Step-by-Step Guide to Elevating Your Channel Brand, Growth in Viewers

How to Brand Your YouTube Channel to Get More Subscribers

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox

Nov 01, 2022• Proven solutions

0

Epic Meal Time. Michelle Phan. Peter McKinnon. When you think of each of these YouTube creators, what comes to mind? The feelings and thoughts you have are vastly different because each one of these channels has its own unique branding.

Epic Meal Time’s YouTube brand is in-your-face and intense. It pumps you full of adrenaline and increases your heart rate.

Michelle Phan’s YouTube brand is calm, whimsical, and aspirational.

The color palette she chose is pleasing to the eyes and doesn’t evoke any of the stress we get from Epic Meal Time.

They have different branding because they want to reflect different feelings for different audiences.

Bad Branding Causes Mistrust

When a branding element does not align with the message or the tone does not match with the material, then the audience is not going to trust what you offer. Without trust, you won’t be able to get the advocacy that is essential for a YouTube channel to grow.

Imagine Michelle Phan using the aggressive colors of Epic Meal Time or vice versa. Pretty weird, huh?

What is YouTube Branding?

You might think that branding simply comes together while making videos, but that’s not true. Branding takes a bit of preparation and foresight.

YouTube branding is the idea your viewers have in mind and the emotion they get when they think about your channel.

Here are notable elements of your channel’s branding:

- Channel name

- Channel art

- Video thumbnail

- Video title

- Icon

- Watermark

- Catchphrase

- Style of video

How to Start Branding Your YouTube Channel?

Before you start designing thumbnails and coming up with a catchphrase, the first step in branding is understanding the purpose of your channel. Once you have a purpose, you will know how you want your viewers to feel.

Here is a quick exercise to find your channel’s purpose:

Draw a 3 circle Venn diagram.

In circle 1, write down everything you consider yourself an expert in.

- What do your friends know you for?

- What can you give advice on?

- What did you go to school to learn?

In circle 2, write down all the topics you are passionate about.

- What can you talk effortlessly about for hours?

- At a party, where do you lead conversations towards?

In circle 3, write down everything that people will pay for that you can supply. Here is where you find the demand of the audience.

- Can you give me travel advice?

- Can you make people forget about their stressful day?

- Do you have experience in a specialized field?

Understanding what people will pay money for will help guide you in creating content that has true value.

In the center, come up with all the ideas that can be associated with all three circles. This will be the ideal purpose for your YouTube channel as it harnesses your expertise, your passion, and the demand of a viewership.

Examples:

Epic Meal Time

Expertise = Eating

Passion = Fast Food Culture

Demand = Unique Meals

PURPOSE: Showcase a unique combination of fast food people won’t make at home.

Michelle Phan

Expertise = Beauty Products

Passion = Makeup and Fashion

Demand = Beauty School

PURPOSE: Give people more confidence in beauty products.

How Is Your Channel Different From the Others?

Now that you have your purpose, it’s time to separate you from others with similar purposes. YouTube is a crowded space for content creators. If your channel is mimicking another more successful channel, you will be in the shadows.

Good branding allows you to differentiate from others .

Pick a Unique and Memorable Name

If your name is Michelle Phan, and you are not the Michelle Phan, I’m sorry, but you will need to pick another name for your YouTube channel:

If you do have to pick another name or if your channel is an ensemble with multiple members, make sure the name you choose is original, memorable, and short (4 words max).

Picking an Icon

Not every YouTuber needs to design an original logo for their brand. In fact, if the channel is about you — the YouTuber — you are the brand, so using a high-quality picture of yourself as the icon is okay.

However, if your channel has a specific theme or topic and you want your branding to convey it so it sticks in the viewers’ heads, especially if it’s their first time viewing your channel. A clear logo will help in amplifying your message:

Create Video Thumbnails That Stand Out

The power of good branding is that your viewers will be able to spot your brand in a crowded space. On YouTube, the crowded space is the suggested video section.

Epic Meal Time thumbnails standing out amongst other loud thumbnails.

Once you have the feeling you want to evoke, test out different thumbnails. Go incognito, search up your videos, and see how the visuals appear beside your competitions. Do they all have the same style or is your far more impressive?

Good branding doesn’t happen in the first try so keep experimenting.

Designing Your Icon, Thumbnail, and Channel Art

There is a lot to consider when designing all the visual elements for your channel. I won’t get into all of it, but here are some tips that you should always keep in mind.

- Less is more: Don’t clutter your icons, thumbnails, or banner.

- Have a single focus: A channel and a video can have a lot of different topics, but the image can’t show everything a video can. Pick one important area and highlight that in the image.

- Quality matters: Your audience is savvier than ever. If they see a pixelated image, they will judge your channel poorly. That’s bad branding. Always use high-quality pictures.

- Make sure the color pops and the text is visible: Use eye-catching colors and visible text. This is a billboard, you have milliseconds to get people’s attention as they scroll past.

Want more resources for creating your channel’s visual elements? Yes? Well, we made this for you:

- How to Make YouTube Video Thumbnail

- How to Make YouTube Icons

- Free Youtube Banners

How to Make Your Visuals Consistent?

