Videos are a great communication tool for small business owners. Get started by creating your YouTube channel in these 6 easy steps.
They say a picture says more than a thousand words. Also, when you consider that 5 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every second, and that every second of video is typically 30 still images, that’s saying a lot.
One of the great things about social media is that it allows us to share video content to create and share. This presents an opportunity for business owners if they are willing to learn and apply these new technologies.
Reading: How to create a youtube channel step by ste
In this article, we will look at how to set up a YouTube channel. It’s a great way to leverage social media for small businesses.
Here are our 6 steps to starting a YouTube channel:
- Activate your channel
- Choose your channel art
- Customize your channel
- Upload your first videos
- Create a channel trailer
- Have a shout out to your new channel
Things to consider when starting a YouTube channel
Before you set up a YouTube channel, let’s take a step back and see some of the decisions you make along the way.
Who is your target audience?
Consider the target market you want to reach. Are users in your target market consuming video content? Are they on YouTube or do they consume video content elsewhere?
You can use YouTube as a social network or just use it to host your videos that you embed on your website or use on other channels.
What video assets do you already have?
Using existing video footage to post or reuse for your YouTube channel can be a good place to start. However, if you create your own, you can be more selective about the themes and themes you use.
It’s a good idea to create a social media content strategy so you know where you’re going before setting up your YouTube account.
What skills and tools are required?
YouTube gives you several ways to create videos. All you really need is a webcam or a smartphone with a decent camera. We recommend investing in a good microphone and tripod, and a light ring for live video.
In terms of skills, you’ve just embarked on a learning journey for which your most important skills are patience, motivation, and one asset is your eye and your brightest smile.
How to start a YouTube channel for your small business
Social media has empowered us all to become marketers, advertisers and even movie stars . This includes small business owners who are willing to invest the time and effort to learn how to get the most out of video, social interactions, and data analytics.
See also: How to Create a BuzzFeed Like Website Using WordPress
Getting started on a YouTube channel is easy. Let’s go through the steps.
Step 1: Activate your channel
If you have a Google account, your YouTube channel is already waiting for you. Sign in to YouTube and select your channel in the top right menu. You’ll be prompted to create a personal or work account.
Choose a work or other name to create a YouTube branded account that different people in your organization can access. Enter your company or brand name as the name. Your YouTube channel has now been created.
If you didn’t have a Google account to start with, you will need to go through this process first.
Any Google Account holder can sign in to YouTube and activate their channel by clicking on your channel in the menu. Image Source: Author
Step 2: Choose your channel art
At the top of your page, provide a background image for your YouTube channel. This is called a channel image. You can choose any image and change it at any time.
Since the image is large, you must provide a high-resolution image that aligns with your brand identity and logo. For the channel icon, we recommend using your logo. Change it by hovering over the icon next to your account name and clicking Edit Profile Picture.
Channel art is a large background image that can add style to your YouTube channel. Image Credit: Author
Step 3: Customize your channel
Now click the Customize your channel button and go to the About tab. Here you can enter a descriptive text for your company and provide a location and a contact email. Also, provide links to your other social networks and website. These links will be prominently displayed on your channel picture.
You can also choose other YouTube channels that you want users to see when they visit your channel. These will be set as featured channels in the customization process.
You can describe your company, provide a contact Enter your email and link to your website and other social profiles on your YouTube channel Image source: author
Step 4: Upload your first videos
Now that your channel is complete you need to focus on the content. Do you already have videos available for your channel? Click on the “Create” button at the top right of the screen to upload your first video. Once a file has been uploaded, you will need to provide descriptive information for the video.
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Pay close attention to this part of the process as these elements determine its desirability and also how it will appear in video searches.The interface also allows you to search YouTube -Edit videos once uploaded.
You can edit your Vide os crop, blur and add audio and credits once on your YouTube channel.
If you don’t have a pree If you already have videos, you can create a live video by selecting Live instead select from upload. It takes a bit of planning to create live videos, but give it a try as you can always delete what you’ve created before publishing.
Step 5: Create a channel trailer
When users visit your channel, they see a trending video. You can decide which video or channel trailer to show. It’s a good idea to create a new video specifically for this purpose.
Create one that welcomes users to the channel and explains what they’ll find here. You can choose a different video for returning visitors who have now been introduced to the channel and may respond better to other content.
Step 6: Promote your new channel
Some social media Management tools allow you to manage your YouTube activity along with your other social networks. This means you can integrate video posts into your broader content calendar.
Social media tools are also great for planning out communication across other channels to announce your new YouTube channel.
If you plan to use your YouTube channel as your primary social network, consider promoting it on your other social networks to build your community of subscribers.
Start with your email Mail newsletters and then create social posts with embedded video on other networks to invite your audience to follow your channel.
You can also partner to become a featured channel with other YouTube channels, and run social media advertising campaigns to gain more followers.
YouTube channels don’t just grow organically, as subscribing to and liking videos is less natural for users than on other social networks. It therefore takes a dedicated effort to build a community there.
Make your corporate communications visual
Video is one of the most efficient forms of communication on social media, and platforms like YouTube empower you to do so to create, edit and distribute your content. With a Google account, creating a YouTube channel is an easy step to making video a part of your business communications.
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