How to Start Your Vlog and Make Money From It

In a world where video content is everything, starting your vlog is a great way to make money online. But with no experience or training, it’s hard to know how to start a vlog and make money.

Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered!

This course shows you how to launch a profitable YouTube channel and monetize your new channel. You’ll learn everything you need to know, from finding your niche and the best ways to promote your vlog. Once your vlog starts getting views, you’ll see how to turn your viewers into subscribers, make money, and become a YouTube sensation.

Background of vlogs on YouTube

What started off as a way for vloggers to share their thoughts about topics they were passionate about eventually turned into a full-blown industry. According to Pew Research, there are more than two million vloggers, and the audience for vlogs has grown from around 200 million viewers in 2012 to over 700 million in 2017. Vloggers like Logan Paul, HJ Evelyn, Ur Mom Ashley, and Roman Atwood are some names helping to shape the industry.

Why vlogs are loved by people

Vlogs are short, informal videos posted online on platforms like YouTube. Think of them as the modern equivalent of early television (TV) shows. They allow creators to connect directly with their audiences, share their opinions, and be creative in a way that wasn’t possible before. They can be fun, entertaining, informational, and even educational.

But most importantly, they’re easy to make and easy to watch. The most popular ones out there are HJ Evelyn and UR Mom Ashley. Their videos are pure chaos and fun to watch.

1. YouTube Ads
2. Brand Sponsorship
3. Affiliate Marketing
4. Patreon
5. Sell your service or products

• Top 10 Highest-Paid Vloggers on YouTube
• Hot FAQs on How To Start a Vlog and Make Money

Part 1: Why Can’t I Make Money Through My Vlog?

So you’ve started filming videos on YouTube vlogs, but why aren’t you making any money from them? Is it something you can change? Let’s look at some common reasons why vloggers aren’t making any income and figure out how to get around them.

Who is my target audience?

So, let’s be honest; most vloggers focus on the wrong audience. Most vloggers think they’re not making money because they haven’t figured out the right audience for their videos. But the reason why most vloggers aren’t making money is that the majority of their audience is just not interested in them. It seems strange to say it, but when it comes down to it, most vloggers they’re trying to appeal to the wrong type of people.

What problems am I solving?

It seems that more and more vloggers are doing videos today. However, so many vloggers aren’t making money because they are trying to solve problems that no one wants to hear about! Make videos on the problem many people want to know about; they will want to see what you are saying—resulting in more views and money.

What solutions am I offering? Are these solutions both financially viable for you and in line with the needs of your target audience?

The internet provides many tools and resources to help vloggers find a job or business. Youtubers provide quality content, but some fall short of providing solutions. As a vlogger, it is your job to help potential clients identify what solution you are offering. You must be able to prove your expertise. You need to see if you’re addressing the target audience’s needs.

Part 2:How To Start a Profitable Vlog YouTube Channel

It’s easy to get started on YouTube. Go to the website, set up a free account, and upload videos. But when it comes to growing a profitable vlog YouTube channel, there are some tricks to getting the best results. Here are the three things you must do to achieve the success that will bring you money.

Find your niche. (what is a niche, and how to find)

A niche is a more specific topic than your normal interests and therefore requires more thought and research. Finding a niche means narrowing down what you’re passionate about and what you’re good at and carving out a community of viewers who want what you’re offering. Once you figure out your niche, the next step is to create content that suits your niche and what you want to share.

Consistency and patience

Another thing that makes vlogging a successful business is consistency. Vloggers who put out new content every week or even every day may get a lot of views. A consistent schedule means you can produce new videos that will retain people’s interest and keep them returning for more. Also, YouTube algorithms favor timely, fresh, and well-made videos. You must be patient and wait to get the attention of YouTube’s algorithm.

Content quality

With the success of big YouTube stars like Markiplier and Casey Neistat, it’s clear that the market is for quality vlog content which is quite lucrative. YouTube’s algorithm favors videos with large numbers of views, so if you’re looking to start a profitable vlog YouTube channel, you’ll need to add quality, creativity, and useful content for viewers.

And to do that, you must try Wondershare Filmora video editing software. Let’s have an overview of WonderShare Filmora 11 and how we can create quality content using it.

Wondershare Filmora

This game-changing editor helps you create amazing videos by offering effects and features designed explicitly for Youtube videos.

