Whether the comments department of your YouTube video is a lovefest or Snark City, the fact is, it'south a identify where conversations virtually your brand are going to be happening — good, bad or ugly.

YouTube comments are an opportunity for the site's 1.vii billion unique monthly visitors to share what they love, hate or just must troll. It'south like the internet'due south own personal Thunderdome, but while information technology can be a place for negativity, YouTube comments can also be a powerful opportunity for positive community building and engagement.

So! If YouTube is part of your social media strategy and y'all want to make the most of your presence there, managing your comments effectively (with moderation, replies and analysis) is critical.

Not just does it show your fans and followers that yous care about what they have to say, engaging with comments has the added benefit of boosting yous in the YouTube algorithm. Videos with lots of likes, replies and moderation tend to show up higher in search results.

Want to become the master of moderation? Read on for everything y'all need to know virtually comments on YouTube, and become that conversation going.

Bonus: Download the gratuitous 30-day plan to grow your YouTube following fast , a daily workbook of challenges that will help you kickstart your Youtube channel growth and track your success. Go real results afterward one month.

Moderating comments that announced on your video is of import (and we'll get to the details of that in a infinitesimal) but every bit a brand, you lot'll want to piping up with your own commentary, as well.

Why? YouTube comments are an opportunity to show off your dazzling wit… or sophistication if yous're one of those serious brands who prefers making tear-jerking ads over farthermost bike trick videos. And comments from a brand business relationship specifically are a gamble to infuse your brand with a sense of authenticity and humanity.

After all, each comment you go out is another reference and exposure to your brand (and a chance to make a slap-up impression on the YouTube algorithm). Get chatty! First a conversation (on your own video or in another user's comment section) or chinkle in with your (on-brand) two cents elsewhere.

To brand a comment:

  1. Underneath the video itself, find the annotate section.
  2. Type your message in the Add a comment field. (If you're writing on your telephone, you can tap the comment section to expand information technology.)
  3. Click Comment to post.

example of YouTube comments

Go along in mind that a) you tin can merely annotate on public videos (or unlisted ones). And b) one time yous post your comment, it will be public, too, and associated with your YouTube business relationship. Then if you're representing your brand, brand sure your message is the right tone, like this i from a meditation studio on a chillhop playlist.

Highlighted comment Healing Vibrations YouTube channel

Because knowing how to make a annotate is only one role of the equation; how to make a adept comment is another. A successful YouTube comment from a brand should offer some value, and get beyond trying to make a sale.

Effort sharing an interesting observation, cracking a joke, revealing helpful information or showing pity or care for a fan. And if you tin't plough on the charm (nosotros all accept off-days, it's OK!), a humble thumbs up or middle tin still get a long fashion to bear witness that you're listening.

A highlighted comment in YouTube is an automated feature, one intended to flag the content creator'southward attention.

If yous receive a notification about a reply to one of your comments, or a notification almost a new annotate on 1 of your videos, you lot'll click through to the comments section and find that specific comment highlighted for easy reference.

In other words: YouTube highlights noteworthy comments for you to help make certain new letters or important responses don't get lost in the oversupply. The highlight will disappear once you've seen the annotate or engaged with it.

Video makers can also manually highlight comments, to flag them for ease of replying afterward. Just click on the timestamp (located adjacent to the commenter's username) of a comment to do and so. Ta-da!

This comment from an Animal Crossing fan, for instance, was made a month ago, merely clicking on the timestamp highlighted information technology correct at the top of the comments department, making it easier to review and reply to.

Highlighted comment from Animal Crossing fan

If you're craving a trip downwardly YouTube memory lane (oh, yous were so young!), looking back on comments y'all've left on YouTube is piece of cake.

  1. Become to Annotate History.
  2. Click or tap the content to go to the original identify you lot posted your comment.

Google My Activity your YouTube comments

Note that if you've commented on a deleted video, or your comment has been removed for violating YouTube's code of deport, you won't see information technology logged hither. Your trolling is lost in the sand of time. Sorry!

Not to brag, but comment moderation is what Hootsuite's YouTube integration really excels at.

Hootsuite helps social marketers efficiently manage their YouTube community by making information technology simple to engage with comments.

Via the Hootsuite dashboard, y'all can:

  • Delete comments on your own videos.
  • Block specific users from commenting on videos on your channel.
  • Delete your own comments from any video at any time.
  • Publish your own comments on your moderated videos without going through the moderation process.
  • Reply to comments on your videos.
  • Approve comments on your videos.

