YouTube has a massive global audience that’s diverse and committed to the platform. Whether you own a business or want to build a personal brand, a YouTube channel is essential for gaining a loyal follower base. While YouTube has an excellent website, most people watch YouTube content via Android and iOS apps or with inexpensive streaming devices.
Your company’s social presence is incomplete without a solid YouTube channel. While creating high-quality YouTube videos takes effort, making a new channel isn’t as hard as it seems. Follow along to learn the requirements and steps to create a YouTube channel in under ten minutes.
How much does it cost to make a YouTube channel?
You can create a YouTube channel for free. Unlike websites, you don’t need to purchase a domain or web-hosting server to start a YouTube channel. Google (YouTube’s parent company) won’t ask for hosting fees or require you to sign up for a subscription. It’s free to make a YouTube channel. However, you may need a budget if you want to release polished videos on your YouTube channel, but many people create videos with nothing more than a good budget phone and an idea.
You’ll need to sign up for a Google account
You must have a valid Google account to create a YouTube channel. When you create a Google account, you gain access to dozens of apps like Google Docs, Gmail, Google Photos, and YouTube.
How to make your own YouTube channel
Once you have a Google account, creating a YouTube channel is a breeze. Go through the steps below.
- Visit YouTube on the web and sign in with your Google account details.
- Click your circular profile picture (or initials) in the upper-right corner and open Settings.
- Select Create a new channel in the Your channel menu. If you have a YouTube channel, open Add or manage your channel(s).
- Check your existing channels. Select Create a channel.
- Enter your YouTube channel name, upload a profile picture (if your Google account doesn’t have one), and click the Create button.
That’s it. You have successfully created a new YouTube channel. You can select your Google account profile picture and head to YouTube Studio to check the channel dashboard in action.
How to customize your YouTube channel
Before uploading videos to your YouTube channel, you should liven things up a little. A profile photo, custom header, and watermark help your channel stand out. Here’s a quick rundown to help you get started.
- Visit YouTube on the desktop and select your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
- Select Your Channel.
- Click Customize Channel.
Let’s start with your channel branding. Your chances of gaining meaningful momentum on YouTube are zero without a profile picture and a banner image. It’s the first thing viewers notice when they open your YouTube channel. Slide to the Branding section in the Channel customization menu and make changes.
Picture
The set profile picture appears next to your videos and comments. It represents your YouTube channel to your viewers. If you want to create a personal brand on YouTube, use one of your images as the main picture. If you want to grow a company or brand, use a relevant logo. You can use a picture that’s at least 98 x 98 pixels and 4MB or less in size.
Your picture should also follow the YouTube Community guidelines and not contain any disturbing content. Select Upload and pick one of the images from your PC or Mac.
Banner image
Your YouTube channel banner image is another important factor to consider. It appears across the top of your channel. It needs to be spot on; otherwise, viewers may think twice before clicking the Subscribe button. You can use a graphic design tool such as Canva or Adobe Express to create an eye-catching banner image or hire a designer. For the best results on all devices, use an image that’s at least 2048 x 1152 pixels and 6MB or less.
Video watermark
The watermark appears in the lower-right corner of the video player for all your videos. YouTube recommends an image that’s 150 x 150 pixels and 1MB or less in size. Use a subtle watermark that doesn’t distract viewers while streaming your YouTube videos.
Channel trailer
Now that you’ve completed branding for your YouTube channel, it’s time to add a video spotlight. Open Layout in channel customization and add a channel trailer.
The Channel trailer shares a preview of your channel for people who haven’t subscribed yet. Similar to a banner image, you should create a channel trailer. It sets the tone for your YouTube channel and gives a good idea about what to expect from your content. You can take some inspiration from similar channels on YouTube.
Featured video
It highlights a video for your subscribers to watch. The added video won’t be shown again at the top of your page for subscribers who have watched it. Creators mostly pick their best or most-popular video under the Featured video section.
Basic info
Slide to the Basic info tab and enter the channel name and description. Your name and description represent you and your content. It must be spot on. The description is limited to 5,000 characters, so you have some room to get creative here. The channel description appears in the About section of your channels and search results.
You can also choose a unique handle to create a custom YouTube channel URL. You should consider adding links to other social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Don’t forget to add contact info so that viewers and brands reach you over email for queries and collaboration.
Select the Publish button in the upper-right corner, and your YouTube channel is good to go.
Can I create a second YouTube channel?
It’s common for creators to have more than one YouTube channel, each for specific needs. After all, you don’t want to upload your travel vlogs on your business YouTube channel. You can create another YouTube channel under the same Google ID. You can find the Add or manage your channel(s) option in the YouTube settings menu (refer to the steps above) to create another channel.
Start your YouTube journey
You should have a clear focus for your YouTube channel and target audience. Aim for high-quality videos, optimized titles, and attention-grabbing feature images. And remain consistent with video uploads to have a better shot at gaining initial momentum on YouTube. Once you create a YouTube channel, check our dedicated post to learn the best YouTube hidden tips and tricks.
