Pre-publish checklist
Tick as you go. Use 'Clear' before the next upload.
Settings
Packaging
Accessibility and polish
Endings and links
First hour after release
Most upload mistakes aren't creative. They're a missing caption file, a thumbnail that looks fine on a laptop and unreadable on a phone, or a disclosure setting nobody remembered.
That last one matters for AI drama in particular. YouTube's Help Centre says creators must disclose AI-generated or altered content that seems realistic, including content that "generates a realistic scene that didn't actually occur", using the "AI use" setting in YouTube Studio when uploading. It also says that disclosing alone won't limit a video's audience or its eligibility to earn money. Read the current page yourself before each season; policies change.
Pair it with
Questions people ask
Do I have to disclose AI if my scenes are clearly stylised?
YouTube Help lists non-realistic content, such as fantasy scenes and animation, as not needing disclosure, and realistic scenes that didn't happen as needing it. Check the current page for your case.
Does disclosing AI hurt views?
YouTube's Help page says disclosing alone won't limit a video's audience or its eligibility to earn money.
Sources
Keep going
Twelve things to check on a thumbnail and title
Our 12-point house check for story-channel thumbnails and titles.
Will they click 'next episode'?
Test your planned episode ending and get the one change most likely to strengthen it.
Where should each turn land?
Find the episode for each major turn in an 8–10 episode season, plus total runtime.
