YouTube has become one of the biggest media channels around, with over 2 billion monthly users. It's no wonder that more and more businesses have started using it as their primary marketing tool. According to Google AdWords statistics, almost 70% of all internet searches happen through YouTube these days. This makes YouTube an essential part of any online marketing strategy. If you want to use this amazing resource to promote your product or service, here are some tips on how to make sure you're getting the best out of it.
First things first -- if you don't already have a personal profile page set up, now would be a good time to start. It will help you build trust among your audience who will follow your videos without even realizing they're doing so. Just go to the main screen (the default homepage) and click "Create Account" at the top right corner. You can also log into your existing Facebook or Twitter accounts to save yourself from typing in new information every single time. Once you've done that, we'll move onto creating our own official YouTube channel. So let's begin.
1. Select Your Niche/Brand Name
The name of your brand should reflect what you offer to customers, but shouldn't include your full legal name since people might not recognize you when searching for something specific like "Nike shoes". Try adding keywords related to your niche, such as Nike running shoe reviews, etc., which may draw potential customer attention. For example, you could call your company "Sneaker Reviewer", and then add keywords like "sneakers review" or "running shoe reviews" under the description box. The key is to avoid being too generic by choosing words which are short enough to fit comfortably within restricted character limits yet long enough to stand out amongst millions of other similar brands.
2. Set Up A Username
Now comes the hardest part - picking a username. Don't worry though, there are plenty of ways to come up with unique usernames that aren't taken. Think about it -- how often do people actually choose names that are easy to remember? Usernames can consist of anything except numbers. They must contain only letters, numbers, underscores, hyphens, and spaces. However, try to keep them simple while still remaining memorable. An alternative way to find a unique username is to combine two different parts of your name together, such as combining my last name with my middle initial, thus coming up with "Reeves_Smith". Another option is to select random characters from your favorite movie titles, TV shows, book covers, songs lyrics, etc. Now that you know how to pick a username, let's proceed to step 3.
3. Create Your Profile Picture And Edit Info
Adding a picture allows viewers to associate your face with the content posted on your channel. Take advantage of this feature and upload a clear photo of yourself, preferably showing off your smile. Make sure to give a brief introduction about yourself and talk about why you think others would benefit from watching your videos. Add links to social networks where possible and share captivating images. Remember to always keep everything clean and uncluttered. After filling in all necessary details, hit Save changes and wait for approval before publishing it live.
4. Designate Your Channel Public Or Private
After finishing setting up your profile, scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click "Private Channel." By selecting either public or private, you decide whether anyone outside your network can view your content. When someone clicks on your link, they need to enter your password to access your videos. Otherwise, everyone can watch your latest clips, just like Netflix subscribers who watch movies straight after paying for them. Alternatively, you can opt to keep your channel open for everyone to see. To change settings later, head back to Settings & Privacy > Channels.
5. Choose Your Video Quality
Once again, this decision depends entirely on your budget and target market. Generally speaking, higher quality videos take longer to render but look better than lower-quality versions. Also, consider bandwidth availability and streaming speed of audiences in question. As a general rule of thumb, high-definition videos require 8Mbps minimum download rate, whereas standard definition requires 4Mbps download rate. Finally, check out the maximum resolution supported by your device, the recommended bitrate, and file size limit. All three factors affect playback performance and overall user experience.
6. Enable Annotations With Closed Captions
Captions allow text overlays above your videos. In addition, annotations provide additional info about scenes and important moments. These features are especially useful for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or otherwise visually impaired. Simply tap the annotation button located next to each thumbnail once finished recording your clip. Then type in whatever comment you wish to post on each scene. Hit Done and enable closed captioning. Unfortunately, you won't receive payment until your subscriber count reaches 10K.
7. Upload Videos
To upload your video files, navigate to Library tab > My Media section. Find the appropriate folder, drag and drop the desired file(s), and press Open. Repeat these actions for each individual clip. Although uploading takes quite a lot of time, depending on the number of videos you have, it's worth the extra effort because you never know who might end up viewing it. Plus, you can easily track stats and analytics afterwards.
8. Manage Comments & Likes
If you'd like to respond to comments left on your uploaded footage, simply hover your mouse pointer over relevant thumbnails. Click + Comment to answer questions asked or + Like to show appreciation. On the contrary, you can disable commenting altogether by heading to Settings & Privacy > Channels > Viewers' Rights section.
