How to Hire a YouTube Channel Manager

If I got a penny every time I heard a “You just turn on the camera and speak, how hard can it be?!”

Well, whoever tried filming and editing at least one YouTube video has understood quickly that it is a pretty hard thing to do.

Investigating the topics, filming, editing, scheduling, uploading, and writing video descriptions takes a lot of time and often exceeds a one-person job. 

That is why more and more channels have a YouTube channel manager and/or outsource video editing.

You’re probably already scratching your head thinking this is another additional and unnecessary expense.

However, that’s not the case and in this post, I’ll explain why your channel needs a YouTube channel manager.

What Does a YouTube Channel Manager Do

First things first. When deciding whether to hire a channel manager, you first need to understand why you would need one. 

Let’s quickly jump back to the thing I mentioned at the very beginning. People constantly neglect how hard it is to film a YouTube video.

And here we’re not just talking about being able to speak freely and naturally in front of a camera.

That aspect is also important, but the truth is that the presentation part is just one piece of the puzzle.

All the other pieces are done by a YouTube channel manager. 

This person should be in charge of everything – from scheduling and uploading social media videos to responding to comments.

But, their job doesn’t end on a simple channel running. 

A YouTube channel manager also does the following:

• Investigating the video topic and preparing SEO-friendy content
• Editing and uploading videos
• Keeping track of the analytics to see how well people are reacting 
• Handling day-to-day management, such as responding to comments, and dealing with paperwork so that you don’t have to think about it
• Have a good command of your company’s task management software to assign team tasks, deadlines, and priorities

So, the first thing that a YouTube channel manager needs to do is investigate the topic.

You might have an idea about what you want to speak about, but you still need to gather some information about the topic.

A YouTube video needs to have a specific structure and flow, but that can’t be done without good preparation.

The key to good preparation is to write a video script, and why not have a video agency or channel manager help you with it? 

Depending on how good the SEO optimization is, the number of people who will come across your video will also be higher. 

Maybe for you, public speech comes naturally, but when it comes to editing the video, you feel completely helpless.

Then why not transfer that part to a video editing company?

Communicating your brand story can be achieved much easier if your videos are well-edited and rich with different animations that make the content more engaging.  

Analyzing the performance of your videos is also very important.

By doing it, you’ll understand which videos attract more attention and know what to focus on in the future. 

Last, but not least, answering comments can take a lot of time, especially if you have a big audience.

A YouTube channel manager can also take care of this so that you can use your time more productively. 

Where to Find a YouTube Channel Manager

Okay, all this sounds nice, but where do you find a YouTube channel manager? 

It might sound strange, but traditional job search websites such as Glassdoor or Indeed could be a good starting point.

Another platform worth mentioning could be Lensa – it will definitely help you to increase the efficiency of your organization by finding and hiring the right people.

The only trouble might be that these websites aren’t YouTube-specific, so start your search by entering more general terms.

Thus, it would be smart to avoid using search terms such as “channel manager” because it might show results that don’t have much to do with YouTube.

I would suggest that you try YouTube as a query, and then do a bit of digging. 

If you’re not completely new to this world, then you probably know some people.

If that’s the case, make use of the community that you have.

You can always ask for recommendations or announce on some of the social media groups that you’re searching for a channel manager.

Facebook and Linkedin groups are always good choices, so you should try them and ensure you’ve optimized your profiles. 

The next option is also community-related.

The YouTube community is very strong, and there are tons of different groups.

I would advise you to search it up a bit, to join them, and test the waters.

Not only that you can find a YouTube channel manager, but you will also get lots of industry insights and stay up to date with all the novelties. 

The Benefits of Hiring a YouTube Channel Manager

I already touched upon what a channel manager does and why you need one.

But, for those doubtful ones, let’s discuss the benefits a bit more. 

1. Save time

If you’re running your channel alone, then you already know what it takes to build and maintain one.

If you’re planning to start a YouTube channel, then I think I provided you with enough information about what’s waiting for you on that road.

In both cases, it’s clear as day that this is a very daunting task.

Having a YouTube Channel Manager will save you time that you can invest in developing other business aspects.

For example, you can devote yourself to the creative process of thinking about what to film next instead of constantly editing videos or replying to comments. 

2. Improve your business

The second very important thing that a channel manager can help with is growing the audience base.

A good manager will know how to investigate the audience and understand what are they looking for in a video.

Thus, your videos will get more popularity, and consequently more views and subscribers. In other words, your brand awareness will keep getting stronger. 

