How to Create a YouTube Channel (In 4 Steps)

Connecting with audiences in an entertaining way can be pretty difficult. Capturing the attention of users often seems just short of impossible on many social media platforms. This can make it very hard to share your content with the world.

Fortunately, YouTube offers a way to share video content in an engaging and cost-effective manner. Starting a channel on this platform can help you connect with people from all over the world, and increase brand awareness. 

In this post, we’ll discuss some of the key tips for building a successful YouTube channel. We’ll then show you how to create one, and discuss some best practices for posting videos. Let’s get started!

Key Tips for a Successful YouTube Channel

Creating a YouTube Channel is a simple yet effective way to build an online audience. However, there are a few important things you’ll need to get right if you want to be successful on the platform. 

First, you’ll want to establish a niche. Sticking to one or two topics can help you create consistency on your channel and ensure that your audience knows what to expect from you. This can increase the rate of subscriptions and returning viewers.

It is also a good idea to create a cohesive brand image on your channel. Visual elements such as your watermark, logo, banner, and videos should all follow a set of branding guidelines. 

Viewers are more likely to feel connected to your channel when the branding is consistent. It also means that your videos are instantly recognizable.

Once you’ve established your brand, you can start focusing on growing your channel. One effective strategy for doing this is to simply encourage viewers to subscribe. Many people may like your videos, but they might not consider hitting the subscribe button. Reminding them to do so is often all that’s needed for them to make that jump. 

You’ll also want to engage with your online community on a regular basis. There is a good chance you will begin to lose subscribers if they do not feel connected to you. One way to interact with your audience is to participate in discussions in the comments section of your videos.

How to Create a YouTube Channel (In 4 Steps)

Setting up a YouTube channel is a fairly simple process. Let’s take a look at how it works. 

Step 1: Create a New Channel

If you do not already have a YouTube account, you can simply log into Google and click on the 9-dot icon. Then, select YouTube from the dropdown menu:

This will open YouTube and automatically log you into your account. If you already have an account, you can skip this step and head straight to YouTube.

Once logged in, click on the Profile icon and select Create a channel from the dropdown menu:

A popup box will appear, asking you to upload a profile picture and set a name for your channel:

While it is not required, we highly recommend uploading a profile picture, as it’s a vital aspect of your channel’s branding. If you have other social media accounts, we suggest using the same profile picture for YouTube as you do on other platforms.

The Name box will be filled in with your Google account name by default. It is up to you whether you want to leave it as is or make up a new name. Once you’ve set your picture and name, click on CREATE CHANNEL to proceed.

Step 2: Configure Your Settings

Your new channel has been created. The next step is to head to YouTube Studio and configure some settings. To do this, click on the CUSTOMIZE CHANNEL  button:

The first thing you’ll see in the YouTube Studio is your channel dashboard. This provides a general overview of your analytics: 

The next step in setting up your new YouTube channel, click on the Settings option in the sidebar. This will open a popup window:

The first tab is General, and it lets you set your currency. Next, you’ll want to look at the Channel tab. Here, you can select your country of residence and add some keywords:

These are words or phrases that tell YouTube’s algorithms when to display your videos in search results. We recommend that you enter at least 10 keywords that are relevant to the topic of your videos.

Next, you’ll need to navigate to the Advanced settings tab to tell YouTube whether your channel is made for kids. Meanwhile, if you go to the Feature Eligibility section, you can enable phone verification. This will allow you to upload longer videos, use custom thumbnails, and more:

At this point, you have finished configuring the settings for your new channel. There are a few other options you might want to check out before moving on to the next step. For instance, you can set your permissions and add moderators for your content. 

Step 3: Customize Your Profile

You can now start customizing your channel. To do this, return to your channel dashboard and select Customization from the menu: 

By default, the Layout tab will be selected. For now, you can head to Branding. Here, you can change your profile picture, set a banner image, and upload a watermark that will appear on all of your videos:

For instance, here’s what our WP Engine YouTube channel looks like:

We recommend creating a banner with a graphic design tool such as Canva. The design should be consistent with your profile picture. 

If you navigate to the Basic info tab, you can enter a description for your channel: 

This will enable viewers to learn more about you and your channel. Try to keep it short and sweet, but at the same time, you’ll want to ensure that all important information is included:

You can also add some links to pages that may be useful to your viewers, such as your blog, website, or online store. If you have other social media accounts, you can add links to them here.

Step 4: Upload Your First Video

Next, you can create your first video and set it as a channel trailer. A channel trailer is a clip that you show to users who visit your channel for the first time. It is meant to give them a preview of your content and encourage them to check out more of your videos. 

This video should cover what your channel is about, who you are, and why the viewer should subscribe. It will welcome the viewer to your channel and help create a sense of community.

Once you’ve created this video, you can upload it to YouTube. Open YouTube Studio and click on the Create button in the top right corner. Then, select Upload videos from the dropdown menu:

You can then upload the relevant file. Once this is done, the Details page will appear. Here, you’ll need to write a catchy title and an engaging description for your video. These should include some of your keywords to help the video come up in relevant search results:

You also have the option to add a custom thumbnail. You can choose from three images extracted from the video, or upload your own.

You can also add tags to your video. These help YouTube know when to display your video in search results. Add as many relevant keywords as you can think of. 

If you move to Video elements, you can add subtitles to your video. This can help you reach a broader audience.

Meanwhile, the Visibility section lets you choose who can see your video. If you want it to be available to everyone, select Public and hit the Publish button:

To set this clip as your channel trailer, head back to Customization. In the Layout tab, you’ll see a Video spotlight section:

This is where you can add a channel trailer and featured video. Click on Add and choose the relevant video.

Best Practices for Channel Maintenance

Now that you have posted your first video, it’s vital to ensure that you continue to publish content regularly and consistently. This can help keep your subscribers engaged and grow your audience more effectively.

For instance, you might create a content calendar (or an upload schedule) and share it with your subscribers so they know when to expect new videos. You’ll need to decide how often you want to upload. In most cases, once or twice a week is a good start. 

You can create videos ahead of time and schedule them to go live on a particular day:

You’ll also want to stay on top of your comments. For example, you might want to moderate messages to remove spam and offensive content. 

It’s also a good idea to engage with your audience through the comments section. You can answer their questions, ask for their feedback, and offer them additional advice. 

Conclusion

Creating a YouTube channel can be an effective way to reach a wider audience. You can upload engaging and informative content on a regular basis, and engage with your audience through the comments section. 

Fortunately, you can set up a YouTube channel in four easy steps:

1. Create a new channel through Google.
2. Configure your settings.
3. Customize your profile and channel. 
4. Upload your first video and set a channel trailer.

Once you set up your YouTube channel, you can start embedding videos on your WordPress website. At WP Engine, we offer powerful hosting solutions designed to make your site run fast and smoothly at all times. Check out our plans today!