How I Successfully Manage 20+ YouTube Channels

Summary

This video script details the creator's experience managing over 20 YouTube channels, both personal and client-based, using Trello as a project management tool. The speaker outlines a streamlined system for tracking video content, from idea generation to upload, utilizing checklists and automation to streamline workflow. The script also touches on the potential for further automation with tools like Zapier and Google Sheets to enhance efficiency and track team performance, ultimately providing a scalable solution for YouTube channel management.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker manages over 20 YouTube channels, both personal and client-based, using a system they've developed over time.
• 🔧 They use Trello as the primary tool for managing and tracking all video content across channels, though they acknowledge Notion as an alternative.
• 🆓 Both Trello and Notion offer free options to start with, which is beneficial for those managing YouTube channels on a budget.
• 📝 The speaker emphasizes the importance of checklists and templates in Trello to standardize processes across different team members.
• 🔗 Google Drive is used in conjunction with Trello for storing and sharing all video-related content, ensuring easy access for the team.
• 👥 Team members are assigned specific roles such as channel manager, thumbnail designer, scriptwriter, voice-over artist, and video editor.
• 📑 Automation is key to managing multiple channels efficiently; Trello's built-in automation features are used, with the option to integrate Zapier for more advanced automation.
• 📈 The speaker mentions the potential for tracking team members' work and payroll through integration with Google Sheets, though this is an advanced setup.
• 🔄 The process involves moving cards through various stages of video production in Trello, from idea to upload readiness, with each stage having specific tasks and checklists.
• 🛠️ The speaker suggests that while the basic Trello setup can handle a significant number of channels, there are ways to expand and customize the system for even larger operations.
• 🔗 For those interested in YouTube business management, the speaker recommends joining their Discord server and mentions the option of booking a call for further assistance.

Q & A

What is the speaker's profession and how many YouTube channels do they manage?

The speaker is a YouTube channel manager who also provides a service to manage client YouTube channels. They manage over 20 channels on a weekly basis.

What is the name of the service provided by the speaker for managing YouTube channels?

The service provided by the speaker for managing YouTube channels is called Social Ignition Agency and can be found at socialignitionagency.com.

What is the primary tool the speaker uses to manage multiple YouTube channels?

The speaker primarily uses Trello to manage multiple YouTube channels.

Why does the speaker prefer Trello over other management platforms like Notion?

The speaker prefers Trello because they have been using it for quite some time and have everything set up on it. They are comfortable with it and it meets their needs, although they acknowledge that Notion is also popular and could work well.

What feature does Trello offer that helps in managing the workflow of YouTube channels?

Trello offers automation features that help in managing the workflow of YouTube channels. For more advanced automation, the speaker mentions the need to integrate with Zapier.

How does the speaker organize the process of creating a video on Trello?

The speaker organizes the video creation process on Trello with stages such as video idea, title description and tags optimization, thumbnail design, video bin and planning, script writing, recording, video edit ready for upload, and resources.

What is the purpose of the 'resources' column in the Trello board?

The 'resources' column in the Trello board is used to attach a Google Drive link, which contains all the content related to the video, including thumbnail inspiration, video files, and other resources.

How does the speaker ensure that team members have access to all necessary resources?

The speaker ensures team members have access to resources by inviting them to the Trello board and setting up a shared Google Drive workspace where all content is stored.

What is the role of a channel manager in the YouTube automation process described by the speaker?

A channel manager focuses on title, description, and tags optimization, as well as preparing the video for upload.

How does the speaker use checklists in Trello to streamline the video creation process?

The speaker uses checklists in Trello to ensure that each team member completes their tasks in a consistent manner across all channels. Checklists guide the team through steps like creating an enticing title, writing tags and descriptions, and setting up a Google Drive folder.

What additional tool does the speaker mention for automating tasks outside of Trello?

The speaker mentions Zapier as a tool for automating tasks outside of Trello, such as creating Google Drive folders when a card is moved to a specific section.