Hootsuite Streams

Hither's how:

  1. Go to Streams, and so go to a YouTube Moderate or Likely Spam stream.
  2. Select Approve, Delete, or Answer below the comment.

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How to respond to comments

If someone has asked you a question or left a passionate note, don't leave 'em hanging. Answer to comments and proceed the conversation (and engagement) flowing.

On YouTube, head to your YouTube Studio page and cull Comments from the left-paw bill of fare. If y'all've set comments to car-publish with no moderation, you can review them via the Published tab.

YouTube Studio channel comments and mentions

If comments need approval, they'll be lingering in the Held for Review tab. (Make sure you approve or delete them within 60 days or they'll be deleted automatically!)

The filter bar at the pinnacle of either tab allows you to filter past specific text, by comments with questions, by unanswered comments, and more — an extremely helpful tool if you're dealing with a communicative audition.

channel comments and mentions filter bar

In YouTube Studio, you can answer with the smart respond characteristic (in which YouTube auto-generates responses), or hit Reply to blazon a unique bulletin in response. While you're here, you tin also give comments a thumbs up, thumbs downwardly or a center icon. Here, you can also pivot a comment to the top of your video'due south lookout page.

How to answer to YouTube comments in Hootsuite

If yous'd rather utilise Hootsuite Streams for your YouTube comment moderation (we love to see it), you have a couple of options for replying:

  1. Enter a respond in the text box below the annotate, and so printing Enter.
  2. Alternatively, yous may select More Deportment next to the comment, select Respond, enter your reply, and then press Enter.

More Actions option next to YouTube comment

How to search for a YouTube comment

  1. In YouTube Studio, tap Comments on the left-manus of the page.
  2. Select Search from the menu on the Published tab and type the text y'all're hunting for.

Using Hootsuite? It's like shooting fish in a barrel to just add together a search stream to your dashboard. This can help yous pull up comments you lot want to either revisit or respond to in moments.

Hootsuite edit YouTube search stream

You tin can search for content using keywords and sort the information by appointment uploaded, relevance, view count and rating. If you desire to revisit a most liked YouTube comment on ane of your videos, this is the feature to utilise. Become your hunt on!

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How to delete comments

Want to become rid of a comment that you've written (sometimes emotions run high when you're watching weiner domestic dog races, we get information technology!), or an unsavory annotate someone has left on your video?

  1. Hover over the top right of the comment.
  2. Select Delete (the trash can icon) to remove the comment.

delete YouTube comment

That being said: your audition will notice when comments are deleted, and some brands tin get a bad reputation for shutting downwards audience complaints or dialogue. Censorship is rarely a adept look, and so use this ability with discretion. With great power comes smashing responsibility.

How to report comments

If a comment is in violation of YouTube's community guidelines — think threats, spam or harassment, phishing, or inappropriate comments — y'all can report information technology to the caput honchos for removal and disciplinary action (a.g.a… JUSTICE!)

Log into your YouTube Studio account and click the three dots correct next to the like, dislike and heart options. From at that place, you'll have the selection to click the red flag and report a comment.

click red flag to report comment

If you lot do so, brand sure that the post is in clear violation of YouTube'due south guidelines, otherwise, the platform is unlikely to have activity.

How to turn on comments on YouTube

  1. Head to YouTube Studio and click on the gear icon (Settings) on the left-hand side.
  2. Select Community.
  3. Pick your preferred comment choice.

Settings hold all comments for review

The default setting is for potentially inappropriate comments to exist held for review before publication, only y'all can switch settings to permit all comments, hold all comments for review, or disable comments birthday.

If you choose the "hold all comments for review" setting on your channel, you'll be able to corroborate YouTube comments right from Hootsuite.

Or, if you lot cull to get out the automatic filter on, y'all can customize the filter to your liking by adding moderators, approval or hiding specific users or setting it to block certain words.

How to turn off comments on YouTube

Come across in a higher place! In YouTube Studio's Community settings, change the comments setting to "disable comments" to prevent the public from posting comments at all.

If y'all've got a typo to ready or a clarification to brand, information technology'due south simple to edit a comment yous've left.

  1. Hover over the top right of the comment.
  2. Select Edit (the pencil icon) to make changes to your comment.
  3. Revise history!

At present that you're a comment whiz, you'd better give your audition something to talk about. Check out our complete guide to YouTube marketing, and and so explore great tips for getting more than views and building your YouTube subscriber base.

Let Hootsuite make growing your YouTube aqueduct easier. Schedule your videos, moderate comments, and promote your work on other social channels—all in one place! Sign upwardly free today.

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