Mastering MCN: Your Comprehensive YouTube Creator’s Roadmap

Join YouTube MCN or Not: ULTIMATE Guide

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Growing the subscriber base and improve the revenues faster is always a priority for budding YouTube channels. On the lookout for the fast and quickest way for plunging most of them might opt for MCN (multi-channel network).

This is a technical term involving the collaboration between different YouTube channel owners. Before delving deeper into MCN YouTube, you need to have a second opinion about everything related to MCN.

• Part1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)
• Part2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network
• Part3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

Part 1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)

If you are curious to learn more about what exactly MCN in YouTube is all about, then here it is. Sometimes multiple YouTube channels collaborate to form a network and they rigorously work together to gain more exposure and revenues.

They share various tools and assist each other in channel management and charge a specific percentage of the revenue generated out of the partner channels. They promote each other through the network and split the generated revenue.

In most cases it is a win-win deal for both the YouTube channels, as their popularity and reach is enhanced due to the network. The ultimate goal of these MCNs is to grow the audience base, enhance earnings and support/assist each other to flourish together.

Part 2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network?

The offerings from MCN YouTube are aplenty. When everything is managed properly, the profits increase and you get better exposure beyond your usual audience. But, care must be taken while choosing the network you want to join and collaborate with. Here are the things that you can expect from a successful MCN collaboration.

1. Broad market

Growing from the scratch and reaching a wide audience in YouTube is usually tough as it involves lots of effort and time. Content distribution is the key to get more publicity among the potential consumers. Forums, social media, and websites are different ways for content sharing but it is a rough path when travelled alone. With MCN YouTube, you will get a dedicated team to help you out in this regard.

Your business will stand out when your personal branding is strong enough. With YouTube MCN you can easily build your brand and market the content to a larger viewer base.

2. Digital rights protection

The functioning of a YouTube MCN is not only restricted to revenue generation or brand promotion. They also take care of your channel, when you face copyright strikes that otherwise results in losing money and other advanced YouTube features. The MCN handles the copyright management issues, while you concentrate on creating engaging and valuable content.

3. Collaborations with other YouTubers

These MCNs allow you to collaborate with other YouTube channels and enhance your business exposure. In such a case you getter better foothold in the YouTube network, as other YouTubers in your network share the videos within the community and allow it to get more views. When such a larger audience is consuming your content, there are higher chances of getting the best out of MCN.

4. Better video production facilities

When you are a beginner, you mostly run with a limited resource in terms of budget and equipment. These MCNs ensure that you get the tools and technology like studio equipment to create and edit videos. Top-notch post-production tools are also available with them to boost your channel’s videos.

Part 3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

You should never ignore the downside of every step you take while grooming your YouTube channel to touch the heights of success. Here are few of the prominent drawbacks of joining any MCN YouTube network.

1. Split revenue

Although, YouTube clearly doesn’t mention the revenue you will generate from your YouTube channel under the YouTube partner agreement. Your channel and YouTube respectively share 55/45 revenue. When you take help from your MCN the 55% earnings will further deteriorate after paying a percentage of your AdSense revenue to them.

2. Outcome is not always exciting

If you are thinking that the viewership will jump up multi-fold after involving a MCN, then you need to hold on and rethink. It is not guaranteed that a MCN will always end up giving you more view and subscribers to your channel, though it happens with some people.

Go through what you will be gaining from the YouTube MCN in terms of promoting your videos, promotional offers and increasing the subscriber as well as boosting your channel’s exposure.

Any MCN won’t guarantee you for achieving a specific number of subscribers or views if you join them. It’s important to work out what is important for us and for what reasons you are teaming up with that MCN.

In case there is no ROI for you with a YouTube MCN then it’s better to be on your own and try hard to enhance the reach and revenue. Without an ROI, it is futile to sacrifice your earnings in vain.

The bottom line

If you are asking us that you should join a YouTube MCN, then we would recommend you that the decision lies with you. As a YouTube channel owner and content creator, you have a certain goal to achieve.

So, it’s you who needs to figure out the important steps to be taken for attaining all the short and long term goals. Weigh your options and then opt for MCNs, if their assistance and service are close to meeting your expectations with your YouTube channel.