9. Share Links & Embed Codes
Links work similarly to passwords. Whenever somebody shares its URL with you, they gain unrestricted access to your content. There are several approaches to sharing your links, including embedding code via HTML editor (such as Notepad++). Moreover, you can also send them directly through email.
10. Get Paid From Within
Another great reason to start producing original videos instead of reusing stock ones is to earn money passively. That means whenever someone watches your video, you get paid! Whether you record your clips yourself or hire a third party production team, you can profit from the efforts of other people. Since YouTube pays its creators based upon recommendations rather than flat rates, prices vary greatly depending on the length of the video, viewer engagement levels, advertising price points, and various other factors.
11. Start Creating Content Regularly
It's highly advisable to produce fresh material regularly throughout the week. Why? Because engaging content attracts more eyeballs compared to stale materials. Besides, search engines love frequent updates. Therefore, if you plan to publish weekly, stick to that schedule. Otherwise, consumers will lose interest fast and forget about you. Furthermore, it helps you improve your SEO ranking and attract more organic viewers.
12. Promote Your New Channel
In order to maximize your earnings, you should actively engage your followers through social networking sites. Encourage feedback by asking interesting questions and responding to comments. Use hashtags (#yourhashtagname) to increase visibility. Keep in mind that hashtagging works differently depending on the country. While #youdon'tgohomewithoutit exists worldwide, #yougetwhatyouaskfor doesn't exist in Australia.
YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, it has over 1 billion monthly users worldwide, and it's expected that by 2021 there will be 2 trillion searches made per year. In 2020 alone, more than 9 million hours of footage were uploaded each day. And all these numbers prove one thing - if you have an interesting story or informative piece of information then you can share this information via videos on YouTube. If you're not using YouTube yet, maybe we've convinced you enough. Now let's get into some practical details about how to start creating great videos for your viewers...
You don't have to worry about registering on YouTube because they already have their own registration process which allows them to capture basic user data such as name, email address, gender, birthday etc. All you need to do next is complete the profile page and fill out the personal interests section. Once you finish filling everything up, hit submit button and you'll receive an email from YouTube confirming that your new account was successfully created. You might also see the following screen:
So now you know what kind of account you want to use when you go to upload videos. But why would anyone want to register with your YouTube account instead of just sharing a link to your website? The reason lies in the fact that once someone clicks on your unique link (which you'll automatically receive) he/she won't only watch your video but also subscribe to your channel. This means subscribers will receive updates whenever you post something new. Moreover, people who clicked on your link may come back again and again to view other videos posted by you later on. So in short, having a registered account gives you much greater control over your audience. It's important to note that even though your subscriber count grows every time you add another video to your channel, your average number of daily active users doesn't change at all. That said, here's the list of things you should always keep in mind before uploading any type of media online.
Don't spam others' accounts. There are plenty of ways to find channels where you could promote your products, services or affiliate links without permission. However, spamming is never a good idea. Even if you manage to build thousands of followers within days, sooner or later you'll become known as "that guy" who spams everyone else with his promotional materials. People hate being advertised to constantly, so avoid doing this at all costs. Besides, you must remember that YouTube is owned by Google-one of the biggest advertising platforms in the world. As soon as your video gets popular, your brand may appear alongside relevant ads, thus boosting exposure significantly. If your goal is to simply drive targeted traffic to your site, try utilizing other free tools like social networks and Twitter marketing.
Upload original content. While it may seem tempting to repurpose other person's work, copyright infringement is against the terms of service of both YouTube and its parent company Alphabet Inc., Google, and while you may succeed uploading your version of copyrighted material, chances are high that you'll end up getting caught eventually. Not only does it violate copyrights, but it's very likely that your account will be terminated immediately.
Have patience. Building a successful YouTube presence takes time. Don't expect overnight success, especially since there are millions of competitors ready to take advantage of your hard work overtime. Instead, focus on building relationships first until you reach critical mass.
Be consistent. Consistency is key to making your channel stand out among the rest. Most importantly, stick to posting regularly throughout the week. A weekly schedule helps establish consistency and builds trust between yourself and your viewers.
