I always wondered why some YouTube channels had small banners over the profile names and others didn’t. So after doing some research, I found out about the YouTube Partner program.

I just got accepted last week and I’m pretty excited about the added perks…

1) A customized banner (875×75) at the top of my Channel homepage

2) A customized banner (360×55) above the “Video Info” box

3) Ad revenue sharing for “InVideo” ads and other ads along the right side of the video

4) An HTML-enabled text box at the top of my Channel homepage that I can use to promote my sites, blog, forum, etc.

5) Recognition for being on YouTube’s Top 100 list for “Most Subscribed Partner” of the week

6) More space for video descriptions

Payments are made through AdSense, so you must have an active AdSense account before you can get accepted into the program.

I really like that YouTube rewards members for high-trafficked channels.  Hopefully this is just the beginning of more opportunities.

My YouTube Channel homepage now has a PageRank of 5. And while I’m not one to put much emphasis on PR, I still keep track of it.

Now being able to add links to my sites and blogs from this page may be beneficial since this channel is considered pretty reputable in Google’s eyes.

Getting The Kinks Out

While I’m excited about the YouTube Partner program, it’s obvious there are still a few kinks.  I tried adding the “InVideo” ads to one of my videos about WordPress, and suddenly an ad for Playtex Bras scrolled across my face.

Ummmm…. hopefully YouTube is working to target these ads a little better.  Or maybe there’s a WordPress bra out there that I am not familiar with? 

I also noticed the Google ads that display are often unrelated to the title or description of the video.  So I’ll continue to experiment with different videos to check for relevancy, etc.

Making Your YouTube Debut

OK, enough about me.  Let’s talk about you!

If you haven’t thought about putting yourself on YouTube, now’s a great time.  YouTube continues to add revenue and branding opportunities that will only get better over time.

And if you’re not comfortable putting your face on camera, remember you can also record ScreenCast tutorials with software like Camtasia.

If your site is related to computers or there is some relevant software you can demonstrate for your audience, you can also upload this type of video too.  You can see an example with my CSS tutorial.

I’ve definitely learned one thing in the past year…  People absolutely love video.  They provide a nice break from reading and they give your site personality, uniqueness and depth.

So hopefully you are putting some thought into how you can use YouTube to grow your brand awareness, traffic and even make a little revenue on the side.  Before you know it, you’ll be the next YouTube celeb in your niche!

Go here for more details about becoming a YouTube partner.

Just like a website on Google.com, you can optimize your video for YouTube searches, and drive more targeted traffic to your video.

Learn how to turn this YouTube traffic into more visits for your site.