3. Save money

By hiring a channel manager you can also save money.

It seems counterintuitive, but it’s really not.

A good Youtube manager will know how to investigate your video topics and make them SEO friendly.

Once the videos are well-optimized, they’ll find a way to the right audience even without paid advertising.

Paid advertising can be a good thing, but I would only recommend it as additional help.

If your channel is not properly optimized, paid advertising will just be money down the drain. 

How to Interview a YouTube Channel Manager

Okay, I can see that you’re getting more and more interested in this. 

Now we come to the juicy part. You understood that you need a YouTube manager, you know where to find one, but how to select the right candidate? 

Well, besides the general questions about their CV and former projects, there could be a couple of things that I would suggest you focus on. 

The social media field is constantly changing meaning that people dealing with it need to keep up with that pace.

Ask candidates what have they done in terms of their personal development in the last 6 months or a year. Have they attended some course or industry event? 

Another very important thing that I like to ask is about their channel management style.

It’s crucial that during the interview you get an impression that the candidate shares the same or at least a similar vision as you.

What goals should be set for your channel, how to achieve them, who should be your targeted audience, and what editing approach to take?

For example, you can always ask what the candidates like about your channel, and what would they improve.

These are just some questions that need to be mentioned during the interview. 

Asking the candidates about their strengths and weaknesses can also be useful.

But, I would advise you to make it more conversational, rather than judgmental.

No one knows everything, and that’s completely fine. Many things can be learned along the road, but it’s important to know what one can offer right from the start. 

Last, but not least, you should ask them what are their salary expectations – maybe their expectations won’t fit into your budget, so it’s better to clear that up right away.  

How Much Does a YouTube Channel Manager Cost

Oh yes, money is always a touchy subject. So, you should think about it before the interview process. 

First of all, you need to know what you need from a YouTube channel manager and what your budget is.

Let’s say you need someone to upload the videos, but everything else remains your job.

Logically, the salary of that person can’t be the same as that of someone who does everything – from investigation to filming, editing, uploading, and communicating with the audience in the comments.

Thus, the number of services that you require, as well as the manager’s previous experience, will define the final sum. 

Channel managers usually charge per hour. It’s estimated that the price starts at around $25/h, but it can come up to $40-$75 if the job requires some more excessive tasks. 

How to Add a Manager to Your YouTube Channel

Let’s talk openly – many people are hesitant when it comes to allowing others to take over their social media channels.

And, that’s completely understandable.

Before giving access to someone unknown, you want to make sure that they’re the right choice. 

YouTube allows multiple people to manage an account, but without the need for sharing the password of your Google account.

Sharing the password is not always the safest option, so it’s much smarter to just add or remove access to your YouTube account. 

The main benefit that comes from this is that you can give the amount of access that you find necessary. 

Adding a manager to your channel can be done in a couple of easy steps:

• Go to studio.youtube.com.
• Click on Settings
• Click on Permissions
• Select Invite and insert the new manager’s email address
• Click Access and select the type of access that you want to give
• Save the changes

There are seven types of roles: 

1. Owner – has all the permissions, can add or remove users, and delete the channel
2. Manager – can manage permissions, upload/delete videos and edit channel description, can chat or moderate the chat, and access all channel data. The only difference between the owner and the manager is that the manager can’t delete the channel, and can’t link Google Ads account
3. Editor – can edit and publish the content, can have an access to all the data, but can not manage permissions, delete content or the channel, link Google Ads, or enter the contract section
4. Limited editor – has the same permissions and limitations as the Editor. The only difference is that the Limited editor can’t access revenue data
5. Subtitle editor – as the name suggests, this person can only add, edit, or delete video subtitles. It has the same limitations as the Editor, and can’t edit anything besides the subtitles
6. Viewer – has permission to view, but not to edit channel details, and created streams. Therefore, the viewer can’t manage or delete scheduled live streams
7. Limited viewer  – has the same permissions and limitations as the Viewer. The only difference is that Limited viewer can’t access revenue data

In case you want to remove access it can be done by doing the same process as when adding a channel manager.

The only difference is that you will click on the person that you would like to remove, and select New role, or Remove.

Key Take Away Points / Summary

Hiring a YouTube Channel Manager can seriously help you spread the brand’s message across the broader audience.

However, as with any other business step, it requires a good investigation and preparation. 

I hope I managed to shed some light on what to look for in a channel manager and why it would be beneficial to have one. 

What’s your experience so far? Are you doing everything alone, or have you hired a professional YouTube channel manager? I would love to read more about it in the comments below.