Video has always been a unique storytelling tool, especially useful when reporting the news. From raw, citizen-reported videos from the streets of Tehran, to student documentaries highlighting under-reported issues in local communities, or investigative reporting done by professional news outlets, just about every type of news video can now be found on YouTube. Video is also tightly integrated into the Google News experience, providing users different ways to consume and enjoy news, while giving news publishers the opportunity to reach a greater and more diverse audience.

We are working to make it easier to get your video content indexed in Google News, but ensuring it’s found in a timely fashion is another matter. So we thought we’d share six best practices for how news publishers can increase the discoverability of their news videos.

1. Timely uploads
Videos should be uploaded as quickly as possible -- this will help them reach the news homepage faster and be grouped with the most recent articles.

2. One story per video
Instead of having one video that contains multiple segments covering several different stories of the day, it's a better user experience (and easier for us to index), when there is one story per video, and the video title is specific (not something generic like “Breaking News”). At the very least, the description of the video should match the first story in the video.

3. Categorization
If you are providing general news coverage, select YouTube category “News & Politics” (which is youtube_category_id 25) when uploading your video. If you have multiple channels, clearly identify each category (politics, business, entertainment, sports, etc.).

4. More detailed descriptions
Similar to the first paragraph of a news article, descriptions of the news video should convey the who, what, when, where, and why of the story in a few sentences -- the more detail you can supply, the better.

5. Rich tags
Another way to convey the content of the video is using the keyword tags. Providing keywords that might not be in the description gives us more knowledge of what the video is about. Especially helpful are proper nouns: the names of the people, places, companies, etc. mentioned in the video.

6. Make it Embeddable
Be sure your video is embeddable on other sites since this is currently a technical requirement for being displayed in Google News. Additionally, if your videos are geo-blocked in certain regions, they will not appear in Google News.

If your news organization isn’t already making its video content available on YouTube and Google News, we encourage you to get started. More information on how to submit your news videos to Google News can also be found in the News Publishers Help Center, and you can watch this video for additional tips on news search engine optimization.

Posted by Benoit Lafortune, Sr. Strategist Google News, and Olivia Ma, YouTube News Manager

On Thursday, November 26, at 5 p.m. (UK time), the European partnerships team is holding a Webinar designed to help partners better manage their accounts and uploads. Here's the rundown:

What: A 20-25 minute presentation where YouTube partner team specialists will share some useful information on how to boost your video views and increase your earnings. They'll also go over new product features and share best practices and innovative ways to attract visitors to your channel and content.

At the end of the session, there will be a 15-minute Q&A session with all Webinar participants. This is the perfect chance to ask a YouTube specialist any questions you may have about the Partner Program.

When: This Thursday, November 26, at 5 p.m. UK time. (That's 9 a.m. PT or 12 p.m. ET -- we know it's a holiday in the U.S., but anyone is welcome to join this session.)

How: To register for the event, click here. Once you have clicked the link you will be redirected to an external page provided by our partner, Webex. On this Webex page, you will find information about the event and what to expect. Please fill the required information (name, surname, email address and YouTube username) and click "Submit." You'll then be all set and registered for the Webinar.

What if you can't make it or miss it? Don't worry. We understand our users are in various time zones or might not be able to make this time. We record all Webinars so that anyone who missed it can catch up any time. This talk, as well as our previous partner Webinars, can be found on the official YouTube Partner Support channel.

We hope you are ready to see how you can start earning more with YouTube and will participate in this session. Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Posted by Timur Sultanov, UK Partner Team Specialist

Catch up on essential news and videos.

1. Healthcare heats up YouTube
The healthcare debate was one of the hottest news topics this summer, and Americans turned to YouTube to voice their discontent or approval with the White House's proposed plan for reform. Watch the videos from healthcare townhalls across the country to get a firsthand dose of the visceral emotion sparked by the debate. For videos and more details, click here and here.

2. Nigahiga in the lead
First, he surpassed Fred for the distinction of having the most subscribers of all time on YouTube; then he uploaded "Ninja Melk," a 25-minute ninja flick that garnered nearly 2 million views. So what's the secret to Nigahiga's uber-popularity? "My strategy is to always change up the type of video, that way my subscribers never know what they're in for," Ryan Higa told us. "I try to upload at least once a week, but some videos take much longer to create than others. [I] get the word out about my videos through Twitter, Myspace, [YouTube] subscriptions, and, best of all, people spreading the word."

3. The Guild's first music video
With the geek-tastic music video "Do You Wanna Date My Avatar?", directed by Jed Whedon, award-winning online series The Guild branched into a new form. This catchy video premiered at Comic Con in July and got the Internet in a tizzy once it hit YouTube: over 3 million people saw it, it became a trending topic on Twitter, and did some damage on the iTunes video chart. So if you didn't already have a crush on Guild writer and actress Felicia Day, you will now. You might even want to date her -- but, alas, her avatar will have to do.

