How to Upload a Video to YouTube From Your Phone or Computer: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Uploading a video to YouTube is a simple and guided process on both desktop and mobile.
• Your video’s title and custom thumbnail are the most critical elements for grabbing a viewer’s attention and convincing them to click play.
• Use the privacy settings (Public, Private, Unlisted, or Members only) to control exactly who sees your video.
• After publishing, share your video link everywhere, embed it on your website, and use your video description to encourage viewers to visit your site or join your email list.

You’ve made a great video that shows off what makes your business special. Now what? The next step is getting it in front of the people who need to see it, and there’s no better place to do that than YouTube. But a smart YouTube strategy is only as good as your execution, and that starts with the upload.

Don’t let the technical side of things intimidate you. In this simple guide, we’ll walk you through every step of the process, so you can get your video live and start sharing your story with the world.

How to upload a YouTube video

Ready to get your video out into the world? Uploading to YouTube is a straightforward process, and the platform guides you through it pretty well. We’ll break it down step-by-step so you know exactly what to expect and what each setting means.

Just follow these simple steps, and your video will be live in no time.

Step 1: Sign in to YouTube

First things first, open up YouTube. You can do this on your computer at youtube.com or right from the YouTube app on your phone. To log in, you’ll use your Google account—the same one you use for everything else Google, like Gmail and Drive. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll be prompted to create one.

Step 2: Click the ‘Create’ button

Ready to upload? On your computer, look for the Create button in the top-right corner — it looks like a little camera with a plus sign in it. Clicking this will open a menu where you can choose to upload a video, create a Short, go live, or make a community post. For this guide, select Upload video.

If you’re using the YouTube app on your phone, just tap the plus (+) icon at the bottom center of your screen to open the same menu.

Step 3: Select a video to upload

Now, it’s time to choose your video file. You can either drag and drop it directly into the upload window or click the Select Files button to find it on your computer or phone.

Step 4: Choose or create a thumbnail

Think of your thumbnail as the movie poster for your video. It’s the first thing people see and what convinces them to click ‘play’ (or not).

YouTube will suggest a few options for you, but their automatically generated options will often catch you mid-sentence or with a blurry shot. The best move is always to create your own custom thumbnail. This gives you complete control over your video’s first impression.

Just click the Upload thumbnail button to add a custom image you’ve designed. For the best results, make sure your image is 1280×720 pixels.

Step 5: Add your video title, description, and tags

This is where you tell YouTube (and your future viewers) what your video is all about. Think of it as the story you wrap around your content.

• Title: This is your headline. It’s the first thing people will see, so make it catchy, clear, and relevant. Think about what your ideal viewer would actually type into the search bar and try to include those keywords naturally.
• Description: This is your space to provide more detail and guide your viewers. You can write a couple of paragraphs explaining what the video covers, but its real power lies in adding helpful links. Be sure to include a link to your website, your social media pages, or a specific product you mentioned. You can also create video chapters by adding timestamps (e.g., 0:00 Intro, 1:25 How to Get Started), which helps viewers find exactly what they’re looking for.
• Tags: Think of tags as extra keywords that help YouTube categorize your video. Add a few relevant tags that describe your video’s topic, your business, and your industry. While not as critical as the title and description, they still help YouTube connect your video with a wider audience.

Step 6: Select your privacy settings

This is where you take control and decide exactly who gets to see your video. Let’s break down what your options are.

• Public: This is your default for any video you want the world to discover. It makes your video visible on your channel and allows it to appear in YouTube’s search results and recommendations. Use it for all your main marketing content.
• Unlisted: Think of this as a secret handshake. Your video is hidden from public view, but anyone you give the direct link to can watch it. It’s perfect for sharing a video in a newsletter, embedding on a specific webpage, or sending to a client for feedback.
• Private: This setting is for your eyes only (and anyone you specifically invite via their email address). It’s completely hidden and is great for storing video drafts or sharing internal team communications.
• Members only: If you have channel memberships, this is how you reward your biggest fans. It lets you create exclusive content that only your paying members can see.
• Schedule: This is your secret weapon for consistency. Upload your video whenever you have time, and tell YouTube the exact date and time you want it to go live. It’s the best way to plan your content ahead and publish at the perfect moment.

