6 Tips for Creating a Great YouTube Channel

Whether you are creating your first YouTube channel or starting your fifth channel the process is the same. YouTube is simple right? Everybody who has a Gmail account already has a channel. If it does seem that simple to you, stick to these guidelines.

1. Define what your channel focus will be.

   This is the very first step and the most important. This means choosing a topic or area of expertise to focus your channel content on.

2. Use beautiful channel art that is illustrative of the type of content you’ll be focusing on.

   Create device agnostic art, meaning art that will look good on any kind of device. Take advantage of the YouTube templates so that the viewing experience is good on a mobile device, smart TV or desktop.

3. Think about the viewer journey.

   You want to make content discoverability on your channel easy for new viewers. Carefully consider your target audience, then organize your content in such a way that extended viewing sessions are pleasurable for all viewers within that audience. Whether you are bringing viewers closer to your brand story or the niche topics that your channel covers, you want to make sure it is fun and easy to discover new content on your channel.

   Create playlists of similar videos. Think of a playlist as a daisy chain that will keep viewers on your channel.

4. Create a strong content calendar.

   Be sure to tell your viewers when to expect what types of content from your channel. Utilize the channel trailer and the About channel section to inform viewers and subscribers of your content calendar. And stick to it.

5. Create good content!

   This isn’t the first step on purpose; this comes after careful consideration of your channel focus, content strategy, and calendar. You’ll need to establish a cadence for content creation that is realistic for your personal goals or brand budget and timeline. Good video takes time. Create outlines and scripts for your videos; don’t make videos off the cuff when you start. Some creators can get away with unedited content, but you should create content that comes from a solid content and creative strategy. Create authentic content that aligns with your channel, your point of view, and your audience.

6. Engage with your audience.

   Get to know them. Each video is like a date, they can stay after the first course and if they really like you they will comment on the video and share it with their friends. When that happens, be sure to comment back — reciprocity is the way to win on YouTube. Nurture your audience and your biggest fans; they will love you back, we promise.

Nothing is easy in life, but lots of things are fun. Take advantage of the amazing ecosystem that YouTube provides, create, share and engage with your audience and you’ll be the real winner in the end. Good content, good friends and good times can be had on YouTube. Combine all those and you might even make good money.