YOUTUBE STRATEGY
Growing National Geographic Kids’ YouTube presence deepened my platform fluency. From shaping content strategy and guiding vendor partnerships to refining titles, thumbnails, and metadata, I use experimentation and audience insight to drive sustained reach, engagement, and discoverability.
PBS KIDS
OBJECTIVE
Build the PBS KIDS for Parents YouTube channel into a strategic growth engine for caregiver engagement—expanding reach, increasing watch time, and connecting video content to a broader ecosystem of website, email, and social resources to deepen impact beyond the platform.
SKILLS
YouTube Channel Strategy & Optimization, Cross-Platform Content Strategy, Scriptwriting & Creative Brief Development, Live Digital Production, Metadata & SEO Optimization, Audience Growth & Analytics, Budget Management, Workflow Design & Production Management, Bilingual & Localization Strategy, Shorts & Vertical Video Strategy
SCOPE
- Led YouTube strategy, optimization, and workflow management
- Developed video concepts, scripts, and creative briefs across YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram
- Produced 28 digital and social videos (English & Spanish) supporting four PBS KIDS series
- Managed two $200K production budgets
- Co-produced 4 live webinars in partnership with PBS LearningMedia
- Led metadata optimization, promotion strategy in partnership with YouTube, and cross-platform distribution on web and social
- Developed vertical Shorts aligned to platform behavior
- Integrated YouTube publishing with website content, newsletters, and social campaigns
Ready To Learn YouTube Channel Refresh
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CHALLENGE
Reimagine the Ready To Learn initiative by transforming the PBS KIDS for Parents YouTube channel into a strategic engagement engine for parents, caregivers, and educators. This required clearer content marketing direction, stronger optimization practices, and a consistent production workflow to drive sustainable subscriber growth and deeper engagement.
📣
RESULTS
Drove 2.9K new subscribers, 255K views, and 2.3K watch hours in six months—including 58.5K views from newly launched Shorts—while managing a $200K budget and aligning video with broader marketing initiatives. Growth accelerated across key metrics before the initiative concluded due to federal funding cuts.
⭐
MY ROLE
Led YouTube strategy, optimization, and workflow management. Partnered with an external vendor to develop a channel strategy playbook and shape audience-first content concepts. Guided stakeholder alignment on branding and design updates, and oversaw metadata standards, publishing strategy, and asset planning to establish a consistent, sustainable upload cadence.
EXAMPLE VIDEOS & PLAYLISTS
⏺ Audience Connection
⏺ Behind the Scenes
⏺ Learning Goals
⏺ Repurposed Content
⏺ Shorts
⏺ Show Promotion
Live Webinar Programming During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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CHALLENGE
During the COVID-19 pandemic, educators and caregivers urgently needed trusted, high-quality learning support. We sought to leverage the PBS KIDS for Parents YouTube channel to deliver live programming that met immediate needs while increasing discoverability and strengthening brand awareness.
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RESULTS
Co-produced four live webinars with PBS LearningMedia, generating 161K+ views and driving 200% growth in channel views, watch time, and subscribers. Extended impact by repackaging live sessions into optimized clips and curated playlists, increasing long-term discoverability and sustained engagement.
⭐
MY ROLE
Co-produced live webinars in partnership with a producer—developing concepts, coordinating partners, speakers, and advisors, leading promotion and metadata optimization, and repackaging recordings into clips and playlists to extend reach, lifespan, and discoverability.
Ready To Learn Parent Activity Videos
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CHALLENGE
Four PBS KIDS series required digital video support that could extend learning goals, increase discoverability, and drive measurable channel growth—while remaining on budget and aligned with franchise priorities.
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RESULTS
Produced 28 English and Spanish videos supporting Molly of Denali, Elinor Wonders Why, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, and Ready Jet Go!. Secured #CampYouTube 2021 placement, boosting views from 11K to 157K in 10 days, and optimized a single video from 850 to 86K views through metadata and cross-promotion
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MY ROLE
Led concept development, scripting, creative briefs, and production coordination for 28 digital assets. Directed metadata optimization, cross-promotion strategy, and campaign alignment to maximize discoverability and franchise visibility.
EXAMPLE VIDEOS & PLAYLISTS
⏺ Make a Butterfly Costume
⏺ Explore Wind With a Windsock
⏺ DIY Nature Crafts & Activities
⏺ Weird Science Activities
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS
OBJECTIVE
Establish the National Geographic Kids’ YouTube channel as a primary youth engagement platform by scaling publishing, optimizing discoverability, and aligning video strategy with franchise growth, brand storytelling, and cross-platform distribution.
SKILLS
YouTube Channel Ownership & Growth Strategy, Audience Analytics & Performance Optimization, Metadata, SEO & Discoverability Systems, Franchise & Brand Integration, Cross-Platform Video Distribution, Playlist & Campaign Development, Creative Production & Series Development, Strategic Partnerships & Vendor Management, Workflow Design & Publishing Operations, Multi-Format Production (Long-form, Shorts, Music Videos)
SCOPE
- Owned YouTube channel strategy and growth beginning in 2015
- Managed 15+ original educational and franchise-aligned series
- Scaled daily publishing through structured workflows and analytics
- Produced 20 YouTube-first music videos with Parry Gripp and coordinated sponsorship campaigns (LEGO CITY, Barbie)
- Developed large-scale playlist initiatives in partnership with YouTube (9M cumulative views)
- Coordinated distribution across six platforms: website, YouTube, Nat Geo WILD, Fuhu, Roku, and Rovio
- Integrated creative, brand, and external partners to align storytelling with audience goals
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CHALLENGE
The channel launched with strong brand equity but limited strategic direction. With a growing content library and a small team, we needed to scale daily publishing, improve discoverability, and align creative output with audience behavior and franchise priorities—while navigating evolving platform tools and external partnerships.
📣
RESULTS
Generated 57M total views and 250K+ subscribers. Expanded flagship franchises (Explorer Academy, Amazing Animals, Just Joking, Weird But True!) and diversified formats through 20 YouTube-first music videos. Large-scale playlist collaborations reached 9M cumulative views and influenced Nat Geo WILD’s WILD KIDS programming block. Streamlined multi-platform distribution while maintaining brand consistency.
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MY ROLE
Served as platform owner and strategic lead for Nat Geo Kids YouTube—overseeing content development, production, publishing, metadata optimization, partnerships, and cross-platform integration. Managed vendors and agencies, coordinated cross-functional teams, and aligned franchise storytelling with performance-driven audience growth.
FEATURED VIDEOS AND PLAYLISTS
⏺ Volcano Videos: Fun facts & more Playlist
⏺ 50 Birds 50 States Playlist
⏺ Amazing Animals Playlist
⏺ Book Club Playlist
⏺ Party Animals Playlist
Tirzah Weiskotten 