Standing out is just not an option but a necessity in the vast ocean of digital content. Being one of the largest platforms for video content, YouTube provides massive opportunities for businesses to display their products, services, and expertise. YouTube is the second biggest social media platform in the world just behind Facebook with over 2 billion active monthly users. On your brand’s social channels, having the right YouTube branding can help your video content drive engagement.
For any social media marketing campaign, over 92% of marketers agreed that video content is crucial according to a Hubspot survey. However, in the same survey, more than 87% of marketers said that video content provides positive ROI. Having a memorable identity is essential for brands to succeed on this platform because millions of channels vying for attention. To craft a unique strategy this YouTube Branding 101 guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies that resonate with your target audience and advance your business channel to success.
Understanding YouTube Branding
YouTube branding is much more than just having a logo or coming up with an interesting channel name. It also refers to the overall visual and auditory sensation when someone stumbles upon your channel experience. It means giving your brand a seamless image that not only focuses on your brand’s fundamental principles and distinct voice but also speaks to your target audience.
Importance Of YouTube Branding For Businesses
Your YouTube channel is essentially your virtual storefront. Just like an actual store, well-planned aesthetics, and branding create a positive first impression and instill trust and interest from your potential customers, or in this case, viewers. But familiarity with your channel’s branding plays its part as well. Having a strong brand is essential for your business channel because:
- Increased Recognition- A familiar look and message help your viewers distinguish your channel from millions of others. Eventually, they form an association in their minds, seeing your branding as a sign of value.
- Builds Audience Trust- People are more likely to subscribe or view the content of a channel that appears trustworthy and credible.
Creating Your YouTube Brand Identity
When you want to embed YouTube channel on your website, let’s make your brand identity first by following these below listed easy steps:
1. Define Your Brand
Before starting to work on the visual aspect of your brand, you must have an established brand identity to go off. This includes your brand mission, core values, target audience, and unique selling proposals. Having such aspects clearly defined will help guide your branding as well as maintain consistency among all of your YouTube materials.
2. Define Your Channel Name
Your YouTube channel name is one of the first things that users will see, so make sure it is easy to remember and make it relevant to the theme of your videos. Avoid the most commonly used general names that do not give the necessary representation of your brand.
3. Craft A Logo
Your logo is your brand’s visual representation. On your channel, it should be displayed prominently. Keep your design simple, memorable, and scalable enough to hold its appearance over various devices and screen sizes. If you don’t have design skills, consider hiring a professional graphic designer to draw one for you.
4. Engaging Channel Art
Channel art, which includes the banner and thumbnail images, is an essential component of attracting viewers. Your banner image and thumbnail should include high-quality images and graphics that represent your brand’s identity while also providing a visual definition of what your channel is about. Finally, incorporate your logo, your brand colors, and something graphic that symbolizes your brand’s message to form the whole thing into a visual package.
5. Customize Your Channel Layout
Besides that, you can choose the elements to be featured in the channel layout and the sequence of the playlists. Make the best usage of the channel layout customization section so that the viewers can watch more and more videos by using the featured sections. Use the following simple tips to customize your channel so that it will be as beneficial for the viewers as possible.
6. Developing A Brand Voice
A brand voice is a unique style and tone of the messages. A brand voice is a casual or formal way of interacting with the viewers, e.g., if you are a conversational person, be yourself and fake professionalism.
7. Tell Your Brand Story
Every brand has a story, and sharing yours can help humanize your business and resonate with your target audience on a deeper level. By developing branded videos that tell the story of your brand’s creation, values, and the people behind the scenes, you can create a bond with your viewers based on trust and loyalty.
8. Optimize For Search
Along with visual branding, you must also search engine optimize your videos to ensure they receive organic traffic to your channel. That could be achieved by inserting relevant keywords into your video’s titles, descriptions, and tags that boost your visibility in YouTube’s search results. At the same time, you may want to conduct keyword research to understand specifically what your audience is searching for and how to include those keywords in your content.
Final Note!
For your business channel, creating a memorable identity on YouTube requires careful planning, creativity, and consistency. You can establish a strong presence on the platform and attract a loyal audience by defining your identity, designing visually appealing assets, and optimizing your content for search. Regularly review and refine your strategy to ensure it stays relevant and resonates with your audience because remember that branding is an ongoing procedure. Your business channel can become a powerful tool for building brand awareness, achieving your business goals, and driving engagement with the right branding strategy in place.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