To decide whether to go for a YouTube network partnership or not, first check what percentage of your revenue they will be charging. It’s a key constraint for deciding about the viability of the partnership. If after calculating the proposed revenue sharing you have substantial profits, then going with the MCN is worth it.

The next point is the term of the contract. Never go for contracts that stretch for a longer duration. Put more stress on the legal contracts with the help of a professional lawyer. You need to be very careful about rights, termination of contracts and the likes. Though, we won’t be elaborately explaining the legal decisions involved in officially joining any YouTube network.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Growing the subscriber base and improve the revenues faster is always a priority for budding YouTube channels. On the lookout for the fast and quickest way for plunging most of them might opt for MCN (multi-channel network).

This is a technical term involving the collaboration between different YouTube channel owners. Before delving deeper into MCN YouTube, you need to have a second opinion about everything related to MCN.

• Part1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)
• Part2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network
• Part3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

Part 1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)

If you are curious to learn more about what exactly MCN in YouTube is all about, then here it is. Sometimes multiple YouTube channels collaborate to form a network and they rigorously work together to gain more exposure and revenues.

They share various tools and assist each other in channel management and charge a specific percentage of the revenue generated out of the partner channels. They promote each other through the network and split the generated revenue.

In most cases it is a win-win deal for both the YouTube channels, as their popularity and reach is enhanced due to the network. The ultimate goal of these MCNs is to grow the audience base, enhance earnings and support/assist each other to flourish together.

Part 2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network?

The offerings from MCN YouTube are aplenty. When everything is managed properly, the profits increase and you get better exposure beyond your usual audience. But, care must be taken while choosing the network you want to join and collaborate with. Here are the things that you can expect from a successful MCN collaboration.

1. Broad market

Growing from the scratch and reaching a wide audience in YouTube is usually tough as it involves lots of effort and time. Content distribution is the key to get more publicity among the potential consumers. Forums, social media, and websites are different ways for content sharing but it is a rough path when travelled alone. With MCN YouTube, you will get a dedicated team to help you out in this regard.

Your business will stand out when your personal branding is strong enough. With YouTube MCN you can easily build your brand and market the content to a larger viewer base.

2. Digital rights protection

The functioning of a YouTube MCN is not only restricted to revenue generation or brand promotion. They also take care of your channel, when you face copyright strikes that otherwise results in losing money and other advanced YouTube features. The MCN handles the copyright management issues, while you concentrate on creating engaging and valuable content.

3. Collaborations with other YouTubers

These MCNs allow you to collaborate with other YouTube channels and enhance your business exposure. In such a case you getter better foothold in the YouTube network, as other YouTubers in your network share the videos within the community and allow it to get more views. When such a larger audience is consuming your content, there are higher chances of getting the best out of MCN.

4. Better video production facilities

When you are a beginner, you mostly run with a limited resource in terms of budget and equipment. These MCNs ensure that you get the tools and technology like studio equipment to create and edit videos. Top-notch post-production tools are also available with them to boost your channel’s videos.

Part 3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

You should never ignore the downside of every step you take while grooming your YouTube channel to touch the heights of success. Here are few of the prominent drawbacks of joining any MCN YouTube network.

1. Split revenue

Although, YouTube clearly doesn’t mention the revenue you will generate from your YouTube channel under the YouTube partner agreement. Your channel and YouTube respectively share 55/45 revenue. When you take help from your MCN the 55% earnings will further deteriorate after paying a percentage of your AdSense revenue to them.

2. Outcome is not always exciting

If you are thinking that the viewership will jump up multi-fold after involving a MCN, then you need to hold on and rethink. It is not guaranteed that a MCN will always end up giving you more view and subscribers to your channel, though it happens with some people.

Go through what you will be gaining from the YouTube MCN in terms of promoting your videos, promotional offers and increasing the subscriber as well as boosting your channel’s exposure.

Any MCN won’t guarantee you for achieving a specific number of subscribers or views if you join them. It’s important to work out what is important for us and for what reasons you are teaming up with that MCN.

