Video these days has moved beyond novelty. Your customers expect you to have some sort of video presence, and countless businesses have YouTube channels, Instagram accounts, and even Snapchat channels. It's never been easier to create video content, which is a great communication opportunity. However, that also means there's a bunch of excess noise out there. Now, your customers have countless video options and only have so many hours to spend. How do you make sure your customers spend their time watching your video? Even better, how do you get them to share it with their audiences?

Here are five tips for creating a YouTube channel people will actually watch:

1. Create Content Regularly. If you want to get subscribers who regularly tune into your YouTube channel, you should give them regular content to anticipate. If you're considering venturing into YouTube marketing, you should plan on getting on a regular schedule of recording, producing, and posting content. It doesn't have to be a foolproof schedule, but if you want to set the expectation of creating regular content, you should do everything you can to meet it.


2. Buy a Dedicated Video Camera. I know you may feel that purchasing a dedicated camera is redundant when you have cameras on your phone, computer, and tablet, but a nice camera can add professionalism and polish to your production.
   
   The truth is, everyone has the same camera phone you do. They know what phone-recorded videos look like. It doesn't matter how expensive the phone is, the video will feel cheap to them. If you're serious about building a following on YouTube, a nice camera should be a no-brainer.


3. Buy Video-Editing Software. This may seem like another unnecessary expense, as most computers have some sort of video-editing software built in to their operating systems, but a nice video-editing suite can make all the difference in adding a professional feel to your video. These programs can help you create transitions, edit and clean up video, and even put your branding into the video. A good video-editing suite is a must for any business serious about starting a YouTube channel.


4. Show Them Something They Can't Get Anywhere Else. Too many businesses use video as just another place to share their written content. Unfortunately, this won't draw an audience. You want to take advantage of the visual medium and show your audience something they can't get anywhere else. Give them an inside look at your business or a project you're working on.


5. Ask for a Share and a Subscribe. If you go to your favorite YouTube channel and watch a video, what's one thing it has in common with all of the rest? It usually features a sign-off, where the video asks for a subscription from the watcher. You should consider doing something like this as well: a YouTube call to action. Give your audience the reasons why they should subscribe, then make an ask. You can even ask them to share the video if they liked it. (If they've made it to this point, they liked it.)

When it comes to YouTube, there is a lot of potential for you and your business, but you must follow these simple steps if you want to get people to actually watch.

This article was originally published on Inc.