YouTube SEO Checklist: Improve Video Visibility and Channel Health (Checklist)

Growing on YouTube takes far more than a good title. This checklist by Lazarina Stoy covers every aspect of video optimisation in over 70 steps, organised by video production area and by the stage when each step should happen relative to publishing: before you create the video, before you upload it, when you upload it (video settings), after it’s published, plus engagement and relationships and general channel housekeeping. The production areas run from research, scripting, recording and the video file through titles, descriptions, thumbnails, end screens, subtitles and playlists to publishing frequency, your channel landing page, engagement and off-page promotion.

Each step comes with context on why it matters, and a checkbox so you can track what you’ve actioned for each video. It starts with video research (keyword research, competitor analysis, competitor engagement, and monitoring trending topics with tools like YouTube Trending, Popular on YouTube and Google Trends), moves through scripting (outlines aligned to your keywords and audience, key points, supporting data and hooks), and continues through to post-publishing and visibility-boosting tactics.

Use this for:
‧ A repeatable publishing workflow, so no optimisation step is missed on any video
‧ YouTube SEO audits of an existing channel
‧ Onboarding a video team or a client onto a shared optimisation process

Whether you’re a seasoned content creator or just starting, this checklist helps your videos rank higher, attract more viewers and drive engagement. It accompanies Lazarina’s YouTube SEO growth guide and her step-by-step YouTube SEO audit guide.