![\"starting](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/start-yt-channel.png?format=webp&v=1685128054\")
Every day, YouTube users watch over a billion (yes, with a b) hours of YouTube videos, and yet only 9% of small businesses have bothered to start their own channel. As YouTube usage continues to soar, it becomes mission critical for businesses without a YouTube presence to jump in.
\nLearn how to start a YouTube channel for your business, creating and sharing compelling videos to engage current customers and attract new ones. We’ll also cover the most effective strategies for building a successful YouTube channel.
\nTable of Contents
\nStarting a YouTube channel will give you an edge over your competitors, but there are plenty of other benefits too.
\nReady to get started? Here’s how to set up your YouTube channel.
\nCreate a YouTube channel for your ecommerce business by logging into the Google account you want to use to manage the channel.
\nTIP: Using a brand account instead of a personal channel comes with more benefits later down the line—like additional managers who can each have their own login password.
\n1. Visit YouTube while you’re logged in to the Google account you want to use to manage your account and head to the YouTube channel switcher.
\n2. You should see your personal account, any brand accounts you currently manage, and the option to create a new channel.
\n![\"Youtube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/adding_channel_name.png?format=webp&v=1685128255\")
3. When you click on “Create a new channel,” you’ll be taken to a screen to create a new brand account. Choose a channel name for your new account and click “Create.” Here you can also upload a profile picture, such as your brand’s logo.
\nCongratulations! You’re now the proud owner of a YouTube page for your business.
\nNow that you know how to create a YouTube channel for your business, get it looking its absolute best.
\nHere are a few easy steps you can take to give your channel a more professional look and make sure your customers know how to find you online.
\nYour channel icon will initially be linked to your business account’s profile photo. YouTube will direct you to update your account to change it.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/editing_channel_icon_48eb498e-af50-4113-901d-79559383718f.png?format=webp&v=1685128419\"){kind=icon}
Your picture should be a JPG, BMP, PNG, or non-animated GIF, saved at 800 pixels x 800 pixels. Make sure it displays well at smaller sizes and in both a square and a circle crop for the multiple places YouTube will use your channel icon.
\nAdding channel art is a great way to show off your brand’s personality and create a visually engaging YouTube profile. Your channel art should be under four megabytes and at least 2048 pixels x 1152 pixels, although YouTube recommends going with 2560 pixels x 1440 pixels for best results on all devices.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/channel-art.png?format=webp&v=1685128495\")
YouTube will give you a preview of each image to show you how it will be displayed on multiple devices. You can also edit or crop your image.
\n![\"This](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/new-channel.png?format=webp&v=1685128577\")
To unlock all of the customization options for your channel, you’ll need to click the gear icon in the section beneath your channel art.
\n![\"youtube](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/youtube-settings.png?format=webp&v=1685128649\")
A pop-up titled “Channel settings” will then appear. Look for the “Customize the layout of your channel” option and enable it. Click Save. You’ll now have a wider range of options sorted into five tabs: Home, Videos, Playlists, Channels, and About.
\nHead over to the About tab to edit your store’s details.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/add-brand.png?format=webp&v=1685128730\")
Under “Description,” give a brief outline of your store, products, and mission. Keep any core keywords for your store in mind and make sure to use them in your channel description to help people find you when they search YouTube. This will also help the YouTube algorithm understand what your channel is about.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/links_to_social_accounts.png?format=webp&v=1685128809\")
Most of your links will default to the favicon (the small image that shows up at the top of your browser), but the first link in the lineup will also show the link title, so make the most of those 30 characters, as 100% Pure has done with its Shop Now call to action.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/links-example.png?format=webp&v=1685128899\")
TIP: Verify your phone number so you can create videos longer than 15 minutes, livestream, and upload custom thumbnails. Click your profile picture and go to the YouTube Studio. Select Settings in the navigation bar, click the Channel tab, and go to Feature Eligibility. You’ll see the option to verify your phone number under the intermediate features.
\nOnce your channel is set up, the fun can begin. It’s time to start planning your videos and creating content that attracts and converts your ideal customer.
