In a world where billions of hours of video content are being uploaded and watched daily, proper YouTube channel customization can help you stand out and thrive. Adapting to the shifting landscape while complying with YouTube b2b marketing best practices is going to be the key to maintaining a dominant presence in the market.
YouTube, the second most visited website in the world, has recently announced changes to the channel homepage that will help businesses retain viewers by customizing the content they receive.
Let’s go over these upcoming changes as well as the overall best ways to go about making your channel an attractive destination for viewers around the globe!
YouTube channel customization starts with the creation of a business channel. This is different from a normal channel because it is not tied to any one person’s account. Multiple marketers can link their Google accounts and make changes depending on the authority level given to them by the channel’s creator. We recommend you take this approach for easier YouTube channel customization and management down the line.
After that is set up, we can start building a youtube marketing strategy by exploring different areas like video formats, content types, and audience outreach. Let’s jump right into it!
Maximizing The Different Video Formats
Mixing and choosing between different video formats and types of content means you can create a unique channel identity while reaching multiple audiences in the same period of time. Remember that these are only general guidelines, and we encourage you to break the rules whenever you feel it appropriate for creative purposes!
That said, the content is oftentimes dictated by the video format in the following way:
- Live Stream. This is best suited for long-form content that benefits from audience participation. Use it for webinars, Q&As, events, competitions, guided tours, interviews, giveaways, announcements etc. You can also kill two birds with one stone by taking the highlights from a live stream and turning them into a regular video.
- Short. You guessed it; it just means a video that’s under a minute. Use it for bite-sized advice, reactions, trivia, news headlines, etc. They can also be used as trailers for longer videos or live streams. This method usually involves taking a highlight from the main video and turning it into a short with a link to the bigger video in the short’s description. This is a newer format but one that is growing rapidly and has a proven track record (you only need to look at the success of TikTok for confirmation). Shorts will also soon be better monetized, so don’t exclude them from your content strategy.
- Regular Videos. This is the classic and most versatile video format. There is no required length, but 10 minutes is a good number to keep in mind. Use it for news, updates, tutorials, in-depth analysis, vlogs, etc.
The latest Youtube channel customization updates discover which usability testing tools you should useee the uploaded content split into separate categories. This is to enhance the user experience and offer a more immersive way of connecting users to the content they wish to see.
For example, somebody who prefers to watch short videos will now have the option to skip right to those by clicking on a dedicated Shorts tab on the channel page. Someone who prefers to watch long videos will be able to bypass the shorts and only focus on their desired length videos, without having to scroll through a myriad of other less appealing options.
The Youtube channel customization update also means that the only tabs shown on a page will be the ones containing uploaded content. If, for instance, the channel does not have any live videos uploaded, then the “Live” tab will not appear on the channel page.
The update doesn’t mean you have to choose a format and stick with it. It simply makes it easier for people discovering your channel to get to the content they enjoy faster. Your channel can be a highway with multiple lanes where everybody is going to the same destination – an enjoyable video-watching experience.
The Influencer / Social Media Culture
While the YouTube recommendation algorithm is phenomenal, it is only one path to becoming viral (or at the very least attracting more viewers). Videos are being mentioned, linked and reacted to all the time on other platforms. These include Twitch, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram as well as other YouTube channels.
Reaching niche communities on these platforms is like starting at the halfway point of a journey.
They already hold an interest in the overall topic, so they are more likely to engage with your content and react to it in a positive way.
As experts on affiliate marketing ourselves, we know that at the heart of many of these communities lie influential figures who create deep connections with their loyal followers. That is why they are the key to unlocking these distant audiences.
You should reach out and create a network of influencers who match your brand values. They will add their own voices to your own so that it can reach every corner of the Internet and bring in as many people as possible.
Create A Pleasant Experience For Your Viewers
We’ve talked about the type of content you should produce and how to get it in front of people. Now let’s go over what you can do to push things over the edge. You should create a pleasant viewing experience for your audience. This will drastically increase the chance of them returning to your channel.
- Consistency. The Youtube algorithm rewards consistent uploads. Moreover, people will remember your channel and return to it if they have a series of videos they are looking forward to that is updated weekly. Take advantage of this by creating a series for a topic whenever you can (“Q&A every 2 weeks, “Tutorial Monday” etc.)
- Playlists. Organize every series into a playlist so people can easily find it. If the videos are all in one accessible place, the chance of people watching more than one increases exponentially.
- Thumbnails, Title, Description, Tags. The thumbnail and title are what hook people in. Make sure to observe trends and patterns and make custom thumbnails. The title and description should have relevant keywords so the video can receive a boost from the algorithm. For the same reason, you should put tags on your video to slot it into relevant categories. Put the most important ones first, as they carry more weight in the algorithm.
All of these will make your content easily accessible and will turn your channel into a place viewers return to for guaranteed knowledge, entertainment and a sense of community.
Final words on Youtube Channel Customization
We hope our YouTube channel customization advice will supercharge your YouTube video marketing. We want to help your products and services find their way into the hands of people who will truly appreciate them.
If you have any questions or need some help implementing marketing technology strategies in your current or future business, don’t hesitate to contact us right here.
We will schedule a call right away to talk about all the ways in which we can use our over ten years of experience to help your company scale online in leaps and bounds!