Add a YouTube source

This is for:

Developer System Administrator

Members with the required privileges can add public YouTube company or user channel content to a Coveo organization.

Note

To index private channel content, use the REST API source to authorize requests to the YouTube Data API.

In a Coveo-powered search interface, the source content is accessible to either everyone or some specific users and groups only. See Content security for details on these options.

Source key characteristics

The following table presents the main characteristics of a YouTube source.

Features Supported Additional information

YouTube version

Data API (v3)

Indexable content

Content update operations

refresh

check

A rescan or rebuild is required to take account of:

  • Deleted videos

  • Changes on videos

  • Statistics (for example, view counts and likes) updates

  • Playlist and playlist item updates

rescan

check

To comply with YouTube API Developer Policies, Coveo automatically triggers a rescan when no rebuild or scheduled rescan has occurred for 30 days.

rebuild

check

Content security options

Same users and groups as in your content system

x

Specific users and groups

check

Everyone

check

Metadata indexing for search

Automatic mapping of metadata to fields that have the same name

This setting is disabled by default and not recommended for this source type.

Automatically indexed metadata

Examples of auto-populated default fields (no user-defined metadata required):
 

  • clickableuri

  • title

  • ytdescription

  • ytcommentcount

  • ytthumbnailurl
     

After a content update, inspect your item field values in the Content Browser.

Extracted but not indexed metadata

The YouTube source extracts metadata that the YouTube Data API makes available.
 

After a rebuild, review the View and map metadata subpage for the list of indexed metadata, and index additional metadata.

Add a YouTube source

Follow the instructions below to add a YouTube source.

  1. On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, click Add source.

  2. In the Add a source of content panel, click the YouTube source tile.

  3. Configure your source.

Tip
Leading practice

It’s best to create or edit your source in your sandbox organization first. Once you’ve confirmed that it indexes the desired content, you can copy your source configuration to your production organization, either with a snapshot or manually.

See About non-production organizations for more information and best practices regarding sandbox organizations.

"Configuration" tab

On the Add a YouTube source page, the Configuration tab is selected by default. It contains general and authentication information about your source, as well as other parameters.

Name

Enter a name for your source.

Tip
Leading practice

A source name can’t be modified once it’s saved, therefore be sure to use a short and descriptive name, using letters, numbers, hyphens (-), and underscores (_). Avoid spaces and other special characters.

User, channel, or playlist URLs

The address of one or more YouTube user or company channels, or playlists. URLs with the following formats are supported:

  • https://www.youtube.com/@<CHANNEL_HANDLE>

  • https://www.youtube.com/channel/<CHANNEL_ID>

  • https://www.youtube.com/user/<USERNAME>

  • https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=<PLAYLIST_ID>

Custom channel URLs (that is, URLs in the https://www.youtube.com/c/<NAME> format) aren’t supported.

Include playlists

Select the checkbox when you want YouTube channel playlists and playlist items to be included.

Note

This option isn’t used when you specify a playlist URL under User, channel, or playlist URLs.

Project

Use the Project selector to associate your source with one or more Coveo projects.

"Content security" tab

Select who will be able to access the source items through a Coveo-powered search interface. For details on the content security options, see Content security.

"Access" tab

On the Access tab, specify whether each group (and API key, if applicable) in your Coveo organization can view or edit the current source.

For example, when creating a new source, you could decide that members of Group A can edit its configuration, while Group B can only view it.

For more information, see Custom access level.

Build the source

  1. Finish adding or editing your source:

    • When you’re done editing the source and want to make your changes effective, click Add and build source/Save and rebuild source.

    • When you want to save your source configuration changes without starting a build/rebuild, such as when you know you want to make other changes soon, click Add source/Save. On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, click Launch build or Start required rebuild when you’re ready to make your changes effective and index your content.

  2. On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, follow the progress of your source addition or modification.

  3. Once the source is built or rebuilt, review its content in the Content Browser.

Index metadata

To use metadata values in search interface facets or result templates, the metadata must be mapped to fields. Coveo automatically maps only a subset of the metadata it extracts. You must map any additional metadata to fields manually.

Note

Not clear on the purpose of indexing metadata? Watch this video.

  1. On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, click your source, and then click More > View and map metadata in the Action bar.

  2. Review the default metadata that your source is extracting from your content.

  3. Map any currently not indexed metadata that you want to use in facets or result templates to fields.

    1. Click the metadata and then, at the top right, click Add to Index.

    2. In the Apply a mapping on all item types of a source panel, select the field you want to map the metadata to, or add a new field if none of the existing fields are appropriate.

      Note

      For advanced mapping configurations, like applying a mapping to a specific item type, see Manage mappings.

    3. Click Apply mapping.

  4. Return to the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page.

  5. To reindex your source with your new mappings, click your source, and then click More > Rebuild in the Action bar.

  6. Once the source is rebuilt, review your item field values. They should now include the values of the metadata you selected to index.

    1. On the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page, click your source, and then click More > Open in Content Browser in the Action bar.

    2. Select the card of the item for which you want to inspect properties, and then click Properties in the Action bar.

    3. In the panel that appears, select the Fields tab.

Required privileges

You can assign privileges to allow access to specific tools in the Coveo Administration Console. The following table indicates the privileges required to view or edit elements of the Sources (platform-ca | platform-eu | platform-au) page and associated panels. See Manage privileges and Privilege reference for more information.

Note

The Edit all privilege isn’t required to create sources. When granting privileges for the Sources domain, you can grant a group or API key the View all or Custom access level, instead of Edit all, and then select the Can Create checkbox to allow users to create sources. See Can Create ability dependence for more information.
Actions Service Domain Required access level

View sources, view source update schedules, and subscribe to source notifications

Content

Fields

View

Sources

Organization

Organization

Edit sources, edit source update schedules, and edit source mappings

Organization

Organization

View

Content

Fields

Edit

Sources

View and map metadata

Content

Source metadata

View

Fields

Organization

Organization

Content

Sources

Edit

What’s next?

Schedule source updates.