NSW Government YouTube Checklist

NSW Government YouTube checklist

The NSW Government YouTube checklist ensures all videos shown on nsw.gov.au are compliant with NSW Government Social Media Guidelines.

Take the below in consideration when you are creating videos for nsw.gov.au:

• Who are you making this video for?

  Your video should be made for a specific audience based on things like age group, gender, or interest.

• Is your video for children? Or does it include children?

  If so, make sure you comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and/or other applicable laws. Content that contains sexual themes, violence, obscene, or other mature themes is not suitable for young audiences and will be age-restricted on YouTube. This means users will have to log into their account to confirm they are over 18 before they can watch it.

• What is your message? Do you have a clear call to action?

  What outcome do you want when viewers watch your video? Viewers should be able to take away a key message. You may also want to consider an ‘end card’ (read the ‘cards’ section below).

• Is your video content easy to understand?

  Use simple, direct language and avoid jargon.

• Are you capturing the viewers’ attention in the first few seconds?

  Deliver the most important messages early in the video, as social viewers watch less than 50% of videos over 6 seconds. Feature people in the first few frames so you can connect emotionally with your audience. Another great way to maximise watch time is to create an open loop. Start your video with a question the video promises to answer. Then, the video should provide assurance that it will address that question.

• Is your video accessible?

  • Are closed captions included?
    Captions are required for accessibility. They also increase convenience as many people use social media in public where they can’t unmute their phone.

  • Does it use audio description?
    Audio description is required for videos that appear on a NSW government website. It is narration added to the soundtrack during existing pauses in dialogue to describe important visual details that cannot be understood from the main soundtrack alone. Audio description of video provides information about actions, characters, scene changes, on-screen text, and other visual content.

  • Auslan interpreters:
    Auslan is the Australian sign language, and it is the primary or preferred language for many people in the Australian Deaf community.  When producing videos for emergency communication, such as bushfires or floods, an Auslan interpreter must be present on screen for the entire duration of the video. For other videos, where possible, we recommend including an Auslan interpreter. Find more guidance in the Social Media guidelines.

• Do you have an eye-catching thumbnail?

  A thumbnail is the small photo that viewers see when they search for videos. As it’s often the first thing people see and judge your video on, it’s important that it contains striking visuals and text.

  Thumbnail best practice:

  • Use 1280 x 720 pixel size at 16:9 ratio
  • Use high-res and visually captivating image(s)
  • Use text overlay in a clean font

  • Select image and text colours for readability.

• Do you have a relevant title?

  Your title, description and video content need to match the topic/s your video is about. This helps people to search for and find your video easier.

  Title best practice:

  • Use relevant and popular keywords
  • No longer than 100 characters

  • Use emotive language, emojis and creative capitalisation where appropriate.

• Does it contain appropriate tags?

  Tags are descriptive keywords and phrases you can add to your video to help viewers find your content. Tagging videos correctly will help your video show up in the suggested videos of other users’ videos

  Tagging best practice:

  • Use relevant tags based on your videos content and message 
  • Don’t use too many tags. You are allowed 500 characters total, aim for no more than 200-300.

• Are you using cards effectively?

  Cards are square-shaped information boxes that you can insert into your videos to make them more interesting, interactive and entertaining. Many videos have these at the end of the video. Examples include links to your other videos, website, social media videos and polls.

• Are you separating longer videos into chapters? 

  Chapters are a way to organise your YouTube videos into easily accessible subtopics, each with their own titles. They promote retention because they keep users from having to watch sections of longer videos that might not be interesting to them. Chapters can be added to the video by including timestamps and a title of what that section is about.

• Will comments be enabled on this video?

  Enabling comments on YouTube videos is best practice as it opens up a two-way dialogue with viewers and increases engagement. There needs to be a good reason for turning off comments, such as to comply with legal requirements. You will need to allocate a contact who will be in charge of replying to the comments.

Checklist for YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts, known for their brevity and popularity among a younger audience, are crafted for quick content consumption. Here's how to optimise your Shorts:

• Video specs: Keep Shorts under 60 seconds, using a vertical orientation with a 9:16 aspect ratio.
• Thumbnail and title: Capture attention using a 1080 x 1920 pixel size at a 9:16 ratio for thumbnails. Opt for concise titles (max 60 characters) with relevant keywords and emojis.
• Capturing attention: Given Shorts' brief nature, captivate viewers in the first few seconds. Deliver key messages promptly with visually engaging content to maintain interest.
• Accessibility: Prioritise accessibility with closed captions and other best practices.
• Playlists: Enhance viewer experience by creating playlists for Shorts, simplifying navigation and content discovery.

For more information on creating best practice videos, view the NSW Government Social Media Guidelines.

Uploading your video to YouTube

We will need to upload your video to YouTube for you. Below is what what we will need from you:

• A thumbnail 
• Title  
• Tags 
• Subtitles 
• Description 
• Video file 
• Chapter timestamps 
• End card image/video  
• CTA link(s) 
• Schedule time and date 
• Visibility setting 
• Comment enabling setting
• Playlist name 

When your YouTube submission is ready, fill in a request to upload a video to YouTube. A member of our team will be in contact with you to update you on the progress of your video.

Need any more help?

If you have any questions, or require assistance with anything mentioned on this article, submit a request via the webform.