Most importantly, it’s beginner-friendly, which makes it a must on the list.

Key features

• Ready-made Templates - Can be used as Preset
• Instant Mode - No editing skills needed
• Motion Tracking - Add moving stickers and effects on your clips
• AI and FX effects- Makes editing features smooth and increase the performance
• Auto Synchronization - Automatically matches the separate audio and video files
• Color Correction - Change colors according to you need.

Pros

• Seamless interface for beginners
• Great customer support
• Plenty of effects and preset templates
• 4K video output options

Cons

• Rendering requires too much time
• The mobile app requires separate subscription

Availability:

Download now on Windows , Mac , iOS , iPad , Android

Ratings:

4.4 Stars out 5

Price:

Starting from $19.99

Let’s assume you have created the Vlog content. Now, we want you to understand the methods of how you can earn income with vlogging.

Part 3: Common Methods of Vlogging Income

We’ve seen so much misinformation about how to make money via vlogging. This makes it hard to figure out what works and what doesn’t. There are so many ways to make money vlogging, and it takes a lot of trial and error to find what works for you. Let’s break down the main ways to make money vlogging into different categories.

YouTube Ads

Ad revenue comes from advertisers who pay to show their brand message across the top of the video. Advertisers choose which ads are displayed, so don’t let a video with few views make you think you can’t make money with your videos. The key is to monetize your content and become eligible for Youtube ads.

According to Google, a publisher (Youtuber) will get 68% of ad revenue. An advertiser’s actual rate varies, but it averages almost $0.18. That means that for every 1000 ad views, a vlogger will receive $18.

Brand Sponsorship

While the vlogger market is still young, brands are starting to recognize its enormous potential for brand recognition, building a community, and engaging with current and potential customers.

Vloggers also use their videos to demonstrate how a product should be used and answer questions about the brand, its products, and services. As well as they will often provide some insight into a product or service through creative storytelling.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another form of monetization for online video bloggers. In affiliate marketing, bloggers earn commissions by referring traffic to affiliate products through affiliate links. The goal of affiliate marketing is to drive sales and build a sustainable source of revenue, whether it’s through Amazon, Google, or other platforms.

Patreon

Patreon is another option, and if done correctly, it can turn a niche blog into a revenue source, which is great for bloggers and vloggers alike. By creating a Patreon account, you are allowing people to donate money to help support your content creation. In return, you offer rewards to supporters of your channel. Rewards could include extra content, merchandise, access to private forums, or even free ebooks.

Sell your service or products

With over 1 billion monthly active users, there’s an opportunity for content creators to make money by selling their products or services. You could sell your physical products to your audience as a vlogger. The best method this can be done is by creating an online store that sells T-shirts and mugs with your branding. Make sure those products must be related to your niche or channel category. As for services, you could also offer tips on improving your life, starting an online business, or even becoming a successful Youtuber!

Part 4: Top 10 Highest-Paid Vloggers on YouTube

Vloggers on YouTube are earning some big money. From the top-earning vloggers to the most-watched channels on YouTube, we’re breaking down the ones raking in the dough.

Here are the top 10 highest paid vloggers on YouTube, according to Forbes:

Name / Channel	Net Worth ($)
1. MrBeast	60 million
2.Jake Paul	30 million
3. Markiplier	35 million
4. Rhett and Link	20 million
5. Unspeakable	30 million
6. Nastya	20 million
7. Ryan Kaji	100 million
8. Dude Perfect	50 million
9. Logan Paul	245 million
10. Preston Arsement	20 million

Hot FAQs on How To Start a Vlog and Make Money

1. Is daily vlogging worth it?

Yes, daily vlogs are the perfect way to establish yourself as an online expert if you think of it as a business. With the right strategy, there is no doubt that starting daily vlogs will be worthwhile for your business.

However, many vloggers have found that it isn’t easy to stick to the routine. You may start losing quality, and as a result, your daily vlogs performance degrades. This can be a frustrating experience for you, so you must consider this before embarking on a daily vlogging project.

2. What is the best topic for vlogging?

There isn’t a specific topic for vlogging. The best topics to cover on any vlog can be the vlogger’s most interesting thing of his life, what he loves doing, what makes him feel like making a difference in the community, or what he wants people to remember about the vlog. It all comes down to a person’s personality, interests, and preferences.

