Title / Headline

The title of your video, also known as the headline, is a crucial element when publishing videos on YouTube. You can use up to 100 characters in your title. The title of a video gets the second-highest attention after the thumbnail in terms of impressions. Your video's title plays a significant role in your video's Click-Through Rate (CTR), SEO, and branding. Let's break down how each aspect is related.

Video Title and CTR

The video title provides information about the topic being taught in your video. If a student wants to learn about the topic mentioned in your video title, they will click to watch it.

If the title doesn't align with the topic of your video, the viewer may quickly lose interest, resulting in a short Watch Time. This can have a negative impact on your video's impressions. Therefore, make sure your title accurately reflects the video's content.

Video Title and SEO

The video title and SEO are directly related. When users search for videos, they use text queries. The text for SEO purposes is primarily located in the video's title, description, and tags. YouTube gives priority to the title for search.

If you want to optimize your video for search, it's important to include the main part of the topic at the beginning of the title and put the rest afterward. For example, if your video's main topic is "Photosynthesis," a good title for SEO purposes would be "Photosynthesis | Grade 6 Science" instead of "Grade 6 Science | Learning Photosynthesis."

You can also include additional information in the title to improve SEO, such as the subject and domain. For instance, if your video's topic is "Photosynthesis" and it's meant for Grade 6 students, a better title would be "Photosynthesis | Grade 6 Science." This title covers both the topic and relevant search terms.

By using such a title, your video has a better chance of appearing in searches when users look for keywords like "Grade 6 Photosynthesis," "Photosynthesis for Grade 6," "Photosynthesis Science," and "Science Photosynthesis."

Video Title and Branding

You can use the title for branding purposes as well. Branding encourages viewers to click on your video. There are several ways to brand your videos:

Channel Name Branding

Include your channel's name at the end of the title. This helps viewers recognize that the video is from your channel. If viewers enjoy your channel's content, seeing your channel name in the title can prompt them to click.

Series Name Branding

Create different series of videos within your channel. For example, if your channel teaches science, you can create series like "Scientist Interviews," "Science for Grade 6," or "Fun Science." Each series may have its own audience. Including the series name in the title helps viewers identify the specific content they're interested in.

My advice is to include the series name or a shortened form in the title when your video is part of a specific series. This informs viewers that there are more videos on the same topic within the series, encouraging them to explore further.

Teacher Name Branding

If your channel features multiple teachers or instructors, you can include the teacher's name in the title to let viewers know who created the video.

Video Title and Guide

Sometimes, you need to create multiple videos to teach a single topic thoroughly. YouTube viewers often find your videos through search or recommendations. In such cases, it's helpful to indicate the video's position within a series in the title.

For instance, if your video's title says "11 of 20," viewers will understand that this video is the 11th installment out of a total of 20 videos on the same topic. This title serves as a guide to your other videos, helping viewers navigate through your content.