how do i set up a youtube channel properly?

Set up the homepage layout too, it's under Customisation. Add a channel trailer for people who haven't subscribed yet, and arrange your videos into playlists by topic. Playlists keep people watching one video after another, and that matters more than most of the other settings.

Create it as a brand channel rather than straight on your personal Google account, that way you can add managers later without sharing your login. Then: - pick the handle carefully, it's the bit people search for - banner at 2560x1440 but keep text in the middle, the edges get cropped on phones - write the About section like you'd describe the channel to a stranger, with the topics in plain words - verify the channel with your phone number, it unlocks custom thumbnails and longer uploads - set upload defaults (category, description template) so you're not retyping it every time honestly the thumbnail and first 30 seconds of each video matter more than any of the setup.