Starting A YouTube Channel: The Complete Guide 2023

YouTube is one of the most popular spots on the web and is still the resource most people use when they want video content.

Starting a YouTube channel can be a great way to make money online.

Still, starting a YouTube channel can be daunting.

The platform is saturated with videos, so you may be worried that your videos won’t stand out.

However, with the right strategy and a little knowledge about how the platform works, you can create a successful YouTube channel.

Read on for our complete guide to starting a YouTube channel in 2023.

What Is a YouTube Channel and How Does It Work?

A YouTube channel is a collection of videos created and posted by one user or brand.

You can also use a YouTube channel to curate videos that a user likes or make a playlist of other creators’ videos.

Each YouTube channel has a unique URL, making it easy for creators to share their channel on websites and social media platforms.

In addition, other YouTube users can subscribe to your channel, so the platform will notify them whenever you post a new video.

Within a YouTube channel, you can also create playlists for your videos.

You can group them by subject or type to make it easy for followers to find videos that interest them.

What Are the Tips for Starting a Successful YouTube Channel as a Beginner?

YouTube has been around since 2005, and it has videos that have over a billion views.

Starting a channel in 2023 can be daunting, as the platform is so established.

However, it can be done.

Follow these tips for starting a successful YouTube channel.

Choose a Niche

Find a niche that suits your interests and personality with profit potential.

Many types of YouTube videos have the potential to be successful.

You just have the find the type that works for you.

Once you’ve chosen a niche, dedicate your channel to it.

Don’t try to upload many videos that have no connection to one another.

Channel Page Is Important

Your channel icon, background, trailer, and other customizations are important.

You can make your channel look unique and professional, which will get you subscribers.

Quality Over Quantity

Viewers will click away if your production quality is low.

Take your time to script a video and film it the right way.

Use editing to keep your video moving along and remove mistakes.

Aim to make high-quality videos over uploading as many videos as possible.

Be Consistent

While quantity isn’t as important, you do need to upload consistently for the YouTube algorithm and for your subscribers.

Whether you post once every three days or once a week, set a posting schedule and stick to it.

Optimize and Market

Make sure that all of your content is optimized for YouTube and Google.

Be sure to use keywords in your video, titles, and descriptions.

Share your videos on your social media channels and anywhere else where people may be interested in your content.

How Do You Set Up Your YouTube Channel?

Setting up a YouTube channel is a simple process and shouldn’t take too long.

As you get more in-depth with your posting, you can then customize your channel.

Creating a Personal YouTube Channel

You’ll only need to follow a few simple steps to create a personal YouTube channel.

Create a Google Account

You’ll start by creating a Google account if you don’t already have one.

Go to the Google account signup page.

You’ll enter your name, a username, and a password and then create an account.

You can also enter a phone number or alternate email for account recovery.

Once you’ve created an account, you have access to Gmail, YouTube, and the Google Play store.

Create a YouTube Account

To create a YouTube account, start by going to YouTube.

Click “sign in” at the top and log in using your Google account.

When prompted, select the option stating that you’re creating the account for yourself.

A YouTube account lets you like and subscribe to videos and channels.

You can also save videos to watch later and access your viewing history.

After signing in, you’ll then be able to create a channel.

You’ll need a YouTube channel to post videos and create playlists.

Customize Your YouTube Channel

If you want your YouTube channel to feel professional, you need to customize it using the YouTube Studio feature.

There are three basic ways you can customize your channel.

Basic Info

Under basic info, you can change your channel name and write a channel description.

Using YouTube SEO here can help others find your channel.

Branding

It’s essential to be consistent in your branding on your YouTube channel.

If you already have a website or social media platforms, ensure that your branding is in line across all channels.

Under branding, you can change your channel icon or profile picture, which is the small picture that shows up next to your channel name.

You can also create a banner for the top of your channel page.

You can add a video watermark as well.

Layout

The layout option lets you organize all of your channel content.

You may wish to put a trailer at the top of your channel page.

You can select a featured video and organize your content into relevant playlists.

