How to Grow Your YouTube Channel: A Beginner’s Guide

You've posted your first video to YouTube and now you sit back and wait for the views to roll in. Right? Unfortunately, it's not that easy to reach your audience, and you'll need to put in a little extra effort to give your video the boost it deserves. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to get more eyes on your video that don't require a ton of time, such as:

• Branding your YouTube channel
• Promoting your videos off YouTube
• Building videos around a keyword
• Optimizing your videos
• Partnering with other creators

In our Beginner's Guide, we'll explore each of these in a little more detail.

Brand Your YouTube Channel

Don't just stick with the default settings. You can use your YouTube channel page to showcase your personality and set expectations for what viewers can expect from your videos.

Start by creating a custom banner. You don't need epic design skills to do this, since there are plenty of sites, like Canva, that offer templates specifically for YouTube banners. Add a profile image, optimize your channel page by filling out your About section with as much detail as possible, and be sure to use relevant hashtags so viewers can find you.

With Canva, you can create great videos, and here's how:

Using a .tube domain name is a great way to shorten your YouTube URL into something easy to remember and easy to promote. A .tube domain provides an unprecedented opportunity to brand yourself and makes it easier for people to find your videos online. Search for your perfect .tube domain today.

 

Promote Your Videos Off YouTube

While YouTube is one of the world's most popular websites, you can reach an even bigger audience by showcasing your videos on other sites too.

While it's tempting to simply share a link to your YouTube video and be done with it, you'll likely get more traffic if you share teasers instead. These are short, bite-sized snippets of your video that are designed to entice viewers to click through to your channel and watch the full version.

You'll also want to create a website if you haven't already done so. You can embed your YouTube videos in strategic places on your site, like your About page, or use the site as an extension of your YouTube channel itself, like Dynadot customer how2.tube did. Their website functions as a searchable database of how-to videos sourced directly from YouTube.

 

Build Videos Around a Keyword

To better focus on a target audience, build each video around a specific keyword or theme. Search engine optimization (SEO) might not seem like something you need to worry about on a platform like YouTube, but it actually functions much like a search engine.

Viewers type in specific keywords hoping to find the exact video they need. Think about how often people use YouTube to learn how to cook a specific vegetable, ride a horse, or solve nearly any problem. Creating your videos with search intent in mind can help ensure viewers actually find your content.

 

Optimize Your Videos for Better Reach

To reach the widest audience possible, make use of YouTube's built-in tools to optimize your video content.

First and foremost, turn on the captioning feature so people who are deaf or hard of hearing can consume your content. You can allow YouTube to auto-generate captions, though they may not always be fully accurate, or better yet, upload your own captions.

Next, make use of the thumbnail feature so viewers can get a quick idea of what your video is about before they click. Finally, optimize each video description and include a clear call to action (CTA) that tells viewers what to do next, such as subscribing to your channel, visiting your website, or watching another video.

 

Partner With Other Creators

A crossover is a great way to reach an audience you might not have had access to before. Think about other video creators or influencers you admire and would like to work with.

What can you offer their audience, and what can they offer yours? Don't be afraid to reach out with a collaboration pitch that explains how you can help each other grow. Your collaboration could be a guest video on each other's channels, a joint interview, or another creative format that introduces both audiences to new content.

 

Build Your Own Brand Beyond YouTube

To reach a larger audience, you could even set up your own website. On your own site, you can incorporate your vlogs, blogs, behind-the-scenes content, and even sell personalized swag while linking out to your social media channels. This gives your audience more ways to connect with your brand beyond YouTube alone.

To keep your brand looking professional and cohesive, you can and should use a custom email that matches your .tube domain. No longer do you have to rely on a generic Gmail or Yahoo address. With a .tube web address, you can unify your YouTube channel, personal branded email, and website under one seamless brand.

No matter how many subscribers you have right now, there is always room for growth. Try one or all of these tips, and you'll be on your way to building a YouTube channel you can really be proud of.

 

FAQs

 

How can beginners grow a YouTube channel faster?

Beginners can grow a YouTube channel faster by branding their channel, optimizing videos for search, promoting content on other platforms, using strong thumbnails and captions, and collaborating with other creators.

 

Why is SEO important for YouTube videos?

SEO helps YouTube understand what your video is about and match it with relevant searches. Using the right keywords in your title, description, and content can improve discoverability and increase views.

 

How do I promote my YouTube videos outside of YouTube?

You can promote your videos outside YouTube by sharing teaser clips on social media, embedding videos on your website, including them in blog posts, and linking to them in newsletters or online communities.

 

What should a YouTube beginner optimize first?

A beginner should start by optimizing channel branding, video titles, descriptions, thumbnails, and captions. These basics can make a big difference in how professional and searchable your content appears.

 

Should YouTubers have their own website?

Yes, having your own website can strengthen your brand, give viewers another place to discover your content, and create opportunities to share blogs, sell products, and promote your videos more effectively.