Did you know that there are over 300 hours of video content uploaded to YouTube every minute? YouTube is by far the world’s favourite video sharing platform, and on it you can find everything from cooking tutorials to celebrity gossip to the latest music. Humans are exceptionally visually stimulated, and video content is proving to be more popular than ever before!
Around 60% of businesses also have a YouTube channel, where they post videos relevant to their products and services. A YouTube channel can be a wonderful platform for sharing extra content about your business and garnering a larger online audience. If your YouTube channel happens to get really popular, you could even end up creating an additional revenue stream through your YouTube videos.
In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at all the steps involved with how to create a YouTube channel for your business.
Create your YouTube channel
The very first thing that you should do is physically create your business YouTube channel. Fortunately, this is very easy to do and just takes a couple of minutes to get started. These are the steps that involved in creating your business YouTube channel:
- Sign into YouTube – If you do not yet have a YouTube account, you may have to create one.
- Click the user/ profile icon – This can be found at the top right of your screen.
- Choose to create a new channel by clicking ‘Create new channel’.
- Choose the option for creating a business YouTube channel using a business name.
- Fill in your brand name and click ‘create’.
- You can add channel managers who will be able to help you manage the account.
Describe your channel
Once you have created your channel, you will notice that there is the option to add a description.
This is your chance to put your best foot forward and give an accurate yet complementary and appealing description of your channel. You should give a bit of background information about your brand and what type of videos viewers can expect to come across on your channel. This description box is also the ideal place to add a link to your website and any other social media platforms that you may be active on.
Keep in mind that this description will appear in multiple places on your channel, so take care when writing it!
Choose a cover photo and profile photo
You’ll need to add two photos when creating your YouTube business channel, namely a profile photo and a cover photo. The profile photo could be something simple like a business logo, but a little more care should be taken when it comes to the cover photo.
The cover photo acts as a huge welcome banner to those visiting your channel, and the photo you choose to use should be thought about carefully. Think about your target audience as well as what a good representation of your brand and channel would be. Remember that the maximum file size is 4MB.
Verify your account
In order to post videos that are longer than 15 minutes and add custom thumbnails, you’ll have to verify your account. YouTube will send you a verification code, and you’ll have to type it in. You may also have been asked to verify your account when originally signing up for YouTube.
Determine your target audience
Determining your target market is a very important step in this entire process. Because you already have a business, you may already have an ideal customer profile and target market to work with. You could generally appeal to this target audience or create somewhat of a niche on your business YouTube channel. Having this target market in mind will help you late down the line if you ever want to invest in YouTube advertising, and it will also help you when coming up with content ideas.
Think about the type of videos you want to make
Now that you know what type of audience you want your videos to appeal to, it’s time to start deciding what type of videos you want to make. A good idea would be to look and see what type of content other businesses in your industry are posting. Because you already own a business, you should have a lot of content from which you can draw inspiration. Some ideas may include:
- ‘How to’ videos that showcase the best ways to use your products
- Unboxings
- Testimonials
- Tours
- A ‘day in the life’ videos
- Collaborations with influencers and other brands
Read the YouTube community guidelines
Before you start posting videos and coming up with video ideas for the next few months, it may be a good idea to read through YouTube’s community guidelines. These guidelines outline the type of content that is not accepted on the platform. The guidelines apply not just to video content but descriptions, thumbnails, links, and comments too. These guidelines have been created in an effort to keep up with modern challenges and to create a safe community on YouTube. While most of these guidelines should be obvious to you, it is still worth looking into to be sure of what is and isn’t allowed.
What you’ll need before you create your first video
Before you create your first video, there are a few things that you may need. When it comes to video and sound equipment, there is a wide spectrum, and you’ll need to decide where you fall. There are many creators that simply make content on their phones, but then there are others that make use of thousands of pounds worth of sound, lighting, and recording equipment. You may need to do a little further research here and see what is required for the types of videos that you want to make. Keep in mind that you will want your videos to look professional.
No matter what type of equipment you decide to go for, you’ll also need to make use of video editing software so that you can edit your videos before uploading them.
You’ll also need to know what props and people you’re going to use in your videos, as well as location.
