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YouTube Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their YouTube businesses. On this page, we will first give you some background information with regards to the importance of business planning. We will then go through a YouTube business plan template step-by-step so you can create your plan today.

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What is a YouTube Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your YouTube business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why You Need a Business Plan for a YouTuber

If you’re looking to start a YouTube business, or grow your existing YouTube business, you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your YouTube business in order to improve your chances of success. Your YouTube business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your company grows and changes.

Sources of Funding for YouTube Businesses

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for a YouTube business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business. Personal savings is the other most common form of funding for a YouTube business.

Finish Your Business Plan Today!

If you want to start a YouTube business or expand your current one, you need a business plan. Below are links to each section of your YouTube business plan template:

Executive Summary

Your executive summary provides an introduction to your business plan, but it is normally the last section you write because it provides a summary of each key section of your plan.

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of YouTube business you are operating and the status. For example, are you a startup, do you have a YouTube business that you would like to grow?

Next, provide an overview of each of the subsequent sections of your plan. For example, give a brief overview of the YouTube industry. Discuss the type of YouTube business you are operating. Detail your direct competitors. Give an overview of your target customers. Provide a snapshot of your marketing plan. Identify the key members of your team. And offer an overview of your financial plan.  

Company Analysis

In your company analysis, you will detail the type of YouTube business you are operating.

For example, you might operate one of the following types of YouTube businesses:

• Vlog Content : this type of YouTube business features content in the form of a vlog that documents someone’s day-to-day life.
• How-To Content: this type of YouTube channel features how-to content, usually structured around a niche such as beauty, kids or home.
• Comedic Content: this type of YouTube channel features comedy skits.

In addition to explaining the type of YouTube business you will operate, the Company Analysis section of your business plan needs to provide background on the business.

Include answers to question such as:

• When and why did you start the business?
• What milestones have you achieved to date? Milestones could include the number of channel subscribers, number of positive reviews, number of views, etc.
• Your legal structure. Are you incorporated as an S-Corp? An LLC? A sole proprietorship? Explain your legal structure here.

Industry Analysis

In your industry analysis, you need to provide an overview of the YouTube industry.

While this may seem unnecessary, it serves multiple purposes.

First, researching the YouTube industry educates you. It helps you understand the market in which you are operating.

Secondly, market research can improve your strategy, particularly if your research identifies market trends.

The third reason for market research is to prove to readers that you are an expert in your industry. By conducting the research and presenting it in your plan, you achieve just that.

The following questions should be answered in the industry analysis section of your YouTube business plan:

• How big is the YouTube industry (in dollars)?
• Is the market declining or increasing?
• Who are the key competitors in the market?
• Who are the key suppliers in the market?
• What trends are affecting the industry?
• What is the industry’s growth forecast over the next 5 – 10 years?
• What is the relevant market size? That is, how big is the potential market for your YouTube business? You can extrapolate such a figure by assessing the size of the market in the entire country and then applying that figure to your local population.

Customer Analysis

The customer analysis section of your YouTube business plan must detail the customers you serve and/or expect to serve.

The following are examples of customer segments: adult men, adult women, young men, young women, mothers, teens.

As you can imagine, the customer segment(s) you choose will have a great impact on the type of YouTube business you operate. Clearly, teens would respond to different marketing promotions than adult men, for example.

Try to break out your target customers in terms of their demographic and psychographic profiles. With regards to demographics, include a discussion of the ages, genders, locations and income levels of the customers you seek to serve.

Psychographic profiles explain the wants and needs of your target customers. The more you can understand and define these needs, the better you will do in attracting and retaining your customers.

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Competitive Analysis

Your competitive analysis should identify the indirect and direct competitors your business faces and then focus on the latter.

Direct competitors are other YouTube businesses.

Indirect competitors are other options that customers have to purchase from that aren’t direct competitors. This includes Instagram influencers and bloggers. You need to mention such competition as well.

