Unlock the YouTube SEO Full Course Secret: Rank Your YouTube Videos on Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity

Are you looking for a youtube seo full course that goes beyond the basics of YouTube marketing and truly delivers proven strategies? The competitive world of digital marketing and online business demands advanced techniques to ensure channel growth. The proprietary Turbo Tube ranking system offers a full custom process built and developed over the years that allows you to rank youtube videos not only at the top of YouTube but also on Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity AI.

This full course provides the exact process Lewis uses to help clients—local, national, and software—achieve powerful rankings for almost any keyword. For beginners, Ahrefs' YouTube SEO course is a great starting point to enhance their understanding of YouTube SEO and video marketing. Additionally, HBA Services offers a free introductory YouTube SEO course that is clear, concise, and actionable, making it an excellent resource for those just starting out.

This custom system is designed to thrive in the new reality of search engine optimization and is backed by testing and actual results, showing that SEO is not dead, but rather experiencing a "gold rush" of opportunity. Neil Patel's YouTube SEO course is also praised for its comprehensiveness and engaging teaching style, making it a valuable resource for those looking to master SEO. Similarly, Surfside PPC's YouTube SEO tutorials are widely appreciated for their actionable tips and engaging presentation style, offering practical insights for creators.

Ready to dive into the optimization process and learn proven strategies? You can watch the full video training and get exclusive access to the plug-and-play template checklist inside the AI Powered SEO Skool group: https://www.skool.com/ai-powered-seo/about.

Mastering the 3x3 Pillar System for Comprehensive YouTube SEO

The core of this powerful video optimization strategy is the 3x3 pillar system. This system focuses on both the individual video asset (left side) and the entire youtube channel (right side), allowing you to stack signals for maximum SEO effectiveness and clarity of signal to Google, YouTube, and the AI search engines. Sean Cannell's Video Ranking Academy 2.0 provides actionable tactics to rank videos high and build a loyal audience, complementing this strategy. The course is also noted for its supportive community, which helps creators stay motivated and informed.

Pillar 1: Optimizing the Individual YouTube Video

For the video itself, optimization goes much deeper than just the title and description:

1. Brand and Keyword Association: Google and AI algorithms look for associations between your brand and your keyword as a key data point. You must optimize consistently for the branded keyword (Brand + Keyword) as the nucleus of your video optimization.

2. File Optimization (The Pre-Upload Checklist): YouTube and Google scan everything you upload, including the actual files.

   • MP4 Video File: Before uploading, rename the MP4 file using the targeted main keyword, matching the eventual YouTube title. By right-clicking and navigating to ‘Properties’ then ‘Details,’ you can insert related keywords (gathered during keyword research) into the file’s tags, comments, and contributing artists sections. This creates a keyword silo. This simple step alone puts you ahead of the game, as almost nobody does this.

   • Custom JPEG Thumbnail: The video thumbnail must be optimized similarly, ensuring the size is 1280 x 720. Rename the JPEG file name to match the video title and main keyword. Use the file properties (Title, Subject, Tags, Comments, Authors) to insert the main keyword and related keywords, maintaining consistency. Google can even read the text on the custom thumbnail itself, making keyword placement there highly effective.

   • Speaking Your Keywords: If possible, softly, slowly, and clearly speak your main keyword in your YouTube video. This adds to the overall optimization signal that Google can pick up from the audio.

If you want to access the custom plug-and-play template checklist and see an in-depth, step-by-step demonstration of optimizing an MP4 file and custom JPEG thumbnail, check out the AI Powered SEO Skool group: https://www.skool.com/ai-powered-seo/about.

Pillar 2: Channel Ecosystem & Asset Repurposing

The second 3x3 pillar focuses on maximizing your channel performance by creating a complete ecosystem from your initial video content.

1. Repurpose the Full Video: Take your full YouTube video and repurpose it into shorter clips (3 to 7 minutes is the sweet spot).

2. Create YouTube Shorts: Use AI tools like Opus or CUSO (formerly Video) to automatically chop the full video into multiple YouTube Shorts. This can result in 15, 20, or even 27 different assets from one full video. These Shorts drive a lot of impressions and traffic back to the full-length video and the channel.

3. Optimize Playlists: Put all these assets (full video, clips, and shorts) into an optimized playlist. This creates a silo effect and connects all the assets together. To optimize the playlist, copy the exact same title and description used for the main video. Playlists can rank in and of themselves, creating an extra chance for ranking; one optimized playlist resulted in 17,000 extra views for a client. Increased visibility and engagement on YouTube lead to more subscribers, views, and overall channel growth.

In-Depth Video Optimization: Keyword Research, Title, Description, and Tags

The next steps involve the essential upload checklist, starting with keyword research.