If this all sounds like too much to think about, you may want to invest in the services offered by professional videographers who can film and edit your YouTube videos for you. This may be costly, but you won’t have to fiddle with any editing tools, and you won’t have to buy any equipment of your own as all of that will be provided.
Create a trailer
Before you create your first official YouTube video, it is recommended that you create a trailer for your channel. Channel trailers are short and sweet videos that can be used as an introduction for any newcomers to your channel. This trailer gives a clear definition of your business and highlights the type of content viewers can expect to see.
Create your first video
The time has finally arrived for you to create and share your very first YouTube video! If you’ve already created your channel trailer, then you do at least have a little bit of practice behind you.
Your first YouTube video is very important. While it doesn’t have to be absolutely perfect, you should definitely put some effort into the video and make sure that you are proud of it before you decide to upload it.
Once the filming and editing stage is complete and you are happy with your video, you can upload it by clicking the button at the top right corner of the screen when you are logged in. Keep in mind that uploading can take some time, depending on your internet connection.
Optimising your video for searches
Since you have put so much effort into creating your video, you want to ensure that it reaches your desired audience. This means that you’ll have to make your video easily discoverable and optimise your video for relevant searches.
You do this by accurately filling in the video title, description, and tags. Fill out each of these important sections by making use of relevant keywords, all while ensuring that all the copy reads well and is inviting to the user. It works very much in the same way that SEO for your website does.
If your video is properly optimised for YouTube, you’ll find that it will garner more reach on search engines like Google too.
This is a very important step when it comes to marketing your video, so take your time.
Cross-promoting on your social media platforms
You want your video to get as much traction and reach as possible. Take this opportunity to share your video on your business’s Facebook page, Instagram, LinkedIn, and any other social media platforms that you may be active on.
You’ll also want to add this video as a widget on your home page or embed it in a blog on your website.
Encourage your audience to like, share, and subscribe to your channel.
Create a consistent upload schedule
All successful YouTube channels started with a consistent upload schedule. For example, uploading a video every Tuesday morning gives your subscribers something to look forward to, and they know when to expect your videos. There is less chance of your videos getting lost in the matrix if you have a consistent schedule.
If you make changes to your schedule, ensure that your audience knows about them.
Consistency can be very difficult. It takes time and effort. So that is why it is important to plan your videos properly and shoot them ahead of time. It can often be more time effective and cost-effective to shoot more than one video each day.
Speak to your subscribers
Engagement is absolutely key when it comes to being successful on YouTube’s platform, as YouTube favours good engagement. You should create conversation points in your videos and encourage people to comment their thoughts. Take the time to respond to as many comments as you can, and always remain respectful when doing so. Listen to your commenters’ ideas for future videos. Not only does it take off the stress of you coming up with new ideas, but it also gives viewers what they want to see.
This nurtures a loyal community that feels connected to your brand. You build up trust among your community by engaging with them. YouTube will reward you too!
Think about YouTube advertising
Once you have made a couple of videos, you should definitely think about looking into YouTube’s advertising opportunities that they offer on the platform. YouTube Advertising helps you target specific groups of people based on location, interests, age, gender, and more. It works in very much the same way that Facebook advertising does.
While it is not completely necessary to use YouTube Ads if you want to gain success, it can definitely help boost your channel and help you gain the traction that you are looking for.
Don’t forget about YouTube Analytics
If you want to get a clear idea of how your videos are performing and how to create better optimised videos in the future, you’ll need to look into YouTube Analytics. This tool gives you insight into who is watching your videos, if you are reaching your desired demographic, and so much more!
Make better videos each time
Set the goal to make each video better than the last. This is a surefire way to keep your audience interested and engaged. It can be easy to become sloppy, but YouTube is very competitive, and you’ll need to keep up if you want to enjoy success on the platform.
While the steps involved with creating a YouTube channel for your business are actually relatively simple, to create a YouTube channel that people actually want to watch can take a lot of time and energy. Remember that there is no real point in starting a business YouTube channel half-heartedly. Be prepared to put in some effort and elbow grease, and you’ll be sure to succeed.
