How to create your own youtube channel

How to Create a YouTube Channel & Make the Most of YouTube’s Billion-User Network

Summary

See how easy it is to get your YouTube account set up and running, and find out some quick wins on how to optimize your profile for maximum reach

You will learn

YouTube, the Google-owned video network, boasts over a billion users — almost one-third of all people on the Internet — and every day people watch hundreds of millions of hours on YouTube and generate billions of views. On mobile alone, YouTube reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.

What’s amazing, though, is that only 9% of small businesses in the U.S. are actively using YouTube, and my hunch is that figure would be pretty accurate worldwide, too.

So why aren’t businesses investing in YouTube as part of our social media strategy?

In short, because video is harder to produce than a blog post or an image.

Or at least that’s the perception many of us have.

In reality, though, video is becoming much easier and cheaper to create. This means there’s a huge opportunity for your business on YouTube.

If you’ve been debating getting started on YouTube or have maybe experimented a little and not yet found your feet, this post is for you. Throughout this post we’ll dive into:

Ready to start? Let’s go.

How to create a YouTube channel

Creating a YouTube channel using your Google account

If you have a Google account, you can watch, share and comment on YouTube content. However, Google accounts don’t automatically create YouTube channels. Getting a new channel set up is a simple and quick process, though.

1. Go to YouTube and sign in

Head over to YouTube.com and click ‘sign in’ in the top right corner of the page:

Then log in using the Google account you’d like your channel to be associated with:

2. Head over to your YouTube settings

In the top right corner of the screen, click on your profile icon and then click «Create a channel.»

Where to find the YouTube «create channel» link

3. Create your channel

Next, you’ll have the option to create a personal channel or a create a channel using a business or other name. For this example, we’ll choose the «Use custom name» option, which is recommended for small businesses and brands:

You have the option create a YouTube channel with your name or a custom name.

Next, you’ll name your channel.

Creating a name for your YouTube channel

Note: As you’ll see from the settings at this step, creating a new channel name will also create a new Google account with its own settings and YouTube history. This account nests within your main Google account and can be fully managed from the Google settings. It’s quite useful as you can use this new account to like and comment on other YouTube videos and participate in YouTube as your brand.

After this step, you’ll have the chance to further customize your channel. You’ll see options for:

Congratulations! You’ve just created a new YouTube channel! 🎉

Next, let’s fill out all the information and create some channel art to get your page looking awesome (click here to jump to the next section).

How to create a YouTube channel if you don’t already have a Google account

If you don’t already have a Google account set up, you’ll need to create one before you get started on YouTube. To do this, simply follow the below steps:

Now, you’re all set up with a Google account and can follow the above steps to create a YouTube channel.

How to create YouTube channel art

YouTube channel art is essentially YouTube’s version of the Facebook cover photo. Channel art features in a prominent place on your YouTube channel, which means it’s absolutely vital for any YouTube channel to use customized art to share your personality or more about your brand with your audience.

Gary is well-known for his public speaking at conferences and for sharing all he knows about marketing and building businesses with his audience. This is reflected in his cover photo, which displays Gary in mid-flow giving a presentation. The channel art also serves as a promotion tool for The Gary Vee Video Experience and reinforces the cadence of new videos on Mondays through Fridays.

Here are a couple other examples for inspiration:

The Cut uses its channel art to advocate for Black Lives Matter.

Khan Academy uses its channel art to reinforce its brand, mentioning its tagline and showing off some of the fun characters and brand design.

The perfect sizes for YouTube channel art

The best place to start with your channel art is with an optimal image size that works across multiple devices. For the best results, YouTube recommends uploading a single 2560 x 1440 pixel image.

It’s interesting to note that YouTube is available on a ton of different devices – from as small as an iPhone to as large as a 60-inch TV. On TVs, the channel art appears in the background, behind the content on your YouTube channel. On desktop and mobile devices, it appears as a banner across the top.

Tools and tips for creating YouTube channel art

In the past, YouTube has supplied a Channel Art Template to help you figure out the perfect layout for your channel art and how it’ll look across platforms. Here’s a preview of the template:

You can absolutely use the ideal dimensions that we mentioned above in order to create your channel art from scratch using a tool like Figma or Photoshop.

