouTube channel. They appear in your subscribers’ feeds, on your channel’s Community tab, and can even be featured in the YouTube Home feed.
**Why Use Community Posts?**
* **Increased Engagement:** Community posts encourage interaction through comments, likes, and shares, leading to higher engagement with your audience.
* **Real-Time Updates:** Share timely news, announcements, or behind-the-scenes glimpses without needing to create a full video.
* **Polls and Q&A:** Gather feedback, understand your audience’s preferences, and answer their questions directly.
* **Promote Your Videos:** Announce new uploads and drive traffic to your videos more effectively.
* **Build a Community:** Foster a sense of belonging and strengthen relationships with your subscribers.
* **Promote Other Channels:** Collaborate with other creators and cross-promote channels.
**Eligibility Requirements: Do You Qualify for Community Posts?**
Before diving into creating posts, ensure your channel meets the eligibility criteria:
* **1,000 Subscribers:** Your channel needs at least 1,000 subscribers to unlock the Community tab. This requirement was previously 500 subscribers, so ensure you meet the current threshold.
* **No Violations of YouTube’s Community Guidelines:** Your channel should be in good standing and not have any recent or severe violations of YouTube’s Community Guidelines.
* **Advanced Features Enabled:** Your channel must have access to advanced features. This typically involves verifying your identity through phone or video verification. If you haven’t done this, navigate to YouTube Studio > Settings > Channel > Feature eligibility. Follow the prompts to enable advanced features.
**Step-by-Step Guide: How to Create a Community Post on YouTube**
Here’s a detailed walkthrough of how to create different types of Community posts:
**1. Accessing the Community Post Creation Tool:**
* **Desktop:**
1. Go to YouTube Studio (studio.youtube.com). Make sure you are logged into the correct channel.
2. In the left-hand menu, click on “Content.” Then, click on “Posts.”
3. Alternatively, you can also go to your YouTube Channel page. Under your banner, you should see “Home,” “Videos,” “Shorts,” “Live,” “Playlists,” “Community,” and “Channels.” Click on the “Community” tab.
4. In the “Community” tab, at the top, you’ll find a text box that says, “Share an update with your audience…”
5. Click in the text box to open the Community post creation window.
* **Mobile (YouTube App):**
1. Open the YouTube app on your Android or iOS device.
2. Tap the “+” (plus) icon at the bottom center of the screen.
3. Select “Create a post.”
**2. Creating a Text-Based Post:**
Text posts are simple updates, announcements, or questions you want to share with your audience.
* **Compose Your Message:** In the text box, write your message. Be clear, concise, and engaging. Use relevant keywords and emojis to capture attention.
* **Formatting (Optional):** While YouTube doesn’t offer extensive formatting options, you can use line breaks, bold text (using asterisks *like this*), or italics (using underscores _like this_) for emphasis.
* **Mention Channels (Optional):** Tag other channels by typing “@” followed by the channel’s name. This will send a notification to the tagged channel.
* **Scheduling (Optional):** If you don’t want to post it immediately, click the clock icon on the top right corner of the post creation box. Pick a time and date to schedule your post.
* **Post or Schedule:** Click “Post” to publish your post immediately or “Schedule” if you have set a scheduled time.
**3. Creating an Image Post:**
Image posts are great for sharing visual updates, behind-the-scenes photos, or promotional graphics.
* **Upload Your Image:**
* Click the image icon in the Community post creation window.
* Select the image from your computer or mobile device.
* You can upload up to 5 images in a single post.
* **Image Specifications:** Ensure your images meet YouTube’s recommended specifications:
* **File Formats:** JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP.
* **Resolution:** High-resolution images look best, ideally 1280×720 pixels or higher.
* **File Size:** Keep file sizes reasonable to ensure fast loading times.
* **Add a Caption (Optional):** Write a caption to provide context or add a call to action.
* **Mention Channels (Optional):** Tag other channels by typing “@” followed by the channel’s name.
* **Post or Schedule:** Click “Post” to publish your post immediately or “Schedule” if you have set a scheduled time.
**4. Creating a GIF Post:**
GIFs can add humor and visual interest to your Community posts.
* **Choose a GIF:** Select a GIF from your computer. You can also use online GIF libraries like Giphy or Tenor to find relevant GIFs. Download the GIF to your computer first.
* **Upload the GIF:** Follow the same steps as uploading an image.
* **Add a Caption (Optional):** Write a caption to provide context or add a call to action.
* **Mention Channels (Optional):** Tag other channels by typing “@” followed by the channel’s name.
* **Post or Schedule:** Click “Post” to publish your post immediately or “Schedule” if you have set a scheduled time.
**5. Creating a Poll Post:**
Polls are a fantastic way to gather feedback and engage your audience in discussions.
* **Choose Poll Type:** YouTube offers two types of polls:
* **Text Poll:** Allows you to provide text-based options.
* **Image Poll:** Allows you to use images as options.
