Brands on YouTube: Tips to Stand Out in a Crowded Video World

Let’s talk about brands on YouTube. The popular ones. The ones with millions of followers. And the ones with the most engaged and loyal followers. The ones with the most creative strategies. Our aim here is to explore the nuances of what makes them stand out. What do they do differently? What can you apply to your own channel? 

So, if you are planning to create a YouTube channel for yourself or your brand, or if you already own a channel and wish to give it a boost, look no further. Let’s talk about the lessons to take away from brands that have actually nailed it on YouTube. 

Lessons to Take Away From Top Brands On YouTube 

1. Optimize your channel art – make your channel instantly recognizable 

The channel art on your YouTube channel is crucial to shaping your digital storefront. Your channel banner, profile icon, thumbnails, and featured video all work together to communicate who you are, what you stand for, and why someone should hit subscribe. 

These elements should cohesively represent your brand and establish your brand identity as well. They help introduce your brand to visitors who discover your brand on YouTube and help existing customers recognize and connect with your brand better. 

Now, if we have to talk about brands on YouTube that get this right, Netflix should definitely be at the top of the list. 

Their signature “N” monogram as the profile picture is an unmistakable detail that most people instantly recognize. Moreover, the clutter-free and minimalist design of this profile picture makes it clear even when scaled down on small screens. 

The best brands on YouTube use their cover image as a powerful communication tool, telling their story or even making a crucial announcement. Netflix does that too! For instance, the snapshot here shows Netflix’s YouTube page cover image highlighting one of their top-rated films, creating a lot of buzz, Frankenstein. 

Finally, the thumbnails on the channel all follow a templated structure, which creates visual consistency despite the visual diversity in the content featured on the channel. 

2. Include variety that keeps your followers coming back for more 

If you look at brands on YouTube, ones that grow steadily (not just grow from a single viral video), you’ll notice that most of them make the most of the variety that YouTube supports. 

On the surface, YouTube is a video streaming platform, but over the years, the platform has expanded and it now supports Podcasts, Community Posts and Shorts. In short, the platform has post formats to meet the needs of the diverse audience demographics on it. 

Leveraging these formats effectively is crucial for any brand or creator to stand out on the platform. But most importantly, this variety helps with sustained growth. 

Chanel is one such brand on YouTube known to actively use almost all of the content formats supported by YouTube. From historical narratives to glimpses of fashion shows, the brand regularly shares long videos that appeal to fashion aficionados. But that’s not all – their Shorts feed is filled with product-focused videos that carry the visual grandeur the brand is known for.

In addition to going Live regularly, Chanel also streams their podcast called the CAMBON podcast on their YouTube channel. Variety like this ensures that your channel has something for everyone visiting it. 

3. Let your brand voice shine 

There are billions of videos on YouTube. And when a user browses a particular topic, they might stumble upon several videos that cover similar content. What makes them choose one channel over another? What makes them go back to that channel, subscribe to them and stay connected? 

While the visual allure of your channel, like your channel art, helps bring your audience to your channel, it’s what they see next that motivates them to stay. In other words, it is about the tone of voice, the unique personality you display through your videos and this should convince customers that you vibe with them. 

Whether it is a personal brand or a commercial brand, having a clearly defined tone of voice amplifies the brand’s identity. And this tone of voice should be reflected in the videos – both in terms of visuals and the tone of delivery. 

Wendy’s is one of the most popular brands on YouTube, known for its distinct tone of voice. The brand’s bold, sassy style can be seen across the content shared on its page – from thumbnails to Shorts. 

This distinct tone is what helps differentiate the brand from other fast food brands on YouTube. Similarly, define what your brand sounds like and ensure that all your videos – short-form and long-form resonate with this tone both visually and in terms of the soundtracks and voiceover you use. 

4. Set the stage with a strong Channel Trailer 

Who doesn’t love a good trailer, right? A short introduction that eliminates all ambiguities – that’s precisely what the channel trailer on YouTube is all about. 

The first few moments a visitor lands on your YouTube page are crucial. The visual elements that influence a visitor’s perception of your channel during those first few moments are the banner image, your profile picture and the channel trailer you feature on your home page. 

Your channel trailer can be what helps curious visitors decide whether to subscribe or move on. But remember, the best trailers don’t try to show everything all at once. They quickly explain what the channel stands for, why it’s worth watching, and what kind of experience a viewer can expect. Or sometimes they just keep the viewers hooked by showing them what’s new or what’s coming. 