Nowadays, the easiest way to get up and running with your channel art is to hop into a free image creator like Canva or Adobe Spark. These tools have ready-to-go YouTube templates you can quickly customize to your liking.

Here is an example of a channel art template within Canva:

YouTube channel art template in Canva

2 top tips for YouTube channel art

1. Ensure any text and logos are within the «safe» area

The text and logo safe area is the 1546 x 423 pixel space at the center of the YouTube channel art template (see the template above). This is the area that will be displayed on YouTube when your channel is viewed on desktop screens.

Traditionally, the parts outside the safe area run the risk of being covered or illegible because of overlaid social links or profile pictures.

Be careful to ensure any important information such as branding, text, taglines, and key images are within the safe space so that they’re always displayed as part of your channel art across every device.

2. Consider your channel links

YouTube enables you to add links to your channel and these are displayed in the bottom right corner, overlaid on top of your channel art. For example, check the bottom right of the channel art below:

Where links appear on YouTube channel art

When creating your channel art, it’s important to think about the space these links take up and ensure you don’t have anything important (such as logos) occupying that space within your design.

How to add art to your YouTube channel

If you’re just setting up your YouTube channel, you’ll notice the channel art space (along with the rest of your channel). To add art to your YouTube channel as well as make any other customizations, click the Customize Channel button in the top right.

YouTube channel: Getting started from scratch? Click the Customize Channel button

Once you’ve clicked this link, you’ll go to another editor screen where you can click on the different parts of your profile in order to make changes.

There should be a blue button in the center to «Add channel art.»

After this, you’ll see a popup window that gives you the option to upload your own custom channel art. If you’d like to, you can also choose to use one of YouTube’s templates from the “Gallery” or choose to upload one of your photos from Google.

Adjusting the crop

Once you’ve uploaded your channel art, YouTube will show you a preview of how it looks on TV, desktop, and mobile.

YouTube channel art preview for desktop, TV, and mobile

At this point, you may want to adjust the cropping of your image so that you can ensure it’s all lined up correctly. The cropping tool can be accessed by clicking on «Adjust the crop.»

This crop screen is very handy for checking how your design will look on various platforms. The clear section in the middle of the grid shows you the content that will be displayed on mobile and desktop and the rest of the image shows the image that will be displayed on TVs.

YouTube channel art editor: cropping

Once you’re happy with the way your cover art looks, click “Select” and your channel art will be added to your channel and saved.

Changing your current channel art

If you already have some channel art in place and would like to update it, head over to your channel homepage. From here, move your mouse over your cover art and you’ll notice a little edit button appear in the top right-hand corner:

How to change your YouTube channel art

Once you’ve clicked on this icon, you can update your channel art.

This video from YouTube also explains how to add and edit your channel art:

How to add your channel icon (profile picture)

Each channel also has space for a profile icon / picture. This is the icon that shows next to your videos and channel on all YouTube pages. The key here is to select something that will look good at very small resolutions – many brands opt to use their logo here.

Your channel icon should be 800 x 800 pixels and one of the following formats: JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG file (no animated GIFs).

To update your channel icon, head to your channel homepage and hover over your current channel icon until you see the edit icon appear. Click on that icon and you’ll be able to upload a new profile icon.

5 ways to enhance your channel

1. Optimize your description

YouTube gives you a space on your channel to write a little about your brand and the content you share on YouTube. The description is limited to 1,000 characters, so you have a little room to be creative here.

The copy in your channel description won’t just appear on your channel page. It’s indexed by search engines and can also be featured across YouTube in suggested channel categories and search results. A good tactic is to include some relevant keywords and CTAs within the opening lines of your description.

And be especially mindful of the first 100-150 characters. Depending on where the description appears, the remaining text could be truncated.

Here’s an example of a great YouTube channel description from Vox:

Vox’s YouTube description on the About tab

2. Add links to your channel

We briefly mentioned channel links earlier in this post. You can have up to five links appear in your channel’s banner. The first link will appear expanded (see screenshot below), and the remaining links will show up as icons.

MeUndies links to their homepage and four social profiles in their YouTube banner

I’d love to share with you how to add these links in four super-quick steps:

1. Click the «Customize Channel» button on your channel’s homepage.

2. Then click on the gear icon in the upper-right corner, just beneath your cover art.

3. You’ll see a Channel Settings lightbox appear. Here you need to toggle on the option labeled “Customize the layout of your channel”:

Toggle on the option to «Customize the layout of your channel.»

