Creating a YouTube Channel for Your Brand (Is It a Good Idea?)

As a small business owner, "Should I start a YouTube channel" has probably crossed your mind a few times. In this article, I will show you exactly how you can create high-quality video content and a high-performing YouTube channel for your brand.

(I'll also explore the question of whether it's a good choice for your business or not.)

Is a new YouTube channel worth it?

Nine out of 10 times, yes, a YouTube channel is worth it.

And this is for several reasons, not least of which because:

• YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine and therefore offers plenty of reach.
• YouTube is estimated to reach 868.4 million users in 2023 and is projected to continue to grow.
• Google owns YouTube, and therefore by optimizing your YouTube channel, you can improve your overall SEO.

Phil Collins, the Sales and Marketing Manager at Polymaster had this to say about my last point:

“You can be found on Google by using YouTube. Google Universal Search combines pictures, videos, news, books, and local searches in its search results to give users the most relevant information possible. You may have noticed that Google's search results are featuring videos more frequently. 

This demonstrates that Google values video content on par with text-based websites. By generating excellent content for your website and producing related YouTube videos, you may profit from this. By doing this, you will create backlinks to your website, increasing the likelihood that searchers will find you there. 

You're boosting the authority of your website by using YouTube in your marketing plan for your company. The higher all of your pages rank in the search results, the more credible Google perceives your website to be.”

But other than these reasons, business owners who create YouTube videos benefit from 

(1) increased familiarity and comfort with your brand and 

(2) shareable materials of your goods or services.

But, there may be situations where creating a YouTube channel would be a bad idea.

When you shouldn't start a new channel

Taking into consideration what I've already covered, there are times when starting a new channel isn't the right choice; these situations include:

• If you're a small business and don't have the time or expertise available.
• If you're not planning on running your business for an extended period.
• If you're unsure about the direction your small business is going and are considering changing your focus.

However, if none of the above relates to you, then read as I take you through a step-by-step guide.

A step-by-step guide: Creating a YouTube channel for your brand

Looking to create a successful YouTube channel? Read on as I show you exactly how to do this, starting with your name.

1. Pick the right name and profile picture

The essential first step is picking the right name and profile picture. There are millions of YouTube channels out there, so you have to pick something that's unique. Make sure that you do the following:

• Do extensive research to determine what it is people are searching for. Use this to influence your name choice.
• Search for similar channels on YouTube so that you don't create an overly similar name.
• Look for successful competitors in the same niche to see what worked for them.
• Consider which picture would adequately represent your brand while still fitting well in the profile picture space provided. 

2. Create an effective channel description

Here's the thing, keywords rule the internet.

Whether we like it or not, knowing how to use keywords effectively in your channel, including your about us section, will put you in good stead.

Think of it this way:

Say you run a small business selling refurbished skateboards at a huge discount on the original skateboards.

If someone is searching Google and looking up "cheap skateboard" or "second-hand skateboard," ideally, you'd want your website and your YouTube channel to come up.

An advantage of incorporating these keywords into your about us section is that your YouTube channel could come up. This could offer potential customers the chance to see your products showcased before making a purchase, increasing the chance of a successful sale.

3. Have a channel trailer

When creating your channel, the first video you should upload is your channel trailer. This video should effectively explain what your channel is about. Keep it brief, entertaining, and informative.

4. Set up your videos correctly

There are many elements to creating effective video content for your brand account. Remember to include the following in YouTube Studio when you create videos:

• Video titles with keywords someone is likely searching for are a good idea. Ahrefs has a free YouTube keyword tool that you can use.
• Video descriptions that also include the right keywords. Remember, like with the title: search bots will crawl the video to look for keywords in your video description.
• The appropriate tags (not to be confused with hashtags) that accurately reflect the video.
• A custom thumbnail that acts as "click-bait" and that presents the image that would appeal well to your target market (for example, a professional-looking thumbnail if you're a law firm).
• Add captions and subtitles to your YouTube video to reach an audience that (a) can't hear and (b) can't understand your language.
• Use video cards where appropriate to create links to other videos on your channel.

Also, remember that an excellent introduction will go a long way towards keeping your viewers watching. If the first 15 seconds of your video are boring, then your potential client will probably stop watching.

5. Consider YouTube Ads

YouTube Ads can be a great way to get your YouTube account off the ground initially. Just make sure you decide on who your target audience is, whether the campaign will be local or global, and what video would be the most appropriate to "boost."

You can also use YouTube analytics to assess how well the video is performing and how well your other videos are doing in terms of organic traffic.

Rome wasn't built in a day

You can make as many new videos as you'd like in a short period, but at the end of the day, it takes time to build a YouTube channel. Be patient with it, and most importantly, stay consistent.