What is the speaker's approach to managing multiple scripts and team members?

The speaker uses Trello's tagging and commenting features to manage multiple scripts and team members, allowing them to claim tasks and track progress.

How does the speaker track the progress and performance of team members?

The speaker tracks progress and performance by using Trello's move logs and integrating with Google Sheets to record who did what, when, and how long it took, including any revisions.

What is the maximum number of boards one can have on Trello before needing to pay?

The speaker mentions that Trello caps out at 20 boards before one needs to start paying.

How does the speaker suggest scaling the YouTube business using Trello?

The speaker suggests using the basic layout in Trello to manage up to 20 channels simultaneously, uploading multiple videos each week, and automating the process with Trello rules and possibly Zapier.

What is the speaker's recommendation for those interested in discussing YouTube business?

The speaker recommends joining a Discord server where they discuss YouTube business, with a link provided in the description.

What service does the speaker offer for those who want YouTube automation?

The speaker offers a service where they help manage channels 24/7, requiring only the setup of team members, with a link to book a call provided in the description.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Managing Multiple YouTube Channels with Trello

The speaker discusses their experience managing over 20 YouTube channels, both personal and client-based, using Trello as the primary organizational tool. They mention the existence of other platforms like Notion but express preference for Trello due to its automation capabilities and free options. The speaker outlines the process of managing video content from idea to upload, emphasizing the importance of a streamlined system that includes video planning, scriptwriting, thumbnail design, and editing. They also highlight the use of Google Drive for storage and sharing of resources and the potential for team collaboration through Trello's board-sharing features.

05:03

📝 Streamlining Video Production with Checklists and Automation

This paragraph delves into the use of checklists within Trello to standardize the video production process across different channels. The speaker explains how checklists guide team members through tasks such as creating enticing titles, writing tags and descriptions, and setting up Google Drive folders. They also discuss the automation of moving Trello cards between stages of production and the tagging of team members to assign tasks. The speaker suggests that this system can be scaled for multiple channels and can accommodate different client needs, although it may require adjustments to suit individual preferences.

10:03

🔄 Advanced Automation with Zapier and Google Sheets

The speaker introduces the concept of further automating the YouTube management process using Zapier, which can create Google Drive folders automatically when a card is moved to a specific stage. They also touch on the potential for tracking team members' work and payroll through integration with Google Sheets, allowing for detailed oversight of task completion, revisions, and payment tracking. While acknowledging the complexity of setting up such a system, the speaker suggests that for most users, the basic Trello setup with rules and automation is sufficient for managing multiple YouTube channels efficiently.

15:04

🚀 Scaling YouTube Management with Advanced Techniques

In the final paragraph, the speaker contemplates the possibility of scaling YouTube channel management even further, possibly through more advanced automation techniques and the use of Zapier for tasks beyond checklist creation. They hint at future updates on this topic and encourage viewers interested in YouTube business to join a Discord server for more discussions. The speaker also promotes their services for those seeking a hands-off approach to YouTube management, offering to set up and manage the entire process for clients.

Keywords

💡YouTube channels

YouTube channels are platforms where individuals or companies can upload, share, and manage videos. In the video's context, the speaker manages multiple YouTube channels, both personal and client-based, highlighting the scale and complexity of content management. The speaker's 'addiction' to YouTube channels underscores the time and effort involved in overseeing content creation and optimization across these platforms.

💡Social Ignition Agency

Social Ignition Agency is mentioned as the service provider for managing client YouTube channels. It represents the business aspect of the speaker's activities, emphasizing the professional service they offer to clients who require assistance with their YouTube presence. The agency's website is provided as a resource for those interested in such services.

💡Trello

Trello is a project management tool used by the speaker to organize and track the progress of video content across multiple YouTube channels. It is central to the video's theme of managing complexity, as it allows for the visualization of tasks, automation of processes, and collaboration among team members. The speaker's preference for Trello over other tools like Notion is also noted.