With regards to direct competition, you want to describe the other YouTube businesses with which you compete.

For each such competitor, provide an overview of their businesses and document their strengths and weaknesses. Find out key things about them such as:

• What types of viewers do they serve?
• What types of videos do they create, and what topics do they cover?
• What are they good at?
• What are their weaknesses?

With regards to the last two questions, think about your answers from the customers’ perspective.

The final part of your competitive analysis section is to document your areas of competitive advantage. For example:

• Will you provide better content, better quality video or delivery?
• Will you provide better customer service?
• Will you offer better pricing?

Think about ways you will outperform your competition and document them in this section of your plan.  

Marketing Plan

For a YouTube business plan, your marketing plan should include the following:

Product : In the product section, you should reiterate the type of YouTube company that you documented in your Company Analysis. Then, detail the specific products you will be offering. For example, in addition to YouTube, will you provide content on Instagram or other social channels, or offer professional speaking or consulting services?

Promotions : The final part of your YouTube marketing plan is the promotions section. Here you will document how you will drive customers to your location(s). The following are some promotional methods you might consider:

• Partnering with other websites
• Social media marketing

Operations Plan

While the earlier sections of your business plan explained your goals, your operations plan describes how you will meet them. Your operations plan should have two distinct sections as follows.

Everyday short-term processes include all of the tasks involved in running your YouTube business, including planning video content, filming and editing videos, negotiating ad agreements and interacting with viewers.

Long-term goals are the milestones you hope to achieve. These could include the dates when you expect to make your 50th video, or when you hope to reach $X in revenue. It could also be when you expect to expand your YouTube business to a new social channel.  

Management Team

To demonstrate your YouTube business’ ability to succeed, a strong management team is essential. Highlight your key players’ backgrounds, emphasizing those skills and experiences that prove their ability to grow a company.

Ideally you and/or your team members have direct experience in managing YouTube businesses. If so, highlight this experience and expertise. But also highlight any experience that you think will help your business succeed.

If your team is lacking, consider assembling an advisory board. An advisory board would include 2 to 8 individuals who would act like mentors to your business. They would help answer questions and provide strategic guidance. If needed, look for advisory board members with experience in managing influencers or successfully running small businesses.  

Financial Plan

Your financial plan should include your 5-year financial statement broken out both monthly or quarterly for the first year and then annually. Your financial statements include your income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statements.

Income Statement : an income statement is more commonly called a Profit and Loss statement or P&L. It shows your revenues and then subtracts your costs to show whether you turned a profit or not.

In developing your income statement, you need to devise assumptions. For example, will you publish one new video per day or per week? And will sales grow by 2% or 10% per year? As you can imagine, your choice of assumptions will greatly impact the financial forecasts for your business. As much as possible, conduct research to try to root your assumptions in reality.

Balance Sheets : Balance sheets show your assets and liabilities. While balance sheets can include much information, try to simplify them to the key items you need to know about. For instance, if you spend $50,000 on building out your YouTube business, this will not give you immediate profits. Rather it is an asset that will hopefully help you generate profits for years to come. Likewise, if a bank writes you a check for $50,000, you don’t need to pay it back immediately. Rather, that is a liability you will pay back over time.

Cash Flow Statement : Your cash flow statement will help determine how much money you need to start or grow your business, and make sure you never run out of money. What most entrepreneurs and business owners don’t realize is that you can turn a profit but run out of money and go bankrupt.

In developing your Income Statement and Balance Sheets be sure to include several of the key costs needed in starting or growing a YouTube business:

• Location build-out including design fees, construction, etc.
• Cost of equipment and supplies
• Payroll or salaries paid to staff
• Business insurance
• Taxes and permits
• Legal expenses

Attach your full financial projections in the appendix of your plan along with any supporting documents that make your plan more compelling. For example, you might include your office location lease or samples of videos you are working on.  