In case there is no ROI for you with a YouTube MCN then it’s better to be on your own and try hard to enhance the reach and revenue. Without an ROI, it is futile to sacrifice your earnings in vain.

The bottom line

If you are asking us that you should join a YouTube MCN, then we would recommend you that the decision lies with you. As a YouTube channel owner and content creator, you have a certain goal to achieve.

So, it’s you who needs to figure out the important steps to be taken for attaining all the short and long term goals. Weigh your options and then opt for MCNs, if their assistance and service are close to meeting your expectations with your YouTube channel.

To decide whether to go for a YouTube network partnership or not, first check what percentage of your revenue they will be charging. It’s a key constraint for deciding about the viability of the partnership. If after calculating the proposed revenue sharing you have substantial profits, then going with the MCN is worth it.

The next point is the term of the contract. Never go for contracts that stretch for a longer duration. Put more stress on the legal contracts with the help of a professional lawyer. You need to be very careful about rights, termination of contracts and the likes. Though, we won’t be elaborately explaining the legal decisions involved in officially joining any YouTube network.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Growing the subscriber base and improve the revenues faster is always a priority for budding YouTube channels. On the lookout for the fast and quickest way for plunging most of them might opt for MCN (multi-channel network).

This is a technical term involving the collaboration between different YouTube channel owners. Before delving deeper into MCN YouTube, you need to have a second opinion about everything related to MCN.

• Part1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)
• Part2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network
• Part3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

Part 1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)

If you are curious to learn more about what exactly MCN in YouTube is all about, then here it is. Sometimes multiple YouTube channels collaborate to form a network and they rigorously work together to gain more exposure and revenues.

They share various tools and assist each other in channel management and charge a specific percentage of the revenue generated out of the partner channels. They promote each other through the network and split the generated revenue.

In most cases it is a win-win deal for both the YouTube channels, as their popularity and reach is enhanced due to the network. The ultimate goal of these MCNs is to grow the audience base, enhance earnings and support/assist each other to flourish together.

Part 2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network?

The offerings from MCN YouTube are aplenty. When everything is managed properly, the profits increase and you get better exposure beyond your usual audience. But, care must be taken while choosing the network you want to join and collaborate with. Here are the things that you can expect from a successful MCN collaboration.

1. Broad market

Growing from the scratch and reaching a wide audience in YouTube is usually tough as it involves lots of effort and time. Content distribution is the key to get more publicity among the potential consumers. Forums, social media, and websites are different ways for content sharing but it is a rough path when travelled alone. With MCN YouTube, you will get a dedicated team to help you out in this regard.

Your business will stand out when your personal branding is strong enough. With YouTube MCN you can easily build your brand and market the content to a larger viewer base.

2. Digital rights protection

The functioning of a YouTube MCN is not only restricted to revenue generation or brand promotion. They also take care of your channel, when you face copyright strikes that otherwise results in losing money and other advanced YouTube features. The MCN handles the copyright management issues, while you concentrate on creating engaging and valuable content.

3. Collaborations with other YouTubers

These MCNs allow you to collaborate with other YouTube channels and enhance your business exposure. In such a case you getter better foothold in the YouTube network, as other YouTubers in your network share the videos within the community and allow it to get more views. When such a larger audience is consuming your content, there are higher chances of getting the best out of MCN.

4. Better video production facilities

When you are a beginner, you mostly run with a limited resource in terms of budget and equipment. These MCNs ensure that you get the tools and technology like studio equipment to create and edit videos. Top-notch post-production tools are also available with them to boost your channel’s videos.

Part 3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

You should never ignore the downside of every step you take while grooming your YouTube channel to touch the heights of success. Here are few of the prominent drawbacks of joining any MCN YouTube network.

1. Split revenue

Although, YouTube clearly doesn’t mention the revenue you will generate from your YouTube channel under the YouTube partner agreement. Your channel and YouTube respectively share 55/45 revenue. When you take help from your MCN the 55% earnings will further deteriorate after paying a percentage of your AdSense revenue to them.

