> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.loafs.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Uploading Content

> Get your videos live on LOAFS

## Get Your Content Out There

Uploading to LOAFS is simple. Drag, drop, publish.

***

## Uploading a Video

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Creator Studio">
    From your dashboard, click **Creator Studio** in the sidebar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Upload">
    Hit the **Upload** button (or drag a file directly onto the page).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Your Video">
    * Drag and drop, or click to browse
    * Supported formats: MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM
    * Max file size: 10GB
  </Step>

  <Step title="While It Uploads...">
    Fill in the details:

    * **Title** — Clear, searchable, compelling
    * **Description** — What's in the video
    * **Thumbnail** — Upload custom or auto-generate
    * **Category** — Help people find you
    * **Tags** — Keywords for search
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set Visibility">
    * **Public** — Anyone subscribed can watch
    * **Paywalled** — Requires your paywall tier
    * **Unlisted** — Only accessible via direct link
  </Step>

  <Step title="Publish">
    Click **Publish** when ready. Your video goes live immediately.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Video Settings

### Title

| Do                | Don't                          |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------ |
| Be specific       | "Video #47"                    |
| Include keywords  | Clickbait that doesn't deliver |
| Keep it scannable | 100-word titles                |

**Good:** "5 Lighting Setups Every Filmmaker Should Know"

**Bad:** "OMG YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS INSANE LIGHTING HACK!!!"

### Description

Use descriptions to:

* Summarize the video
* Add timestamps
* Include relevant links
* Boost searchability

```
In this tutorial, I break down 5 essential lighting setups:

0:00 - Intro
1:30 - Three-point lighting
4:45 - Natural light setup
8:20 - Low-budget DIY
12:00 - Cinematic mood lighting
15:30 - Interview setup

Gear mentioned:
- [link to light]
- [link to diffuser]
```

### Thumbnail

Thumbnails matter. A lot.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Do" icon="check">
    * High contrast
    * Readable text (if any)
    * Faces perform well
    * Consistent style across videos
  </Card>

  <Card title="Don't" icon="xmark">
    * Tiny unreadable text
    * Cluttered images
    * Misleading thumbnails
    * Random screenshots
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

**Recommended size:** 1280x720 (16:9)

***

## Creating Series

Group related videos into a series for better organization.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Creator Studio → Series">
    Click **New Series**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name Your Series">
    Give it a clear, descriptive title.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a Series Thumbnail">
    This displays on your channel and in search.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Videos">
    Select existing videos or upload new ones directly to the series.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Order Videos">
    Drag to reorder. Episode 1 should be first.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Series Benefits

* **Binge-watching:** Auto-play next episode
* **Organization:** Fans find related content easily
* **Completion quests:** Fans earn XP for finishing series

***

## Paywalling Content

You can lock videos behind your channel's paywall.

### Free vs. Paywalled

| Type          | Who Can Watch                                   |
| ------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| **Free**      | All LOAFS subscribers (Fan, Affiliate, Creator) |
| **Paywalled** | Only subscribers to YOUR channel specifically   |

<Info>
  Paywalling requires setting up your channel subscription through Stripe Connect. [Learn about payouts →](/affiliates/payouts)
</Info>

### Paywall Strategy

| Strategy               | When to Use                           |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| **Free everything**    | Building audience, want max reach     |
| **Paywall premium**    | Core content free, bonus content paid |
| **Paywall series**     | Free teaser, rest behind paywall      |
| **Paywall everything** | Established audience, premium brand   |

<Tip>
  Most creators succeed with a hybrid: enough free content to hook people, premium content to monetize serious fans.
</Tip>

***

## Standalone Purchases

Let people buy individual videos or series without a subscription.

### Setting Up Standalone

1. On the video upload page, toggle **Allow Standalone Purchase**
2. Set your price (you keep 80%)
3. Publish

Buyers get permanent access to that content without needing a subscription.

### When to Use Standalone

* Courses with clear standalone value
* Premium tutorials
* One-off masterclasses
* Content that makes sense outside a subscription

***

## Batch Uploads

Uploading multiple videos at once:

1. Go to **Creator Studio** → **Upload**
2. Select multiple files (or drag a folder)
3. Videos queue for upload
4. Edit details for each while they upload
5. Publish all at once or individually

***

## Video Processing

After upload, LOAFS processes your video for streaming:

| Stage      | Time                                   |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Uploading  | Depends on file size + your connection |
| Processing | 1-10 minutes typically                 |
| Available  | Ready to watch                         |

You'll see a progress indicator. Large files take longer.

<Warning>
  Don't close the browser until upload completes. Processing continues server-side.
</Warning>

***

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="What formats are supported?">
    MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, WebM. MP4 with H.264 codec is recommended for fastest processing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a video length limit?">
    No hard limit, but very long videos (3+ hours) may take longer to process.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I replace a video after publishing?">
    Yes. Go to the video in Creator Studio, click Edit, and upload a new file. The URL stays the same.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I schedule uploads?">
    Not yet. Publish immediately or save as draft for later.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What about copyright?">
    You must own or have rights to all content you upload. LOAFS will remove infringing content.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

Upload something. Today.