Putting together a business plan for your YouTube business is a worthwhile endeavor. If you follow the template above, by the time you are done, you will truly be an expert. You will really understand the YouTube industry, your competition, and your customers. You will have developed a marketing plan and will really understand what it takes to launch and grow a successful YouTube business.  

YouTube Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my youtube business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your YouTube Business Plan.

What is the Goal of a Business Plan's Executive Summary?

The goal of your Executive Summary is to quickly engage the reader. Explain to them the type of YouTube business you are operating and the status; for example, are you a startup, do you have a YouTube business that you would like to grow, or are you operating a chain of YouTube businesses?

Don’t you wish there was a faster, easier way to finish your YouTube business plan?

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Since 1999, Growthink has developed business plans for thousands of companies who have gone on to achieve tremendous success.  

Click here to see how Growthink’s professional business plan consulting services can create your business plan for you.

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Youtube Channel Business Plan Template & Guidebook

How to write a youtube channel business plan in 7 steps:, 1. describe the purpose of your youtube channel business..

It also helps to include a vision statement so that readers can understand what type of company you want to build.

2. Products & Services Offered by Your Youtube Channel Business.

When you think about the products and services that you offer, it's helpful to ask yourself the following questions:

3. Build a Creative Marketing Stratgey.

If you don't have a marketing plan for your youtube channel business, it's time to write one. Your marketing plan should be part of your business plan and be a roadmap to your goals. 

Target market

Customer base , product or service description, competitive analysis, marketing channels, form an llc in your state, 4. write your operational plan., what equipment, supplies, or permits are needed to run a youtube channel business, 5. management & organization of your youtube channel business..

The second part of your youtube channel business plan is to develop a management and organization section.

6. Youtube Channel Business Startup Expenses & Captial Needed.

Startup costs are typically the first expenses you will incur when beginning an enterprise. These include legal fees, accounting expenses, and other costs associated with getting your business off the ground. The amount of money needed to start a youtube channel business varies based on many different variables, but below are a few different types of startup costs for a youtube channel business.

You should include any costs associated with marketing and sales, such as advertising and promotions, website design or maintenance. Also, consider any additional expenses that may be incurred if you decide to launch a new product or service line. For example, if your youtube channel business has an existing website that needs an upgrade in order to sell more products or services, then this should be listed here.

7. Financial Plan & Projections

Here are some steps you can follow to devise a financial plan for your youtube channel business plan:

Frequently Asked Questions About Youtube Channel Business Plans:

Why do you need a business plan for a youtube channel business, who should you ask for help with your youtube channel business plan.

You can ask a business consultant, an experienced YouTube channel manager, or an expert in the industry. Additionally, you can contact your local Small Business Administration (SBA) office for assistance.

Can you write a youtube channel business plan yourself?

Related business plans, home inventory business plan template & guidebook, home inspection business plan template & guidebook, home decor business plan template & guidebook, health and wellness business plan template & guidebook, hauling business plan template & guidebook, hardware business plan template & guidebook, handyman business plan template & guidebook, hair extension business plan template & guidebook, handbag business plan template & guidebook.

I'm Nick, co-founder of newfoundr.com, dedicated to helping aspiring entrepreneurs succeed. As a small business owner with over five years of experience, I have garnered valuable knowledge and insights across a diverse range of industries. My passion for entrepreneurship drives me to share my expertise with aspiring entrepreneurs, empowering them to turn their business dreams into reality.

How to Create a YouTube Channel for Your Small Business

Victoria Greywing

9 min. read

Updated February 9, 2024

Millions of people all around the world use YouTube as their primary source of internet entertainment. There are numerous advantages to creating a YouTube channel that will help a small business.

The success of your YouTube efforts is highly dependent upon finding an effective strategy for optimizing your account. If you want to know how to start a YouTube channel for your business, there are several steps you must complete. This article covers the ways to build a massive channel that will attract customers to your website and generate income for you. 