2. Outcome is not always exciting

If you are thinking that the viewership will jump up multi-fold after involving a MCN, then you need to hold on and rethink. It is not guaranteed that a MCN will always end up giving you more view and subscribers to your channel, though it happens with some people.

Go through what you will be gaining from the YouTube MCN in terms of promoting your videos, promotional offers and increasing the subscriber as well as boosting your channel’s exposure.

Any MCN won’t guarantee you for achieving a specific number of subscribers or views if you join them. It’s important to work out what is important for us and for what reasons you are teaming up with that MCN.

In case there is no ROI for you with a YouTube MCN then it’s better to be on your own and try hard to enhance the reach and revenue. Without an ROI, it is futile to sacrifice your earnings in vain.

The bottom line

If you are asking us that you should join a YouTube MCN, then we would recommend you that the decision lies with you. As a YouTube channel owner and content creator, you have a certain goal to achieve.

So, it’s you who needs to figure out the important steps to be taken for attaining all the short and long term goals. Weigh your options and then opt for MCNs, if their assistance and service are close to meeting your expectations with your YouTube channel.

To decide whether to go for a YouTube network partnership or not, first check what percentage of your revenue they will be charging. It’s a key constraint for deciding about the viability of the partnership. If after calculating the proposed revenue sharing you have substantial profits, then going with the MCN is worth it.

The next point is the term of the contract. Never go for contracts that stretch for a longer duration. Put more stress on the legal contracts with the help of a professional lawyer. You need to be very careful about rights, termination of contracts and the likes. Though, we won’t be elaborately explaining the legal decisions involved in officially joining any YouTube network.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Growing the subscriber base and improve the revenues faster is always a priority for budding YouTube channels. On the lookout for the fast and quickest way for plunging most of them might opt for MCN (multi-channel network).

This is a technical term involving the collaboration between different YouTube channel owners. Before delving deeper into MCN YouTube, you need to have a second opinion about everything related to MCN.

• Part1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)
• Part2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network
• Part3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

Part 1: What is YouTube MCN (multi-channel network)

If you are curious to learn more about what exactly MCN in YouTube is all about, then here it is. Sometimes multiple YouTube channels collaborate to form a network and they rigorously work together to gain more exposure and revenues.

They share various tools and assist each other in channel management and charge a specific percentage of the revenue generated out of the partner channels. They promote each other through the network and split the generated revenue.

In most cases it is a win-win deal for both the YouTube channels, as their popularity and reach is enhanced due to the network. The ultimate goal of these MCNs is to grow the audience base, enhance earnings and support/assist each other to flourish together.

Part 2: What can I get from joining MCN YouTube network?

The offerings from MCN YouTube are aplenty. When everything is managed properly, the profits increase and you get better exposure beyond your usual audience. But, care must be taken while choosing the network you want to join and collaborate with. Here are the things that you can expect from a successful MCN collaboration.

1. Broad market

Growing from the scratch and reaching a wide audience in YouTube is usually tough as it involves lots of effort and time. Content distribution is the key to get more publicity among the potential consumers. Forums, social media, and websites are different ways for content sharing but it is a rough path when travelled alone. With MCN YouTube, you will get a dedicated team to help you out in this regard.

Your business will stand out when your personal branding is strong enough. With YouTube MCN you can easily build your brand and market the content to a larger viewer base.

2. Digital rights protection

The functioning of a YouTube MCN is not only restricted to revenue generation or brand promotion. They also take care of your channel, when you face copyright strikes that otherwise results in losing money and other advanced YouTube features. The MCN handles the copyright management issues, while you concentrate on creating engaging and valuable content.

3. Collaborations with other YouTubers

These MCNs allow you to collaborate with other YouTube channels and enhance your business exposure. In such a case you getter better foothold in the YouTube network, as other YouTubers in your network share the videos within the community and allow it to get more views. When such a larger audience is consuming your content, there are higher chances of getting the best out of MCN.

4. Better video production facilities

When you are a beginner, you mostly run with a limited resource in terms of budget and equipment. These MCNs ensure that you get the tools and technology like studio equipment to create and edit videos. Top-notch post-production tools are also available with them to boost your channel’s videos.