💡Automation

Automation in the video refers to the process of streamlining and systematizing tasks to reduce manual effort and increase efficiency. The speaker discusses using Trello's built-in automation features and integrating with Zapier for more advanced automation, such as automatically creating Google Drive folders when a card is moved to a specific list.

💡Zapier

Zapier is an automation tool that the speaker mentions for enhancing Trello's capabilities. It allows for the creation of 'zaps' that automate tasks across different apps, such as creating Google Drive folders when certain actions are taken in Trello. This tool is part of the speaker's strategy to manage a large number of channels efficiently.

💡Google Drive

Google Drive is used as a storage and collaboration platform for the content related to the YouTube channels. The speaker mentions attaching Google Drive links to Trello cards for easy access to video scripts, thumbnails, and other resources by the team. It exemplifies the use of cloud storage in a content management workflow.

💡Checklists

Checklists in the video are templates that guide team members through the necessary steps for each stage of video production, such as title creation, description writing, and thumbnail design. They ensure consistency and completeness in the workflow and are an example of how the speaker maintains order in a complex content management system.

💡Video optimization

Video optimization refers to the process of enhancing a video's discoverability and吸引力 on YouTube through effective titles, descriptions, tags, and thumbnails. The speaker discusses using a YouTube optimization checklist to standardize this process across all channels, emphasizing the importance of SEO practices in video marketing.

💡Channel manager

A channel manager, as mentioned in the script, is a role responsible for overseeing the strategic aspects of a YouTube channel, including titles, descriptions, and tags. They are part of the speaker's team and are integral to the video production process, ensuring that each video is optimized for search and user engagement.

💡Thumbnail designer

A thumbnail designer is responsible for creating the visual representation of a video that appears as a preview in YouTube searches and channel listings. The speaker mentions the importance of this role in attracting viewers and the process of tagging a thumbnail designer in Trello for a specific task, illustrating the collaborative nature of content creation.

💡YouTube automation

YouTube automation in the video refers to the systematic and automated management of YouTube channels to reduce the workload and increase efficiency. The speaker's approach to using Trello, checklists, and Zapier exemplifies an automated system for managing video production and distribution across multiple channels.

Highlights

The speaker manages over 20 YouTube channels, including their own and clients', using a systematic approach.

Trello is the primary tool for managing and tracking all video content across channels.

Notion is mentioned as an alternative to Trello, with both offering free options to start.

Automation in Trello can be enhanced with Zapier for more complex tasks.

Google Drive is integrated for storage and collaboration on content and resources.

A detailed pipeline is used from video idea to upload, including optimization and design stages.

Checklists are utilized to standardize processes for different team members such as thumbnail designers and scriptwriters.

Team members are assigned tasks through Trello, with automation moving cards between stages.

Zapier can automate the creation of Google Drive folders and sharing settings when a card is moved.

Payroll tracking is suggested for larger teams using a combination of Trello and Google Sheets.

Trello rules can automate adding checklists when a card reaches a certain stage in the pipeline.

Different clients may require adjustments to the pipeline to suit their specific needs.

The speaker discusses the possibility of managing more than 20 channels with strategic board organization.

Further automation is being explored, including beyond Trello with tools like Zapier.

A Discord server is recommended for those interested in discussing YouTube business strategies.

The speaker offers a service for full YouTube channel management through their agency, Social Ignition.