BMW does a brilliant job with its channel trailer. Its channel trailer is a sneak peek into what makes the new BMW iX3 special. Without giving away too many details about the car or without focusing on the technical aspects, the video is all about “vibes”. It focuses on the lifestyle, the driving experience the car delivers. In a market crowded with new electric vehicle announcements, the video aims to focus on the excitement of riding one. 

The channel trailer on BMW’s page ensures that viewers instantly understand that this channel isn’t just about cars, it’s about aspiration and emotion. It reinforces the brand while making the content feel exciting.

So, how do you make your channel trailer work? Keep it short and visually immersive. Use the space to show your unique personality. This is what helps connect with your audience. 

5. Start with a strong and consistent hook 

The key to good engagement on YouTube is grabbing attention from the first frame. Yes, we are talking about a visual hook, a hard-to-ignore intro unique to your channel. 

When someone lands on a video, the clock starts ticking. The first few seconds determine whether they stay and watch or move on. A strong hook grabs curiosity, promises value (or even surprises the viewer), and builds momentum before the viewer even processes what’s coming.

Sometimes it is about showing your unique personality and sometimes it is about displaying your brand identity. GoPro is one of the most popular brands on YouTube. In fact, it has an overall strong social media presence. Naturally, it makes a good source of inspiration when it comes to a visual hook as well. 

The brand has a minimalist, fool-proof, on-brand visual hook. The intro on their videos is simple – the brand logo displayed along with a signature audio clip, every single time. Given the variety in content that GoPro shares and since their focus is on user-generated content, consistent use of this intro and their unique thumbnail with the brand logo placed prominently helps establish coherence across their content. 

An additional frame highlights videos showcasing GoPro award winners without breaking the visual consistency. 

Simple but so effective. That’s all it takes to create a strong branded intro. Or if you think grabbing attention with a question or a bold and daring statement is your style, opening with that works as well. But the key here is consistency across your videos. 

6. Titles that viewers click 

A strong title does a lot of heavy lifting. It tells the viewer what your video is about and sparks their curiosity. But that’s not all. A hint of creativity can add more depth and enhance the value of your video title. 

It comes in handy, particularly when your video is fighting for attention among all other videos displayed on the search results page. So, even though a keyword-embedded straightforward title does the job, if the idea is to grab attention, then you need to get creative with your video titles. Titles aligned with your brand’s tone of voice can reinforce your brand’s personality and instantly connect with your audience. 

For inspiration, check out the Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell YouTube channel. The channel is known for its education videos breaking down complex topics. But its language is overall fun and engaging and it perfectly aligns with the visual storytelling that the channel is known for. 

Their video titles are simple, bold statements that make you want answers immediately. 

As you can see from the screenshot above, the channel’s video titles combine big, universal questions with a crisp delivery. No ambiguity. No fluff. You instantly know what you’re getting and why it’s interesting. And of course, the titles also match the visuals and tone – smart, direct, and loud. This consistent formula works for many brands on YouTube and it can for you too! 

7. Expand your reach on YouTube with Shorts 

If you wish to be among the top brands on YouTube, you cannot ignore Shorts. While long videos educate, short videos are the best when it comes to entertainment. Besides, they are your best bet in grabbing the attention of the vertical-scroll-loving audience. Not to forget, Shorts are known to boost the reach of creators and brands on YouTube. 

Statista estimates that the U.S. YouTube Shorts viewers will rise to 192 million by the year 2027. And if you thought short videos do not impact engagement, think again. Because data shows that shorter clips of length 60 seconds or less see about 2.5 times more engagement than traditional formats. 

Several brands that have a solid YouTube presence have a solid Shorts game. Take Walmart, for instance. 

Walmart is the perfect example of blending all the right formats for steady growth on YouTube. From live streaming regularly to curating customer-focused videos, the brand has a robust YouTube strategy. Their Shorts game is spot on. From behind-the-scenes clips to creator-led content and short videos that resonate with trends, Walmart has variety, authenticity and entertainment value in its Shorts. 

Take cues from brands like Walmart, Sephora and even Duolingo and use YouTube Shorts to keep up with trends that matter to your audience. 

Elevate Your YouTube Game With KIMP 

As you can see from all these popular brands on YouTube, standing out on YouTube isn’t about chasing trends or copying what everyone else is doing. It’s about shaping a channel that feels intentional, looks great, and gives people a real reason to keep coming back. 

The brands winning today show up with their unique personality, strong visuals, and ideas that inspire, educate, and entertain people. 

Looking for a creative partner to collaborate with, to upgrade your YouTube game, get a KIMP video subscription. Editing long-form videos or designing short videos? We got you covered. Unlimited videos, unlimited revisions – a flat monthly fee. 

Want to learn how KIMP can save you time and elevate your video game? Book a call with our team.