3. What equipment do I need to start vlogging?

With a tripod, the most basic gear to start vlogging is a camera, microphone, and computer. Vloggers typically use cameras that range from DSLRs (digital single lens reflex) to iPhones.

In addition to the gear needed to get started, there is one more item you’ll need to consider to produce quality vlogs. A video editing software that helps you convert your raw footage into eye-catching content, like Wondershare Filmora.

The Bottom Line

So, in summary, if you want to become a vlogger, you will need to figure out how to find your target audience, connect with them, and keep them interested in you. And you can do all of this through social media, advertising, and email marketing. It might be tough at first, but once you get started, you’ll be able to start generating revenue pretty quickly.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Part 1: Why Can’t I Make Money Through My Vlog?

So you’ve started filming videos on YouTube vlogs, but why aren’t you making any money from them? Is it something you can change? Let’s look at some common reasons why vloggers aren’t making any income and figure out how to get around them.

Who is my target audience?

So, let’s be honest; most vloggers focus on the wrong audience. Most vloggers think they’re not making money because they haven’t figured out the right audience for their videos. But the reason why most vloggers aren’t making money is that the majority of their audience is just not interested in them. It seems strange to say it, but when it comes down to it, most vloggers they’re trying to appeal to the wrong type of people.

What problems am I solving?

It seems that more and more vloggers are doing videos today. However, so many vloggers aren’t making money because they are trying to solve problems that no one wants to hear about! Make videos on the problem many people want to know about; they will want to see what you are saying—resulting in more views and money.

What solutions am I offering? Are these solutions both financially viable for you and in line with the needs of your target audience?

The internet provides many tools and resources to help vloggers find a job or business. Youtubers provide quality content, but some fall short of providing solutions. As a vlogger, it is your job to help potential clients identify what solution you are offering. You must be able to prove your expertise. You need to see if you’re addressing the target audience’s needs.

Part 2:How To Start a Profitable Vlog YouTube Channel

It’s easy to get started on YouTube. Go to the website, set up a free account, and upload videos. But when it comes to growing a profitable vlog YouTube channel, there are some tricks to getting the best results. Here are the three things you must do to achieve the success that will bring you money.

Find your niche. (what is a niche, and how to find)

A niche is a more specific topic than your normal interests and therefore requires more thought and research. Finding a niche means narrowing down what you’re passionate about and what you’re good at and carving out a community of viewers who want what you’re offering. Once you figure out your niche, the next step is to create content that suits your niche and what you want to share.

Consistency and patience

Another thing that makes vlogging a successful business is consistency. Vloggers who put out new content every week or even every day may get a lot of views. A consistent schedule means you can produce new videos that will retain people’s interest and keep them returning for more. Also, YouTube algorithms favor timely, fresh, and well-made videos. You must be patient and wait to get the attention of YouTube’s algorithm.

Content quality

With the success of big YouTube stars like Markiplier and Casey Neistat, it’s clear that the market is for quality vlog content which is quite lucrative. YouTube’s algorithm favors videos with large numbers of views, so if you’re looking to start a profitable vlog YouTube channel, you’ll need to add quality, creativity, and useful content for viewers.

And to do that, you must try Wondershare Filmora video editing software. Let’s have an overview of WonderShare Filmora 11 and how we can create quality content using it.

Wondershare Filmora

This game-changing editor helps you create amazing videos by offering effects and features designed explicitly for Youtube videos.

Most importantly, it’s beginner-friendly, which makes it a must on the list.

Key features

• Ready-made Templates - Can be used as Preset
• Instant Mode - No editing skills needed
• Motion Tracking - Add moving stickers and effects on your clips
• AI and FX effects- Makes editing features smooth and increase the performance
• Auto Synchronization - Automatically matches the separate audio and video files
• Color Correction - Change colors according to you need.

Pros

• Seamless interface for beginners
• Great customer support
• Plenty of effects and preset templates
• 4K video output options

Cons

• Rendering requires too much time
• The mobile app requires separate subscription

Availability:

Download now on Windows , Mac , iOS , iPad , Android

Ratings:

4.4 Stars out 5

Price:

Starting from $19.99

Let’s assume you have created the Vlog content. Now, we want you to understand the methods of how you can earn income with vlogging.

