YouTube is the second largest social media network, and being active on YouTube is a proven way to increase brand knowledge of your business and generate leads.

According to Oberlo, “62% of small businesses use YouTube to promote their business.” If you aren’t one of them, you could be missing out.

Some small businesses may not have the knowledge of how to use YouTube to generate leads or even how to get started.

If you want to use YouTube but don’t know where to get started, this is the article for you.

Setting up a YouTube channel for your business is easy enough and we will guide you through the exact process. By the end of this article, you will know how to set up your own channel and how to get the best results for your small business, even if you have little to no budget for video marketing.

Getting Started with Your YouTube Business Channel

YouTube was acquired by Google in 2006, so you may already have everything you need to set up an account. Many of us use Gmail every day to send emails, so if you have a Gmail account this can be used to set up a YouTube channel.

If you don’t have a Google account, go to the Google homepage and sign up for one.

When you have an account head over to YouTube.com. In the very right-hand corner, you will see either your profile picture (if you have uploaded one) or the first initial of your first name.

Click on this icon and a menu will show where you will need to click on “my channel.” This can also show up as “manage my channel” or “create my channel” depending on your region.

When you click on the above option you will then have the choice to make a personal account or a business account.

If you are a solopreneur it may make sense to create a personal account. If you are a small business and potentially could have multiple people uploading to your channel then go with the business option. For the business option, you will need to click on “use another name.”

After you select "use another name," add your business name in the field that pops up.

With your business or personal name filled in you will be taken to the creator screen. This screen will give you some options to fill out before your channel is complete.

The creator screen will give you the option to add an icon/logo, fill in information about the channel, and add any links to your social media and website. If you are a solopreneur I would advise adding a professional photo of yourself. If you are creating a channel for a business then you will need to add the company’s logo here.

The biggest mistake that people make when filling out their bio section on YouTube is that they give information on their company's history. People on YouTube don’t subscribe to companies, they subscribe to see good content. This is important to know.

In your bio section, write what content people can expect to see from your channel. If you sell a complex product your bio could explain that your channel will feature product explanations along with user walk-through videos.

Letting potential subscribers know what your channel is about gives them an opportunity to want to know more. In your bio section you should also add an email address that can be used to get in touch with your company.

Finally, adding your social media accounts and website address on this page gives potential customers multiple ways of contacting you while being convenient to them. Adding a website link also gives the potential customer a way to learn more about your business and services.

Plus, links from your YouTube channel to your website are valuable backlinks that help your domain authority.

When you have completed the above you should have a profile that looks like the following:

As you can see, this looks bland and doesn’t inspire others to follow the channel and engage with the content you post, but one step at a time, we will fix this below.

Channel Branding

With over 500 hours of content uploaded to YouTube every minute, standing out from the crowd is difficult. However, branding your channel and videos will help your channel look professional and increase the number of subscribers.

To change your channel's branding click on the "customize channel" option from your profile. Here you can add your company's logo (we have already done this), a banner, a channel video, and a watermark.

YouTube changes the recommended dimensions for all of the above frequently, so make sure to create the right sizes when designing your channel's artwork. The sizes are usually listed by the upload buttons.

You can use Photoshop to create the required artwork if you have the app. Two good alternatives are Canva and Visme, which come with various presets that you can use for channel artwork. Both are free to get started, so either one is a great choice if you are creating YouTube content on a small budget.

A channel trailer can be added here. We recommend adding one so it can play automatically to inform people what your channel is about. A channel trailer pulls profile visitors in and gives them a reason to subscribe. It can be a good way to grow your channel.

A good example of a branded YouTube account can be seen below.

Gozney is a company that produces pizza ovens and their branding reflects this.

Equipment needed to make video content

As a small business owner, you may not yet have the budget to create a top-quality video. The good news is you don’t have to as long as your soundtrack is clear and easy to hear, and the camera quality is good.

All you need to get started is:

• A way to record
• An external microphone
• Lighting
• Software to edit your video
• A tripod system.
  
  

You can record video on your phone, via screen capture, or with a DSLR camera. The more you invest, the better the quality of the video. Yet today’s mobile phones shoot remarkably high-quality video that is suitable for many projects.

An external microphone is going to give you clear and crisp audio. When purchasing a microphone, get one at the highest end of your budget so you have high-quality sound to support your video.

Lighting is inexpensive and can be found online. It’s important to use lights that simulate natural daylight. This is referred to as white light. You don’t need anything fancy, but if your budget is small you can also make your videos in a well-lit area with plenty of natural light.

Most computers, phones, and devices come with basic software that can be used to edit your videos. If not, there are a few high-quality video editors available, such as and HitFilm Express and OpenShot.

If you foresee your business creating video content for YouTube long-term, invest in professional video editing software. Adobe Premiere Pro has all the bells and whistles you would ever need but requires training and a monthly subscription. Camtasia is a screen recorder and video editor that is simpler to learn and use without quite as many features.

Lastly, a good tripod will get rid of any shake in your videos which can be distracting to your viewers. You can get one online at an affordable price.

What should you record?

The biggest part of getting your video marketing right is deciding on what you should record. Having a video marketing strategy in place helps you make the most out of your YouTube channel. Every video you create should have a purpose.

If you have a complex product or service, you could create videos to show people how to use your product. Try to keep your content targeted to one purpose.

Client testimonials are also a powerful marketing method. Text testimonials can be faked, but seeing someone on screen praising your company is an effective way to lend credibility.

If you take anything away from this article make sure that every video you create has a purpose.

Final tips

Growing a YouTube channel can be tough, especially with the wealth of content uploaded every minute. Nevertheless, there is plenty of room for you and your business to make it on YouTube.

Start with your video marketing strategy, promote your content, and don’t leave it up to the YouTube algorithms to do it for you.

When you create a new video be sure to share it everywhere you can. This leads to more views, and over time your account will show up higher on YouTube when someone searches for related content.

You can share your YouTube videos on your social media channels, within your blog posts, and even on other sites if they write about similar content.

James Mathews is a content writer for BounceColor.com, a website that helps small businesses edit their video content more efficiently through the use of preset digital assets.