3. Now that you’ve enabled customizations on your channel, pop back to your channel homepage and you’ll now see the option to “Edit Links” under the settings menu on your cover art.

«Edit links» will appear when you hover over the edit icon in your YouTube channel art.

4. Click the “Edit Links” option and you’ll then be taken to the “About” section of your channel. Here you’ll have the option to add links and choose how many are displayed over your cover art:

You can choose up to five links to display on your YouTube channel.

3. Add a channel trailer

As soon as visitors land on your channel, you want to give them a picture of the type of content your channel covers and why they’ll want to subscribe and check out your videos. A channel trailer is the perfect way to do this.

A short, to-the-point channel trailer can be a great way to introduce people to your content. A channel trailer should grab attention as soon as it starts and also represent the type of content you create on YouTube.

It’s also important to think about the description you add to this video as it features prominently on your channel homepage.

(These trailers only appear for people who are not yet subscribed to your channel.)

Here is a look at where this trailer appears on your channel homepage. Note how the video is at left and the title and description appear to the right? That’s a lot of prime real estate!

The channel trailer takes a prime position on the YouTube channel page.

4. Add your contact details (email address)

If you’re using YouTube as a business or a creator, it can be great to have your contact details on hand for anyone who is interested in your work. YouTube has a section on each channel profile for you to list your contact details for business inquiries.

This can be found under the “About” section of your channel. To find it, go to your channel homepage, click “About” from the navigation and then scroll down to “Details.” Here you’ll see the option to share your email address:

Adding your email address can be a great way for fans & customers to reach you

Over to you

Thanks for reading. It’s been great fun to dive into how to create a YouTube channel and I hope you picked up one or two tips from this post. If you create a YouTube channel of your own or already have one up and running, I’d love to hear from you and learn from your experience in the comments below.

How to Create a YouTube Channel to Grow Your Brand and Make Money

It might seem harder to learn how to create a YouTube channel than it is to get started with some of the other social networks. But it doesn’t have to be.

Fun fact: YouTube is the second-most visited website in the world behind Google—YouTube’s parent company.

Fun suggestion: Your brand should have a presence there.

The opportunity to reach your audience on YouTube is massive. It’s the most popular social platform among U.S. adults, and nearly 75% of Americans use the social video site, compared to the 69% who use Facebook.

More than half of those users visit YouTube every single day. Wouldn’t it be nice if they took a look at your content while they were there?

Luckily, creating a YouTube account isn’t difficult. Creating a successful YouTube channel is a little more work… but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered there, too.

How to create a new YouTube channel in 5 simple steps

Making a successful YouTube channel starts with making a YouTube channel. Here’s how to build your account.

Step 1: Create a Google account

If you use Gmail, Google Maps, or Google Play, you probably already have a Google account… so skip ahead to the next step.

The name and email address won’t be publicly linked to your brand, so don’t worry about keeping those on-message. This is just your key to get in the YouTube door.

Step 2: Create a YouTube account

With your Google account, you’re automatically set up with a personal YouTube account. But to use YouTube for your business, you’ll want to set up a Brand Account.

Just go to your YouTube account page, click Create a Channel, and then enter a name for your Brand Account. You’re in!

When you create a YouTube Brand Account, you can give multiple people admin access and customize the name and appearance to match your brand.

Another cool thing about Brand Accounts: they allow you to access YouTube Analytics, which offers super helpful insight about who’s watching your videos and what content is popular. (Learn more in our post on how to use YouTube for marketing.)

Step 3: Customize your YouTube channel

Time to make this sweet new social media profile your own.

In your channel dashboard, click Customize channel. Go through the three tabs — Layout, Branding and Basic Info — to enter information that will help optimize your channel for audience discovery.

When filling out this information, use descriptive keywords that will help your account appear in searches.

Keywords can include your channel’s topics, your industry, questions your content can answer or products featured.

Under Branding, you’ll have the opportunity to upload your channel art and icons to give your channel a unique look. One that, ideally, aligns with your overall brand and visually connects this YouTube account with your other social media platforms and web presence.

Step 4: Upload your first YouTube video

Well, this is exciting. You’re on the cusp of becoming a YouTube content creator! I’m not crying, you’re crying.