• Why does your company need a YouTube channel?

Before we dive into the specific details, let us go over how YouTube could benefit your company. 

The major advantages are building an active, targeted audience for your website and increasing your visibility to search engines. Secondly, you can develop relationships with other businesses and influencers by commenting on their videos and collaborating. Thirdly, you can brand yourself and your website as experts in your chosen niche when you get enough exposure.

So, how does all this work?

The amount of time people spend online has drastically increased, especially in the last two years due to the pandemic. This eventually led to larger video consumption –  82% of internet users  prefer videos to  other types of content . And that opens a whole lot of new opportunities for marketers.

In 2020,  88% of marketing specialists  claimed to use YouTube as a part of their digital strategy. And that’s not surprising at all — the platform has an audience of 2 billion people, providing a wide range of niches your business can fit in. When you reach the right audience, you increase  brand awareness , loyalty, and sales — and these are the ultimate goals of any business.

• How to create a YouTube channel

As part of your  digital marketing strategy , you must understand that YouTube offers several unique features that can help you promote your small business. Among them are advanced analytics, video optimization, search engine optimization, and more. Let’s take a closer look at the step-by-step process of starting a YouTube channel.

1. Set up an account

A Gmail account automatically creates a YouTube profile as soon as you log into the platform. For security reasons, it’s better to create a separate corporate account so that only your current employees can have access to the channel:

• Log into your Youtube account via Google.
• Click on the profile picture icon.
• Choose “Create a channel” from the drop-down menu.
• Enter your channel name and upload the profile picture.
• Confirm your actions with the “Create channel” button.

Now you have a channel. You can access it via the “Your channel” button in the drop-down menu. It opens the dashboard where you can customize the look of your channel and manage videos. But first, you need to fill out the profile information.

• Go to “Customize channel,” then click “Basic Info.”
• Add channel description and contact info.
• Add links to your site or social media accounts.
• Change the URL to your channel to a custom one. Note that you can do it only after you have 100 subscribers and your account is at least 30 days old.
• Go to the “Branding” tab.
• Add a profile picture (if you haven’t already) and a banner image.
• Upload a watermark logo that will appear on all your videos. Preferably, it should be your company’s logo.

Since it’s a corporate channel, you may want to have several people take care of it. Ideally, you should have a whole team of specialists – a videographer, a community manager, and a content manager. To give access to several people, go to the “Settings” section in the left-side menu, then click “Permissions.” There, you can send out invites to the people of interest and choose their roles:

• Managers can edit everything as well as add or remove other people.
• Editors can change profile information but can’t delete videos.
• Viewers can only view the profile but can’t change anything.

You can also give out limited editing or viewing permissions. Plus, the only person who can delete the channel is you, the creator.

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2. Match the market

The next important thing to do is to  research the market . Ask yourself these questions: “Are my competitors present on YouTube? What content do they make? How do they promote themselves?”

And most importantly, “How can I beat them?”

That’s right. You should never copy other brands, but make sure your company stands out. You need to invest some time and effort into the visual layout and  branding  of your channel, not to mention the quality of content. For now, let’s talk about your channel’s appearance.

Make a channel trailer

This will be the first thing people who are not subscribed to you see when they first visit your channel. It can be a short compilation of the best of your videos or a welcome video presenting the company. 

Highlight a featured video

This video is meant for your subscribers. You can use your latest video for this section or choose the one you think they should watch right away.

Add navigation sections

Help your followers navigate through your channel by making themed playlists: uploads, live streams, and custom lists.

Work on channel art

The design of your YouTube channel should match the whole brand strategy and color book. Having the same patterns, colors, and fonts will invest in the trust and loyalty of your fanbase.

Get verified

A small gray checkmark next to a channel’s name means a lot, as it adds trust. It will let people know that your channel is the official representation of your brand on YouTube. To verify your account, you need to go to “Settings” – “Channel” – “Feature eligibility.” There you will find the button that lets you get verified. After the process is finished, you will be able to post longer videos, stream live, and add custom thumbnails.