\nYour niche is essentially what you’ll become known for on YouTube. For example, if you run a beauty brand, you’ll create videos within that niche—maybe you’ll share some makeup tutorials or answer beauty Q&As.
\nFor best results, go deep with your niche and choose a niche within a niche. Instead of settling on “beauty” in general, could you niche further into sustainable cosmetics or curly hair care?
\nWho do you want to reach on YouTube? Your target audience should be those most likely to resonate with your content and buy your products. It’s much easier to come up with content ideas, make videos, and promote your brand when you know exactly who you’re talking to.
\nWhen identifying your target audience, consider:
\nYour unique value proposition should bring together your niche and your target audience in a way that makes your brand memorable. It’s essentially the reason why people should watch your channel and what they’ll take away from your videos.
\nFor example, your unique value proposition might be helping women with curly hair tame their locks through easy-to-follow tutorials. Or it might be spotlighting the craftspeople behind the products you make to raise awareness of small communities and traditional manufacturing techniques.
\nWho are you up against? There’s nothing wrong with a bit of healthy competition, but having total visibility of what kind of content is already out there will help you map your own strategy. More than that, understanding what videos your competitors are creating will help you find your own place in the market.
\nRun a simple YouTube search using relevant industry keywords to find channels that:
\nNow it’s time to start compiling a list of potential video ideas. Start big—you can hone it down later. Here are some tactics you can use to spark ideas:
\nConsider what types of video you’ll create. Will you post educational videos that show viewers how to do something? Will you tell brand stories using beautiful videography and behind-the-scenes footage? Or will you share entertaining videos aimed at making viewers laugh?
\nVat19, an ecommerce gift shop that specializes in offbeat products, has built an impressive online empire with its engaging, highly targeted content. Its YouTube strategy focuses on building absurdist comedy sketches around its wide selection of novelty gifts to introduce new products to its audience. It’s currently sitting at nearly nine million YouTube subscribers, which means this approach is definitely paying off.
\nUltimately, YouTube is a search engine that uses keywords to determine whether a video will be useful to a searcher. Use a keyword tool like Ahrefs, SEMRush, or Moz to find popular keywords in your niche. When you know what search terms your target audience are using, you can incorporate them into your videos and content strategy to make sure you’re showing up in the right searches.
\nThe good news is, you don’t need to be a pro videographer to make great YouTube videos. In fact, anyone with a smartphone can shoot high-quality footage—with a few extra tweaks on an editing app, you’ll barely notice the difference.
\nOnce you’re ready to start shooting, here’s what to do.
\nIn short, starting a YouTube channel is relatively cheap—you just need a smartphone and some time to start creating. But if you feel limited by the quality of your phone and what you can do with it, consider investing in some videography equipment.
\nHere’s a list of items you might need to get started:
\nWhen it comes to shooting your videos, think about how you’ll frame the content, any scripts you might need, and where you’re going to film. For example, if you film indoors, you might need to consider the lighting more than if you were shooting outdoors.
\nBefore you set up your camera, consider:
\nThis is where it all starts to come together. Your video is as good as it can be and you’re ready for your audience to devour your useful tips.
\nHere’s how to upload a YouTube video:
\nYour first 1,000 subscribers are the hardest to get. You have to prove that your channel is worth watching and that you have content that’s relevant to their needs.
\nHere are some tips for getting your first 1,000 YouTube subscribers:
\nCommunity is a powerful tool on YouTube. The more people you have vouching for you and your channel, the easier it is to reach more viewers. Start by optimizing your videos for visibility with relevant keywords and engaging with similar existing channels. You can also poll your audience about what content they want to see, run contests and giveaways to create a buzz, and film series that ensure viewers come back for more.
\nYou don’t need to publish a new video every day—that’s impossible with everything else you have to do. Instead, create a schedule that’s realistic and comfortable. For example, you might decide to upload two videos a month, such as one tutorial and one behind-the-scenes sneak peek.
\nOnce you’ve created your schedule, stick to it. Viewers will start to expect and anticipate your next upload, which creates a sense of excitement around your channel.
