How to Create a YouTube Channel – Complete Guide

If you haven’t already done so, create a Google account for your brand. While you can use your personal email, it is often better to keep things separate to make things easier for you to sort through relevant emails and other notifications. 

Your email address won’t be seen by anyone on YouTube, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not it perfectly matches your brand name. It would be convenient in the future, however, if you choose to create a website or further increase your branding. A branded email address also looks more legitimate to potential sponsors.

Using your new Google account, create a YouTube account by completing the following steps:

1. Step 1

   Visit YouTube. 

2. Step 2

   Select the “Sign In” option in the top-right corner of the screen.

3. Step 3

   Choose the “Create Account” option and choose between yourself or your business.

4. Step 4

   Sign in using your Google account. 

At this point, you will need to upload your channel art. If you haven’t created it yet, try to keep your niche and brand in mind when you create the design. The art you will need will include the following:

• Profile Picture

  This can either be a picture of you or your brand’s logo. People will be able to see it when you comment on their videos and it will be shown next to your channel name at the top of your description.

• YouTube Banner

  Your YouTube banner will be displayed at the top of your YouTube page. It will generally give your subscribers a good idea about what your channel is about. 

• Watermark

  You can either use your channel name or a translucent logo for your watermark. It will help protect your content from being stolen and used on other channels

To put these up, you will need to complete the following:

1. STep 1

   Click on your avatar icon on the top-right side of your channel, then choose “Your Channel” from the drop-down menu. 

2. Step 2

   

   Locate and click on the “Customize Channel” button at the top of the screen. 

3. Step 3

   

   Click the “Branding” tab at the top of the screen. 

4. Step 4

   Upload your profile picture, your banner, and you watermark in their designated areas.

Take the time to fill out your channel’s about section. Many YouTube users will actually look at it and browse its contents. Make sure to put the most important information about the channel toward the top of your bio. Here are some things you should add:

• Your content

  Give them an overview of the content you plan to make for the channel. Identify the niche and for whom it is created. This information will help your viewers identify whether or not they want to follow your channel long term. 

• Your experience

  Explain what made you passionate about your content or what qualifies you to be an expert about what you will cover. It is okay if you are learning your content as you go.

• Naturally Placed Keywords

  Make a list of important keywords to your niche and work them into your about section in a natural way that reads well. 

If you are working with others on the YouTube channel, you can give them access to your account without having to surrender your Google password to them. Here’s how:

1. Step 1

   Click on your profile picture, then select “Settings” from the drop-down menu. 

2. Step 2

   On the settings page, you will see a section called “Channel Managers.” Click “Add or Remove Manager(s).”

3. Step 3

   

   On the next page, click the “Manage Permissions” button in the users section. You may have to sign into your Google account again. 

4. Step 4

   

   Click the person icon on the top right-hand side of the screen. 

5. Step 5

   

   Input the email address of your team member and choose a role for them. Click the “Invite” button. Repeat this step until every member has been invited. 

Uploading your first video to the account is arguably the most difficult part, not because of the steps it takes, but because many feel anxiety about sharing their content to the world. 

You may want to spend hours tweeting everything to make sure it is perfect before the upload. While you should aim to deliver quality, don’t overthink things too much. Schedule a date a time where you will upload your first video regardless if it is “perfect” or not and hold yourself to it. 

Over time, your content will improve as you continue to practice and perfect your craft. Many YouTubers will go back and delete or edit their early videos once the channel starts picking up traction and you can do the same. The point is that you have to get over the initial anxiety and just create in order to begin your journey as a YouTube influencer. 

You can click the video camera icon at the top-right of your screen and follow the instructions to set up your first video. We have also written a full guide on how to upload a YouTube video for your convenience. 

While you can use a regular uploaded video as your channel trailer, it is a good idea to create something unique that will show your viewers what you plan to do with your channel. As you grow, you will be able to update your channel trailer with clips from previous videos that have resonated with your audience and will entice new members to subscribe to your channel. 

Here is how you can upload a channel trailer to your YouTube channel:

1. Step 1

   Click on your avatar icon on the top-right side of your screen, then choose “Your Channel” from the drop-down menu. 

2. STep 2

   

   Locate and click on the “Customize Channel” button at the top of the screen. 

3. Step 3

   

   Under the video spotlight section, you’ll find the option to upload a channel trailer and a featured video. The trailer will be available to viewers who haven’t subscribed and the featured video will be a highlight video for subscribers who haven’t watched it yet. 

4. Step 4

   Upload your channel trailer to the appropriate place and highlight your best video for your future fans. 

Create playlists on your YouTube channel to categorize your content. If you create any series or have specific topics you cover, put those into specific playlists who would like to binge-watch your videos. To set up a playing, complete the following:

1. Step 1

   Click on your avatar icon on the top-right side of your screen, then choose “Your Channel” from the drop-down menu. 

2. Step 2

   

   Locate and click on the “Customize Channel” button at the top of the screen. 

3. Step 3

   

   Find the “Playlists” option on the left-side panel under your avatar and name. Click it. 

4. Step 4

   On the next page, click “New Playlist” at the top of the screen and title your playlist. 

5. Step 5

   Add videos to the playlist. 

In order to upload videos that are longer than 15 minutes, you will need to verify your account by adding a phone number to prove your identity.

1. Step 1

   Click on your avatar icon on the top right side of your screen, then select “Settings” from the drop-down menu. 

2. Step 2

   Select the “Channel status and features” link that is under the Your channel section on the page. 

3. Step 3

   Click the “Verify” button that is located under your name. 

4. Step 4

   Input your country and your phone number to receive a text or a phone call with your verification code.

5. Step 5

   Once you have your verification code, input it in the provided box to receive your confirmation message. 

   Note: Verifying your account will not give you the verification badge. The verification badge is reserved for channels with at least 100,000 subscribers. 

Once you have your YouTube channel created, you need to work toward becoming a YouTube partner by continually adding quality content that people want to see. Here are the requirements for YouTube partnership:

• 4,000+ public hours watched on your channel within the last year. 
• At least 1,000 subscribers.
• Linked AdSense account.
• Live in a country or region where the partner program is available. 
• Adherence to all of YouTube’s monetization policies.  

After you meet the requirements, you will be able to gain access to creator support teams, the Copyright Match tool, and YouTube’s monetization features.