* **Creating a Text Poll:**
1. Click the poll icon (it usually looks like a bar graph) in the Community post creation window.
2. Enter your question in the “Ask your community” field. Make sure the question is clear and easy to understand.
3. Add answer options in the “Option” fields. Provide at least two options and up to five.
4. Click “Add another option” if you need more options.
* **Creating an Image Poll:**
1. Click the image poll icon (it usually looks like a bar graph with image icons) in the Community post creation window.
2. Enter your question in the “Ask your community” field.
3. Upload an image for each answer option. Make sure the images are relevant to the question and easy to distinguish.
4. You can add up to 4 image options.
* **Poll Duration:** Polls usually run for 7 days. YouTube automatically ends the poll and shows results to your audience.
* **Mention Channels (Optional):** Tag other channels by typing “@” followed by the channel’s name.
* **Post or Schedule:** Click “Post” to publish your poll immediately or “Schedule” if you have set a scheduled time.
**6. Creating a Video Post:**
Video posts let you easily share and promote your existing YouTube videos.
* **Select a Video:**
* Click the video icon in the Community post creation window.
* Search for the video you want to share. You can search by title, URL, or channel.
* Select the video from the search results.
* **Add a Message (Optional):** Write a message to provide context, explain why you’re sharing the video, or encourage viewers to watch it.
* **Mention Channels (Optional):** Tag other channels by typing “@” followed by the channel’s name.
* **Post or Schedule:** Click “Post” to publish your video post immediately or “Schedule” if you have set a scheduled time.
**Tips for Creating Engaging Community Posts:**
* **Know Your Audience:** Tailor your content to your audience’s interests and preferences. What type of content do they engage with the most? What questions do they have? What kind of humor do they like?
* **Be Consistent:** Post regularly to keep your audience engaged. Develop a posting schedule to ensure a steady stream of content.
* **Ask Questions:** Encourage interaction by asking questions that spark conversation.
* **Run Polls:** Use polls to gather feedback, understand your audience’s preferences, and make them feel involved.
* **Share Behind-the-Scenes Content:** Give your audience a glimpse into your life or your creative process. This builds trust and creates a more personal connection.
* **Respond to Comments:** Engage with your audience by responding to their comments and questions. This shows that you value their input and appreciate their support.
* **Use Visuals:** Incorporate images, GIFs, and videos to make your posts more visually appealing.
* **Keep it Concise:** People have short attention spans. Get to the point quickly and use clear, concise language.
* **Use Emojis:** Emojis can add personality and emotion to your posts, making them more engaging.
* **Promote Your Videos:** Use Community posts to announce new video uploads and drive traffic to your channel.
* **Cross-Promote:** If you have other social media accounts, use Community posts to promote them and vice versa.
* **Analyze Your Results:** Pay attention to which types of posts perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly. YouTube Analytics provides valuable data on engagement metrics.
* **Run Contests and Giveaways:** Generate excitement and reward your audience with contests and giveaways.
* **Collaborate with Other Creators:** Team up with other YouTubers to create joint Community posts and reach a wider audience.
* **Use Relevant Hashtags:** While not as critical as on platforms like Twitter or Instagram, relevant hashtags can help people discover your Community posts.
**YouTube Community Post Ideas:**
* **Ask Me Anything (AMA):** Invite your audience to ask you questions about a specific topic.
* **Behind-the-Scenes:** Share photos or videos of your workspace, filming process, or daily routine.
* **Sneak Peeks:** Give your audience a sneak peek of upcoming videos or projects.
* **Polls:** Ask your audience about their preferences, opinions, or suggestions.
* **Challenges:** Create a fun challenge and encourage your audience to participate.
* **Contests and Giveaways:** Run contests and giveaways to reward your audience and generate excitement.
* **Q&A:** Answer frequently asked questions from your audience.
* **Recommendations:** Share your favorite products, books, movies, or music.
* **Updates:** Provide updates on your channel, projects, or life.
* **Thank You Messages:** Express your gratitude to your audience for their support.
* **Promote Other Creators:** Share the channels of other YouTubers you admire.
* **Share Fan Art:** Showcase artwork or creations made by your fans.
**Troubleshooting Common Issues:**
* **Community Tab Not Showing:** Ensure you meet the subscriber requirement (1,000 subscribers) and that your channel is in good standing.
* **Unable to Create a Post:** Check your channel’s status for any Community Guidelines strikes or violations. Ensure you have advanced features enabled.
* **Image Upload Issues:** Make sure your images are in the correct format (JPEG, PNG, GIF, or WebP) and are not too large.
* **Poll Not Working:** Ensure you have provided at least two answer options.
* **Post Not Appearing in Subscribers’ Feeds:** It can take some time for posts to appear in subscribers’ feeds. Encourage subscribers to check your Community tab directly.
**Analyzing Community Post Performance:**
YouTube Analytics provides data on the performance of your Community posts, including:
* **Impressions:** The number of times your post was shown to viewers.
* **Likes:** The number of likes your post received.
* **Comments:** The number of comments your post received.
* **Shares:** The number of times your post was shared.
* **Votes (for Polls):** The number of votes your poll received.
Use this data to understand what types of posts resonate most with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.
**Conclusion:**
YouTube Community posts are a powerful tool for engaging with your audience, building a community, and promoting your videos. By following the steps outlined in this guide and experimenting with different types of posts, you can create content that resonates with your subscribers and helps you grow your channel. Remember to be consistent, engaging, and authentic in your interactions with your audience. Good luck!