How to set up a YouTube channel for your shop

Before you start

• A phone that gets text messages, for the codes.
• Your logo. No logo yet? Make one in PicMerchant.
• Your shop's email address, or plan to make a free Gmail address for the shop.
• Tip: give the shop its own Google account, so the channel stays apart from your personal YouTube and you can hand it to a helper later.

Step 1: Make a Google account for the shop

1. Go to accounts.google.com/signup and fill in the name. Use your shop's name.
2. If Google shows Try Google Workspace, you don't need it. It's a paid plan after the free trial. Pick the free choice instead.
3. When it asks for an email, choose Use your existing email to use the shop's address (like support@yourshop.com), or Get a Gmail address. Google emails a code to prove the address is yours.
4. If you see You already have an account with your phone number, choose Continue creating a new account. One phone number can be on more than one Google account.
5. Get more from your number is optional. Skip is fine; your phone still protects the account.
6. If Google asks you to Choose your business type, that's a Google Business Profile for Maps. You don't need it for YouTube. If you only sell online, don't add an address.

Step 2: Create the channel

1. Go to youtube.com signed in as the new account. Check the picture in the top corner is the shop account, not your personal one.
2. Click the picture, then Create a channel.
3. Type the shop name, and pick a handle like @yourshop. If it says the handle is taken, try another.
4. Click Select picture and upload your profile picture (see Step 4), then Create channel.

Step 3: Verify with your phone

Go to youtube.com/verify and enter the code YouTube texts you. It unlocks custom thumbnails, videos longer than 15 minutes and live streaming. One phone number can verify up to 2 channels a year, so use it on the channel that matters.

Step 4: Picture, banner and watermark

In YouTube Studio, open Customization. What YouTube asks for, per its channel branding help:

The quick way: on the Logo maker page, use Already have a logo?. Upload your logo and download the free pack. It has the profile picture, a 2560 x 1440 YouTube banner with the logo kept in that middle strip, the 150 x 150 watermark and a Facebook cover, in white, dark and your own colour. Nothing about your logo is redrawn by AI.

Step 5: Description, links and email

1. In Customization > Profile, write a short description: what you sell, who it's for, and where to buy.
2. Under Links, add your shop and your best page, like your returns or sizing page.
3. Under Contact info, add a shop email. It can be shown to viewers, so don't use a personal one.
4. Press Publish. A new picture can take a few minutes to show everywhere.

Step 6: Your first videos

• Product videos turns up to 8 product photos into a short video, tall for Shorts or wide for the channel.
• The Episode kit writes the title, description, chapters and hashtags from what you say in the video, then makes the thumbnail.
• Start with what buyers ask most: how it works, what's in the box, how it fits.
• Also on Facebook? See how to set up a Facebook Page for your shop.

Questions