To put your first video out into the world, hit the Create button in the top-right corner and follow the instructions.

Step 5: Make your YouTube channel discoverable

Like the old saying goes: If you have amazing content on YouTube but nobody sees it… what’s the point?

To get views and subscribers, you’ll want to optimize your channel and videos for discovery. We’ve got a complete guide to promoting your YouTube channel if you want to dive in deep. In the meantime, here’s the 30-second rundown:

Optimize video titles

Use concise, descriptive titles that include Google-friendly keywords. Titles are the first thing users see, but they also help the search engine understand what your videos are about. So make sure all your titles are punchy and intriguing, but also clear and include keywords.

Optimize your YouTube description

It’s important to be clear, concise and descriptive here, too. Make sure to front-load your keywords and add links to other playlists.

Another good trick to use in video descriptions? Create a “table of contents” with timestamps to help viewers find what they’re looking for.

Add tags (in moderation)

While it can be tempting to load up this section with clickbaity tags, make sure to only include tags that are relevant to your content. Be honest, and choose quality over quantity. The goal is to reach viewers who are actually interested in content like yours.

Tags also help YouTube’s algorithm understand what your content is about. Make sure to add a category or two to help the search engine put your videos in front of the right audience.

Cross-promote

Add a link to your YouTube channel on your other social profiles, website and email signature to let your existing fans know you’re starting a video empire.

Understand the algorithm

If you haven’t already, now is the time to familiarize yourself with the YouTube algorithm. This AI determines not just search results, but recommendations for the all-important “what’s up next” sidebar, too.

9 tips for starting a YouTube channel

1. Use eye-catching channel art and thumbnails

Your channel art and thumbnails are your billboards, so make an impression!

An effective thumbnail is clear and accurate, and works in tandem with the video’s title. But it also needs to stand out.

Thumbnails are the way viewers decide what to watch when they’re skimming through search results. This means you don’t just need to communicate what your video is about. You need to stand out from the competition, too.

And a lot of the competition is… loud.

Evaluate what everyone else is doing, and try to swerve. For example, choose a distinct color palette, or go full-on minimalist to stand out in a sea of neon colors and Impact font.

2. Choose the perfect channel icon

A channel icon is like a logo for your YouTube presence. It should match your brand and complement your channel banner.

When picking an icon, follow YouTube’s recommended image dimensions to avoid any stretching. Preview your channel on multiple devices to check everything looks good.

YouTuber J.J. McCullough uses a cartoon caricature of himself as his logo to represent both his art and his personality.

3. Create playlists

Organizing and creating video playlists on YouTube is the best way to keep your viewer on your page.

Not only do YouTube playlists organize your related content in one neat-and-tidy list, they also auto-play. Once one video ends, the next begins… and so on. This minimizes the chances that a viewer will move on to another channel.

Financial counsellor Max Mitchell, for instance, adds all of his TFSA videos to one playlist, so viewers can just sit back and learn about tax-free savings accounts for hours on end.

4. Create a channel trailer

When someone first comes across your channel, a channel trailer is a way for them to get a sneak peek at your content. Better make it count.

Just like the Hollywood hotshots get you hooked to see Avengers: Tokyo Drift, you can give your audience a taste that leaves them wanting more.

Assume the viewer is a perfect stranger, so introduce yourself and tell them exactly why they should subscribe. Keep it short, sweet and snappy: let ‘em know what your content is like and when they can expect new uploads, like Yoga with Adriene does on her channel.

5. Create great content, consistently

This is going to sound very obvious, but we’re going to say it anyway: Viewers want to watch good videos.

But what makes a good YouTube video is a little different than, say, what makes a video that would wind a foreign film festival.

According to Search Engine Journal, successful YouTube videos have attention-grabbing intros and great branding, background music, and clear audio.

Calls to action are important too. Whether your goal is to drive your audience to your website, increase your subscriber count or spark a conversation in the comments, the right CTA can help make that happen.

Like with all social media content, there’s no perfect formula for a successful YouTube video. Some brands thrive with slick, highly produced content, while others gain traction by being raw, unfiltered and authentic.

Vanity Fair’s YouTube channel is an inspiring one. It goes beyond what you might read in the magazine’s profiles and features videos of actors sharing everything they do in a day or taking a lie detector test.

