To change the YouTube video category easily, go to YouTube Studio, and choose “Content”. Then, on the video details page click on “Show More” and change the category!
As a new YouTuber one of the most important steps to succeed in YouTube is to choose the right category. Selecting the appropriate category helps YouTube understand what your video is about. Therefore, it helps target the video to the right audience. This can result in better discoverability.
However, what if for one of your videos, you picked the wrong category? Or maybe you decided to switch the type of content you uploaded and need to change the previous videos? Luckily for you, the YouTube platform allows you to re-categorize your videos even after it has been uploaded.
In this article, I will guide you through the straightforward process of how to change your YouTube video category. Also, I will show you why it is such an important thing for creators to get this right. As a bonus, I will teach you some superpower tips that will help you increase your view counts!
Why is the YouTube Video Category Important for Creators?
Category fields can be found on YouTube platforms. These form a wide scale from “Entertainment” to “Crypto & NFTs” covering every single niche you could think of. When you select a category, it tells the YouTube algorithm whom to recommend your videos to.
For example, if you upload YouTube Shorts or video tutorial dealing with realistic makeup effects and place them under the ‘Beauty’ category, it will have a significantly slimmer chance of being recommended to ordinary entertainment viewers. Instead, your target audience would be people interested in doing makeup.
The more people engage in looking at what you offer (meaning people passionate about your content topic) the happier they will be to watch a bigger part of the video you’ve published. This also means that many viewers who might be interested will be more likely to watch the video. As a result, YouTube will be more willing to show your video to more of such potential viewers. It’s a virtuous cycle that can end in your YouTube video going viral!
Consequently, when you place your video under the wrong category, it will be recommended to viewers who may not enjoy your content. This would result in low viewer interest (watch times). Also, this informs YouTube that your content is not the top pick (and is limited to a few audiences) so that YouTube algorithms can predict the best matching audience for you.
Hence, I believe making sure that your videos are placed well within their respective categories is pivotal for gaining high visibility in your videos on the YouTube platform. However, at the very first moments of your journey, it’s possible to do something wrong. At this point, these little problems appear.
How to Change YouTube Video Category in Just 2 Steps
Fortunately, YouTube offers an efficient and simple way to change video categories with just a few clicks. Follow these steps:
- Log into YouTube Studio, choose “Content” and select the video you want to edit in the Video Section.
- On the video details page, scroll below and you’ll see “Show More”. Then choose one of the categories.
That’s it! In this case, the algorithm of YouTube will re-categorize your video. The new category will be in place shortly thereafter. Although YouTube helps pages indicate it may take up to two weeks for recently modified information to be completely updated.
Want to Get More YouTube Views?
Even though the categories you choose are the most important piece of the puzzle when building a prosperous YouTube channel, many other things define a successful channel. It comes to this point where Views4You’s powerful tools do their magic.
Views4You is a full-featured video marketing suite designed for video creators with all sizes in mind. The suite can be used to gather statistics, optimize your content, and promote it to get maximum subscribers and views.
The best place in 2024 to achieve the maximum YouTube growth and revenue is Views4You, if you are sincerely serious about it.
FAQs
How many categories can I choose for each YouTube video?
The sad part is that YouTube does not allow primary category choices in one video. You can not create multi-category videos or add secondary hashtags.
I updated my categories but my videos still show the old ones, what’s wrong?
YouTube’s help page says that it can take up to several weeks for the information just changed categories to be completely processed and to be updated on YouTube. If two weeks have passed since no effect, try to save the category selection again or seek support from the YouTube team.
What if I can’t find the right category for my video topic?
YouTube has numerous subjects to pick up virtually all topics. And yet, if there is no perfect fit, go with the narrow generalities that will ensure your video reaches the concerned audience. You can also write a comment that there should be a new category of videos.
Can I use different categories for videos on the same channel?
Yes, each separate video can entirely belong to groups based on their particular content. While it may seem a bit odd, knowing that certain categories overlap in your uploads, especially for channels that cover different topic areas is quite common.
My channel was just re-categorized, how will this impact my views?
Making sure your channel category is right is significant, but your video categories have a grander effect on views because this dictates which audiences your uploads are being suggested to. A good practice is to review your video categories regularly every time your channel changes to realize the best possible visibility.
