It can be very overwhelming to start and grow a YouTube channel. After all, there is a lot to take into consideration. That being said, impressions and more importantly, first impressions, might be critical to getting someone to subscribe and stick around. Because of that, it is of vital importance that your channel looks as good as possible and welcoming to new viewers. How do you achieve that? Let’s find out.
1. Add a Solid Banner and suitable Profile Picture
When someone finds your channel, be it a brand or a viewer, they might look around on your channel page as to what you have to offer. That’s why it’s not insignificant to make it clear what your channel is about and what you do. The first thing you can do to achieve that is giving your channel a nice banner and profile picture.
You’ve probably heard this countless times before but both your channel banner and profile picture are super important. Make sure that they match and complement each other. If you’re building a personal brand around you, it’s best for your profile picture to be a picture of you. It makes everything a bit more personal. Then again, if that’s not really your intention, a solid logo that goes with the banner is fine too of course.
The channel banner is probably the thing that is most paramount to get right. It needs to look nice, go well with the style of your channel and the vibe you want to create. It also has to be clear as to what the channel is about. For example, for my channel, I chose to go with a nice paper/crayon style and I literally mention the keywords that I would use to describe my channel. This way, people know, right off the bat what the channel and the content on it will be all about. It’s nice to know that as an audience (and as a brand looking to sponsor channels) beforehand.
2. Compose A Playlist Welcoming New Viewers
A great way to make a good impression on possible new subscribers and brands that could be interested in your channel is to create a playlist with your best videos to introduce people to your content. To create a playlist you go to YT Studio > Playlist > New Playlist, to add that playlist to your channel page you go to YT Studio > Customization > Featured Sections > Add Section > Single Playlist.
Choose videos that got you the most subscribers, got you the most watch time and positive interactions, or just videos you’re really proud of. (You can find all that info on the analytics page of your videos in the YouTube Studio.)
3. Use Unique and Attractive Video Thumbnails
In order for the rest of your channel page to look appealing, your thumbnails have to look splendid too. You’ll have to experiment with what kind of thumbnails work and which don’t but ultimately it’s beneficial to your channel if they have a uniform style. Something that says, “That’s a video from that specific creator.”
4. Add Other Categories and Playlists
If you plan on going live on YouTube and scheduling in live streams, even if that will only happen from time to time, I propose putting those categories at the top of your page. These categories will only be visible on your channel when you have planned an upcoming livestream or if you are doing a livestream. This will make it easier for people to find you live on YouTube.
Other than that, I’d recommend keeping the uploads category underneath your welcoming playlist. Below that, you should fill your page out with some of your other created playlists. This way you can further showcase your content and what it’s all about.
An extra thing that you can also provide (best at the bottom of your page), is a selection of channels from your inspirations or friends. I personally chose a mix of both but ultimately that’s up to you. Choose channels of people you’re either friends with or channels that act as inspiration for yours and who create content similar to your own content. It fleshes out your page and at the same time, you support the people that inspire you or those with who you’re friends or both.
5. One Small Final Tip
Emojis on YouTube work and they can give some extra flair to your channel. I wouldn’t use them in video titles as that would be a bit overkill. However, using them in the titles of your categories or the titles of your playlists can really elevate the look of your channel. Don’t forget to give your playlists a description as well, looks more professional and makes the content on your channel even more clear.
Most emojis over on Get Emoji are supported on YouTube, feel free to use them to spruce things up!
And that is how you can make your YouTube channel that tiny bit more attractive to newcomers, loyal subscribers, and of course interested brands. Happy content creation!
This article is written by MrCobblewobbles