- So, you've decided to start a YouTube channel.
And the only thing stopping you
is coming up with a good name.
So, much over you panic
and end up typing some sort of Generic Waffle.
And then once you've done all of that,
and here's a real kick in the teeth,
(bell dings)
somebody is already gone and claimed it.
That's hilarious.
(upbeat lively music)
Now, far from criticizing Generic Waffles channel name.
I actually love it.
I said so dozens of times
when they showed up on a live stream.
So, I want you all to do me a quick favor.
Instead of a code word that I usually leave
until the end of the video.
When you've got a chance,
go over to one of Generic Waffles videos
and posts in the comments,
best YouTube channel name ever, because to this day,
I'm holding onto that statement.
I'm Rob, by the way,
welcome back to vidIQ,
educating you on your YouTube journey.
And today's lesson
is how to pick the right YouTube channel name.
By the way, don't worry if you have already picked
a YouTube channel name,
it's easy to change from the customization screen
in the YouTube studio.
Just be aware that if you do have a verification check mark
against your channel name,
you will lose it if you change it.
But I reckon, and this is just a hunch.
This is something that you can worry about another day.
Today's concern is your channel name
and how you're going to create something
that's memorable and rolls off the tongue,
Such as CaseyNeistat, MrBeast, PewDiePie,
MKBHD, Philip DeFranco, vidIQ,
and of course, Generic Waffles.
So, to do this, we're gonna split picking
your channel name into two sections.
First of all,
the must haves and then the things to consider.
Let's start with the must haves.
This first one's more of a things your channel name
must not do, but it's all common sense really.
Your channel name must follow community guidelines.
So, make sure you check them out
before you name your channel something really inappropriate.
Another most, should be having a relatively
short channel name.
Let me ask you this.
And I'm sure somebody is gonna prove me wrong
in the comments below,
but can you instantly think of any channel names
that are longer than five syllables?
You know, when I reel off MrBeast, and Pewdie pie,
and vidIQ and Generic Waffle,
all of those are relatively short and snappy.
Easy to remember.
If you're looking for recommendations here,
I would say ideally no more than 30 characters
at a max 40 characters,
because the longer the channel name
is the more difficult it is to spell.
You just wanna make it as easy as possible
for people to search for you, right?
So, creating channels, if tricky words to spell
or awkward words to type out,
because you've replaced some of the letters with numbers,
it just makes you a little less accessible on YouTube.
If you look at the most subscribed to channels on YouTube,
their names all have things in common.
They're short, not many syllables, easy to spell,
and therefore, easy to remember and no numbers.
So, this one's for you fortnite pro, or what is it?
8677.
Really consider whether or not your gaming handle
works as a YouTube channel name.
Also, ideally, your channel must be unique.
First of all, you shouldn't try and impersonate someone else
because A, that's against YouTube community guidelines
and B, what's the end goal of doing this
over than to mislead viewers.
Also, if a channel of a same name already exists on YouTube,
it's highly likely, they've already claimed the custom URL.
But as a fun bit of trivia, type in youtube.com/MrBeast
and see what you find.
In summary, these all of the things
that going to a good channel name for all creators,
but now let's look at some of the things to consider
depending on what type of channel you are.
And let's start with Excellent Dude.
Do you have any idea what this channel is about?
No?
What about now?
And how about now?
Oh, Excel-lent Dude.
I get it now.
That's pretty cute, is that?
One of the goals of your channel,
be it through the banner, name, thumbnails,
should be to let the viewer know as quickly as possible,
whether or not they are in the right place.
And quite frankly,
this is one of the best small channel examples
I have ever seen.
And so with that in mind, consider whether
or not your channel name should be related in some way
to your video topic.
I use Excellent Dude as an example,
because we audited their channel on a live stream
about a year ago, but I still remember their channel name,
because it's so unique and so memorable.
And if you want a big channel example of this
look no further than Charisma on Command.
You know instantly and instinctively that this channel
is going to help me improve my self confidence.
I also have a nother example to show you, but fair warning,
this does actually break one of the channel name rules
I mentioned earlier on.
It's got a number in it.
5-Minute Crafts.
It rolls the channel name and value proposition
all into one.
Yes, there is a number in the channel name,
but it's used very intentionally or at least it was.
When was the last time that channel actually made a video
under five minutes?
Now, having said all of this,
there is the complete opposite approach
to choosing a channel name, which is just as valid.
And the question to you is, what is the longterm goal
of your channel?
If you want to build a channel,
a community, a business around yourself,
then it might be wiser to use your name
rather than a video topic related channel name.
Philip DeFranco is an example, or indeed a persona
such as MrBeast or PewDiePie.
Marques Brownlee or MKBHD is one such creator
who's wrestled with this question for over a decade,
there isn't necessarily a right or wrong approach.
It's more to do with how you would like to be known
and how you intend to market yourself as a brand.
Also side note, YouTube in 2010, just awesome.
More things to consider are what are the channel names
of those creating similar content to you?
Are they more descriptive?
More entertaining?
Of a personal names, brands, personas?
Which style do you prefer?
Another way to think about this is your keyword universe.
What words could you use in your channel name
that relate to the people
who are going to be watching your content?
I took Apple as the keyword example
and looked at how channels
both big and small represent themselves.
Some try to cover everything Apple,
others focus on the art of the company.
iPhone education, the inside track in using updates.
Every channel has an agenda, even the anarchist.
When I think about this,
I do combat to the Charisma on Command
that channel name example.
It's the perfect blend of explaining
what the view is looking for and how this channel
will empower the viewer to reach that goal.
With all that in mind, you might wanna try this exercise.
First of all, write down some of the words
that you are going to associate yourself
within your video topic.
Next, write down a list of words that emphasize
what you intend to do on the channel.
Be the biggest, the fastest, the most powerful,
and then just have a play around with those words.
Mix them together and see what you come up with.
I'm not saying that you'll definitely
come out of this with a channel name,
but you may have a better idea of how your messaging
your content to your target audience.
So, consider all of these things
when you're picking your channel name.
If you are brand new to YouTube,
this is how you start your channel.
And that's enough Generic Waffle for me for one video.
Bye.