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 5 billion YouTube videos are watched every single day.

You already know video is an important channel, and you're ready to offset leveraging YouTube for your ain business organization. I'm here to show yous how to practice it.

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

Can't create a new channel?

If you're seeing a "This activity isn't allowed" message when you try to create your channel, y'all may exist using an outdated version of the YouTube app.

Here are your options to move forrard:

  1. Update the YouTube app on your device.
  2. Create your YouTube aqueduct using a browser on your PC (post-obit the steps outlined in more item below).

How to Create a YouTube Channel

Creating a well-managed YouTube aqueduct with consistent content can aid businesses grow meliorate, but doing information technology right is simply equally important. Here's how to practise information technology step-by-step.

1. Sign in to your Google account.

To watch, share, create, and annotate on YouTube content, you'll demand a Google account. Go to youtube.com and click "Sign In" in the upper right-hand corner. From in that location, you'll be taken to a Google sign-in page.

  1. If yous have a Google account, you'll exist prompted to sign in.
  2. If you have multiple Google accounts, be sure to select the one you want to be associated with the YouTube aqueduct.
  3. If yous do non have a Google account, click "Create Account" and follow the prompts to register for one.

youtube sign-in page with "create account" prompt

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

Once you're gear up with and signed into your Google account, it'southward time to create a channel. Click your user icon in the upper right-paw corner. This represents both your Google account and yous YouTube account (as YouTube is endemic by Google). You'll run across a drop-down menu, where you'll want to click "Settings."

youtube channel settings menu

From there, yous'll exist taken to your account overview. Click "Create a new channel" under "Your channel."

youtube create new channel

The first stride is to create a Make Account. It tin be whatever name you desire, and doesn't have to be the same name that you used to create your Google business relationship -- only we exercise recommend that it reflects the brand the YouTube Channel will stand for.

create a brand account in youtube

After you lot enter the Brand Business relationship name, you might be asked to verify the account via text message or voice telephone call. If that happens, enter the code you receive from the option you lot cull.

One time yous've verified your Make Account, y'all'll exist taken to the dashboard for your channel. Now, it'southward time to start customizing information technology.

three. Navigate to the Customize Channel page.

Nosotros'll start with the primal details near your channel. From your aqueduct dashboard, click "Customize aqueduct."

youtube customize channel

From there, you'll be taken to the aqueduct customization page.

You'll notice three tabs: "Layout," "Branding," and "Basic info." These iii tabs will help you optimize your channel for viewers.

4. Add Bones Info to your aqueduct for discoverability.

Get-go by clicking "Bones info."

youtube channel customization basic info

Hither'southward where you'll enter some basic information nigh your channel, like the language your videos are in, too as a clarification 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 aqueduct is almost, the problems it helps solve, the people and products featured, your industry, and more.

You'll also exist able to add links to sites you want to share with your viewers. These links will be displayed over your imprint image (more on this afterward) like then:

youtube featured links

5. Upload branding elements to your aqueduct.

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

youtube channel customization branding

Under the "Branding" tab, you'll be able to add together your:

Contour Picture

Amid this aqueduct fine art is your profile photo -- this is how YouTube users volition place the creator of a video when browsing video content. You'll come across this image appear beneath YouTube videos on the play page, every bit shown below. YouTube recommends using a picture with dimensions of at least 98 ten 98 pixels.

youtube profile photo

Imprint Image

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

youtube banner image

Video Watermark

The video watermark is displayed at the lesser right of every video you post (see below). You'll desire to choose a logo that best represents y'all sized at 150 x 150 px.

youtube video watermark

6. Customize your more advanced layout options.

Click the "Layout" tab.

youtube channel customization layout
From hither, you lot'll exist able to specify certain details about how you want your content presented on your channel's page. Yous'll take the choice to designate a video spotlight and organize your channel page with featured sections.

7. Add videos and optimize them for search.

To upload your kickoff video to YouTube, click the "Create" button in the peak-right corner and follow the prompts.

youtube upload videos by clicking "Create" button

Optimizing your channel for discoverability is simply the beginning. Once y'all start adding videos, you'll desire to optimize them for search, which in turn helps users notice your video.

But this goes beyond giving your videos authentic, clear, and concise titles -- though that is important. Below, nosotros describe some of the most important things to optimize on YouTube. (For a fully comprehensive postal service on YouTube SEO, visit this post.)

Championship

When nosotros search for videos, ane of the starting time things that our eyes are fatigued to is the championship. That'southward oft what determines whether or not the viewer will click to watch your video, so the championship should not just be compelling but as well articulate and concise.

Description

This should be limited to 1,000 characters -- and recall that your viewer came here to watch a video, not to read a lot of text. Plus, YouTube simply displays the first two or three lines of text, which comes to near 100 characters, so front-load the description with the most of import information.

Tags

Using tags doesn't just let viewers know what your video is about -- they inform YouTube, too, which uses tags "to empathize the content and context of your video," according to Backlinko. That way, YouTube can associate your video with similar videos, which tin broaden your content's reach. But approach with caution -- just as with your title, don't use misleading tags because they might get you lot more than views -- in fact, Google might penalize you for that.

Category

Choosing a category is some other way to grouping your video with like content on YouTube -- just that might not exist equally unproblematic as it sounds. YouTube'south Creator Academy suggests that marketers "think nigh what is working well for each category" yous're considering by answering questions like:

  • Who are the meridian creators within the category? What are they known for, and what do they do well?
  • Are in that location whatsoever patterns between the audiences of similar channels inside a given category?
  • Do the videos inside a similar category have share qualities like product value, length, or format?

That's it -- you've officially not only created a YouTube channel but at present also know how to optimize its content for discoverability. For more than information on how to all-time leverage YouTube for marketing, check our unabridged drove of resources.

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

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