Use subtitles. Subtitles help your viewer better understand what exactly you're talking about. They allow those who speak English as a foreign language or struggle hearing certain words to still follow along. Using captions in combination with subtitles increases the likelihood that your viewers will stay tuned in long enough to actually read what you say.
Keep track of comments. When you receive questions regarding your topic or ask for suggestions, respond promptly. Afterall, feedback from fans is essential to ensure that your future posts deliver value. On top of that, positive feedback motivates us to continue producing quality content. Negative responses, however, discourage potential customers and may cause further harm to our reputation.
There are two main types of monetization methods offered by YouTube-advertising and subscriptions. Since advertisements usually cost less money to run compared to premium plans, many people choose to utilize this method first. To gain access to this feature, you'll need to meet certain requirements. For starters, you'll need 10k+ subscribers and 4.5k+ video plays during the last 30 days. Then you'll need at least 3 months history prior to applying. Finally, you'll need to verify your identity through either Facebook or phone call verification.
Subscriptions provide an alternative way to generate revenue on YouTube. With this option, you'll need to meet stricter criteria including higher amount of subscribers (50k+) and total watch time (15 minutes). Unfortunately, unlike payouts received from advertisements, subscription fees vary based on the plan chosen. Also, you can only charge for membership annually rather than choosing month-by-month payment options.
YouTube has become one of the biggest success stories for creators around the globe. It's an amazing video-sharing website with more than 1 billion users, making it the second largest search engine in the world by monthly active users (after Google). This makes it easy to understand why so many people want to be part of this community. After all, there are no limits or boundaries when it comes to creativity and expression through videos. This is where you have the opportunity to build yourself up as a brand, marketer, entrepreneur, and influencer.
However, having said that, if you wish to run a successful YouTube channel then you need to make sure that everything from its creation process to marketing strategies follow certain rules and guidelines. There are several ways that you can go about doing this. One way is to use a free tool provided by YouTube called Creator Academy. You don't even need any prior experience or knowledge before using these tools.
In this article, we will discuss how to successfully set up, manage, and promote your own YouTube Channel. So read on!
While both YouTube accounts and channels serve different purposes, they also differ in terms of features. A YouTube channel gives you complete control over what kind of content you want to publish while a regular user cannot. For example, you can choose to post only educational and informational videos rather than other types like comedy sketches or music. Therefore, if you're looking to produce high-quality content, you should consider setting up a YouTube channel.
When you sign into your new YouTube channel, you'll see two main sections—your profile and uploads. The profile section allows you to add information such as name, bio, location, gender, date of birth, phone number, email address, etc., which helps others get acquainted with who you really are. Apart from providing essential details, this page also lets you share links to social media profiles, websites, blogs, and other platforms.
The next step would be uploading videos directly onto your channel instead of creating them separately through third-party sites. What's great about this approach is that once the videos are uploaded, anyone else can access them without needing to log in to YouTube itself. However, you may still require some assistance in editing, adding captions, and selecting background music. If you know how to edit videos well, you shouldn't find this too difficult. In addition, you can easily monetize your videos via AdSense ads and Super Chat feature.
On the other hand, signing up as a standard user means that you'll first need to verify your account. Once done, you'll be able to save files locally. But remember that you won't be able to store or sync public videos created by others outside of your personal storage space. Also, apart from being restricted to posting short clips of less than 15 minutes each, you'll not be able to view statistics, analytics, comments, likes, shares, subscribers, and watch time metrics either.
But wait, there's more...
You might wonder how to open your newly registered YouTube Account. Well, here's how you can proceed:
Go to https://www.youtube.com/account_creation/.
Enter your username, password, birthday, mobile number, and e-mail ID. Click Next Step after entering your data.
Then select whether you'd like to receive personalized recommendations based on your viewing history or past activity. Finally, click Create My Account again.
Once logged in, head over to Your Library tab. From here, you can check out existing playlists, subscriptions, and recommended videos. And yes, you'll also notice the option to create your very own playlist.
Now let's take a look at another important topic regarding launching your YouTube channel.
If you've been running your YouTube channel for quite some time now, then chances are someone could discover your work online. Hence, it's crucial to ensure that you have adequate visibility and awareness among viewers. To achieve this goal, you must focus on building relationships with your audience. Thus, promoting your channel effectively requires creative ideas and methods.