Transcripts

I have a lot of YouTube channels yes it

is certainly an addiction at this point

and to make this even worse is that I

don't just look after my own YouTube

channels I also provide a service where

I manage client YouTube channels which

you can find as social

ignitionagency.com all in all there's

over 20 channels that I need to manage

content for on a weekly basis that's a

hell of a lot of videos and in all my

time of doing YouTube I've slowly built

up a system and a kind of simple one

where I can track absolutely everything

across the channels and this is exactly

how I do it the answer to managing all

channels is through Trello now there are

other managing platforms out there

notion is very popular right now and I

have seen other people go and use notion

myself I've been using Trello for quite

a bit of time and everything is set up

on here that I'm still comfortable to go

and use it it was really cool no matter

which one that you go for because both

will probably work well is that both do

provide free options so you can start

with no cost whatsoever the thing that I

like with Trello and it's probably the

same thing with motion is that you can

start to automate it although if you're

really looking for extreme automation

with Trello you will need to go and

bring in zapier where you'll have your

zaps to go and do things which I will

talk about in a sec but really this is

the basic layout of what I would have

for most channels there will be some

slight differences especially if you've

got clients and you're not going down

YouTube automation or just trying to

manage your personal Channel clients

well they all want something different

and they may want something different

which is different to what you're

comfortable working with which you're

probably gonna have to just accept that

and tailor it to their needs because at

the end of the day they're you're paying

clients but typically this is the

process you'll have pretty much the

whole pipeline to every single video the

video idea description and optimization

thumbnail design video bin and planning

so this would be script writing for all

of my videos apart from this channel

where I just go through bullet points

and also highlight things recording in

the lower case maybe voice over or like

this where I said talking head video we

don't have videos and edit ready for

upload and then the video is being

completed I also go and put an extra

column at the end here which is

resources so you'll see that there's a

checklist a checklist template which you

will see in a second and then normally I

go and insert a Google Drive Link so

with Google Drive I have workspace so it

means I have quite a bit of storage and

I can add my employees or my contractors

to this so they'll have their own unique

domain attached to their name and

they're actually representing social

ignition rather than Gmail or whatever

typically old store absolutely

everything in here so this will then

include the content that's going to be

used within videos if we've got any

thumbnail inspiration the videos

themselves absolutely everything will be

in here but I like to go and attach a

Google drive into this and we're

actually just going to Archive this and

we're just going to add a new card and

then that will always be there so that

anyone that's part of this board can

just go and see absolutely everything if

they wish to go and do so but with this

and we did also just briefly talk about

it if there was team members as part of

this they will have access to all you

can then go and invite your team members

either just making the board shareable

or you could just go and get the their

email addresses and go and bring them

across so typically for a YouTube

automation Channel you'll have a channel

manager who will focus on title

description and tags as well as ready

for upload you'll then have a thumbnail

designer a scriptwriter a voice over

artist and also a video editor

everything will be in here and that just

means that on your end you will just

need to go go and come up with the

initial video ideas so let's actually go

through that with the new ideas you'll

just go and press the plus sign and it

will create a card and then you could be

like this is an idea I know amazing this

is honestly a viral video but from here

you can then start pasting down your

links any research the structure that

you have I tend to give a lot of

information as you could tell with

videos I've ramble quite a bit it's no

different to when I'm actually writing

stuff so I'll end up filling this quite

a bit depending on the video but from

there one stop video idea is then okay

we want to move forward on this we don't

just want this as an idea we actually

want this to go through as a video then

it gets moved across and this is where a

bit of automation comes in because what

I want each team member to do is

slightly different and because we try to

bring in different video editors

different Channel managers thumbnail

designers we want them to all cohesively

work on one project but I want them to

do it the same way with every single

channel so this is where the checklists

come in so the second that this was

moved over to title description and tags

optimization it then added YouTube

optimization checklist which tells them

to create an enticing title write up all

relevant tags so that will go to 500

characters now tags aren't that

important YouTube even tells you this

but this is just a good habit so we go

for the whole thing write a Top Line

description write the main bulk

