How to Set Up Your YouTube Channel

Your YouTube “channel” is the equivalent to a profile page on any other social network. It's your company's own space where customers can see your videos as well as videos by other users your company likes. You need to have your own channel in order to upload videos, comment, create playlists, and interact with other users on YouTube.

Signing up

Before you can create a YouTube channel, you need a Google account. A Google account enables you to use any of the company's products, including YouTube, Gmail, Google Places, and Google Plus.

To create a channel, first select a username. Your channel will display this username and not the name of your Google account. It's best to use your business's exact name or something like 'The Official (Your Business Name) Channel.' You need to let other users know that it's you. You also want your channel to appear in search results when people look for your company online. Your username can only contain letters and numbers with no punctuation or spaces.

Photos and Images

Once you choose a username, you'll be asked to upload a photo. Use your logo or another image that clearly identifies your business. Your photo must be square and can be any size. However, it will be displayed at 250 x 250 pixels, so don't select an image with a great deal of detail.

You have the option to customize your channel by choosing different colors and themes, and it's a good idea to do so. All of the design options are built into YouTube, so it's just a matter of selecting what you like. Customizing your channel sets it apart from others and reflects your brand’s design theme.

Profile Description

You'll then need to add information about your channel in the Channel Description box. Use this space to introduce your company to users who may not know you yet. You don't need to fill in the About box because it's meant for personal users.

Once this is completed, you're ready to start uploading videos. Click 'Upload My First Video.' While the video is uploading, you can add a title, description, and tags. These are important because YouTube videos appear in search engine results.

YouTube Best Practices

All of the videos on your YouTube channel should be relevant to your business and your customers. There should be nothing out of left field and nothing personal. If there's a video that's not relevant on your channel, it may confuse users and interfere with your branding.

You can organize your videos and group them together by topic into Playlists. This makes it easier for users to find the videos they're looking for. You can do this at any time after your videos are uploaded.

Engage with other users as much as possible. Comment on their videos and subscribe to their channels. This will get your channel seen more widely and you'll make connections.

Finally, make it easy for users to subscribe to your channel. Put the link to your YouTube page on all of your social media channels and websites.