Part 3: Common Methods of Vlogging Income

We’ve seen so much misinformation about how to make money via vlogging. This makes it hard to figure out what works and what doesn’t. There are so many ways to make money vlogging, and it takes a lot of trial and error to find what works for you. Let’s break down the main ways to make money vlogging into different categories.

YouTube Ads

Ad revenue comes from advertisers who pay to show their brand message across the top of the video. Advertisers choose which ads are displayed, so don’t let a video with few views make you think you can’t make money with your videos. The key is to monetize your content and become eligible for Youtube ads.

According to Google, a publisher (Youtuber) will get 68% of ad revenue. An advertiser’s actual rate varies, but it averages almost $0.18. That means that for every 1000 ad views, a vlogger will receive $18.

Brand Sponsorship

While the vlogger market is still young, brands are starting to recognize its enormous potential for brand recognition, building a community, and engaging with current and potential customers.

Vloggers also use their videos to demonstrate how a product should be used and answer questions about the brand, its products, and services. As well as they will often provide some insight into a product or service through creative storytelling.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another form of monetization for online video bloggers. In affiliate marketing, bloggers earn commissions by referring traffic to affiliate products through affiliate links. The goal of affiliate marketing is to drive sales and build a sustainable source of revenue, whether it’s through Amazon, Google, or other platforms.

Patreon

Patreon is another option, and if done correctly, it can turn a niche blog into a revenue source, which is great for bloggers and vloggers alike. By creating a Patreon account, you are allowing people to donate money to help support your content creation. In return, you offer rewards to supporters of your channel. Rewards could include extra content, merchandise, access to private forums, or even free ebooks.

Sell your service or products

With over 1 billion monthly active users, there’s an opportunity for content creators to make money by selling their products or services. You could sell your physical products to your audience as a vlogger. The best method this can be done is by creating an online store that sells T-shirts and mugs with your branding. Make sure those products must be related to your niche or channel category. As for services, you could also offer tips on improving your life, starting an online business, or even becoming a successful Youtuber!

Part 4: Top 10 Highest-Paid Vloggers on YouTube

Vloggers on YouTube are earning some big money. From the top-earning vloggers to the most-watched channels on YouTube, we’re breaking down the ones raking in the dough.

Here are the top 10 highest paid vloggers on YouTube, according to Forbes:

Name / Channel	Net Worth ($)
1. MrBeast	60 million
2.Jake Paul	30 million
3. Markiplier	35 million
4. Rhett and Link	20 million
5. Unspeakable	30 million
6. Nastya	20 million
7. Ryan Kaji	100 million
8. Dude Perfect	50 million
9. Logan Paul	245 million
10. Preston Arsement	20 million

Hot FAQs on How To Start a Vlog and Make Money

1. Is daily vlogging worth it?

Yes, daily vlogs are the perfect way to establish yourself as an online expert if you think of it as a business. With the right strategy, there is no doubt that starting daily vlogs will be worthwhile for your business.

However, many vloggers have found that it isn’t easy to stick to the routine. You may start losing quality, and as a result, your daily vlogs performance degrades. This can be a frustrating experience for you, so you must consider this before embarking on a daily vlogging project.

2. What is the best topic for vlogging?

There isn’t a specific topic for vlogging. The best topics to cover on any vlog can be the vlogger’s most interesting thing of his life, what he loves doing, what makes him feel like making a difference in the community, or what he wants people to remember about the vlog. It all comes down to a person’s personality, interests, and preferences.

3. What equipment do I need to start vlogging?

With a tripod, the most basic gear to start vlogging is a camera, microphone, and computer. Vloggers typically use cameras that range from DSLRs (digital single lens reflex) to iPhones.

In addition to the gear needed to get started, there is one more item you’ll need to consider to produce quality vlogs. A video editing software that helps you convert your raw footage into eye-catching content, like Wondershare Filmora.

The Bottom Line

So, in summary, if you want to become a vlogger, you will need to figure out how to find your target audience, connect with them, and keep them interested in you. And you can do all of this through social media, advertising, and email marketing. It might be tough at first, but once you get started, you’ll be able to start generating revenue pretty quickly.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Transform Your Channels’ Image: A Pathway to More Subscribers and Followers

How to Brand Your YouTube Channel to Get More Subscribers

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Also read: