YouTube may not be a new player in the social media game. But it is tried and true. Since video only grows in importance and popularity on social media, it pays to develop a YouTube marketing strategy, and then some.
Part discovery machine Part social platform, YouTube touts more than 2 billion monthly active users. And as the second largest search engine in the world, it’s a key platform for connecting with new audiences, increasing brand awareness and more.
If you’ve been wondering how to start a YouTube channel but you haven’t jumped yet, this is your cue to start. Use this step-by-step guide to get you started in minutes.
How to Create a YouTube Channel in 5 Steps
If you need the 101 Level Breakdown , or just a refresher, feel free to skip to the section you need the most.
With that, this is all you need to learn how to create a YouTube channel:
- Sign in to Google
- Create a new YouTube channel
- Customize your channel design
- Customize your channel’s branding
- Customize your channel’s basic information
- How to create a discoverable YouTube channel
1. Sign in to a Google account
Before starting a YouTube channel, you must sign in to Google.
If you have a Google account that you already want to use on your channel, you’ll be prompted to sign in.
I recommend creating a new, dedicated account specifically for your YouTube channel. This way, you can share it with multiple people. This also limits any security issues related to your personal account.
Once you create a Google account, go to YouTube and click Sign In.
2. Create a new YouTube channel
Go to the YouTube home page. Click on the avatar icon in the upper right corner of the screen. Then select Create a channel from the dropdown menu.
The next screen will ask you to create a channel name.
Now, you can stop here. Or, you can create two channels: one for your Google account and a separate one for your brand. To do this, go to your SettingsLet’s go over each of these elements:
Featured Videos
This is the first piece of content that appears on your channel. There are two types that you can add. A channel trailer plays for people who haven’t subscribed to your channel.
A featured video is played for your subscribers, but only for those who haven’t seen it yet.
Featured Sections
Choose up to 12 featured sections that will appear on your channel. These organize the content your visitors see first.
This by default is a Short Videos section and a Videos section. But click the ADD SECTION button to choose from more.
The playlists and sections you choose will depend on how you use your channel. If you go live frequently, the “Live Now”, “Past Live Streams” and “Upcoming Live Streams” sections would be the winners.
For example, Monterey Bay Aquarium features a playlist full of relaxing live streams that his channel is known for.
Once you have customized your design, press the Publish button on the Right upper corner. Or move on to the next step: Branding.
Pro Tip: If you don’t plan on uploading videos often, choose the Featured Channels section can make your channel look more active. This also positions you as an industry leader and shows some love to other YouTube creators.
4. Customize your channel brand
There are three areas where you can adjust your channel brand:
- Image (also known as photo profile) appears on your channel, next to your videos, and in comments you write.
- Banner Image is the large graphic at the top of your YouTube channel.
- Video Watermark appears in the bottom right corner of your videos. You can choose when and for how long it appears.
These visual elements should match your brand. For example, notice how all of the Headspace visuals share consistent layouts, colors, and shapes.
Resources like Canva will help you create images the size right in minutes with custom YouTube templates. Before creating images, confirm the dimensions of YouTube images:
- Profile Image: 800 x 800 px
- Channel banner: At least 2048 x 1152 px, but the uncropped web and mobile-safe area is 1546 x 423 px
YouTube will will display a preview so you can see if something is cropped across multiple views.
There’s no one right way to approach YouTube images – just choose visuals that reflect your brand.
5. Customize your channel’s basic information
Customizing this information will help you make a better impression on your channel. It’s also your ticket to funneling channel visitors to your website, other social profiles, and more.
Let’s go over each piece of basic channel information you can adjust:
- Name: This should represent your channel, brand, or you . .
- Administrator: a short and simple, but easy to remember and searchable version of your name. This will also appear in your public URL.
- Description: up to 1000 characters, add a bit of personality to your channel description.You can also add multi-language versions of your description. Include popular search keywords relevant to your channel and content.
- Channel URL: The web address of your channel as displayed with your User ID.
- Links: Include links to direct visitors to your website and social channels.
- Links in the banner: Choose up to five links to appear in the bottom right corner of your banner. Just be careful that these links do not cover important information or text in your cover image graphic.
- Contact Information: Include a public email address where people can contact you for business or press inquiries.
Once you hit publish, congratulations: your channel is officially set up and you’re ready to add videos.
How to make your YouTube channel discoverable
Now that you know how create a YouTube channel, it’s time to make yourself discoverable. This is an ongoing process of optimizing your channel and content.
Let’s look at some tips for driving new viewers and traffic to your channel. And if you want to dig deeper, check out these resources after you’ve finished this article:
- YouTube SEO
- YouTube hashtags
- 16 Ways To Promote Your YouTube Channel To Get More Views
- YouTube Analytics
- YouTube Descriptions
Post Videos Regularly
An active channel means more chances to keep your audience interested and growing.
If you’re not ready to create new videos for YouTube, start with what you have. For example, when I was managing social media for Shedd Aquarium, we repurposed a video from a viral Tweet on YouTube, where it also racked up impressive views.
Then, we created an entire playlist based on the viral hit videos.
Start building your library with Videos that have performed well on other channels. Hit videos from Reels and TikTok, for example, can be uploaded as YouTube shorts.
Optimize your videos
Remember: YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world.
Keywords are really key when it comes to YouTube visibility. Use them in your video titles, descriptions, and chapter titles. Explore common search terms with YouTube’s built-in keyword and search tool. Find it on YouTube Studiocom/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-06-at-8.54.52-PM-1024×599.png” alt=”Sprout” />
Cross-promote your YouTube content on other channels
You have an existing audience on your other channels.Share your YouTube content on your social channels and on channels outside of social networks, such as your website, blog and in email newsletters.
Doing so helps attract your current audience to your budding YouTube channel.
Keep an eye on your analytics
From average view duration to followers gained, YouTube analytics gives you a deeper understanding of which videos are performing and which are failing.
The analytics tab on YouTube Studio is an analytics goldmine, but a tool like the Sprout Social YouTube Report gives you a more personalized look at how your content is performing.
Start your free Sprout trial
Test your knowledge on creating a YouTube channel
Learning how to create a YouTube channel is just the first step. Mastering YouTube takes time.
By sticking to the tips outlined in this guide, your channel will be up and running in no time.
Once you create a YouTube channel and have your videos working, your next step is to get the word out. After creating your channel, read our article on how to promote your YouTube channel to spread the word and increase views.
YouTube Channel FAQ
Yes, creating a YouTube channel is free. All you need is a Google account.
To monetize your YouTube account, you must be a part of the YouTube Partner Program. Learn more about how to monetize your YouTube account here.
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