YouTube channel

BriNylon

Can someone explain the difference between having a YouTube channel and just uploading  a video onto YouTube?
TIA

flaneurs_lobster

 A YouTube Channel can be thought of as your "logon" to YouTube. It has to be a Google account and is required before you can upload videos to YouTube. 

It's also required before you can collect any revenue from advertising or subscriptions (if that's your intention).

BriNylon

So, in effect, everyone who uploads a video onto YouTube has a channel?

flaneurs_lobster

BriNylon said:

So, in effect, everyone who uploads a video onto YouTube has a channel?

That's my understanding, yes. Don't think of it as being like a TV channel, it's more akin to having a Facebook account. 

MSE_James

Yes, that's right. 

Just as you need a forum account to post on this forum, you need a YouTube channel to post on YouTube

Professional creators will have more sophisticated channels and a more fleshed-out profile, but it amounts to the same thing.

bob_a_builder

Not much difference, if you've uploaded a video to YouTube  you've got a 'channel' - albeit with only one video

The difference comes in expanding the number of viewers / subscribers -  thats the hard bit and I think you need something like  a 1000 subscribers before any ad revenue is be paid 

look for the Your Studio and Your Channel options  - to edit how your 'channel looks
Just think of  your channel being a home / front page to your video collection 

BriNylon

I am wondering what a subscriber is.   Is it if someone really likes your videos, has seen them all, and wants to know when you put a new video on they will hit subscribe, enter their email address, and they will be informed of new content?

bob_a_builder

Exactly that  - no need to see them all can hit button on 1st video they see
But they don't need to enter their email address -  pressing subscribe button will add that channel to your own list of channels of interest within YT and provide notifications to you

Neil_Jones

BriNylon said:

I am wondering what a subscriber is.   Is it if someone really likes your videos, has seen them all, and wants to know when you put a new video on they will hit subscribe, enter their email address, and they will be informed of new content?

A subscriber is basically a viewer who signs up to be informed when you post a new video.

That's all it is, the YouTube equivalent of a mailing list.

Cornucopia

Subscriber count, View count and Total Viewing time are the three metrics that YT uses to determine whether a channel is suitable to use various facilities of the platform.

Jon_01

You can also stream live on Youtube as well as just uploading a prerecorded video, but is seems most CC are using Twitch TV now. . .