Explore some ideas of engaging content from other social media platforms to inspire your experimentation.

6. Schedule your videos

Give your videos the best chance to make it big by posting them at the right time: when people are online and ready to watch them.

Your channel analytics will tell you if there’s a day of the week or specific time that tends to get high viewership or engagement.

Once you’ve got that intel, you can publish regularly within this time frame, with the help of scheduling tools like Hootsuite.

7. Understand your audience

It’s hard to make compelling content if you don’t know who you’re making it for, so make sure you’ve got a good sense of your audience persona before you dive in.

Who are they? What do they like? (Why won’t they call me?!)

Once you’ve got a few videos under your belt, see whether or not you’re hitting the mark by diving into your YouTube Analytics. Cold hard numbers will tell you if, how and when your work of art is making an impact.

8. Experiment with YouTube advertising

If you’re not getting the reach you want with good ol’ fashioned organic content, it might be time to toss a few bucks behind a promo campaign.

YouTube ads are available in these four categories:

For more info on YouTube’s ad formats and how to use them, check out our detailed guide to YouTube advertising.

9. Ask viewers to subscribe

When someone subscribes to your channel (and hits that bell button), they get an alert when you put a new video out into the world — so growing your subscriber base is the best way to boost your organic reach.

There’s a reason why “Don’t forget to subscribe” is the sign-off of choice for YouTubers big and small.

Of course, growing your subscriber count is easier said than done. For that reason, we have a full guide on how to get more YouTube subscribers.

Once you hit 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours within the year, you’ll be able to register as a YouTube partner and monetize your channel. Learn more about YouTube’s Partner Programme here.

This is just the tip of the iceberg for creating a successful YouTube channel. If you’re interested in learning more, check out our blog post about how to get more views on YouTube, 23 smart ways to promote your YouTube channel, and how to become a YouTube marketing master.

With Hootsuite, you can easily upload, schedule, and promote your YouTube channel and videos across multiple social networks from one dashboard. Try it free today.

Grow your YouTube channel faster with Hootsuite. Easily moderate comments, schedule video, and publish to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Stacey McLachlan is an award-winning magazine editor and writer and a comedian, with an endless hunger for great stories and also salt and vinegar chips.

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How to Create a YouTube Channel Step-by-Step

Grow your YouTube channel with the help of this free guide.

If you’re reading this article, I probably don’t need to tell you that video content accounts for over 74% of all online traffic, or that over five billion YouTube videos are watched every single day.

You already know video is an important channel, and you’re ready to start leveraging YouTube for your own business. I’m here to show you how to do it.

This article will cover everything you need to know about creating a YouTube channel, so you can start uploading your own videos and growing your audience today.

How to Make a YouTube Channel

Can’t create a new channel?

If you’re seeing a «This action isn’t allowed» message when you try to create your channel, you may be using an outdated version of the YouTube app.

Here are your options to move forward:

YouTube for Business: A 30-Day Roadmap for Channel Growth

Tell us a little about yourself to access 18 YouTube Business Templates:

How to Create a YouTube Channel

1. Sign in to your Google account.

To watch, share, create, and comment on YouTube content, you’ll need a Google account. Go to youtube.com and click «Sign In» in the upper right-hand corner. From there, you’ll be taken to a Google sign-in page.

2. Create a new YouTube channel using your Google account.

Once you’re set up with and signed into your Google account, it’s time to create a channel. Click your user icon in the upper right-hand corner. This represents both your Google account and you YouTube account (as YouTube is owned by Google). You’ll see a drop-down menu, where you’ll want to click «Settings.»

From there, you’ll be taken to your account overview. Click «Create a new channel» under «Your channel.»

After you enter the Brand Account name, you might be asked to verify the account via text message or voice call. If that happens, enter the code you receive from the option you choose.

Once you’ve verified your Brand Account, you’ll be taken to the dashboard for your channel. Now, it’s time to start customizing it.

3. Navigate to the Customize Channel page.

We’ll start with the fundamental details about your channel. From your channel dashboard, click «Customize channel.»

From there, you’ll be taken to the channel customization page.

You’ll notice three tabs: «Layout,» «Branding,» and «Basic info.» These three tabs will help you optimize your channel for viewers.

4. Add Basic Info to your channel for discoverability.

Start by clicking «Basic info.»