3. Optimize for search

All of your efforts will be in vain if you don’t have enough  search engine exposure . Now that you know how to create a YouTube channel, it’s time to learn how to optimize it for your purposes. 

The title, description, and tags should be optimized so that viewers searching for related items will find your content. You should do it for individual videos, but you can also have a pool of generic keywords that you will use every time.  SEO on YouTube works the same way as in Google, Bing, or any other search engine. The easiest way to  research the keywords  is by typing them into the search bar. If you have a match in bold, that’s the phrase you need.

Alternatively, you can use services like Google Ads, Ahrefs, and Semrush to get the whole picture of what’s happening in your niche SEO-wise. Among other tools are vidIQ and TubeBuddy, which have YouTube in their primary focus.

One more important thing that differentiates YouTube is that you have to actually use keywords in your videos. Not just pronounced separately, but used in your speech and subtitles. That’s how search algorithms understand that your video is relevant and answers the users’ intent.

4. Dive into content-making

Making a cool video may take a lot of time, so, as we’ve mentioned before, you should consider having a dedicated YouTube team. They will take care of the video production and marketing, as well as building a community.

If you, however, are on a budget, you can rely on  free tools for video-making  and have a marketing specialist help you do the promotional part.

You will need: 

• An online video editor like Fastreel, Magisto, or Kapwing
• An illustration-maker for channel art: Canva, Venngage, or Crello
• A content planner like Loomly, Trello, or Agorapulse

When you have all the tools you need, it’s time to find out how to make a YouTube channel more interesting with different video content.

• Types of content that perform well on YouTube

You will find dozens of video content types across YouTube. But which ones to pick for promoting a small business? The ones below work great for corporate accounts, so let’s take a closer look.

Brand introduction

A brand presentation is arguably the most important video on your channel. Tell your audience who you are, what you do, and what your content is about. This type of video works great as a channel trailer for the newcomers to get to know you. You can also make a series of short “meet the team” videos when introducing your employees. These videos can include short interviews, time-lapses of workdays, and little anecdotes about their lives.

Product overviews

If you produce cool items, develop handy software, or provide great services, YouTube is the best place to showcase your offerings. Product overviews are basically advertisements where you talk about features and benefits for users. These videos fit very well when you launch new products or release updates to your existing goods.

Instructions

Instructional guides are a must-have if you want the audience to treat you as an expert. Teach your subscribers how to use your services or products and make QA videos about the most troublesome moments. If you have your own profound guides and instructional videos, people won’t need to search for them anywhere else.

Educational videos

These differ from instructions in a way that they cover a wider range of topics. These topics, however, should be related to your product or service. For example, if you are a digital design agency, you can educate your audience about current design trends or color theory.

Customer testimonials

Client testimonials will draw viewers to your channel and provide valuable content for your subscriber base. A customer testimonial can include specific details about the benefits of a product or service based on real-life experience. Such feedback is more believable than bragging from the brand’s side.

Live streams

A scheduled live stream event will cause anticipation among your subscribers. You can tease the public on your other social media accounts and then talk to the audience in real-time. Live streams are perfect for product launches, QA sessions, and educational webinars.

• Creating a successful YouTube channel takes time

As you can see, there are a lot of advantages to  making use of YouTube . Not every company is successful in doing so, but with enough time and effort, you can reach your goal. A YouTube account will attract new audiences, improve relationships with customers, and draw more traffic to your site.

Plan out your digital strategy first, research the market, and you’re good to go. Don’t forget to optimize your content for search engines, upload videos regularly, and the followers won’t take long to come. By balancing the amount and types of content, you can keep your clients entertained for a long time.

Victoria is a content manager in Movavi. She specializes in writing user-friendly content and researching complex topics to make them easy to understand in her articles.

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