YouTube Official Artist Channels
There’s a good chance that you’ve already got your music on YouTube in some way, and if you don’t, you should really get on that! Whether you’ve uploaded live performances or you’ve signed up to a distributor’s services and got your music out there, you could really make it work for you by using YouTube Official Artist Channels.
With the introduction of OACs, YouTube has changed how music channels and videos are managed. Now, multiple artist accounts are pulled together and merged into one channel, helping artists get the most out of YouTube.
Setting this up has never been easier than partnering with Identity Music. By claiming your Official Artist Channel, you will enhance your YouTube distribution and receive multiple benefits that will help you get discovered…
Benefits
Once your OAC is approved, you’ll be able to take advantage of great YouTube features and grow your artistry.
Search discoverability
Setting up YouTube Official Artist Channels will help boost your discoverability in search results. Whenever someone searches for you on YouTube, they will be given a link directly to your OAC. This will make finding the videos that yield royalties revenue for you easier for your fans.
Organised Content
The official artist channel automatically organises and generates playlists for your fans. They are created by YouTube so you won’t be able to edit them. These playlists are intended to create ease of access and consistency for viewers. The “Official Music” section will aggregate all your music from across all of your YouTube channels and organise them by date, popularity and video type. The “Albums” playlist will auto-generate a playlist that organises your albums in release date order, reverse chronologically. You can read more about it here: YouTube Organised Content.
Boost Engagement
Your channel will be verified and you will get a little music note next to your channel name to represent this. Within the platform you will be able to directly reach and engage with your fans, update your imagery and bio and use the analytics tools to track data and tailor the experience.
Understand Your Viewers
By using Official Artist Channels, you get access to exclusive data and analytics in “YouTube Analytics for Artist”. This will help you to understand the many layers to how viewers are engaging with your content.
These, alongside an optimised YouTube presence will be sure to pool your digital resources to create the best opportunity for you to see spikes in growth. Check out the advice on our recent blog to maximise your YouTube potential.
Eligibility
With Identity Music as your digital music distributor, setting up your OAC has never been easier. To be eligible you will need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in order to monetize your channel.
Programme criteria
To be eligible for an Official Artist Channel, your channel has to meet the following requirements:
- Own and operate a YouTube channel that represents one artist or band
- Have at least three official releases on YouTube delivered and distributed by a music distributor or label
- Have no policy violations on your channel
And one of the following:
- Work with a YouTube Partner Manager
- Be part of the YouTube Partner Programme (YPP)
- Your channel is part of a label network that works with a Partner Manager
Note: You can only link one artist to a YouTube account. A label channel cannot be converted to an Official Artist Channel.
How To Set Up OAC
In order to set up a YouTube Official Artist Channel with us, ensure that you have a channel dedicated to your content as an artist on YouTube, named in your artist’s name. Also ensure that you have distributed enough releases with us to qualify for the channel. Once you are sure you have, get in contact with your account manager or the support team on the Identity Music website.
How long does it take?
The majority of requests for OACs are processed within two weeks. However, some requests may take longer. Once it is confirmed, you will relieve an email directly from YouTube letting you know the status of your Official Artist Channel.
If you do not have confirmation after two weeks, contact our support team via the website chat window. Please ensure that you do not delete your channel.
Should I still distribute to Vevo?
Absolutely! YouTube has a minimum requirement of 1,000 subscribers before they will pay royalties. So, unless you have more than 1,000 subscribers, you won’t be getting your royalties for a while.
Vevo, on the other hand, doesn’t have a minimum requirement for subscribers. So, you will maximise your royalties potential by establishing a Vevo presence as well.
However, Vevo doesn’t have a subscriber threshold, so you’ll start earning from the moment you set up your channel.
Plus, Vevo growth will help your YouTube. YouTube’s Official Artist Channel will merge multi-artist accounts, including Vevo, to register subscriber numbers. You can find out how to set up your Vevo here: Creating and Uploading to a Vevo Channel? | Identity Music | Help Center
Are you looking to get your music out there? With Identity Music you can get your music all over the globe in order to gain the maximum exposure. By using our distribution and music promotion services, you’ll be able to take control while watching your music reach new heights.
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