Part 3: Cons of joining MCN YouTube network

You should never ignore the downside of every step you take while grooming your YouTube channel to touch the heights of success. Here are few of the prominent drawbacks of joining any MCN YouTube network.

1. Split revenue

Although, YouTube clearly doesn’t mention the revenue you will generate from your YouTube channel under the YouTube partner agreement. Your channel and YouTube respectively share 55/45 revenue. When you take help from your MCN the 55% earnings will further deteriorate after paying a percentage of your AdSense revenue to them.

2. Outcome is not always exciting

If you are thinking that the viewership will jump up multi-fold after involving a MCN, then you need to hold on and rethink. It is not guaranteed that a MCN will always end up giving you more view and subscribers to your channel, though it happens with some people.

Go through what you will be gaining from the YouTube MCN in terms of promoting your videos, promotional offers and increasing the subscriber as well as boosting your channel’s exposure.

Any MCN won’t guarantee you for achieving a specific number of subscribers or views if you join them. It’s important to work out what is important for us and for what reasons you are teaming up with that MCN.

In case there is no ROI for you with a YouTube MCN then it’s better to be on your own and try hard to enhance the reach and revenue. Without an ROI, it is futile to sacrifice your earnings in vain.

The bottom line

If you are asking us that you should join a YouTube MCN, then we would recommend you that the decision lies with you. As a YouTube channel owner and content creator, you have a certain goal to achieve.

So, it’s you who needs to figure out the important steps to be taken for attaining all the short and long term goals. Weigh your options and then opt for MCNs, if their assistance and service are close to meeting your expectations with your YouTube channel.

To decide whether to go for a YouTube network partnership or not, first check what percentage of your revenue they will be charging. It’s a key constraint for deciding about the viability of the partnership. If after calculating the proposed revenue sharing you have substantial profits, then going with the MCN is worth it.

The next point is the term of the contract. Never go for contracts that stretch for a longer duration. Put more stress on the legal contracts with the help of a professional lawyer. You need to be very careful about rights, termination of contracts and the likes. Though, we won’t be elaborately explaining the legal decisions involved in officially joining any YouTube network.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

YouTube Channel Art: How to Make Banners, Icons, and Thumbnails?

YouTube Channel Art: How to Make Banners, Icons, and Thumbnails?

Shanoon Cox

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube channel art refers to your banner, icon, and watermark along with the thumbnails of your videos. Creating custom channel art is a great way to express yourself and communicate the tone of your videos.

YouTube supports JPG, GIF, BMP, and PNG files for channel art, although they do not allow animated GIFs.

Part 1: Top Sites for YouTube Channel Art

You can make your channel art in Photoshop, or another photo editing program, but there are also some excellent tools online which you can access for free. Here are two of the best:

Canva.com

Canva has templates for YouTube banners as well as a variety of stock images. You can also upload and edit your own images on Canva. It is a free service, but they do have some premium features which cost $1 each. Canva has a desktop version and an iPad app.

PicMonkey.com

PicMonkey lets you import images from your computer or social media accounts, edit them, and use them in templates for YouTube banners or other kinds of social media graphics. It’s free to use, but you can only access their more advanced editing tools if you buy a paid subscription for either $4.99 a month, or $2.75 a month for a year.

Part 2: Banners

Your banner is the header for your channel page. Its dimensions are 2560 x 1440 px.

Not all of your banner will be visible on all devices. The full 2560 x 1440 px image will only be seen by viewers watching on tv screens.

Only 1546 x 423 px of your banner will be visible on computers, and this ‘safe area’ can vary for different tablets and smartphones depending on the width of their screens. Make sure any important text or logos are placed in a central location so everybody can see them.

Also, keep in mind that your icon will hover over the top left corner of your banner and that your social media icons will be located in the bottom right corner.

The file size of your banner cannot be over 4MB.

Part 3: Icons

Your icon is the avatar you use when leaving and replying to comments on YouTube. It also hovers over your banner on your channel page.

By default, your icon will be the picture associated with your Google account.

