Guide: How to create and manage a YouTube brand account

The popularity of video in the social networking landscape continues to evolve, and it's become clear that a well-crafted YouTube strategy is not only sensible, but essential.

YouTube is the second most visited website in the world, just behind Google. In France alone, it has 52.1 million monthly users and attracts 18.6 million unique visitors every day ! It's also worth noting that the platform is the second most-used search engine in the world. So integrating YouTube into your marketing strategy is crucial to extend your reach, reinforce your brand image, build a community, and much more.

YouTube's distinctive format, often more elaborate than on other social platforms, is perfectly suited for storytelling, building trust and instilling a more human dimension to your business.

Fortunately, creating and managing a branded YouTube account is a user-friendly process. Use this comprehensive guide to guide you through the essential steps to getting started and publishing your first YouTube videos!

How to create a YouTube brand account in 5 steps

Before you can accumulate views on your YouTube channel, you need to create it! Here are the steps to follow:

1. Sign in to a Google Account

Before launching a YouTube channel, you need to log in to your Google account. We recommend that you create a new account dedicated solely to your YouTube channel. This way, you'll be able to better manage access and limit potential security problems.

Once you've created a Google account, go to YouTube and click on "Sign in".

2. Create a YouTube account

With your Google account, you automatically have a personal YouTube account. To use it for business purposes, you need to create a branded account.

To do this, go to the YouTube home page, click on the avatar icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen, to access your account and click on "Create a channel".

You will then be asked to give your channel a name. The most obvious choice is, of course, your brand name.

The advantage of creating a branded account on YouTube is that you can give administrator access to multiple people, and customize the account name and appearance to match your brand image. You'll also have access to YouTube analytics to better understand who's watching your videos and how your content is performing.

Our tip: secure your channel by setting up 2-step verification. Go to your Google account > click on Security in the navigation panel > click on 2-step verification > click on Start in the "Sign in to Google" section and follow the steps.

Your account is now created and secure! Now it's time for the fun part!

3. Customize the layout of your YouTube channel

For greater consistency between your different communication channels, it's important to personalize your channel.

Start by clicking on the "Customize my channel" button at the top of the screen.

At this point, you'll be redirected to the YouTube studio, where you'll see options for customizing your channel, including layout, branding and basic information.

Let's start with your layout . This allows you to organize the content that people see first. Let's review each of these elements:

• Video projectors : This is the first piece of content to appear on your channel. You can add two types of video. A trailer will be shown for people who haven't subscribed to your channel, and a featured video will be shown specifically for your subscribers (who haven't seen it yet).
• Featured sections: Choose up to 12 featured sections to appear on your channel. These organize the content your visitors see first.

Once you've customized your layout, click on the Publish button in the top right-hand corner. Or go on to the next step: branding.

4. Customize the branding of a YouTube channel

Three aspects of your channel can be adapted to accurately reflect your brand image:

• The profile photo (800 x 800 px) that appears next to your videos and comments.
• The banner image (1,546 x 423 px) is the large image at the top of your YouTube channel.

• The video watermark appears in the bottom right-hand corner of your videos. You can choose when and for how long it appears.

Our advice: Make sure these visual elements are in harmony with your brand identity.

5. Writing your YouTube brand account bio

YouTube offers you a great opportunity to reveal yourself to its vast community. Personalizing this information is the key to making a lasting impression. The "About" tab isn't just your business card, it's also your way of channelling visitors to your website and other social platforms. You can integrate up to 5 visible links on your banner, strategically placed in the bottom right-hand corner.

Let's take a closer look at the essential elements you can customize for your channel:

• Name: Make sure it's true to what your channel stands for, whether it's your identity, your brand or your passion.
• Pseudonym: Choose a short, punchy version of your name that's easy to remember and find. It will also fit into your public URL.
• Description: You've got 1,000 characters to spice up your channel's presentation. Don't hesitate to diversify by proposing descriptions in other languages. Include relevant keywords to optimize your visibility.
• Channel URL: This is the unique address of your channel, associated with your login.
• Links: Channel your visitors by adding links to your website and other social profiles.
• Links on the banner: Position up to five key links on your banner, in the bottom right-hand corner. Make sure they don't encroach on other essential graphic elements.
• Contact: Provide an e-mail address so that interested parties can contact you, whether for collaborations, press inquiries or other.

Once you've pressed "Publish", your channel is ready to go! Now it's up to you to publish your first video nuggets.

Getting started with your YouTube brand account

Now that you've created your YouTube brand account, all that's left to do is set up your content strategy and promote your first videos!

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The best content strategies for brand accounts

First and foremost, to succeed on YouTube, it's crucial to understand your target audience . Your target audience may vary from that of other social platforms, sometimes appearing more mature. However, the most notable difference is that the YouTube audience expects more in-depth and qualitative content compared to platforms like TikTok or Instagram, although YouTube has recently introduced Shorts", short videos in vertical format.

The objectives of your YouTube brand account are also worth considering. Are you looking to expand your audience? Build trust with your prospects? Or perhaps to strengthen the loyalty of your existing customers by offering high-end content?

Depending on your aspirations, you'll be able to develop a well-tailored strategy. Take inspiration from other brands that are similar or target a comparable audience, such as :

• Vogue: The renowned magazine relies on YouTube to connect with younger generations. By collaborating with influencers like Lena Situations, it adds a touch of spontaneity and authenticity to its image.

• Qare: This teleconsultation platform has chosen a singular approach by collaborating with Shera. By organizing round tables, it positions itself as an expert on the topics it addresses.

• Zalando: On YouTube, Zalando surfs popular formats. Its videos offer glimpses behind the scenes and promote values dear to its followers.

YouTube promotion and engagement

Once you've developed your content strategy, the next step is toamplify its visibility and encourage interaction:

• Regularity: YouTube favors active channels. Aim for a regular frequency, like a weekly video posted on Sundays.
• SEO optimization: Explore the keywords your audience is looking for. This will not only boost your visibility, but also reveal niches where you can stand out.
• YouTube advertising: YouTube offers a range of ads to suit every need, from Instream ads to text banners. Familiarize yourself with these tools to maximize your reach.

The benefits of a YouTube brand account

Starting a YouTube channel is just the beginning. Becoming an AS on the platform is another story.

Like many other platforms, YouTube offers the option of creating a professional account. And that's a real plus for :

• Fine-tune your marketing strategies,
• Keep an eye on your subscribers' interaction,
• Build brand awareness,
• And simplify the distribution of your videos on other networks, or even for podcast episodes.

By following the tips in this guide, believe me, your channel will be up and running in no time!