Upload Your First YouTube Video

You’ve now reached the most exciting moment in your YouTube journey: uploading your first YouTube video!

Before uploading, you’ll need to spend time creating a video.

Creating high-quality videos is the first and most crucial step if you want to make your YouTube channel into a business.

To upload a video, you’ll go to the create button.

It’s usually located near the top of every YouTube page and looks like a video camera with a plus sign in the middle.

When you click, you’ll have the option to upload videos or go live.

Choose “upload videos.”

Ensure that your video is in one of YouTube’s accepted formats and select the file to upload.

While your video is uploading, you’ll be able to add a title and description.

You can also add tags to help others find your video and set whether you want the video to be private or public.

Once uploaded, it can take a few minutes before your video is live.

Make Your YouTube Channel Discoverable

If you want to make your YouTube channel into a business, you need to make your channel discoverable.

Otherwise, users won’t be able to find you when they’re browsing around the platform.

To make your channel discoverable, just be sure that you’ve set all the videos you want others to see to “public.”

Creating a Business YouTube Channel

If you own a business, you may want to create a YouTube channel under your business’s name.

If all content will be devoted to your business, creating a business YouTube channel instead of a personal channel makes sense.

When you create your YouTube account, choose the option that you’re creating the channel for a business.

You’ll register using your business name.

YouTube may require verification of address.

They’ll send you a card in the mail, and you’ll enter the code from the card.

Once entered, your account will be up and running.

You can customize your business channel the same as you customize a personal channel.

How to Make Money From a YouTube Channel

YouTube has over 1.7 billion unique monthly visitors, making it a lucrative way to make money.

However, if you want a successful YouTube channel, take time to strategize before imagining all of the money you’ll potentially make.

There are several methods for earning on YouTube.

While running ads is the most common method, you could also do affiliate marketing or get sponsorships.

How Many Subscribers Do You Need on YouTube to Make Money?

Unlike some other platforms, YouTube doesn’t allow you to start earning money with the first video you post.

They have subscriber and viewing requirements before you can monetize your channel.

Your channel will need at least 1,000 subscribers before you’re allowed to include ads on your videos.

How Many Views Do You Need on YouTube to Make Money?

YouTube requires you to have over 4,000 hours of watch time on your channel in 12 months before you can monetize it.

How Much Money Do One Thousand YouTube Views Make?

While YouTube doesn’t directly disclose how much its content creators make, it’s estimated that creators make $18 per 1,000 ad views.

This equates to $3-5 per video viewed.

While this number may not seem like much, you stand to earn quite a bit if your viewership increases.

How Do YouTubers Get Paid?

 While there are a few ways to earn money on YouTube, most creators make over 50% of their income through ad revenue.

Affiliate marketing links and sponsorships typically account for the other part of their income.

How Can You Make Money on YouTube Without Making Videos?

You don’t have to film your own content to make money on YouTube.

Instead, you can use other content creators’ work.

However, ensure that any work you use is licensed under Creative Commons.

Look for the CC-BY license on the video’s page.

Otherwise, you’ll break copyright laws, and YouTube can terminate your account.

Equipment for Starting a YouTube Channel

If you plan to make money off your YouTube channel, you need to create professional-quality videos.

Viewers are automatically turned off by bad sound and video quality.

You’ll need to invest in some equipment to ensure your videos are of sufficient quality.

Fortunately, video production equipment is cheaper than ever before.

It’s often advised to start with equipment that fits your budget but still gives you decent quality.

As your channel earns money, you can invest in better equipment.

What’s the Best Audio and Video Equipment for Starting a YouTube Channel?

Below are the best types of audio and video equipment for starting a YouTube channel.

Audio Equipment

A camera microphone isn’t the best for recording sound.

The audio equipment you need will depend on the types of videos you’re producing.

For videos where you’re talking directly to the camera on a quiet set, a studio mic is best.

An on-camera shotgun mic is great for shots where the camera is moving.

If you are tracking someone and need to hear their voice, a lavalier mic is beneficial.

In certain instances, you may want to get a boom mic, if you have scenes where it may be hard to hear your speakers but don’t want them to wear a mic.

Video Equipment

For many YouTubers, one of the latest smartphones is enough for filming.

The latest phones have decent video quality.

A GoPro is a good option if you have a lot of action shots and a DSLR is quite an investment but will produce the highest-quality video.

You may want to get a tripod to give you extra stability.

A lighting kit or even a ring light can also improve video quality.

Finally, you’ll need to use video editing software.

Many content creators find iMovie to be sufficient.

However, as your channel grows, you may want to consider Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro.

Marketing Your YouTube Channel

Once you’ve customized your channel and uploaded some great videos, it’s time to market your YouTube channel.

Ideally, you post a few videos, they go viral, and things take off from there.

However, most channels don’t grow this way.

It takes a dedicated marketing effort to get eyes on their videos.

There are a few methods for marketing your channel.

You can help users find you organically and through paid advertisements.

How Do I Promote and Market My YouTube Business?

For organic promotion, you need to optimize your videos according to YouTube SEO.

Make sure that your titles, descriptions, and tags contain keywords that users may search.

Remember that YouTube videos show up in Google search results as well.

Put your videos in the proper categories.

You can make your videos more appealing by creating custom thumbnails and exciting titles that encourage users to click.

Ask your viewers to like and subscribe, as those also help with the YouTube algorithm.

If you have a large social media following, be sure to link to your YouTube channel.

Paid promotion is also an option.

You can go through Google Adsense for video.

You can also pay to promote your channel on social media platforms.

Who Is the Target Market?

Before you get too far in promoting your new channel, you need to define your Target audience.

YouTuber has a mix of viewers, from Gen Z through Boomers, so you’ll need to figure out who your channel is best suited to.

Once you have your target audience figured out, then you can develop a strategical marketing plan.

Pros of Starting a YouTube Channel

There are quite a few reasons for starting a YouTube channel.

It’s estimated that users watch an average of 100 minutes of video each day, so it only makes sense to get into the YouTube game, especially since YouTube is still the most popular video platform.

A YouTube channel allows you to present your content from a different perspective and can often make your business seem less like an institution and more like a group of people.

Since YouTube videos show up on Google, you can get traffic from the two largest search engines.

As your channel grows, videos can be a great way to make money online.

Once you can monetize your channel, ad revenue is an excellent source of mostly passive income.

You can continue to develop channel ideas and grow your business even more.

Is It Still Worth Starting a YouTube Channel?

Starting a YouTube channel is an investment.

Equipment and video production cost money, and if you try to do everything for free, there’s a good chance you’ll never get anywhere.

There’s no guarantee that your channel will be successful, and if you don’t get enough subscribers and watch hours, you can’t even monetize your channel.

However, it’s still worth starting a YouTube channel.

As the demand for video increases, high-quality videos still have a chance of being successful.

You can maximize your chances by creating professional-looking videos and following best practices when creating your channel and uploading content.

You can also help with your budget by purchasing second-hand equipment and doing the production and editing in-house.

As your channel grows, you can also grow your budget.

Which Kinds of Content Are Most Popular on YouTube?

Vlogging videos are very popular, as viewers like to get a peek into other people’s lives.

Even though Twitch is popular for gaming, gaming videos are still some of the most-watched videos on YouTube.

Viewers also enjoy comedy and prank videos, dancing, and challenges.

Educational videos do well, from explainers to how-to videos.

Viewers like unboxing videos and haul videos, which are videos where people show the results of their shopping.

These videos usually go through items someone got for a great deal.

If you don’t want to create your own videos, then list videos, such as “Top 10” or “Best of” videos that are popular.

Frequently Asked Questions

Got questions about starting a YouTube channel?

We have answers!

Wrapping Up

Starting a YouTube channel is still a viable way to make money in 2023.

With a solid subscriber base and high-quality videos, you have the potential to earn income through ad revenue, affiliate marketing, and sponsorships.

Just remember to take time to make your channel the best it can be and don’t give up if your first few videos aren’t successful.

Just keep posting and putting in the effort.