Here’s where you’ll enter some basic information about your channel, like the language your videos are in, as well as a description that helps people discover your channel when they enter search terms that describe what videos they’re looking for. These keywords can include what your channel is about, the problems it helps solve, the people and products featured, your industry, and more.

You’ll also be able to add links to sites you want to share with your viewers. These links will be displayed over your banner image (more on this later) like so:

5. Upload branding elements to your channel.

In addition to the descriptive details that you’ve added, there’s another element of customization for a new YouTube channel: The visuals.

Under the «Branding» tab, you’ll be able to add your:

Profile Picture

Banner Image

The banner image is a large banner displayed at the top of your channel page, and it’s a big opportunity to convey your brand to your viewers. YouTube recommends using an image that’s at least 2048 x 1152 px.

Video Watermark

The video watermark is displayed at the bottom right of every video you post (see below). You’ll want to choose a logo that best represents you sized at 150 x 150 px.

6. Customize your more advanced layout options.

Click the «Layout» tab.

From here, you’ll be able to specify certain details about how you want your content presented on your channel’s page. You’ll have the option to designate a video spotlight and organize your channel page with featured sections.

7. Add videos and optimize them for search.

To upload your first video to YouTube, click the «Create» button in the top-right corner and follow the prompts.

Optimizing your channel for discoverability is just the beginning. Once you start adding videos, you’ll want to optimize them for search, which in turn helps users discover your video.

Title

When we search for videos, one of the first things that our eyes are drawn to is the title. That’s often what determines whether or not the viewer will click to watch your video, so the title should not only be compelling but also clear and concise.

Description

Category

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Originally published Feb 3, 2021 7:00:00 AM, updated February 04 2021

How to create a YouTube channel for personal use or for your brand

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Email Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url.

Anyone can watch videos on YouTube, but you need a YouTube channel to post videos, make comments, or upload playlists.

YouTube offers two channel options — a personal YouTube channel and a Brand Account.

Here’s how to create both.

How to create a personal YouTube channel

You might choose a personal YouTube channel if you just want the option to comment on videos or post your own.

1. Go to the YouTube website or app and sign into your account using your mobile device or computer.

2. Click or tap your profile image in the top right corner of the screen.

3. If you’re using a desktop computer, click «Create a Channel.» On a mobile device, tap «Your Channel.»

4. On a computer, click «Get Started» in the pop-up window, and under the option that says «Use your name,» click «Select.» On a mobile device, enter your name into the pop-up screen, and tap «Create Channel.»

6. Your personal YouTube channel is now created. On the next screen, you can customize various settings for your channel, such as add a profile picture and share your channel. If you’d rather set these up later, scroll to the bottom of the page and select «Set up later.»

How to create a brand or business YouTube channel

A Brand Account is suitable for businesses, brands, or other kinds of organizations that want to manage multiple YouTube channels from a single dashboard.

In addition to multiple channel management, a YouTube Brand Account allows you to add managers for each channel. You can control who has access to different options within the channel they manage.

You can only create a Brand Account on the YouTube desktop website.

1. In a desktop web browser, sign into YouTube with the Google account you want to use to create a new channel.

2. Click your profile image in the upper right corner of the screen.

3. In the dropdown menu, click «Create a Channel.»

4. In the pop-up window, select «Get Started.»

5. Under the option that says «Use a custom name,» click «Select.»

6. On the next page, enter the brand account name that you want to use, agree to the terms, and click «Save.»

7. Your new channel is now created. You can customize your channel’s settings on the next screen.

Visit the YouTube channel switcher to see a list of all YouTube channels owned by your account. You can access the channel switcher anytime to switch between YouTube channels, or create a new one.

You can see all Brand Accounts you own or manage from the YouTube Brand Account dashboard.

Once you create a new account, you’ll notice you don’t yet have the option to customize the url (e.g. youtube.com/user/businessinsider).

YouTube restricts the use of custom YouTube channel URLs to channels with at least 30 videos and 100 subscribers. New accounts aren’t eligible until they’ve existed for at least 30 days.

A YouTube channel can be created from both a standard Google Account or a G Suite account with the exception of G Suite Education. G Suite Education accounts are not allowed to create YouTube channels.

How to Create a Successful YouTube Channel

YouTube is the biggest video-only social media platform, with as many as 2 billion monthly viewers. That’s a massive user base that you can tap into by creating a YouTube channel and sharing videos.

