If you’ve ever fired up YouTube to find out how to do something--like rewire a plug, make a smoothie, or connect your social accounts--you’re not alone.
While most people head straight for Google, many actually turn to YouTube for tutorials and visual guidance. In fact, YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world with people watching more than one billion hours of video every single day.
It’s easy to group YouTube with the likes of TikTok and Instagram, which are hot on influencer content and funny videos, but it can be really useful for brands.
You don’t have to be a self-proclaimed “YouTuber” to have success on the platform--in fact, it can be a great addition to your marketing arsenal as it drives traffic and increases SEO.
Still on the fence about diving headfirst into YouTube? This might convince you.
So, if you don’t know how to get started, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a super-easy guide to creating a YouTube channel as a brand, and how you can leverage the platform to achieve your business goals.
If you have headed to this post after searching 'how to create YouTube channel', firstly, you’ll need an account to create a YouTube channel. If you don’t already have a Google Account, create one of those here.
Once that’s set up, log in to YouTube and create a brand channel.
That is it! Creating a YouTube channel is pretty simple.
Once your YouTube channel is set up, you can customise it to reflect your brand. The more cohesive your branding is across your social channels, the easier it’ll be for consumers to recognise you when they find you.
Think about:
You’re all set up now and ready to go!
This is the fun part, although it can seem overwhelming to begin with. The great thing is that YouTube videos today can be filmed straight from your smartphone. There’s no need to hire a full production team and suite of editors.
It’s worth bearing in mind the different types of YouTube videos you can make:
You can decide to stick with one type of video or create a diverse channel by mixing things up--it totally depends on the industry you’re in and what kind of content your audience prefers.
YouTube videos should be a 16:9 aspect ratio for desktop viewing. If your video doesn’t match that, YouTube will automatically add black bars to the side to fill it out.
When creating your channel art (that is, the cover photo for your channel), bear in mind that the recommended image size is 2560 x 1440 pixels.
At this point, you’ll have filmed a video and made sure it’s the right dimensions for the platform. Now, it’s time to upload it for your audience to see.
Navigate to your channel page and click the “+” icon in the top right-hand corner. You’ll be taken to this page:
Select the video you want to upload and YouTube will work its magic.
While YouTube is processing the video, you can add basic information, like the video title, a description, and a thumbnail.
If you want your videos to stand the best chance in the search results, make sure you optimise them by:
Something else to consider is scheduling out your YouTube videos so they are posted at the best timings during the day (when your audience is most active!).
How would you know what is the best time to post your video? This depends on a lot of things like your niche, what part of the world the majority of your audience comes from, and even things like holidays and seasonal fluctuations.
Now that is a lot of information to gather so using a tool like Sendible that provides valuable, in-depth analytics can be very useful.
Sendible is also used to schedule out your YouTube videos so you can use their advanced scheduling feature to schedule out YouTube videos to coincide with peak audience activity.
Let’s be honest, we don’t think about videos as “cheap” forms of content.
We’re still used to thinking about them as blockbuster-style creations that require a ton of effort and creativity, but this simply isn’t true anymore.
In fact, you have all you need in your pocket--your smartphone. Phones today are incredibly powerful and most come equipped with video recording and editing tools. The quality is amazing, allowing you to point and shoot footage in a matter of minutes.
If you’re keen to create videos but don’t have a big budget, think about filming on a smartphone, using a free video editing tool, like Movavi, iMovie, Lightworks, or Shotcut, and making sure the lighting is good when you shoot your footage.
Getting the most out of YouTube means using it strategically.
Different brands will get different results, and the kind of videos you upload will depend on who your audience is and what kind of content they prefer. Don’t try and follow the crowd; instead, take the time to figure out what your customers want and use that to inform your strategy.
Need some inspiration from brands that are killing it on YouTube? Look no further than this incredible list we’ve pulled together for your viewing pleasure.
GoPro has over 10 million subscribers and is one of the most popular brand channels on YouTube.
Videos include footage shot from around the world on GoPro cameras, adventure films, tips for using the cameras, and quick start tutorials. The brand covers all bases and provides both inspirational content as well as educational videos for its viewers.
LEGO is another brand with a huge YouTube following (12 million subscribers).
They upload videos covering a range of topics, from short LEGO animations and building tutorials to homeschooling lessons using LEGO and live streams.
Like GoPro, RedBull’s YouTube channel thrives on adventure and adrenaline.
The brand showcases a range of video types that are grouped into relevant playlists, including animated shorts, coverage from events, and other sporting footage.
Clothing brand Pretty Little Thing has created a YouTube channel for fashion fans all over the world.
The brand uploads videos that include behind-the-scenes footage from events, fashion tutorials and lookbooks, content made by lifestyle influencers - PLT's influencer marketing strategy is second to none.
Nike’s YouTube channel is the go-to place for sports enthusiasts and athletes looking to hone their craft and eat better.
The brand shares videos that aren’t just sports-related, but that their viewers might also be interested in, such as nutrition advice and workout routines.
Makeup brand Sephora has dominated the industry on YouTube with a selection of different types of videos.
Viewers can tune in for makeup tutorials, product reviews, influencer-created content, and narrative stories that run alongside the brand’s marketing campaigns.
The Swedish furniture brand has gone all out on YouTube and has over a quarter of a million subscribers.
Videos include tutorials for flat-pack furniture, tips and ideas for furnishing a house, and company information, like brand values, information about the team, and what it’s like to work at IKEA.
YouTube channels might seem like an overwhelming social media choice, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives. Not only does it help you reach a bigger audience, but it can improve your SEO efforts and create a deeper connection with your audience.
You can use Sendible's smart compose box to schedule out posts on your YouTube channel months in advance or to post immediately depending on when inspiration strikes!