If you upload a new icon, it will render down to 98 x 98 px. So, any square image larger than 98 x 98 px will work. However, YouTube recommends you use one as large as 800 x 800 px. This will give you a sharper, higher quality, image.

Part 4: Thumbnails

Thumbnails are the images that represent your videos on your channel page and in search results.

You can browse through your video and choose a still frame you want to use as your video’s thumbnail. Or, you can upload a custom image.

Custom thumbnails should have an aspect ratio of 16:9, the same as YouTube’s video player. The files should be under 2MB and have a resolution of 1280 x 720.

To upload a custom thumbnail, select the custom thumbnail option under Video Thumbnails at the end of the video uploading process. You can also change the thumbnails of your existing videos to custom ones through Video Manager.

Remember that your thumbnail will be rendered down to a much smaller size. If you use text, like the title of your video, then you should make it really big so that it is easy to read when it gets shrunk down.

Part 5: Watermarks

A watermark is a small, usually 50 x 50 px image displayed in the bottom right corner of your video.

Watermarks protect your videos by making them harder for others to steal and take credit for.

Ideally, your watermark will be a transparent version of your logo. Try not to use more than three colors – you do not want your watermark to distract your viewers.

If you add a branding watermark through YouTube then that watermark will also double as a subscribe link.

Here is how you can add a branding watermark through YouTube:

1. On YouTube, go to your Creator Studio and select Branding under the Channel menu.
2. Click the blue add a watermark button on the Branding page.
3. An upload of a watermark window will pop up. Select your image file and click Save.
4. Choose between having a start time for your watermark, making it appear only at the end of your videos, or having it there for the entire length of your videos. The popular choice is to have it visible through the entire video.
5. Click Update. Your watermark will be applied to all of your videos.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube channel art refers to your banner, icon, and watermark along with the thumbnails of your videos. Creating custom channel art is a great way to express yourself and communicate the tone of your videos.

YouTube supports JPG, GIF, BMP, and PNG files for channel art, although they do not allow animated GIFs.

Part 1: Top Sites for YouTube Channel Art

You can make your channel art in Photoshop, or another photo editing program, but there are also some excellent tools online which you can access for free. Here are two of the best:

Canva.com

Canva has templates for YouTube banners as well as a variety of stock images. You can also upload and edit your own images on Canva. It is a free service, but they do have some premium features which cost $1 each. Canva has a desktop version and an iPad app.

PicMonkey.com

PicMonkey lets you import images from your computer or social media accounts, edit them, and use them in templates for YouTube banners or other kinds of social media graphics. It’s free to use, but you can only access their more advanced editing tools if you buy a paid subscription for either $4.99 a month, or $2.75 a month for a year.

Part 2: Banners

Your banner is the header for your channel page. Its dimensions are 2560 x 1440 px.

Not all of your banner will be visible on all devices. The full 2560 x 1440 px image will only be seen by viewers watching on tv screens.

Only 1546 x 423 px of your banner will be visible on computers, and this ‘safe area’ can vary for different tablets and smartphones depending on the width of their screens. Make sure any important text or logos are placed in a central location so everybody can see them.

Also, keep in mind that your icon will hover over the top left corner of your banner and that your social media icons will be located in the bottom right corner.

The file size of your banner cannot be over 4MB.

Part 3: Icons

Your icon is the avatar you use when leaving and replying to comments on YouTube. It also hovers over your banner on your channel page.

By default, your icon will be the picture associated with your Google account.

If you upload a new icon, it will render down to 98 x 98 px. So, any square image larger than 98 x 98 px will work. However, YouTube recommends you use one as large as 800 x 800 px. This will give you a sharper, higher quality, image.

Part 4: Thumbnails

Thumbnails are the images that represent your videos on your channel page and in search results.

You can browse through your video and choose a still frame you want to use as your video’s thumbnail. Or, you can upload a custom image.

Custom thumbnails should have an aspect ratio of 16:9, the same as YouTube’s video player. The files should be under 2MB and have a resolution of 1280 x 720.

To upload a custom thumbnail, select the custom thumbnail option under Video Thumbnails at the end of the video uploading process. You can also change the thumbnails of your existing videos to custom ones through Video Manager.

