10 steps on how to plan your YouTube channel

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It takes a tremendous amount of work to plan, produce and manage one of the top YouTube channels on the platform. But it's not impossible!

In this article, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to plan your YouTube channel successfully. 

How to plan a viral YouTube channel (in 10 steps)

These steps lay the foundation for a YouTube channel that is optimized to engage with enthusiastic followers and grow sustainably over time.

Step 1 - Decide where you're going

Whether you want to be a famous YouTube influencer or you're trying to run a business, it's critical that you establish goals for your new YouTube channel.

If your goal is to entertain, the driving force behind each of your videos should be creating content that is fun, exciting and engaging. If your ultimate goal is to turn YouTube subscribers into customers, you'll have to establish brand identity and trust.

There are many reasons why someone would want to start a YouTube channel. Most goals fall into one of these categories:

• Entertainment
• Education
• Inspiration
• Product promotion
• Service advertising

When you identify clear goals for your channel, you'll be able to focus on the best YouTube channel topics that your audience will love. Plus, establishing goals right upfront will save you so much time, energy, effort (and money) down the road.

Step 2 - Spend time on the name

You’ll want the perfect name for your YouTube channel. Spend time thinking of the right one! However, don’t let the name take up too much time. Otherwise, you may procrastinate actually creating your content!

To help you generate some ideas for a YouTube channel name, consider these:

• Use your name
• Choose a great SEO keyword
• Pick one that’s perfect for your niche
• Conjure up a creative or clever name
• Think of something memorable (AKA sticky)

 Step 3  - Create a compelling “about” section

When someone is about to subscribe to your YouTube channel, you'll want a really compelling bio that tells them who you are, what you post about and why they should subscribe.

Try to be as concise as possible. No need to dive deep into who you are. 

Side note: Consider doing a video post about who you are and your origin story. Save those juicy details for later!

For the about section, here are some tips on how to create a compelling bio: 

• Mention your unique selling point
• End with a call-to-action
• Speak with your brand voice
• Establish your credibility
• Make it fun, engaging and/or almost mysterious
• Treat it like a headline for your YouTube channel

 Step 4 - Think about your ideal subscribers

It’s critical to think about who your ideal target audience will be. Moving forward, every single video should be optimized for those kinds of people. 

If you own a business, think about how your product or service will solve a problem that your target audience will face. Pose yourself as the solution in each and every video.

When you’re planning your YouTube channel, consider the following in regards to your target audience:

• What topics will appeal to them?
• What questions are they asking related to your niche? 
• How will they know that you’re a trusted source?
• What visuals do they love to see?
• What thumbnail would get them to click on your video?
• What branding will they like? Flashy? Colorful? Clean?

Before you create your first video, ask all of these questions. 

Step 5 - Create your first video

It can be really intimidating to start producing the first video for your YouTube channel. 

At Mojo, we give you the power to create exceptional, professional visual content - even if you lack creativity. Our users play around with hundreds of templates, backgrounds and special effects that make their videos gain mega traction on YouTube.

For your very first video, don't put too much pressure on yourself. As time goes on, you'll learn what kinds of videos get the most attention.

Here are some ideas for your first video on your YouTube channel:

• Your origin story
• Relatable obstacles that you face
• Product or service demo
• Intro video (keep it short)

Step 6 - Plan out your YouTube content

As with any content marketing strategy, plan out your topics well in advance. Try to avoid last-minute brainstorming and filming. Too much stress for little reward!

Over time, you’ll know which videos are the most effective. From there, you can focus more time on videos that get the most engagement and/or conversions for your business.

When you're just starting out, there are so many types of videos you can produce, including: 

• Behind the scenes fun
• Daily operations
• Product demos
• Meet the CEO
• Philanthropic efforts
• Product giveaways
• Influencers and partnerships
• FAQs and Q&As
• Myth busters
• Customer reviews
• Branded challenges
• Industry current events
• Thought leadership
• Holiday posts
• Before and after
• Product teasers
• Relevant hacks
• Compare and contrast (with competitors)
• Origin story
• Spotlight on your struggles
• Listicles
• Mini series
• Objections or hesitations (debunked) 
• Unique selling point highlights
• Unexpected ways to use your product
• Contest (with tagging friends for more entries)

Step 7 - Engage in SEO research

SEO is not just for Google. Using SEO keywords is essential to help you rank high on YouTube! It will also help the right people find your videos.

You’ll use SEO keywords in your YouTube video title, description and even the thumbnail.

To find the best keywords for your videos, prioritize ones that get the highest search volume with the lowest competition possible. 

Don't just settle for the most popular SEO keywords. Too many other YouTube channels will be competing for those!

Expand your horizons on SEO keywords. Think about what kinds of keywords your target audience would be searching for.

Start creating long lists and topic clouds of possible SEO keywords. Then, run analytics to decide which keywords will be best for your YouTube channel in particular. 

Step 8 - Schedule your YouTube content

For a successful YouTube channel, establish a posting schedule - and stick to it. Be consistent so that your followers know and look forward to your weekly content.

You might ask, “What is the best frequency to post on a YouTube channel?” Some experts say that you should post 3-7 times per week. But the best frequency is up to you.

Posting more YouTube videos does not mean equally more engagement. 

Instead, focus on putting out great content every single time. So, even if your creative energy only allows you to post 2-3 times per week, honor that. In the end, these posts will be more effective at engaging your audience and attracting new subscribers.

The minute you exhaust yourself from YouTube content, take a step back and focus on quality videos, rather than quantity. 

Step 9 - Record, edit, repeat

Now, you can finally get to the bulk of your channel content! 

As you can see, there's so much work to be done ahead of uploading videos to your channel.

Once you get the footage, leverage the power of video editing software. Make sure the software lets you completely customize how your videos look. 

Mojo is a video creation app that is built for businesses and individuals who want to create professional-quality visual content. Check out our app! 

Step 10 - Stay connected with followers

Running a successful YouTube channel requires constant connection with your subscribers. Think of it as an ongoing relationship of give and take.

Not only will you have to find interesting and compelling video topics, but you’ll need to continuously engage in the comments and on social media. Here are tips on how to maintain good connections with your YouTube audience:

• Respond ASAP
• Conduct FAQ videos
• Close out videos with a call-to-action
• Run contests and giveaways
• Educate your audience 
• Give them a how-to for a win
• Face criticism with grace
• Admit your mistakes
• Be honest (especially with affiliate marketing)
• Promote products and services, only if you stand behind them 100% 
  

Ready to go viral?

It takes a lot of work to establish a YouTube channel that will continue to grow over time.

In the planning stages, remember to think about your goals and your ideal target audience.

In the recording stages, keep your videos interesting and as concise as possible. Add special effects, filters and branding so that your videos wow your subscribers from start to finish.

In the publishing stage, stay up-to-date with comments, questions and concerns from your followers.

Doing these things will set you up for success from the start. We can't wait to see your channel hit it big! Create viral videos with Mojo.

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