YouTube strategist · the role explained
A YouTube strategist decides what a channel publishes and why: which videos to make, how to package them, how to keep the viewer after the click, and how to turn the views into customers. Here is the work, and how it differs between a mid-level role and a senior one.
The work
These are the jobs Jake Trinder works through, taken from his training talk. Read the full summary with timestamps →
1 · Ideas
Before anything is recorded, a strategist looks for evidence that the right viewers already choose the subject on YouTube, by studying the videos that beat their own channel’s normal across the niche and the adjacent ones.
2 · Packaging
The title and thumbnail have to work together and say who the video is for. The strategist decides the format and checks it against what the viewer already responds to.
“The title and thumbnail make one promise together.”Jake, 11:00
3 · The video
The strategist shapes the hook and structure so the opening confirms the viewer chose well, and the rest delivers more than the packaging promised.
“The goal of every video is viewer satisfaction, not retention.”Jake, 17:51
4 · Results
Calls to action are planned as the next useful step, and tracking links each video to the enquiries and revenue it produced.
5 · Data
Each published video is evidence. The strategist works out why it did well or badly, and what to repeat, change or drop.
Two levels of the role
Mid-level strategist
Typically works with the creative, production and client teams. Develops content series and repeatable formats, supports video concepts, hooks, titles, thumbnails and calls to action, reads the analytics, watches competitors and trends, and presents recommendations to the client.
Senior strategist
Decides the strategy for a channel and the research and process the team follows, works directly with founders and senior leaders, and is accountable for the results across the portfolio. This is the level at which Jake Trinder works as CEO strategist: he sets the strategy with the account manager and the client, onboards every new client personally, and a team of 50+ produces and publishes the videos. Everything is calculated and measured.
“I work one-on-one with all my clients”Jake, answering an audience question, 12:36
The description of the mid-level role summarises how roles of this kind are usually advertised. It is not a quotation from any one employer.
Who needs one
Founders, senior leaders, brands and high-profile public figures who want YouTube to grow their business and their name need the decisions made well before the cameras roll. Some bring in a strategist to advise; others want an agency to do the work too.
Strategist. Owns the results logic of a channel.
Consultant. Advises on the strategy. YouTube consultant →
Agency. Does the work as well. YouTube agency →
Questions
A YouTube strategist decides what a channel publishes and why: which videos to make, how to package them, how to hold the viewer after the click, and how to connect views to business results such as enquiries and customers. They then read the performance and decide what to make next.
A mid-level strategist usually carries out a plan for a portfolio of clients, working with the creative and production teams. A senior strategist sets the plan and the system the team follows, and is accountable for results across the portfolio.
A strategist owns the channel's results logic. A consultant advises on that strategy. An agency such as Views To Clients also does the work: research, scripts, editing, thumbnails and publishing.
Businesses, founders, senior leaders, brands and high-profile public figures who want YouTube to grow their business and their name, and who would rather have the decisions made by someone who has seen what works across many channels.
Yes. A business can hire a strategist directly or through an agency, where the strategist leads a team that does the work. Views To Clients is Jake's agency and every new client is onboarded by Jake personally; if you only want advice on strategy, a consultant is the lighter option.
Learn the method, practise it on real work and get feedback against a professional standard. Jake teaches this through Become a Strategist, and the free video guides on this site are a good place to start.
Jake is the CEO strategist behind Views To Clients. He sets the strategy with the account manager and the client, onboards every new client personally, and the team of 50+ produces and publishes the videos. Everything is calculated and measured.
The full training talk → Become a strategist → All video guides →
One person. A connected brand family.
Jake Trinder.The person, the ideas and the reputation connecting everything.
Views To Clients. The specialist YouTube growth partner for businesses.
Jake’s signature research and talks.
Tools for clients and YouTubers, free tools and a Chrome extension.
Education and the strategist career pathway.
The AI version of Jake, plus his private tools. Invite only. Opens 29 October 2026.
Views To Clients 