Remember that your thumbnail will be rendered down to a much smaller size. If you use text, like the title of your video, then you should make it really big so that it is easy to read when it gets shrunk down.

Part 5: Watermarks

A watermark is a small, usually 50 x 50 px image displayed in the bottom right corner of your video.

Watermarks protect your videos by making them harder for others to steal and take credit for.

Ideally, your watermark will be a transparent version of your logo. Try not to use more than three colors – you do not want your watermark to distract your viewers.

If you add a branding watermark through YouTube then that watermark will also double as a subscribe link.

Here is how you can add a branding watermark through YouTube:

1. On YouTube, go to your Creator Studio and select Branding under the Channel menu.
2. Click the blue add a watermark button on the Branding page.
3. An upload of a watermark window will pop up. Select your image file and click Save.
4. Choose between having a start time for your watermark, making it appear only at the end of your videos, or having it there for the entire length of your videos. The popular choice is to have it visible through the entire video.
5. Click Update. Your watermark will be applied to all of your videos.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

YouTube channel art refers to your banner, icon, and watermark along with the thumbnails of your videos. Creating custom channel art is a great way to express yourself and communicate the tone of your videos.

YouTube supports JPG, GIF, BMP, and PNG files for channel art, although they do not allow animated GIFs.

Part 1: Top Sites for YouTube Channel Art

You can make your channel art in Photoshop, or another photo editing program, but there are also some excellent tools online which you can access for free. Here are two of the best:

Canva.com

Canva has templates for YouTube banners as well as a variety of stock images. You can also upload and edit your own images on Canva. It is a free service, but they do have some premium features which cost $1 each. Canva has a desktop version and an iPad app.

PicMonkey.com

PicMonkey lets you import images from your computer or social media accounts, edit them, and use them in templates for YouTube banners or other kinds of social media graphics. It’s free to use, but you can only access their more advanced editing tools if you buy a paid subscription for either $4.99 a month, or $2.75 a month for a year.

Part 2: Banners

Your banner is the header for your channel page. Its dimensions are 2560 x 1440 px.

Not all of your banner will be visible on all devices. The full 2560 x 1440 px image will only be seen by viewers watching on tv screens.

Only 1546 x 423 px of your banner will be visible on computers, and this ‘safe area’ can vary for different tablets and smartphones depending on the width of their screens. Make sure any important text or logos are placed in a central location so everybody can see them.

Also, keep in mind that your icon will hover over the top left corner of your banner and that your social media icons will be located in the bottom right corner.

The file size of your banner cannot be over 4MB.

Part 3: Icons

Your icon is the avatar you use when leaving and replying to comments on YouTube. It also hovers over your banner on your channel page.

By default, your icon will be the picture associated with your Google account.

If you upload a new icon, it will render down to 98 x 98 px. So, any square image larger than 98 x 98 px will work. However, YouTube recommends you use one as large as 800 x 800 px. This will give you a sharper, higher quality, image.

Part 4: Thumbnails

Thumbnails are the images that represent your videos on your channel page and in search results.

You can browse through your video and choose a still frame you want to use as your video’s thumbnail. Or, you can upload a custom image.

Custom thumbnails should have an aspect ratio of 16:9, the same as YouTube’s video player. The files should be under 2MB and have a resolution of 1280 x 720.

To upload a custom thumbnail, select the custom thumbnail option under Video Thumbnails at the end of the video uploading process. You can also change the thumbnails of your existing videos to custom ones through Video Manager.

Remember that your thumbnail will be rendered down to a much smaller size. If you use text, like the title of your video, then you should make it really big so that it is easy to read when it gets shrunk down.

Part 5: Watermarks

A watermark is a small, usually 50 x 50 px image displayed in the bottom right corner of your video.

Watermarks protect your videos by making them harder for others to steal and take credit for.

Ideally, your watermark will be a transparent version of your logo. Try not to use more than three colors – you do not want your watermark to distract your viewers.

If you add a branding watermark through YouTube then that watermark will also double as a subscribe link.

