We are sure you must have heard about JJ Olatunji, better known as KSI. He is a famous YouTuber and rapper who rebranded his YouTube channel from KSI. He started his career with FIFA games, then a boxer, and now is a successful singer. KSI had rebranded his YouTube channel from KSI to JJ Olatunji. In this blog, let us understand what YouTube rebrand is and tips for rebranding your YouTube channel.
What is YouTube rebranding?
Your YouTube channel name becomes your YouTube identity on YouTube and also on other social media platforms. Therefore, your YouTube channel name should be relevant to your channel’s niche. Initially, YouTubers name their YouTube channels randomly, and once they get to fame, many YouTubers try changing their channel name. Yes… YouTube allows you to change your YouTube channel name after three months.
Similarly, as we mentioned above, KSI had two YouTube channels. KSI created his second YouTube channel in 2011 and rebranded his channel from ‘KSIOlajidebt’ in 2020 to ‘JJ Olatunji.’ Guess what? He gained more than 13 million subscribers on this channel after he rebranded the YouTube channel. His motive to make a second YouTube channel was to make gaming videos. On his first and original account, he wanted to concentrate on vlogging. Now, he also posts music videos on his KSI channel. Let’s discuss when you should consider to take the initiative to rebrand your channel.
When Should You Consider YouTube Channel Rebrand?
As you grow in your creator journey, there might come a time when you need to pivot from your plan and consider the choice of rebranding your YouTube channel. The signs that indicate YT channel rebranding include;
- A shift in content focus
- Aligning your channel brand with current YT goals and your vision
- Have a desire for a fresh start
- Want to cater to a new niche
- Changes in your target audience’s behavior
- Changing market trends
Evaluate these signs and only then take the next step of actually going through the process of rebranding your YouTube channel.
What to do when rebranding your YouTube channel?
YouTube rebrand efforts are a little technical and may be time-consuming if you are a mid-level creator. Here’s what it looks like.
Changing your channel name and URL
The first step in a YouTube channel rebrand includes changing your channel name and its custom URL. While changing your channel name is easy, changing the URL requires more technical expertise. Besides, if you have an old YouTube channel with an old custom URL, it cannot be changed.
Update your channel Thumbnail
You cannot simply change your channel name and keep the old thumbnail. For an effective YouTube rebrand, create a new channel thumbnail reflecting your new vision for your audience.
If possible, Update the Channel Trailer
Having a new channel trailer makes your audience realize that you are serious about your YouTube channel’s growth. It gives you more creative liberty to express your new video content ideas and what new aspects you are introducing within your channel.
Steps to Successfully Rebrand Your YouTube Channel
How do you start with your YouTube channel rebranding efforts? It requires deep contemplation and careful planning to rebrand your channel and optimize it to attract new potential subscribers.
- Outline your goals for rebranding. Why do you wish to rebrand your channel?
- Identify your target audience and their needs. The are chances that the content consumption preferences of your audience might have changed.
- Create a workable, comprehensive strategy to change your channel name, logo, trailer, and thumbnail.
- Communicate the changes to your audience in a timely manner.
- If needed, partner with other content creators in your niche to amplify your YouTube channel rebranding efforts.
- Create hype and generate more buzz around your new brand identity for a better recall factor among your target audience.
Tips for Rebranding Your YouTube Channel
Now that you know the steps to rebrand a YouTube channel, let’s walk through a few crucial tips and strategies that you must know for a YouTube channel rebrand.
Before you rebrand your channel, make a video that explains the reason
Before changing your YouTube channel’s name, it is important to let your subscribers know. You can make a video explaining why you are rebranding your YouTube channel. Your subscribers and fans will be confused if you directly rebrand the YouTube channel or rename it. To avoid confusion, you can make a video explaining the reason and assure your fans that you will make the same quality content.
Rename your social media platforms and add the new icon
You can rename your social media platforms with the one on your YouTube channel to avoid confusion. However, some people might take advantage of this situation and make a page on social media and use your name. Therefore, you can name your social media platforms using the new YouTube channel’s name. However, before you do so, you can write a note on all your social media platforms to let your fans know that you are rebranding your channel.
Change the name of your YouTube channel
This is a crucial step that can make or break your career or just spoil what you have earned. For example, some subscribers might disagree with this decision and unsubscribe from your YouTube channel or stop watching your content. For example, when Comedy Shorts Gamer rebranded his YouTube channel to Deji, he lost many subscribers.
But this can turn in your favor as well. For example, when ‘KsiHD’ was rebranded to ‘JJ Olatunji,’ he gained a lot of subscribers. Even if it doesn’t help you in gaining your subscribers, it will help you at least retain the existing ones. If that doesn’t help in any way, you can buy YouTube subscribers.
Do not forget to update your name on all your social media handles.
Create content that your subscribers are interested in watching
Remember, you are rebranding your YouTube channel name, but you need to continue making quality content. Mostly, YouTubers rebrand YouTube channels to bring a professional approach to their YouTube channel. If your subscribers support you in your decision, you need to be loyal to your fans and keep making content that they are interested in watching.
Concluding thoughts
We suggest you think and analyze all the pros and cons before taking the drastic step of the YouTube rebrand. It may take you to heights or drop you down from the position that you are currently on. To complement your YouTube channel’s growth, it’s essential to implement some foundational strategies beyond just promoting your videos. Start by crafting compelling titles that attract clicks and writing engaging descriptions encouraging viewers to watch your content from beginning to end. Tools like a title generator for YouTube and a YouTube description generator can come to aid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Will I lose subscribers if I change my channel name?
No. Changing your YouTube channel name will not affect your subscribership count. However, you can create a video that explains your thought process behind your initiative of YouTube channel rebrand.
Q2. How often should I rebrand my YouTube channel?
I recommend rebranding your YouTube channel only when you are stepping into a different niche or your target audience is changing dramatically. Also, avoid YouTube channel rebrand often, as it can create confusion among your loyal subscribers and potentially affect your YouTube channel growth.
Q3. Is it better to revive an old YouTube channel or start a new one?
If your YT channel has been dead or inactive for a long time and you wish to resume its growth, you can revive your dead channel back. However, if you plan to step into a different niche with different audience and needs, it is always better to start a new one.
Q4. Does changing the YouTube channel affect views?
No. A change in the YouTube channel name does not affect your video views. However, if not informed on time, it can indirectly impact your viewership count by reducing your channel recall factor in your audience’s mind.