Once upon a time, when the internet had just begun to worm its way into every aspect of our lives, YouTube was just a place to watch silly videos. Remember those days, when you used your dial-up router to log on to the web? Who would have believed back then that this new technology would be on every mobile device and that people could have successful careers by running a YouTube channel? No one, that’s who.

At some point, society made a switch and social media became king of the communication realm. Nowadays, YouTube channel professionals take their careers very seriously, and for good reason. Whether you’re a musician looking to be the next big sensation, an illustrator advertising your creations, or a yoga teacher sharing your latest workouts, a YouTube channel can be a very lucrative thing.

Intrigued? Well, if this has piqued your interest, you need to know that there’s more to online success than simply setting up a mobile device and uploading a video to YouTube—you need to understand a few things about the modern business world as well. From reasons to invest in a YouTube channel banner to the best protocols to follow when it comes to network security, read on for a few tips that will take you to the top.

YouTube channel art will set you apart from the crowd.

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No social media influencer gets there without taking the visual aspect of their project into account. Whether you’re launching a YouTube channel or a TikTok profile, you need a logo with a great font, and you need to understand the difference between a JPG image and a PNG image. Crafting a YouTube banner that really pops is easier said than done, so if you want to focus on the content of your channel instead of on mastering Adobe Photoshop, it might make sense to hire a YouTube banner maker. Sure, you can use a template, but YouTube has specific protocols when it comes to banner images that have to do with the number of pixels and formatting of the images. If you want to get more clicks on that subscribe button, hiring someone to make your YouTube channel art might be a great way to go.

Keep yourself safe by adhering to best practices.

Now that you’re online, you have to keep yourself safe. Fraudsters are everywhere, doing their best to scam innocent folks out of money, information, and more. This isn’t to say that you need to get a bachelor’s degree in information technology (IT) or computer science, but you do need to adhere to best practices. It wouldn’t hurt to look into network engineering courses either. Networking courses can have you trained in as little as 24 weeks, and passing those exams will ensure that you’re staying in a safe area of the internet. If you’re going to make a social media channel your main project, the first thing to think about is getting the important information you need to stay safe.

Treat your YouTube channel like a business.

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Speaking of making your social media channel your main project, that also means that you need to think like a businessperson. How will you make this business lucrative? Consider every real-world scenario possible. What if you’re traveling—how will you upload videos? Do you need to consider making your channel accessible by adding closed captions? Make a detailed business plan before you upload the first video, and you’ll make fewer mistakes along the road to success.

No one is able to succeed overnight, and being a social media superstar takes dedication and plenty of hard work. Hopefully, this preview of what it takes to get yourself started in the world of YouTube stardom will help you on this new, exciting endeavor.