Who doesn’t watch YouTube these days? Created in 2005, YouTube is an American social media platform for video-sharing. With over 1.5 billion users, it is among the top social media platforms in the world! Whether your purpose is work or recreation, YouTube is a competitive community when it comes to having a successful channel. Below, NeoReach has outlined some effective ways to expand your audience and promote the success of your channel, starting with the basics – how to start a YouTube channel.

How To Start A YouTube Channel

By Kyleigh Eaton

Step 1: Create An Account

You can’t have a YouTube channel without an account! Step No.1 includes creating a Google account. If your channel is strictly for business, we recommend making a new Google account, separate from your personal account. This will minimize security issues! After you have made your Google account, you can head over to YouTube. If you are already logged into your Google account, your YouTube account should be ready to go! Now create a channel and you can begin to customize…

Step 2: Customize Your Channel

Now for the fun part! You can begin to customize your channel’s homepage by clicking on “my channel” from the drop-down menu at the top right corner of your homepage. Here, you can edit your name, change your account to “business” or “personal,” add a cover photo and avatar, and write a description as to what your channel will entail!

Step 3: Content

Make your profile marketable enough to attract viewers and search engines! You can increase engagements by making crafty imagery for your channel that conveys your channel’s style and purpose. By creating a general theme and purpose for your channel, you can better target an audience. Include descriptions, titles, tags, and file names that are relevant and include popular keywords to promote views. Your description is where you sell your channel. It should tell the audience what you will post, why you will post, and what viewers will gain from watching your channel. Your description should be relevant, and provide contact information. Take yoga YouTuber Yoga With Adriene’s description for example.

Step 4: Video Titles

When titling your videos, keep the consumer in mind. Be sure to keep titles simple, do keyword research, and convey to the viewer why they should watch your video. A tactic used by many successful vloggers and YouTubers is giving your videos “click bait,” or irresistible titles. Successful titles are often shocking, intriguing, or descriptive. “Your title is a promise to your viewer!” YouTuber Tana Mongeau has mastered the use of “click bait” in her titles.

Step 5: Video Thumbnails

A video thumbnail is the “cover image” for each video. These videos draw just as much attention as the title and can make or break your video’s performance. A good thumbnail may include: shock value, text overlays, bright colors, branding via logo or watermark, contrast and outlining. Be sure to make the thumbnail is of high quality and is captivating, yet relevant. YouTube recommends that your thumbnail image has a resolution of 1280×720, and is in the format of .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG. YouTuber Shane Dawson is a great example of quality thumbnails.

Step 6: Marketing

You can market your channel by including intro/outros in which you ask viewers to subscribe to your channel and like your video. More subscribers typically lead to more viewers! In addition, marketing via email is a very popular way to keep your subscribers in the loop. Through email, you can notify subscribers every time you post a video.

Step 7: Stay Active

Creating content regularly, responding to comments, and keeping up with other YouTubers is a sure way to gain viewers!  In addition, working with other YouTubers is another way to expand your audience and create a successful channel! Making appearances on other channels is a great way to advertise your channel. Makeup YouTuber James Charles collabs with other YouTubers to reach a larger audience.

Find out how you can reach the YouTubers mentioned above, here!