And, even though it is a video-only platform, there’s still a lot that you can do just by creating videos. Videos are one of the most engaging types of content and also very versatile. And there are numerous YouTube video ideas that you can try.

However, it is not easy to simply create a YouTube channel and be an overnight success. It takes a lot of time and effort to run a successful channel. But, with the right tactics, you’ll be off to the right start.

Here are seven expert tips to help you create and run a successful YouTube channel.

How to Create a Successful YouTube Channel:

1. Create Your YouTube Channel: The Basics

One of the first things that you will need to do is to fill in your information, select a name, add a cover picture, etc.

Profile Name

Selecting a profile name is important as that is something that will stay with you. It is not recommended to keep changing your account name. Therefore, you should select one that will stay relevant for your channel, even as your channel grows.

Create a name that describes you or what your channel is all about. Don’t make it too long. And, try to make it catchy, something that makes people want to explore more.

Cover Picture

The next task is the selection of a fun and engaging cover picture that is relevant and attractive. The purpose here is also to use something that will draw the attention of your audience.

About Section

This is the section where you can describe what your channel is about and provide other useful information. This is a brilliant place to tell your brand story and make a good impression on your audience. You can also use this space to provide your contact and other relevant business information.

2. Do Your Research

Before you start creating content for your YouTube channel, it is important to understand who you will be targeting. That is why it is important to do thorough research and get an understanding of your target audience.

While you might be creating a new YouTube channel, you can still get these insights from other platforms. Your website, for example, can provide tons of information about your current customers and what their preferences are.

Other social media accounts can also provide you with valuable audience insights that you can leverage for your YouTube channel as well.

3. Plan and Upload Content

There is a lot of planning that goes into creating content for YouTube, and it’s not as simple as just posting random videos. You need to select the type of videos that you want to make for your audience.

You should also plan ahead and have a pipeline, (like a content calendar, but for YouTube), ready. This will help ensure that you post regularly and do not run out of ideas. Having a clear plan will also make things easier and help you avoid any last-minute challenges.

As for the type of content, that depends on your type of business and your audience.

For example, a product-based company might find that tutorial videos work well for their business. However, the same might not be true for service companies, and they might be more interested in telling their brand story or creating awareness.

4. Optimise Your Video Titles and Descriptions

YouTube is not just a video-sharing platform, but the world’s biggest video search engine. Just like SEO works for your website, YouTube SEO works for your YouTube channel.

You should optimise your YouTube channel for keywords to rank higher in search results for those keywords. And, as the channel has only video content, titles and descriptions are the best places to use those keywords.

You should always include your primary keyword in your video title. Also, keep your titles short, relevant to the content in the video, and catchy.

Similarly, YouTube video descriptions should also be optimised for keywords. And, because the character limit is higher, you can add primary as well as secondary keywords there.

Video descriptions can be used for many other purposes as well. Here are a few ways to optimise your video descriptions:

5. Integrate with Other Social Media Accounts and Your Website

Just creating a YouTube channel and getting subscribers is not the end goal for most businesses. After all, social media is just another way for you to achieve your bigger marketing goals like increasing traffic and driving sales.

And, for that, you need to find creative ways to direct your YouTube viewers to your website or other platforms.

There are several ways in which you can do that. You can add links to your website and other social media accounts in your “About” section. You can place links to specific product and service pages in your video descriptions.

You can also embed your social profile links in the form of social sharing buttons, right in your cover image, as shown below.

And, of course, you can always add links in the form of CTAs at the end of your YouTube videos.

Use one or more of these to place your social media account links and website links in your YouTube channel and direct traffic to where you want.

6. Cross-Promote on Other Platforms

Just creating great content does not necessarily translate into success. You could be running the best YouTube channel in your niche, but people won’t even know about it unless you promote it.

While optimising your channel for YouTube SEO works great for improving discoverability, it is not enough. It takes time and effort to create good video content and it deserves to be promoted the right way.

This means that you should promote your individual videos on other platforms as well. You can post a teaser video about an upcoming video or give a sneak-peek via Instagram post. To increase the reach of your videos and get more views, it’s a good practice to cross-promote it on other channels.

Here’s an example of a novice YouTuber promoting his first video on his already established Instagram account.