Since the arrival of YouTube in 2005, video viewing has never been the same. YouTube dominates the world of video-watching with its massive collection of videos covering almost every topic you could think of.
As a result of this, there are billions of people visiting YouTube on a daily basis. So what does that mean for brands? It simply means that a large audience is available and ready to view your content if you choose to leverage this awesome platform.
On top of that, did you know that YouTube is the 2nd biggest search engine in the world right after its mother company Google? So if you’ve played your cards right, Google’s algorithm could even place your YouTube video in the top Google search results.
That being said, a YouTube video requires attention on two fronts. One is the technical attention that goes into making it and optimizing it and the second is the design aesthetics. While both collectively add value to a YouTube video, in this blog we will cover the design part that goes into making a Youtube video.
But before we get to the design aspect, let us walk you through some benefits of having a YouTube channel.
There are a host of benefits to having a YouTube channel for a brand. Let’s explore a few of them.
Since YouTube videos don’t go anywhere and there’s no cost to keep them on the platform they will remain there for life. This means that with no cost you could market your material on and off the platform. This helps increase visibility for your brand because the longer the content stays on the platform the more your brand has a chance of being exposed.
Also, if you use a good SEO strategy and if your videos are top quality in terms of relevance then YouTube’s algorithm will recommend your videos to those users who watch similar content. This will definitely help increase the visibility of your YouTube channel not only in the local setting but also globally.
If a viewer likes the content on your YouTube channel there’s a chance that they could keep coming back to it. That’s one of the main ways that YouTube can create audience engagement. Plus with YouTube, users are able to search and find the content specifically and intentionally. This too promotes audience engagement.
But the most important thing that aids audience engagement is that it’s a video. People in general prefer videos over texts and images. Videos help process information faster than texts and images so audiences can engage better. If your video content is what the audiences are looking for then you can be sure you have hooked them.
You can use your YouTube channel to increase website traffic. Your website is the place that has all the information a person is going to need to convert to a customer. So you’d be glad to know that YouTube can help massively increase website traffic through the effective use of backlinks.
You can provide backlinks to your website or store in the description box so that interested parties can examine you further. From there onwards, they might subscribe to any services you offer and possibly join your email list.
This is one of the main benefits that YouTube as a marketing platform can offer. All the videos on your YouTube channel will be hosted for free for as long as you’d like. As opposed to other marketing forms where you have to pay for the duration that you use being hosted. So your brand’s content can be out there in the public serving its purpose on auto-pilot. The only cost that you will have to bear is the video production side of it. But even that can be minimized with a video subscription that offers unlimited videos.
In that regard, we feel that having a YouTube channel is one of the best things that a brand can have in their marketing strategy whether you’re a corporate or individual business.
With all of the above in mind, one thing that needs to be understood is that as a brand owner or marketer you cannot simply enjoy the benefits listed above if the content you’re coming up with is below par. And one of the main things that people will note is the initial design aspects of your videos and the overall YouTube channel design.
So let’s move ahead and check out some of the design tips that you could factor in before creating a YouTube channel.
A YouTube channel design is what will make viewers get a wholesome outlook of who you are. It also nudges viewers into subscribing to your channel. How professional your logo, channel banner, and thumbnails look will help them understand your level of professionalism. Your content can be taken more seriously if the channel design looks on point.
Here is a good example of YouTube channel design:
The intro and outro in the videos on your YouTube channel can be 2 of the critical determinants in communicating to viewers how serious you are about your content. Both the intro and outro of a YouTube video are a visual representation of your brand identity. This is why it’s so important to give special care when creating them.
And the good news is, you only need to come up with one intro and one outro. These will be repeated in all your videos so make sure to strictly follow the tips we’ve provided below.
Here’s an example of a logo animation:
TED uses attractive intros in their YouTube videos.
There are hundreds and thousands of videos that appear once you hit that search button on YouTube. But what helps a viewer choose your video over other similar videos? You’ve guessed it right; the video thumbnail. Humans being visual beings are more attracted to the thumbnail design than the title and description on the right side.
This thumbnail design encourages viewers to actually interact with your content. If your thumbnail design is lackluster, there’s a high chance that you won’t get views. Also, your thumbnail design determines how attractive your video collection will look on your YouTube channel and contribute to the overall channel design.
Here are some attractive thumbnail designs:
This last tip will bring all three of the above-listed tips to a summary. Here’s why:
A solid brand identity is one of the top marketing assets a brand can possess. If your brand is well established and if the content you come up with is of value you will have loyal followers. It’s the same scenario for a YouTube channel. There needs to be consistency running across all your videos on YouTube. Even if you’re exploring different types of video content, your branding has to be on point.
A good way to stay on point with your brand is to be true to your brand’s message. Use your YouTube channel to promote videos that advocate your brand’s mission and vision. Don’t go about creating off-brand material.
But when it comes to visual terms, good graphic designing and video creation can help you maintain this brand consistency. That’s why it’s essential to have in place proper brand guidelines so that whoever attends to your video production work will always stick to your branding.
Here are some examples from the famous brand Duolingo.
This is the channel design:
You can see how consistent they are with their branding even with different series.
Videos are a great marketing tool. And YouTube is one of the main marketing platforms to feature videos to increase brand awareness. Did you know that there were 2.6 billion Youtube users in 2022? With such an immense user base, YouTube presents an unparalleled opportunity for brands to expand their reach.
While there may be certain hurdles with marketing your video, once you overcome them it will be smooth sailing.
Moreover, if you make the decision to incorporate YouTube into your brand strategy your content can be guaranteed a spot on Google’s search results as well. This increases your chance of discovery by a lot.
Also, in today’s social media era, lacking a YouTube channel for your brand can be perceived as outdated. This could be your sign to get started on a YouTube Channel for your brand.
While at it, don’t forget that proper graphic design techniques and video principles can help you make the most out of your video content. So consider looking into that as a high priority. If you’re tied down, coming up with video marketing strategies, and just don’t have the time and energy to spend on also making the videos, subscribe to an unlimited video subscription and let the professionals handle it for you.