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/youtube-channel-example_af0c3d7e-cf2d-4f7d-9360-70578bc65f2a.png?format=webp&v=1685129046\")
If you have a decent following on other platforms, like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or your newsletter, promote your YouTube channel there. Invite existing followers to join you on Facebook, either by sharing a link in your social media bio or including a call-out at the bottom of every newsletter. Don’t forget to add a link to your website, too.
\n![\"The](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/footer-example.png?format=webp&v=1685129332\")
Take advantage of YouTube’s extensive influencer and creator communities. Identify channels that have a similar audience to yours and reach out to collaborate. There are plenty of ways you can work with other YouTubers, such as:
\n![\"Screenshot](\"https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/colourpop_886934fa-bedf-4cee-ad32-63a42e0a5aea.png?format=webp&v=1685129399\")
YouTube tools optimize your videos, helping you create better content quicker to get your videos in front of the right people fast.
\nHere are some must-have YouTube tools we recommend using:
\nCreating a YouTube channel will give you a competitive edge and build trust and awareness around your brand. Take the time to figure out who you want to target and what your unique value proposition will be. Then, come up with video ideas that will resonate with those people.
\nOnce your channel is up and running, you can focus on getting more views and subscribers through monetization methods, creator collaborations, and cross-promoting your channel on other platforms.
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Starting a YouTube channel can be a rewarding experience, but whether or not it is worth it largely depends on your goals and expectations. Here are some factors to consider:
\nStarting a YouTube channel doesn’t have to cost anything. All you need is a Google account, a smartphone, and free editing software. When your channel starts growing, you might want to invest in some more powerful editing tools, as well as keyword research and analytics tools.
\nhttps://www.shopify.com/blog/start-a-youtube-channel-for-your-business
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A new AI service for “parsing” music tracks.
\nThe Mikrotakt neural engine can split any track into vocals, instrumentals, bass, drums, and other audio tracks.
\nIn addition, you can upscale vocal tracks to clean up the voice and adjust the pitch. This feature is ideal for musicians and content makers.
\nThe new Chinese model DeepSeek-V3 becomes a competitor to ChatGPT:
\n– registration requires only your email and password
\n– the neural is quite fast: answers are generated in seconds
\n– Thinking mode, where AI turns into an academic on any topic
\n– the model can read diagrams and generate any texts
\n– files of different sizes can be uploaded
\n– the neuron is good at working with code
\n– absolutely free
\nHailuo AI from China can clone any voice without censorship in a few seconds. Its library includes more than 300 voices in different languages and intonations. The model also allows for full customization: you can change the tone, speed, and timbre and add sound effects.
\nThe Chinese have released a worthy competitor to ChatGPT.
\nThe Qwen2.5-Plus chatbot provides accurate answers, can read documents and images, and is completely free of charge.
\nKrea allows rotating models in its “Photoshop”
\nKrea developers have come up with an incredible feature for their neuro-Photoshop: you can drop any object and edit its position in 3D space.
\nThe Upscayl neuron has received a 16x upscale, so now it can save even the most hopeless photos. The download is free.
\nThe Wegic neural network has become even cooler.
\nNow websites are generated in seconds, and all your edits can be made with simple queries.
\nYou just throw in a promo and you have a perfectly(?) designed website.
\nA working AI meme generator.
\nThe Brainrot neuron follows trends, selects relevant images, and produces memes that are even funny to read. And all this is free.
\nGoogle has released a top free guide to AI agents.
\nIt contains everything: basic knowledge, tools, architecture, training methods, and a step-by-step recipe for creating agents on LangChain and LangGraph.
\nIt is a cool service for learning languages with an AI interlocutor.
\nThe Lingocat neuron imitates the native speaker, gives feedback, and has tasks to improve skills. And all this is free of charge.
\nThe free neural from the Chinese outperforms(?) ChatGPT.
\nA new model called R1 has been released that outperforms the best version of ChatGPT. R1 is twice as powerful as the previous version and it has literally everything you need: programming, math, rewriting, and everything else. It’s worth noting that if you look at the graph of how it “outperforms”, it doesn’t encourage you to switch from OpenAI to the Chinese neural.
