How to Start a YouTube Channel

With more than 23 million YouTube channels currently active, sharing video content has become one of the most popular ways of interacting with audiences across the internet. Featuring everything from how-to videos, to news roundups, to instructional DIY guides, YouTube is fit to bursting with video content spanning the entire globe.

What’s more, starting a YouTube channel is not only incredibly simple, it is completely free and, should you garner enough subscribers, could see you quitting your 9-to-5 job to take up producing videos full-time. It has also become a favourite for those who are interested in the video marketing potential associated with it.

However, while it is indeed simple and free, there are very good reasons for why not every user who has an account on the platform has made the step of creating a channel; it requires strong ideas, hard work, dedication, consistent output and high standards to attract viewers and make it worthwhile.

What to consider before starting a channel

There are a number of different factors that should be taken into account before starting a YouTube channel. These include the following:

Motivation

There could be various motives driving your desire to open a channel, whether it is wanting to teach others a skill (such as learning the piano), reviewing the latest video games, or making short films for a general audience. What’s more, it is important to determine what your motivations are right at the beginning to ensure your content has some sort of direction.

Frequency

Once you have identified your motivation for launching a channel, it is then a good idea to set a schedule for how frequently you think you will be uploading content. Will this be a full-time pursuit or just a hobby? Are you willing to commit to daily vlogging or just as and when something interesting pops up? Whatever the time scale – be it weekly or once every six months – once you have decided, it is essential that you stick to it in order to avoid disappointing, and potentially losing, subscribers.

Promotion

Finding the right outlet for your video content once it is uploaded is just as significant as the video content itself. Unfortunately, people will not simply be able to find your channel if you do not promote it in some way, including on social media, forums, paid advertisements, and more. Before you get started, try to make sure you have an idea in your head of how you will distribute the videos you produce.

Steps to starting a channel

Starting a YouTube channel is painfully simple and just requires a Google account to get going. If you follow these steps, you will be up and running in no time:

• Load up a web browser and go to www.youtube.com to launch the YouTube homepage
• Sign in to your Google account in the top right-hand corner of the screen
• Click on ‘My Channel’ and the ‘Create Your YouTube Channel’ screen will appear
• Add a custom biography to the channel, upload a profile photo and click on the ‘Ok, I’m Ready To Continue’ button
• Your YouTube channel has been created!