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

Yous already know video is an important channel, and you're ready to start leveraging YouTube for your own business organization. I'1000 here to testify you how to practise it.

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This article will embrace everything you need to know almost creating a YouTube channel, and so you can offset uploading your ain videos and growing your audience today.

Can't create a new aqueduct?

If y'all're seeing a "This action isn't allowed" message when you try to create your channel, you may be using an outdated version of the YouTube app.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

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

How to Create a YouTube Aqueduct

Creating a well-managed YouTube channel with consequent content can help businesses grow better, only doing it right is merely equally important. Hither'south how to exercise it footstep-past-step.

i. Sign in to your Google account.

To watch, share, create, and comment on YouTube content, yous'll need a Google account. Go to youtube.com and click "Sign In" in the upper correct-paw corner. From there, yous'll exist taken to a Google sign-in page.

  1. If you have a Google business relationship, you lot'll be prompted to sign in.
  2. If y'all take multiple Google accounts, be sure to select the one you desire to exist associated with the YouTube channel.
  3. If y'all practice not have a Google business relationship, click "Create Account" and follow the prompts to register for 1.

youtube sign-in page with "create account" prompt

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

Once you're set up with and signed into your Google account, it's fourth dimension to create a channel. Click your user icon in the upper right-paw corner. This represents both your Google business relationship and yous YouTube account (as YouTube is owned by Google). You'll see a driblet-downwards menu, where y'all'll want to click "Settings."

youtube channel settings menu

From there, you'll be taken to your account overview. Click "Create a new aqueduct" under "Your aqueduct."

youtube create new channel

The first step is to create a Brand Account. Information technology can exist whatever name you want, and doesn't have to be the same name that y'all used to create your Google account -- just we practise recommend that information technology reflects the brand the YouTube Aqueduct will represent.

create a brand account in youtube

After you enter the Make Account name, you might exist asked to verify the account via text message or voice phone call. If that happens, enter the code you receive from the option y'all choose.

One time you've verified your Brand Account, yous'll be taken to the dashboard for your channel. At present, it's fourth dimension to outset customizing it.

3. Navigate to the Customize Aqueduct folio.

We'll start with the fundamental details about your channel. From your aqueduct dashboard, click "Customize aqueduct."

youtube customize channel

From there, you lot'll exist taken to the aqueduct customization folio.

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

iv. Add Basic Info to your channel for discoverability.

Start by clicking "Basic info."

youtube channel customization basic info

Hither's where you'll enter some bones information about your channel, like the language your videos are in, likewise 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 channel is virtually, the issues it helps solve, the people and products featured, your industry, and more.

Yous'll also be able to add together links to sites you want to share with your viewers. These links will be displayed over your banner image (more on this later) similar and so:

youtube featured links

5. Upload branding elements to your channel.

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

youtube channel customization branding

Nether the "Branding" tab, you lot'll exist able to add your:

Contour Motion picture

Amongst this channel art is your profile photo -- this is how YouTube users will place the creator of a video when browsing video content. You lot'll run into this epitome appear below YouTube videos on the play page, as shown below. YouTube recommends using a flick with dimensions of at least 98 x 98 pixels.

youtube profile photo

Banner Image

The banner image is a large banner displayed at the top of your aqueduct folio, 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.

youtube banner image

Video Watermark

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

youtube video watermark

vi. Customize your more than advanced layout options.

Click the "Layout" tab.

youtube channel customization layout
From here, yous'll be able to specify sure details about how you desire your content presented on your channel's folio. You'll have the pick to designate a video spotlight and organize your aqueduct 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.

youtube upload videos by clicking "Create" button

Optimizing your aqueduct for discoverability is just the offset. One time you lot start calculation videos, you'll desire to optimize them for search, which in plow helps users discover your video.

Merely this goes beyond giving your videos accurate, clear, and concise titles -- though that is important. Below, we draw some of the most important things to optimize on YouTube. (For a fully comprehensive post on YouTube SEO, visit this post.)

Title

When we search for videos, 1 of the start things that our eyes are drawn to is the title. That's often what determines whether or not the viewer volition click to watch your video, so the championship should not but be compelling only also clear and concise.

Clarification

This should be limited to 1,000 characters -- and recollect that your viewer came here to watch a video, not to read a lot of text. Plus, YouTube only displays the first ii or iii lines of text, which comes to virtually 100 characters, so front-load the description with the most important information.

Tags

Using tags doesn't merely let viewers know what your video is about -- they inform YouTube, too, which uses tags "to understand the content and context of your video," according to Backlinko. That mode, YouTube can acquaintance your video with similar videos, which can broaden your content's reach. But arroyo with circumspection -- just every bit with your title, don't apply misleading tags because they might get yous more views -- in fact, Google might penalize y'all for that.

Category

Choosing a category is another mode to group your video with like content on YouTube -- just that might not be as simple as information technology sounds. YouTube's Creator Academy suggests that marketers "remember virtually what is working well for each category" you lot're considering by answering questions similar:

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

That'south it -- you've officially not only created a YouTube channel but now also know how to optimize its content for discoverability. For more than information on how to best leverage YouTube for marketing, check our entire collection of resources.

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

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