As mentioned earlier, the best method to reach out to potential customers is by publishing informative and entertaining videos. When it comes to boosting engagement rates, however, you need to take things further. Nowadays, people expect more engaging content. As such, there are several tactics that you can implement to keep audiences glued to their screens. These include but aren't limited to:
1. Add subtitles.
Subtitles help improve accessibility by translating words spoken in foreign languages into ones everyone understands. At the same time, they allow you to highlight key points within your message. Aside from giving context to your videos, they can aid comprehension. Moreover, you can also provide additional value by including relevant hashtags, keywords, and tags. By following this strategy, you can garner attention from newcomers searching for trending topics.
2. Use annotations.
Annotations give you the ability to attach text, images, audio, link, and contact info to specific parts of your screen during live streaming sessions. They facilitate better communication between you and your fans and followers. Apart from helping spread your message, they can boost interaction and loyalty by encouraging feedback and sharing useful tips.
3. Share interesting quotes.
Quotes offer a quick recap of events or conversations taking place in your videos. Although this technique isn't exclusive to YouTube, it can come in handy when you want to emphasize particular aspects of your subject matter. Furthermore, you can customize your quote according to the theme of your video content.
4. Engage your audience.
People usually spend more time watching videos than reading articles or books. In order to maximize viewer retention, you should try to engage them as much as possible throughout your videos. Ask questions, ask for reactions/feedback, and tell jokes.
5. Give shoutouts.
Shout outs are beneficial because they encourage your fans to pay closer attention to your latest works. Additionally, you can thank dedicated individuals who contributed towards enhancing your viewership numbers. If you intend to involve celebrities and experts in your videos, you can simply direct your gratitude towards them.
6. Interact with commenters.
Commenters are always eager to show off their opinions and suggestions. While responding to them promptly can sometimes feel overwhelming, you can still gain valuable insights from interactions. This practice improves your understanding of problems affecting your target audience. On top of that, you can also utilize this tactic to draw inspiration from other creators.
7. Respond swiftly to comments.
Whenever there's an unexpected surge in comments, it's vital that you respond quickly. Doing so shows your professionalism and commitment to excellence. Besides, it provides your viewers with updates on progress and upcoming projects.
8. Encourage discussions.
Discussions are excellent opportunities to learn from your viewers' perspectives. With this technique, you can identify areas requiring improvement while improving overall quality. Apart from increasing your subscriber count, they can also result in positive word-of-mouth publicity.
9. Invite guests.
Guest appearances enhance interactivity and bring vibrancy to your videos. Apart from offering insight into your expertise, they can lend authenticity to your channel. This strategy can also increase the longevity of engagements since your loyal fans will feel valued.
10. Post frequently.
Posting regularly contributes significantly to growing your fanbase. The reason behind this is simple—people tend to forget about old posts unless reminded otherwise. Keeping this point in mind, you should aim to update your channel every day.
11. Build trustworthiness.
Trustworthy personalities are known to deliver results consistently. Similarly, it's imperative that you establish credibility early on. People appreciate consistency and reliability more than anything else. Remember that establishing authority takes time and effort.
12. Be consistent.
Consistency is often described as boring yet effective. Whether you prefer to stream live or record your videos, stick to a schedule. Do so because it increases the likelihood of attracting new subscribers and followers. Consistent branding ensures long-term growth.
Launching your YouTube channel doesn't necessarily mean uploading your first clip right away. Before getting started with your journey, it's advisable to conduct thorough research and planning beforehand. Take note of various factors, such as genre, length, title, description, thumbnail image, tagline, cover photo, privacy settings, etc. Such preparations pave way for a smoother transition.
Also, bear in mind that there's no hard rule stating the exact duration of your video content. Some producers opt to shoot shorter segments while others prefer longer episodes. Despite this, sticking to a predetermined limit can help avoid unnecessary interruptions.
Apart from ensuring smooth execution, you should also carefully plan the shooting session. Make sure you adhere to safety measures while handling cameras, lights, tripods, mics, and lenses. Avoid moving around unnecessarily. Instead, stay focused on speaking about the intended subject.
Additionally, you can also decide to film scenes outdoors or indoors. Choose whichever suits best according to the type of content you intend to produce.
Finally, you can begin recording immediately after completing preproduction activities. Uploading completed footage later can cause delays due to lengthy editing stages.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.