When a viewer finds your video and considers it pretty interesting, they will then go into your channel page to learn more. Here is where they make their decision: subscribe or not subscribe?

Consistent branding affirms the viewer that they are in the right place. Peter McKinnon’s brand is built upon his amazing photography, it only makes sense that his visual elements are awesome.

Peter McKinnon is best known for his photography and cinematography, and his branding amplifies that.

But Branding Is Not Designing, It’s A Feeling

Don’t get too caught up with a design.

Look at PewDiePie’s branding. You can argue that it is inconsistent and the design is not professional, but actually, his branding is spot on, because he is making you feel a certain way.

PewDiePie’s brand highlights its upbeat and unpredictable personality.

PewDiePie wants you to laugh. He is not branding his expertise like Peter McKinnon is, he’s branding his personality.

Consistent branding is about making the elements of your channel: channel art, logo, thumbnails, titles, etc. all harmonize together to evoke a sensation.

The humor in PewDiePie’s brand is consistent, even though his thumbnails don’t look like Philip DeFranco’s. It is up to you how you define consistency, and that will happen over time.

Philip DeFranco supplies commentary on current events with a satirical flair. Like a news broadcast, his branding and video format are consistent, while the daily news is different.

Inserting A Watermark

The main point of a watermark is to let the viewers know when they are watching your video that it is in fact your video.

Let’s be honest, YouTube content can all look the same, especially if you are making content that is quite general (like beauty or tech), so a watermark helps differentiate, so when viewers are ready to subscribe, they have an extra branding element connecting them to your channel.

Improvement Pill is a YouTube channel focused on inspiring and motivating its viewer to live a better life.

Above we see an example of a watermark from the YouTube channel Improvement Pill. You can see the watermark in the lower right-hand corner.

Improvement Pill is not the only channel that uses whiteboard animation to illustrate their story, and because of that, they need to set themselves apart. A watermark helps do that.

When a viewer lands on their video, the watermark gives the viewer another way to get more familiar with the channel, and if they are to scroll over the watermark a subscription button pops up.

Want to set up your subscription watermark? Here is a quick tutorial:

Coming Up With A Catchphrase

A catchphrase can be your greeting or sign off, but it doesn’t have to be an original line, it can simply be the way you say “hello.”

Check out some of the popular YouTuber’s catchphrases:

When coming up with a catchphrase that is connected to your channel’s branding remember how you want the viewer to feel. Do you want to leave them with a smile? Or do you want them to take action?

Final Thoughts On YouTube Branding

As you build and grow your YouTube channel, you can expand your purpose while still sticking within the overall theme. You might have started a channel that focused on the topic of nutrition, but as you grow, you will discover that your audience may also be interested in fitness tips or workout accessories as well. Take it slowly and grow with purpose.

Your branding doesn’t dictate the content you create, but it does affect how you go about making it.

Got more questions about branding your YouTube channel? Let us know in the comments below.

Shanoon Cox

Shanoon Cox is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Shanoon Cox

Visionary Artisan: Merging Sights and Sounds

People capture loads of photos of the places they visit and the events they attend for social media and future memories. If you check the online trend, users are shifting from static photos to short videos for a better visual experience. That is why you can consider creating videos out of the photos you have captured and adding suitable music in the background to make your memories visually pleasing.

All you need is a video maker with music and pictures. There is no dearth of video makers, but not all live up to the expectation. There are online video markers as well as video maker software applications available. In this article, we have picked the best video maker with photos and music and illustrated how to make a video with music and photos. We have also listed the popular video makers for your consideration.

Part 1. Best Video maker with music and pictures

We recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with photos and music. Filmora is considered one of the best video makers and editors in the world. Filmora allows you to import photos of different file formats so that you can make slideshow-like video. There are loads of transitions as well as effects available that you can place in between the photos so that the transition becomes eye-pleasing.

Similarly, you can import any audio or music file. Besides, there are stock music files available that you can apply to your slideshow video. You can even add colourful titles and graphical elements to enhance the video content. Here are the steps on how to make a video with your photos and music.

Try It Free

For Win 7 or later (64-bit)

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.

Try It Free

For macOS 10.12 or later

Step 1: Install Filmora and Start Your Project

Download and install Wondershare Filmora as per your operating system. Filmora is available for Windows and Mac. Launch Filmora and click on New Project. Drag and drop your photos on Project Media folder.

Step 2: Import Photos and Arrange Them in Order

Drag and drop the photos on the timeline as per your sequence you want in your slideshow video. You can change the order of the photos as well as stretch durations of photos in the video from the timeline. You have to arrange the photos side by side without any gap so that there is no black screen in between the transition.

Step 3: Add Transition Effects

After arranging the photos side by side, you have to apply transition effects so that the change from one photo to another is eye-soothing. There are loads of transitions available and you can get them from Transition option located at the top bar.

Go through the different categories of transitions. Drag and drop the transition you want on to the photo after which you want the transition effect to play. Do the same for all photos except the last one. You can apply different transitions effects for different photos as per your preference.