description create a Google drive folder

and also attach to Google drive folder

so this is pretty much setting up the

whole process so what a channel manager

would do is they'll come through and

they'll say okay this is video idea

number one and this was this is an idea

so it's going to be the exact same as

whatever they've gone through and

they've titled it so now they'll go and

copy this they'll move this across and

don't and go through and attack matches

so that now there will be a Google Drive

whenever anyone goes and clicks it it

will take it to number one this is an

idea or the video title that is in

question now normally when I upload a

video idea it's not actually an enticing

title it would just be something as an

idea probably as Bland as this it may

just be like a gaming channel I want to

talk about GTA Online weapons so my

channel manager will come for him but

okay so he wants to create a video on

GTA weapons and he's given a brief

description of what weapons I'm now

going to go through and make that as

enticing as possible for this type of

video so then they'll go through and

I'll start checking off absolutely

everything so they'll do the title

they'll do the tags they'll do the

description they've created a Google

drive folder and they've also attached

that Google drive to the Trello card the

second that they're all completed it

automatically moves across and then it

now will go through over to my thumbnail

designer who will then get checklist now

because this is a template board there

are no other people other than me so

normally what would happen is this would

also write a comment and it will be like

at JB hours and or whoever the thumbnail

designer is and it'll be like thumbnail

is needed for this one spell everything

wrong it will then tag my thumbnail

designer so that they can actually go

through and do it the same with the

channel manager same with the

scriptwriter voice over writers video

editor you get the idea so it can

actually go through the other thing is

that some channels may have multiple

scripts writers in which we can then tag

multiple of them within the automation

section and it will then be up to them

of which one will go for it so let's say

a scriptwriter comes in and they're like

oh I've got some free time I'm also

looking for a payday to actually go and

you know fulfill a script and get paid

from it they'll come through and they'll

just be like I got this in which it will

automatically and you saw there it will

write a comment and it will also add

whoever click that button to the member

side so that you can see who's working

on it and this is where it does get

special but like you can automate it

outside of Trello in fact we'll talk

about that in a second but with all of

this it will then go through the whole

process of each and every single stage

eventually until it's ready for upload

and hopefully once it's gone through the

thumbnail design the video videos and

planning videos and recording videos and

edit on this card you'll have a

checklist which is filled everything's

ticked off as 100 and you'll have a

Google Drive which will then have the

thumbnail it will have the script it

will have the voice over and it'll have

the video itself this is where the

channel manager can go back through

review the video if there's any problems

send it back but if it's ready for

upload they'll be able to copy and paste

the title and hopefully there'll be

descriptions within here tags absolutely

everything ready for it to go up onto

YouTube this in itself is pretty basic

it gets the job done and to be honest

the majority of this will be able to let

you scale your YouTube business if

you've got loads of YouTube channels if

you're going through YouTube automation

or you YouTube management you could use

this probably for like 15 20 channels

simultaneously uploading anywhere

between one to probably six seven videos

every single week actually probably not

every single one it may get a bit too

much but you get the point you can use

this for a very long time entirely free

and you'll have enough boards to just

keep on going through this it does cap

out a 20 so once you get above that then

you will need to start paying as well as

if you are still including this as

template boards which you're probably

not going to use as well as anything

else that you're going to use for your

business but there are a lot of stuff

that we've just gone through with all of

this which could be automated further

for example going all the way back to

here in fact let's actually just go and

archive and delete this this is a new

idea dude like the video ideas today are

just crazy but yeah let's just say we

got a new video idea and we brought that

over to title description and tags it

will do the checklist again and we go

through for example there are some stuff

like the Google Drive which at the

minute we're just telling the channel

manager to create so that they can then

go and attach it to the drive itself but

you could now go and automate this with

zapier which does cost I think there's

like a two-week free trial which you can

give it a test but you can go through

and use zapier and create zaps where

you'll then move a card over here and

every single time it detects a card

being moved into a new section you can

tell it to create a Google Drive in a

certain folder destination so in this

time you would want it to be example

Google drive or wherever you want it to

be stored and then you would want to

share that link or change the sharing

options so that it is available to have