4. Amazing stop-motion LEGO video
This tribute to classic video games by unsigned Swedish act rymdreglage took 1,500 hours to create, but the effort clearly paid off: "8-bit trip" was one of a few viral sensations to dominate YouTube in August.

5. Guy Catches Laptop With His Butt
Another video that will make you rub your eyes in disbelief, this ad for computer manufacturer MSI makes the point that its laptops are so slim, that...well, you can probably guess the rest judging from the video's title. A clever parody of similar viral marketing videos (such as Levi's "Guys backflip into jeans"), this one is essential for watercooler chatter.

Posted by Mia Quagliarello, Community Manager

(Cross-posted from the Agency Ads Solutions Blog)

When you're a company that has been around for more than a century, you've not only been doing something right, but you also have the pressure to maintain that reputation. Enter Embarq, a telecommunications provider which started out in 1899 as the Brown Telephone Company, and continues to offer its services to customers across 18 states. How was Embarq able to continue sharing its innovations with customers and remain a strong brand in an increasingly competitive landscape? Enter YouTube.

Embarq employed a number of strategies on YouTube, including targeted display ads and a YouTube Brand Channel, and developed a video contest in partnership with the digital marketing agency iCrossing. These tactics resulted in increased viewership of its how-to videos, positive brand references on forums and blogs, and strong sales of its high-speed Internet service with the lowest cost-per-order of any campaign run during that timeframe. According to Zena Weist, manager of interactive brand strategy for Embarq:

“The results not only showed us how effective YouTube is as a marketing platform, but it also showed us what content really resonates with our audience."

How can you also find success with brand advertising on YouTube?

1. Be where users are: advertise on YouTube. You can promote your clients' video content using YouTube Promoted Videos, which shows ads based on keyword searches. You can also directly target specific pages where you know the customers will be using text, video and image ads. The Placement Tool can help you find the right sites and easily upload them to your clients' accounts.

2. Centralize communication strategy with a YouTube channel. All users may create channels for free. Using a YouTube channel, clients can centralize video content and educate and communicate with customers in a single location. If you think your clients qualify, you may also consider creating a YouTube Brand Channel like Embarq.

3. Engage users with a contest. Contests are an effective way to engage users with your brand and increase opportunities for viral marketing. Paid advertisers may be able to run contests through the official YouTube "Contests" section.

Posted by Stephanie Kong, Tech Comm Marketing

[Cross-posted to the Google News Blog]

We're always looking for ways to enhance the way people consume the news, and we have some improvements planned over the next few months. To get things started, Google News and YouTube are teaming up to help news publishers build a bigger audience for their video content.

Today we are inviting any professional news outlet that is already included as one of the 25,000+ sources in Google News to become an official partner on YouTube and more easily share your news videos on both YouTube and Google News. Not already included in Google News? Just submit your site here for review.

Here are some of the benefits for News publishers who join the YouTube Partner Program:

• Featured Premium Placement. YouTube news partners receive featured placement on the YouTube news page, youtube.com/news, where we feature news videos from partners related to the top news stories on Google News. In addition, if you allow your videos to be embedded, they'll be eligible to appear on Google News, which means additional exposure to all Google News users.

• Cut Costs, Generate Revenue. YouTube offers free hosting for all of your video content and allows you to embed your videos anywhere on the web for free. And as an official YouTube partner, you're eligible to participate in an advertising revenue share program.

• Viewership Analysis. Learn more about the people viewing and interacting with your videos. Use YouTube's Insight tool to easily discover troves of useful demographic information and understand what parts of your videos people liked or didn't like. Geographic information provided can help you focus your marketing efforts.

• Wider Audience. YouTube and Google News have millions of visitors every day searching for the latest news and information. Raise awareness around your brand and reach new audiences by making your video content available on YouTube and Google News. As a YouTube partner, you can maintain your brand's look-and-feel with your own customized YouTube channel, and you can also drive traffic back to your own website.

• Community. At its core, YouTube is a rich social environment that includes thousands of micro-communities. Build one around your content by encouraging people to interact through comments and video responses. Take advantage of YouTube as a social platform.

To get started, apply to the YouTube Partner Program. Don't forget to include the website of your news organization in the "Company Web Site" field on your application form -- this is critical to having your application approved. If you don't already have a YouTube account, make sure to use an email address with the same domain as your website (e.g. johndoe@newswebsite.com) when registering.

Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive an email confirming whether you are included in the YouTube Partner Program. If you are included, you will have the option to participate in revenue sharing and customize your branded channel.

The Google News team will do a separate review and follow-up about including your videos in Google News.

For more details on becoming a YouTube partner, please visit our Partner Benefits page. For a more in-depth explanation of submitting your video content for inclusion on Google News, take a look at our Help Center article: Submitting video and other multimedia content. Please submit any questions through our Help Center.

Posted by Olivia Ma, YouTube News Manager