A. Strategic Keyword Research

To conduct effective research for your youtube videos, use YouTube-specific tools like VidIQ.com. This tool is inexpensive and provides crucial insights into volume, competition, and related keywords specific to YouTube (which usually has higher volume and lower competition compared to Google). Keyword research is essential for identifying what the target audience is searching for and ensuring videos are discoverable. Additionally, Semrush's Academy offers an extensive library of free courses on SEO and digital marketing, many of which include certifications, providing a solid foundation for creators.

For video optimization that boosts an external website, use your SEO tool (like Semrush, used as an example) to identify website pages ranking on Google page two or three (positions 11 through 20). Note both the keyword and the link, as this is the secret sauce for the description.

B. Crafting the YouTube Video Title

The title is the anchor of the entire video and the most important piece of the YouTube optimization process.

• Character Limit: Titles are capped at 100 characters.

• The Title Formula: To achieve multiple keyword rankings, use the following structure: Main Keyword | Brand + Secondary Keyword. This formula not only signals the main topic but strengthens the brand-keyword combination.

• Description Anchor: The very first line of the description must be an exact copy of the title. This is crucial for reinforcing the signal.

C. The Secret Sauce of the YouTube Description

The description (up to 5,000 characters; 3,500 is the sweet spot) is where Lewis diverts value to increase the rankings of an external website.

1. Initial Structure: Start with the copied title, followed immediately by a main CTA back to the homepage.

2. Keyword-Link Combo Strategy: Pair the secondary keywords (those ranking on website pages 2 or 3) with their corresponding page links (e.g., Keyword: [Link]). Use approximately 15 to 20 of these combinations. When people click these links, the website benefits because YouTube wraps all external links in a high-authority redirect (often DR 99/100). This also doubles as high-volume content for the description, meaning you don't need to write new paragraphs for every video.

3. Hashtags: Include exactly 15 hashtags. The first three show up next to the title, and the remaining 12 are for optimization.

4. Local SEO and Entity Building: If you have a Google Business Profile (GBP), include three pieces of verified GBP information at the very bottom of your description: the long URL from the address bar, the Plus Code, and the latitude/longitude coordinates. Finish by adding a Wikipedia link for your main keyword or topic. This indicates to Google and YouTube that you are only referencing your specific brand, ensuring clarity of signal. Creating engaging thumbnails can significantly impact click-through rates and video views on YouTube.

To get the exact formulas and a full half-hour video demo of Lewis walking through a real live YouTube upload using this proprietary description process, join the AI Powered SEO Skool group: https://www.skool.com/ai-powered-seo/about.

D. Tags: Clarity Over Stuffing

While some seo enthusiasts suggest stuffing tags, this confuses Google and muddies the waters. The focus must be on clarity of signal.

• Sweet Spot: The sweet spot for tags is three to seven.

• Tag Selection: Select tags that indicate the main target and keyword, such as the longtail keyword, a variation, the main root keyword, the brand, and general overarching categories (like AI or GPT).

• Local Guidance: For local companies (e.g., locksmith Greenville South Carolina), include the main keyword, keyword variation, and Brand + City and State.

Finalizing the Upload: Settings, Engagement, and the Post-Upload Checklist

These final steps ensure all minor ranking signals are stacked and engagement is kickstarted, which is crucial in the first 48 hours.

Essential YouTube Settings

• Audience: Always select "No, it's not made for kids" to avoid limiting your reach.

• Category Hack: Set the category to "News and Politics." This provides a slight, initial boost in impressions and visibility during the first 48 hours, helping generate crucial early engagement. This is a subtle signal that viewers won't see.

• Video Location: Geotarget the video by setting the location (e.g., United States or a specific city like Greenville for local SEO).

• Cards: Use Cards to include an optimized playlist (or related video) at roughly the 75% to 80% mark of the full video. This funnels viewers into the playlist, cycling them through more videos and increasing overall watch time and engagement.

The Post-Upload Checklist

Immediately after publishing your YouTube video, perform these actions to kickstart the engagement signal:

1. Pin a Comment: Pin your own comment, which should be the main CTA back to your website or offer.

2. Like and Heart: Like and heart your own video. Like and heart your pinned comment.

3. Reply with the Description: Reply to your own pinned comment using the exact full description that you created (including all the keyword-link combinations). This looks like a detailed, well-thought-out comment and reinforces the links and keywords.

4. Embeds: Embed the video anywhere you can (e.g., LinkedIn, WordPress, Medium). Embeds are considered more powerful than just links.

These advanced techniques ensure that even a new video with few subscribers can kickstart the YouTube algorithm. This custom system has been developed over years ago and continues to provide powerful results in the competitive world of digital marketing. Utilizing YouTube analytics helps creators understand audience behavior and improve content strategy, enabling them to refine their approach and achieve better results.

If you are ready to learn proven strategies and access the full customized checklist, advanced AI tools, and ongoing guidance to rank your videos and websites, join the community of SEO enthusiasts inside the AI Powered SEO Skool group: https://www.skool.com/ai-powered-seo/about. This great course is an opportunity that makes the current SEO landscape feel like a gold rush.