\nUniversal AI photo editor.
\nGenerating, replacing, or deleting details, styling, changing the background, and upscaling – and this is not the whole list of functions of the new and free Dzine neural.
\nPrompt generator for ChatGPT
\nPromptEngine works according to the official recommendations of OpenAI. The service also supports other language models: Claude, Gemini, LLama, and Mistral, which can be selected from a list.
\nOpenAI President showed a feature for the o1 model.
\nAccording to Greg Brockman, the o1 model works a bit differently than other types of AI, and to achieve high performance, you need to follow a certain plan in writing promos:
\nthe goal, response format, warning, and context.
\n(The Anatomy of an o1 Prompt attached an example image)
\nChatGPT can now write first.
\nThe neuron will remind you of important things like a real assistant. For example, in the morning, it can provide a ready-made excuse for being late for work, and in the evening, a convincing explanation for a deadline shift.
\nSo far, only 10 regular tasks are available, but by the end of the week, all paid users will receive the new feature.
\nOpenAI offers free tokens for ChatGPT.
\nHowever, there is a caveat: in exchange, they ask for permission to use your promos to train models.
\nThe offer lasts until the end of February. Pro users can get up to 1 million tokens per day, and mini-version users can get up to 10 million!
\nTrump has canceled Biden’s decree on control over AI development.
\nThe document, signed in 2023, required developers to share test results with the government to reduce risks. However, Republicans insisted that this restricted freedom of speech and hindered progress. Now, AI development is unrestricted again.
\nChina will organize a competition between robots and humans
\nIn April, China will host the world’s first half marathon where people will compete with robots. The race will involve 12,000 runners and dozens of androids. Technology versus biology is a real race of the era.
\nAI tokens soar after the Stargate project announcement.
\nOn January 23, Trump announced a $500 billion investment from the private sector in the development of AI infrastructure in the United States. As part of this project, OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle will create a joint venture called Stargate. Immediately after this announcement, the AI and big data token market showed significant growth:
\n– AI16Z and AI Rig Complex (ARC) grew by 30% per day
\n– GRIFFAIN and ZEREBRO tokens doubled in price
\n– MetamonkeyAi (MMAI) showed an increase of 152.25%
\n– FLock.io (FLOCK) – by 57%
\nThe smartest o3-mini model will be free!
\nSam Altman said that this neural will be able to solve complex problems in programming, math, and data analysis – all for free.
\nFeatures of o3-mini:
\n– advanced analytical abilities
\n– accelerated data processing speed
\n– ease of use for everyone
\nThe release is planned for the near future.
\nOracle founder supports AI totalitarianism
\nBillionaire Larry Ellison stated that the total surveillance system with artificial intelligence based on cameras, drones, and police recorders will force citizens to “behave in the best way possible”.
\nOracle has recently entered into a partnership with OpenAI and Softbank. Digital dystopia is becoming a reality.
\nThe first Chinese base for robot training was opened in Shanghai
\nThey will learn to help around the house, play football, and assemble cars.
\nThe data obtained in the process will be shared with various companies.
\nCurrently, the center has more than 100 androids and plans to expand to a thousand by 2027.
\nChatGPT can now create any kind of application – a new Canvas feature has been released that runs the code right in the browser.
\n– There are no limits to ideas – we invent and ask AI to draw up a detailed project description.
\n– Copy and paste the request into the chat with the neuron, but add the “/canvas” command at the end.
\n– AI will produce a fully working application in React and HTML in a second – you can test it right away!
\n– There are no limits or restrictions – you can even clone YouTube in your browser.
\nThe feature is free.
\nTop 5 promos for working with any amount of information – the neural will squeeze out all the “water” from the source and give you only concise, verified facts:
\n![\"\"](\"/static/f0c3865203f0eb84451f04f5379021f7/85b06/A-weekly-inspirational-newsletter-1080-x-1080-px-1920-x-800-px-3.png)
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