Here is how you can add a branding watermark through YouTube:

1. On YouTube, go to your Creator Studio and select Branding under the Channel menu.
2. Click the blue add a watermark button on the Branding page.
3. An upload of a watermark window will pop up. Select your image file and click Save.
4. Choose between having a start time for your watermark, making it appear only at the end of your videos, or having it there for the entire length of your videos. The popular choice is to have it visible through the entire video.
5. Click Update. Your watermark will be applied to all of your videos.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

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YouTube channel art refers to your banner, icon, and watermark along with the thumbnails of your videos. Creating custom channel art is a great way to express yourself and communicate the tone of your videos.

YouTube supports JPG, GIF, BMP, and PNG files for channel art, although they do not allow animated GIFs.

Part 1: Top Sites for YouTube Channel Art

You can make your channel art in Photoshop, or another photo editing program, but there are also some excellent tools online which you can access for free. Here are two of the best:

Canva.com

Canva has templates for YouTube banners as well as a variety of stock images. You can also upload and edit your own images on Canva. It is a free service, but they do have some premium features which cost $1 each. Canva has a desktop version and an iPad app.

PicMonkey.com

PicMonkey lets you import images from your computer or social media accounts, edit them, and use them in templates for YouTube banners or other kinds of social media graphics. It’s free to use, but you can only access their more advanced editing tools if you buy a paid subscription for either $4.99 a month, or $2.75 a month for a year.

Part 2: Banners

Your banner is the header for your channel page. Its dimensions are 2560 x 1440 px.

Not all of your banner will be visible on all devices. The full 2560 x 1440 px image will only be seen by viewers watching on tv screens.

Only 1546 x 423 px of your banner will be visible on computers, and this ‘safe area’ can vary for different tablets and smartphones depending on the width of their screens. Make sure any important text or logos are placed in a central location so everybody can see them.

Also, keep in mind that your icon will hover over the top left corner of your banner and that your social media icons will be located in the bottom right corner.

The file size of your banner cannot be over 4MB.

Part 3: Icons

Your icon is the avatar you use when leaving and replying to comments on YouTube. It also hovers over your banner on your channel page.

By default, your icon will be the picture associated with your Google account.

If you upload a new icon, it will render down to 98 x 98 px. So, any square image larger than 98 x 98 px will work. However, YouTube recommends you use one as large as 800 x 800 px. This will give you a sharper, higher quality, image.

Part 4: Thumbnails

Thumbnails are the images that represent your videos on your channel page and in search results.

You can browse through your video and choose a still frame you want to use as your video’s thumbnail. Or, you can upload a custom image.

Custom thumbnails should have an aspect ratio of 16:9, the same as YouTube’s video player. The files should be under 2MB and have a resolution of 1280 x 720.

To upload a custom thumbnail, select the custom thumbnail option under Video Thumbnails at the end of the video uploading process. You can also change the thumbnails of your existing videos to custom ones through Video Manager.

Remember that your thumbnail will be rendered down to a much smaller size. If you use text, like the title of your video, then you should make it really big so that it is easy to read when it gets shrunk down.

Part 5: Watermarks

A watermark is a small, usually 50 x 50 px image displayed in the bottom right corner of your video.

Watermarks protect your videos by making them harder for others to steal and take credit for.

Ideally, your watermark will be a transparent version of your logo. Try not to use more than three colors – you do not want your watermark to distract your viewers.

If you add a branding watermark through YouTube then that watermark will also double as a subscribe link.

Here is how you can add a branding watermark through YouTube:

1. On YouTube, go to your Creator Studio and select Branding under the Channel menu.
2. Click the blue add a watermark button on the Branding page.
3. An upload of a watermark window will pop up. Select your image file and click Save.
4. Choose between having a start time for your watermark, making it appear only at the end of your videos, or having it there for the entire length of your videos. The popular choice is to have it visible through the entire video.
5. Click Update. Your watermark will be applied to all of your videos.

If you want to find a video editing solution that empowers your imagination and creativity yet takes less effort, please try this robust and user-friendly video editing software Filmora, which is equipped with its own footage stock Wondershare Filmstock and will definitely enhance your productivity and helps you to make money by making videos much easier.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox