What is a YouTube Brand Account?

YouTube has been around since 2005, but the platform's ability to help businesses connect with customers and promote products hasn't changed much over time. The way that companies interact on YouTube today largely depends on whether they're using branded accounts or personal channels.

In this article we'll explore what both types of account are — how they work, why they're important for your business, and how you can create one yourself.

Why is YouTube good for marketing?

Branded Accounts allow people who already have an active YouTube profile (or some other social media handle) to log in and make changes directly from within YouTube itself. They also give creators greater control over their content while helping them grow their audience at scale.

With more than 1 billion monthly viewers across all platforms, there’s no doubt that YouTube plays an increasingly central role in any company’s digital marketing strategy. However, not every creator wants to go down that route because building out an authentic presence can be expensive and complicated. In fact, many entrepreneurs choose to keep their profiles separate from their main business so that they can focus on creating great videos without worrying about managing everything else.

The problem with keeping things separated like that is that when something goes wrong, such as losing access to your email address, having two different login details makes fixing the situation difficult. This is where Branded Accounts come into play. By linking your business' existing social media accounts (like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) to a new YouTube account, you get the benefits of working from your own website without compromising the integrity of your original profile.

Think of it like opening up a bank account specifically designed just for your business. Now instead of needing to sign in twice, you only need to remember once! If you ever lose access to your primary profile, you still won't need to worry about logging back in if someone else manages your Branded Account. And unlike traditional banking services, which often require additional verification steps, YouTube lets you set whatever security settings you want right from the start.

When signing up for a Branded Account, you’ll first need to link your old account to your new one by granting YouTube permission to read information from your current profile. Then, simply enter your desired name and description under “Your real name,” select the type of account you’d like to open (e.g., Business), and click Create My New Channel/Profile. Your new profile will automatically appear next to your regular one on your home page.

If you've already linked an older YouTube account to your current one before, you may notice that your previous profile doesn't show up anymore. Don't fret—you’re free to delete your old profile whenever you wish. Just navigate to the bottom-right corner of your screen, hover over your user icon, then click Manage Profiles " Delete Profile.

Once you've got your new profile setup, you can now customize your experience even further. On top of giving your page a consistent look throughout each app, you’ll see that you can add custom backgrounds, colors, and icons too. Once those options are selected, you’ll find yourself able to pick between three pre-made themes and upload your logo image. You can always change these later by going to My Channels " Settings & Privacy " Theme Customization.

There's plenty more customization available inside YouTube Studio as well. For example, you can adjust background music via Music Controls. Or, if you prefer, you can opt to hide comments entirely to avoid distractions. Finally, you can disable auto playback for everyone except admins to prevent unwanted surprises.

This flexibility gives a big boost to productivity. Not only does it save you the hassle of constantly tweaking settings, but it also means you can spend less time fiddling with tabs and tools to figure out exactly what you want to accomplish. It becomes second nature after awhile.

How do brands use YouTube for marketing?

While most small businesses usually stick to personal channels, larger organizations tend to lean towards Branded Accounts. But regardless of your size, here are a few ways you might consider incorporating YouTube into your overall marketing plan.

1. Build awareness quickly with influencer outreach. When you partner with an established personality who shares your target market, you gain instant credibility thanks to his/her following. Plus, influencers provide valuable insights that you wouldn't otherwise receive. Try reaching out to popular celebrities and asking them questions related to your niche. You could even ask them to share clips from specific episodes of their latest projects.

2. Drive engagement organically. While influencers aren't typically paid to endorse particular brands, sometimes they feel pressured to jump onboard with certain campaigns anyway. That said, you shouldn't force anyone to take part in promotions unless he or she consents. Instead, try taking advantage of influencers naturally engaging with your product or service based on their online interactions alone. Take inspiration from TikTok's "Influencer Marketing" playlist for ideas on how to approach this strategy effectively.

3. Increase leads and sales naturally. Of course, influencers aren't solely focused on generating revenue. Their followers also form a crucial source of feedback. After all, consumers are eager to voice opinions about the kinds of products and services they'd like to purchase, especially if they know someone personally involved in making decisions. So, take advantage of influencers' popularity among fans to gauge consumer sentiment toward your offerings.

4. Get better search results ranking. Search engines love sharing links with relevant content. As a result, appearing in front of potential buyers early on actually helps increase visibility and exposure. To ensure this happens, marketers should think creatively when preparing promotional materials. Think beyond generic ads and banners, and put together creative concepts that stand apart from competitors.

5. Optimize advertising efforts. Because of its large user base, YouTube offers advertisers lots of opportunities to reach their audiences. Whether you're looking to run banner ads, display ads, or sponsored posts, you can rely on data analytics to optimize ad placement to maximize return on investment (ROI).

6. Save money on traditional TV ads. According to Tubefilter, "the average cost per thousand views of a 30-second spot was $7.12 on broadcast television during Q1 2017." Compare that to the whopping $0.33 spent on running a similar campaign on YouTube. With that kind of ROI, it's clear that investing in video ads pays off significantly more than spending the same amount elsewhere.

How do you use YouTube as a brand?

Now that you understand what YouTube Brand Accounts are and how they work, let's talk about why they matter for your business. First, note that your business needs to meet certain criteria in order to become eligible to open a Branded Account. Here are the basic requirements:

Have a verified phone number associated with your account

Be 18 years or older

Own and operate the business whose profile you want to establish

Have complete ownership of all intellectual property rights to the content posted on your profile

Here are some examples of qualifying entities:

A corporation

An LLC or limited liability company

A sole proprietorship

A partnership

You must also verify your business' identity before proceeding with setting up a Branded Account. There are several ways to confirm legitimacy, including submitting official documents, providing tax ID numbers, and displaying legal credentials.

As mentioned earlier, you can tailor your account according to your preferences. A lot of factors determine whether or not a given entity qualifies, including industry, location, age structure, employee count, operating hours, capital equipment, inventory levels, and others.

To learn about establishing a YouTube video channel for your business, check out our guide detailing how to build a successful YouTube channel.

What is YouTube video branding?

Video branding refers to incorporating visual elements from your corporate design into your online presence. Typically, this involves picking a professional-looking theme and style that reflects the tone of your organization.

After selecting a template, you can begin modifying various aspects of your profile to match your aesthetic vision. All of these adjustments are done through YouTube Studio.

For starters, you can replace your default header image with a customized version. Also, you can swap out your profile picture whenever necessary. Even the color scheme and fonts used to format text on your homepage can be adjusted accordingly.

Of course, there are numerous other tweaks that you can perform to achieve maximum impact. For instance, you can remove comment sections altogether so as to eliminate unnecessary distraction. You can also limit the length of individual videos to encourage binge viewing sessions. Lastly, you can turn captions off to cut down on audio clutter.

According to Tubefilter, "[w]hen crafting editorial calendars, marketers should carefully consider which assets best represent their brands so that they leverage them consistently across platforms." Consider adding images, infographics, and logos to your repertoire of tools to bring visual consistency to your web properties, social media pages, blogs, and newsletters alike.

Overall, utilizing YouTube as a tool for promoting your products and services can be beneficial in practically limitless ways. From driving traffic and boosting SEO rankings to increasing conversions and improving ROI, the possibilities seem endless.

YouTube has been around for over ten years now, and while the platform may not be as popular with millennials as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat or Twitter are, its importance in connecting people across distances cannot be ignored.

Brands have taken notice of this fact, and many are using YouTube to connect directly to consumers on an individual level. This means that rather than simply promoting products via official channels, companies can use original content (like comedy sketches) to build a personal relationship between themselves and viewers. It also gives them more opportunities to interact with fans and increase engagement.

Many creators who make videos exclusively for businesses often wonder what exactly is meant by having your own "Brand Channel" -- and why you should care about one at all. We've got answers!

How do I know if my YouTube channel is a Brand Account?

If you're wondering whether your channel qualifies as a YouTube Brand account, there's actually no way to tell until after logging into your profile. The only indication will be seen when someone clicks Follow next to your name on your video description page. If they see a link saying something along the lines of "@[your_channel]" instead of just "[YourChannel]," then you'll likely find yourself logged out of your regular profile because you aren't following any accounts anymore.

When you log back into your normal profile, you'll receive an email from YouTube letting you know which new accounts you follow. You won't get anything else unless you check your settings. Once again, the status of your channel being branded as such is completely dependent on how followers access it.

Why YouTube for a brand?

