YouTube offers several Channel Types…but which one is right for your small business? Are you a YouTuber…or a Guru?
Inspired by seeing Julie Perry present on YouTube at BlogWorld in New York this year I have been diving headlong into YouTube lately and making the most out of flyte's web marketing channel at YouTube. Expect a bunch of YouTube centric posts in the next few weeks as I share all I can uncover.
While customizing your YouTube channel you're asked to choose a Channel Type:
Not sure the benefits of being a YouTuber vs. a Director, I starting Googling around, looking for the answers. They weren't easy to find, nor did they appear on one page. In case you are wondering what's the right type of channel for your business, here's the run down:
YouTuber Channel
“The default channel type…intended for the average user, who may post the occasional family video but isn't looking for an extended following. All other channel types allow the owner to put in extended information about themselves.” (via About.com)
Director Channel
The Director channel was created to “encourage original content and discourage copyright violation.
“The program is free, but users must agree that all their content is original in order to participate. YouTube Directors may create video content longer than the usual ten minute maximum, and they may specify prices for downloading video content.” (via About.com) Note that many channels now allow longer than 10 minute videos, and it appears (anecdotally) that the more videos you put up, the longer they may be.
Musician Channel
The musician channel is “meant for performing musicians who record their own performances and upload them to YouTube, not for someone who uploads other people's performances.
“In addition to all the standard features of YouTube, a musician channel can create a custom logo, specify tour or performance dates, and create links for CD sales.” (via About.com)
Comedian Channel
This channel is very similar to the musician channel as it's “meant for comedians who want to promote their routines, not for users who upload other people's routines.
“In addition to all the standard features of YouTube, a comedian channel can create a custom logo, specify performance dates, and create links for CD sales.” (via About.com)
Guru Channel
“Gurus are experts who create YouTube videos designed to educate and inform their audience.
“Guru channels let you specify the genre of your expertise, create a custom logo, and add links to your profile page.” (via About.com)
Reporter Channel
“A Reporter channel would be appropriate for anyone who makes news-oriented videos, no matter how large or small their audience.
“In addition to all the standard features that come with YouTube channels, reporters get extra space to describe their beat, their influences, and their favorite news sources.” (via About.com)
As you can see, I took those definitions from the individual pages on About.com, which is owned by Google. (When did that happen?) So it should be pretty accurate.
That being said, as I played around with the different channel types, I didn't see certain options open up or others disappear. The channel type seemed to have little to no impact on my channel. If you've found something different, please let us know!