Step 4: Add Background Music

Now it is time to add a background music to the entire video. You can drag and drop any music file from your hard drive to Filmora Project Media. Thereafter, you can drag and drop the audio file on the audio timeline below the photo timeline. You can also add audio effects from the top bar if required.

Step 5: Export Your Video

Once you are done adding photos, transitions, and music, you should play the video on Filmora and make adjustments wherever required. Thereafter, click on Export button and save the video file on your hard drive in your desired file format.

Part 2. Popular video makers with photos and music

Here is the list of the popular premium and free video maker with music and pictures that you can consider for making slideshow videos.

1. Invideo

Invideo is a popular online video maker with music and pictures along with 5000 customizable templates. These templates help users to transform photos into videos with background music in a few minutes. Besides, the platform offers a wide range of stock media files. You can create videos in more than 70 languages, and the editor is user-friendly for users of all ages.

All you need to do is select a template and customize it if required. Thereafter, you need to import the photos, add text effects, and finally add music. There are options for trimming, cropping, and adding stickers, texts and transitions. The free version lets you export 60 videos per month but with a watermark. Here are the top features of Invideo.

• 5000+ customizable templates for all video types.
• 9+ million stocks videos, photos, and audio files.
• Add transitions, stickers, animations, and texts to videos.
• Trim and crop videos and audio files.
• Add voiceover as well as fade-in and fade-out effects.
• Work in collaboration with team members.

2. Icecream slideshow maker

Icecream slideshow maker is a free video maker with music and pictures for Windows users only. The software is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7 and XP. You can create a high-quality video from your photos with music instantly. There is no need for any prior experience to use the video maker. There are beautiful transitions available that will enhance the video quality and make your presentation stand out. The free version allows up to 10 slides per video and saving the video in Webm file format. You can upgrade to Pro version to get rid of the limitations.

You can change photo and transition duration as per requirements. The software supports various audio file formats that you can import for your video. You can also add animations to texts so that they can shine in your video. The software allows sharing the video directly to YouTube. Besides, you can save it on Google Drive and Dropbox. Here are all the features of Icecream slideshow maker that you should be aware of.

• Super intuitive user interface for all users.
• Add colourful text, transitions, and animations.
• Save and resume project work as per time availability.
• Pro version allows saving video in 4K resolution.
• Video output in MP4, AVI, MOV and WEBM formats.
• Suitable for low-end computers.

3. PhotoStage Slideshow

PhotoStage Slideshow by NCH Software is another video maker software for Windows users. The software comes with an easy and automated wizard for users to transform photos with a video instantly. There is also an image editor available to adjust different parameters of your photos before making a video out of them.

Besides, there are various transitions available to apply and you can add captions and narration as per your requirements. In fact, along with photos, you can add video clips to create the ultimate video. Moreover, there are tools available to edit your audio and music file and add different effects. Here are the top features of PhotoStage Slideshow Software.

• Supports Full HD and 4K video resolution.
• Edit and fine-tune photos and add captions.
• Wide range of eye-catching and popular transitions.
• Edit audio and music file and add different effects.
• Save video file in MOV, MP4, GIF, AVI, 3GP and more.
• Directly share on YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, HTML5.

4. Clideo video maker

Clideo Video Maker is a free online video maker with song. All you need to do is upload photos from your hard drive and choose a preset depending on the online platform where you want to upload the video. Thereafter, add audio and trim it as per video length. Then add smooth transitions and the video will be ready to export on your hard drive or cloud storage.

The online video maker supports different video and audio file format for importing and exporting. You can use the editor on any device starting from Windows and Mac to Android and iPhone. The user interface is very simple to use and it does not store video files for more than a day. Here are all the features of Clideo video maker.

• Upload photos from hard drive, and cloud storage.
• Presets for Instagram, Stories, YouTube, and Facebook videos.
• Add different photos, audio, and video clips to make videos.
• Zoom & crop option along with image duration elongation.
• Suitable for computer and mobile phone users.

5. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Movavi Slideshow Maker is available for both Windows and Mac users. The software comes with a wizard to allow users to create video from photos. However, advanced users can create video from photos manually as well. You get to add photos, audio files and video clips of different file formats. Most importantly, there are various templates available to create professional-quality videos.

There are loads of effects, filters, titles, and stickers available to apply on your video. The free version is limited to seven days usage. The output video will have watermark on it and you can purchase the premium version to avoid all limitations. Here are the top features of Movavi Slideshow Maker.

• Slideshow wizard for fast and easy video creation.
• Manual mode for advanced users to create customized video.
• Supports different types of media file formats.
• Different types of templates for instant video making.
• Wide ranges of transitions, filters, titles, and stickers.

Conclusion

If you are making a video from your photos, you can use an online video maker with photos and music free. If you are someone who wants to make professional-quality videos from photos, a premium video maker is best for you. If you are going to upload your slideshow videos on social media and video streaming platforms, we recommend Wondershare Filmora as the best video maker with music and pictures.