While most of us tend to think of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, etc., as places where we'd share our thoughts and feelings with other people, these same platforms are becoming increasingly common among brands seeking ways to engage customers. By creating an authentic online presence, brands can establish themselves as true personalities amongst audiences.

They can even become part of conversations happening within communities, making them seem less like advertisements and more like actual representatives of the company itself. After all, if a person isn't interested in hearing about a specific product, but does want to discuss a topic related to the brand, wouldn't it make sense to reach out to them directly? That's essentially what happens when a brand creates and publishes their own content.

This strategy can help alleviate some of the pressure placed upon marketing departments for things like PR campaigns, since the brand is already capable of producing engaging content without needing approval. As long as the quality is high enough, the end result is usually well worth it.

In addition, having an active presence online makes it easier for potential clients to learn more about the company behind the products. They can read interviews with CEOs or watch short clips of live events, giving them a better idea of who the brand really is before ever stepping foot inside the store. Allowing customers to feel connected to the brand helps create loyalty and trust, both critical factors for success in today's market.

With millions of unique visitors per month, YouTube is one of the best platforms for brands looking to spread awareness about themselves. According to research conducted by Deloitte Digital, 93 percent of U.S.-based marketers say that building digital relationships is essential for current growth strategies. In other words, the ability to effectively communicate with existing and prospective customers is vital for their continued existence. And that's precisely where YouTube comes in handy.

Why is YouTube good for brands?

Of course, one big reason why so many brands choose to go down the route of setting up their own profiles on YouTube is due to how easy it is to produce content. Creating an engaging storyline is relatively simple thanks to the abundance of free resources available. Even professional videographers can put together a slick production without breaking the bank.

The cost-effectiveness of YouTube as a medium is especially appealing to smaller organizations. Smaller budgets typically mean fewer employees dedicated solely to ensuring everything runs smoothly during shoots, meaning greater freedom for creatives to experiment and explore ideas freely.

Since YouTube doesn't charge royalties or fees based on ad revenue, small businesses can take advantage of this low barrier to entry by uploading exclusive footage relevant to their particular industry or niche. Instead of trying to compete against established celebrities or influencers, they can focus entirely on what they love doing and hope others fall under their spell.

Another benefit of YouTube is that it's owned by Google, which has proven time and time again to be very generous towards small businesses. Most notably, Google Shopping launched in 2009, allowing vendors to sell their wares directly to consumers from within the site. Additionally, Google offers a wide range of tools for merchants to maximize sales and visibility, including analytics software.

Finally, the sheer amount of data associated with YouTube can provide valuable insights into consumer behavior, helping brands develop targeted messaging for different audiences. These insights can influence future decisions regarding advertising placement and product offerings.

Why is YouTube important for business?

It goes without saying that every single piece of content uploaded to the internet contains information that could potentially impact a customer's decision to buy something. However, the question remains: How much of that information is trustworthy?

According to a study published by Harvard Business Review, 72% of Americans surveyed said they would trust recommendations provided by friends and family more readily than those made by experts. Furthermore, nearly three quarters of respondents claimed they would pay more attention to reviews left by previous buyers compared to opinions given by professionals.

As these numbers show, social proof plays a huge role in influencing purchasing decisions. A recent survey revealed that 40% of consumers turn to word-of-mouth references first before considering price points, product features, and delivery times. When researching a purchase, 60% stated they look for third party endorsements before taking action.

YouTube provides a perfect venue for brands to demonstrate authenticity and reliability. Since anyone can upload a video onto the platform, the risk of spreading misinformation is significantly reduced. This opens up countless possibilities for establishing authority figures within various niches, and subsequently attracting the right kind of audience members.

For example, if you run a bakery specializing in cupcakes, you could publish fun little vignettes featuring characters playing versions of yourself interacting with famous movie stars. Or, if you're a fitness studio, you could post instructional videos showing workout routines designed specifically for certain body types in order to encourage healthy living habits amongst your clientele.

By sharing interesting stories and demonstrating that you truly understand your target demographic, you give your viewers confidence that you know what you're talking about. Ultimately, this builds credibility and increases brand recognition.

If you're an avid vlogger, there's a good chance that you've come across the term "brand account" on social media. But what exactly are they and how do they work?

In this article we'll explain everything about who can create these accounts, why brands choose them over regular channels, and whether your own YouTube account should become one too. Let's begin!

Do Youtubers use brand accounts?

As mentioned, if you have ever seen someone mention a brand name in relation to a YouTube video, then they probably were talking about using a brand account rather than a standard one.

Brand accounts allow people with more than one active YouTube profile (i.e., not just personal profiles) to log into the same platform at once. This means that instead of creating separate usernames and passwords for each channel, only those associated with said accounts will be able to access it.

A great example of where this would be useful is when there is a specific team working together to record videos. A common practice among creators is having different personalities share the editing duties — but doing so requires everyone to sign up under separate user names. If all members of the crew had single-use login credentials, however, things could run smoother since everyone wouldn't have to waste time changing between profiles.

Another benefit of brand accounts is that creators can keep track of analytics without needing to register for yet another account. For instance, if a business wants to see which videos received the most views from viewers within its demographic, it can link a company page directly to a creator's content.

But let's say you want to watch some clips uploaded by employees from your favorite fast food chain, Burger King, as well as other partners like The Wendy's Company itself. In order to avoid cluttering up your feed, you might opt to follow both companies' official pages on YouTube instead of scrolling through every post individually. Instead of logging into two different platforms, you'd simply open up your main YouTube app and click Follow next to either burger joint's logo.

The same applies to individual creators. They may already operate several independent channels, and keeping tabs on all of them via your usual mobile apps isn't easy. That's where brand accounts step in—they give users a way to stay connected to various entities without being overwhelmed.

While popular corporations such as Nike and Starbucks typically set up branded accounts themselves, smaller businesses often hire third parties called influencers marketing firms to handle this task. Influencer marketing agencies help clients develop campaigns centered around promotions, product launches, and events. Once a campaign has been completed, influencers often receive compensation based on sponsored posts and mentions.

Influencer marketing firms also offer services related to managing influencers' online presences, including setting up brand accounts on behalf of their clients so that they can earn commissions off of sponsored content posted elsewhere. While influencers aren't necessarily required to accept these offers, many end up agreeing to promote certain brands due to the increased visibility they get after making the move.

So yes, influencers definitely utilize brand accounts. However, while some individuals prefer to use them exclusively, others use them alongside their private accounts to boost engagement numbers even further.

How much does a YouTube brand account cost?

Setting up a new Facebook account costs $1 per month, but signing up for a YouTube Premium subscription gives you free reign over any number of premium features. One of these perks is linking your personal YouTube account to a brand account, allowing brands to take advantage of the latter's statistics and metrics.

To connect your existing account, head over to My Channel > Edit Profile > Manage Your Data & Personalization Settings > Connected Accounts. After clicking Add New Connection, select Create Brand Video Studio. When prompted, enter your email address and tap Next.

Once the process is complete, you can now add the brand's account to your list of connected accounts. To access them, go to your settings menu on the right side of the screen and scroll down until you reach Other Services. Select Connections here and hit +Create New Service. Then type in the name of whichever company you wish to associate with your channel, followed by Save.

Now whenever you make a clip featuring the brand whose account you added earlier, your followers will be redirected to its profile instead of yours. It goes without saying that this feature is ideal for businesses looking to promote products and services.

It's worth noting that YouTube recently rolled out a tool designed to prevent marketers from spamming subscribers with promotional emails. According to CNBC, anyone wanting to send unsolicited messages to potential customers must first request permission before sending anything.

Should my YouTube account be a brand account?

After reading the above information, you may wonder whether your current YouTube avatar qualifies as a brand account. There are actually quite a few reasons why this might be true.

For starters, YouTube doesn't always require you to verify your identity via text message to establish communication links. Therefore, it's possible that whoever registered your account didn’t bother verifying it. As long as you're logged in to your primary Google account, you can still access your personal profile.

On top of that, YouTube automatically creates brand accounts for celebrities when they upload original content. Although these profiles usually disappear shortly afterwards, they serve no real purpose aside from branding purposes.

Finally, there was a period during early 2018 when Twitter allowed verified accounts to remain inactive indefinitely. Since YouTube follows similar policies regarding inactive accounts, it makes sense for the platform to treat non-verified accounts similarly.

All of this taken together, it appears that although setting up a brand account is beneficial for influencers, it may not be necessary for average folks. Still, remember that anyone can create a YouTube brand account and decide to turn theirs into one, regardless of popularity level. So if you think you can provide value to other people, feel free to try it yourself!

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