anyone click it and upload files so you

won't contributor settings and then you

want to apply that to the Trello card

itself this in itself for a channel

manager doesn't take too long to go and

do but once they need to go and do 10 20

of these every single day it just eats

away at their time when you could

automate it have zapio just do it create

the Google Drive and then it be

available for absolutely everyone it's

not just that once you start to get a

fairly large team you would want to go

and track payroll of who's completing

work and how much they're getting paid

for that work you could then go and take

the whole thing so let's just say

someone moves over a we have five

channel managers on this board because

there's loads of videos going all at the

exact same time and there's like loads

of different ideas all of these are just

separate ideas when you've got multiple

of these going

just paying one channel manager when

there's several already as part of the

board it can be hard to judge so what

you can then do is whoever goes and

moves this across to here once it it can

actually track who moved it across so

that you can input all of this into a

Google sheet track who did what who

Moved what at what time what they do

absolutely everything how long it took

them to do how long it took them to

actually finish was there any revisions

you can track absolutely everything into

a Google sheet and once it's completed

you can then actually go and see okay

work was completed here it was done to a

sufficient standard I can now go and

release funds and go and pay that person

so it can get a bit complicated with

certain things but for 99 of people you

probably do not need that right at this

second I've only just started to go and

build that out and I can't really show

you because it's still a work in

progress but as Petrillo for 99 of you

you could just go and take this very

basic layout and you can just go and

automate it all through Trello itself

with rules so what you'll have is you'll

be able to create a rule and then you

can start adding triggers so when a card

is moved to a certain location so a

certain column that we've just gone

through

something's going to happen and what you

want to happen it depends on what is you

actually want to happen so in a lot of

cases with the rules that I have it's

the point of if a card is moved into

this column at a checklist very basic to

go and do so when I card it added to

list title description and tags

optimization add the YouTube

optimization checklist from card

checklist template which is everything

that you can see here so once a card it

is added into title description and tags

optimization you want to add a checklist

which is called YouTube optimization

which you can see there and we're going

to get that checklist from the checklist

template because it has one called

YouTube optimization very basic stuff to

go and do so like you can go and get

checklists together and just make sure

that each team member of your YouTube

team is creating work in a way that

suits that Channel now as said earlier

this may change depending on what you

have with clients so a big change that

we have all the time is some people want

to do their thumbnails early on whereas

others they want to do it right at the

end so they want to go for the whole

process of having the video recorded

edited and uploaded before they go

through and actually put together a

thumbnail myself with my personal

channels I like doing it in this order

so that I can get the ideas the title

description thumbnails all done first so

that after I know that the video idea is

hopefully going to be a good one and

hopefully we're going to have a good

click for array before I actually go and

record the video itself because if I

have a terrible click through rate or I

just do not like the thumbnail then the

whole process of creating a video is

kind of pointless but each thing around

you can go and organize this in however

you want and it's pretty simple so this

is exactly how you can manage multiple

YouTube channels and you can do this all

the way up to 20 separate boards until

you'll need to start paying and to be

honest with some of mine I had to get

real cheeky with it by implementing

multiple boards into one but I only knew

that because I knew that I was going to

be managing the team behind it so that

made life a bit easier on my side with

clients you can't really do that so it

depends on your needs but you may be

able to get more channels than just 20

on this dependent on your layout and

with everything that I said you can take

this even further which I am currently

doing so maybe in the future I'll give

you an update video on this where it's

something a lot more advanced and we're

not just taking the rules from Trello

itself just to try and manage the

channel but also we are completely

automating the whole thing because we

got zapier involved and not only is it

just creating checklists and cards but

it's doing everything else for us if you

want to talk more about YouTube business

then I highly recommend joining Discord

server there is a link to that in the

description down below and if you want

all of this done for you so that you can

sit back and relax so that YouTube is

truly YouTube automation then make sure

that you do book a call with us we help

manage channels 24 servers so that you

don't have to we just need to get the

team members in place and then we can

get things going there is also a link to

that in the description down below but

anyway thank you very much for watching