YouTube is the second largest social media platform with over 37 million channels registered. This platform enables people to share videos with the world and build their own channels. With a YouTube channel, you can interact with endless communities, grow your following exponentially and do what you love. This lesson will equip you with the tools to build your own YouTube channel and to reap the endless benefits. Start the video to begin your tutorial and proceed with the lesson below.
First, you want to create a Google account. This account will later be linked to your YouTube Channel, so if you don’t want to use your personal email, now is the time to create a separate account. Once this is complete, head over to www.youtube.com
Once you are on YouTube, click on your icon on the top-right corner and hover over the options until you see “Create a Channel”. Click on this option. Select a name for your channel, upload an icon and then click “Create a Channel”. At this stage, you should be redirected to page with your new channel displaying.
Next, click on “Customize Channel” to alter the settings. There are three categories of Layout, Branding and Basic Info, which you can fill-in as desired. Click on settings on the left side and you should be directed to a list. Click on Channel and in the box entitled Keywords, fill-in words that will be associated to your branding and content. This enables you to pop-up in others recommended and help progress your channel growth.
Your next step is to start posting content. The content you post is entirely up to you but some tips include using the best equipment, having an editing software prepared and optimize your videos for Search Engine Optimization (will be known as SEO) purposes.
Equipment – Best equipment can be defined as footage that is clear quality and audio, which will make your brand appear more professional.
Editting Software – Having an editing software installed such as iMovie or Final Cut Pro will come especially in handy when it comes to finalizing your content, before uploading. You can enhance your videos with background music, crop out lagging moments in your clip, add a title page, add transitions and more, with an editor application.
SEO – SEO is one of the central ways to get noticed on YouTube. Ways you can optimize SEO are by creating a descriptive title, description under the video and tags. The key is that these blurbs include keywords, which the average user would normally type.
The final step is to maintain your YouTube channel with regular posting, in order to gain more recognition. Methods are setting up a schedule for yourself to film and upload (ex. bi-weekly, monthly) and keeping engaged with your following by linking your other social media platforms. Having consistency and building your network are the two most proven ways to have a successful channel.