Step 7: Select the audience for your video

YouTube needs to know who your video is intended for to help protect younger viewers. First, you’ll be asked if your video is “Made for Kids.” This is a key setting for complying with child privacy laws. Unless your content is specifically created for a young audience—like cartoons or toy reviews—the answer for your business will almost always be “No, it’s not Made for Kids.” It’s important to get this right, as choosing “yes” will automatically turn off features like comments and personalized ads.

Separately, you have the option to set an age restriction. You only need to use this if your video contains mature content that isn’t appropriate for viewers under 18. This ensures that only adults who are signed in can watch your video.

Step 8: Disclose altered or synthetic content

Did you use AI to create a realistic-looking scene, clone someone’s voice, or alter footage to make it look like something different happened? If so, you’ll just check a box to let viewers know. It’s all about being transparent and following YouTube’s rules.

For most businesses making straightforward videos, you likely won’t even need to think about this. But it’s an important way YouTube helps build trust with its users.

Step 9: Choose your comments settings

The comments section is where your community comes to life. It’s where people can ask questions, give you feedback, and connect with each other. Here’s how to choose the setting that works best for you and your business.

• Allow all comments: This is the “all in” option that encourages a lively conversation right away. It’s fantastic for building community, but you’ll want to keep an eye on things to weed out any spam.
• Hold potentially inappropriate comments for review: This is the best of both worlds and the right choice for most businesses. YouTube’s smart filters do the heavy lifting for you, catching most of the junk while still letting good-faith comments through. It saves you time and keeps the conversation healthy.
• Hold all comments for review: Want total control? This setting is perfect for videos on sensitive topics. Every single comment will wait for you to personally approve it before it goes live.
• Disable comments: Sometimes the goal of your video isn’t to start a conversation, and that’s okay. If you don’t have time to moderate, or if the video is purely for announcements, turning off comments can be the smartest move.

Step 10: Upload your video

You’re at the finish line! Once you’ve double-checked all your details and are happy with your settings, you’re ready to make your video live.

Simply click the blue Publish button in the bottom right corner. If you set your video to go live at a future date, this button will say Schedule. Once you click it, your video will either go live instantly or be scheduled to publish automatically at the time you chose. That’s it — your video is officially live on YouTube.

What to do after uploading your YouTube video

Hitting publish is awesome, but your work doesn’t stop once the video is live. Now is your chance to make sure your video works as hard as possible for your business.

Here are the key next steps to take:

• Manage your video settings. From your video’s page, you can access powerful tools to fine-tune your content. You can add subtitles or closed captions to make your video more accessible, trim clips, or even swap out the audio.
• Share and embed your content. Your video now has its own unique link. Share it everywhere! Post it on social media, send it to your email list, and encourage viewers to like, comment, and share. You can also easily embed a YouTube video directly on your website to get more eyes on it.
• Review your video analytics. Once people start watching, dive into your YouTube Analytics. This is where you’ll find out what’s working. You can see who is watching, how long they’re sticking around, and where they’re coming from. This data is pure gold for refining your content.
• Encourage subscriptions and engagement. Don’t be afraid to ask viewers to subscribe to your channel or leave a comment. A simple call to action at the end of your video can make a huge difference in building an active community.
• Optimize your channel presence. Take a moment to look at your channel as a whole. Does your channel banner look professional? Is your “About” section filled out? A polished channel encourages viewers to stick around and explore more of your content.
• Focus on long-term audience growth. The most successful channels treat YouTube as more than just a video-hosting site; it’s a community. A smart YouTube video strategy focuses on providing consistent value and building real relationships that turn viewers into loyal fans.

Turn YouTube views into long-term engagement

Getting views on your video is a fantastic start, but what happens after the credits roll? The real secret to growth is turning those viewers into loyal subscribers who you can connect with directly, away from the unpredictable YouTube algorithm.

The best way to do that is by inviting them to join your email list. You can add a link to your email sign-up form in your video’s description, in a pinned comment, and on your main channel banner.

Once they’re on your list, you can use powerful email marketing software to automatically let them know every time you post a new video. You can even send targeted follow-up content based on the topics they were watching, nurturing that initial interest into a lasting relationship.

Combining YouTube with email marketing creates a powerful cycle: you use videos to attract new fans and use email to keep them engaged for the long haul. It’s how you build a community you truly own.

Ready to see how it works? Start a free trial of Constant Contact today.