If you want to start a YouTube channel, you could encounter tons of issues if you jump into it and start posting videos without prior research. It’s not easy to make a successful YouTube channel, and if you want to profit from it, you’ll need to follow an effective strategy first. Check out our ultimate guide to becoming a YouTuber!
YouTube is where the money is
On the surface, it seems easy to make videos that discuss various topics, get a bunch of views, and profit. However, YouTubers work hard to establish their channels and stay relevant. That is not easy. If you want to become a popular or even famous vlogger, you’ll need to undertake a long journey full of hard work and struggle.
That will require investments, research, knowledge of protocols and processes, and many more things that have nothing to do with you actually making various types of videos.
In the past, people have gotten millions of subscribers on YouTube by accident, but those days appear to be long gone. Currently, you’ll need to be strategic, creative, and persistent if you want to succeed in this competitive field!
Step 1 — Decide on your niche
We can’t tell you how important it is to start by finding a niche. If you want to get a lot of views or collaborate with companies for paid promotions, you have to determine a niche. Whether you want to focus on reviewing bicycles, creating make-up tutorials, or trash-talking terrible movies, you will have to find a clear direction and stick to it.
First, think about your hobbies and favorite niches that match your interests, passions, and experience. You don’t have to limit yourself to only one subject. For example, if your channel is about workouts and fitness, you could also mix it up and provide your audience with video content about healthy living and diets.
Focusing in this direction is an effective way to maintain consistency and stay organized. Also, it will help you to attract an audience of relevant followers. What’s more, if you stick to a few niches, you’ll also advance in them during your time on YouTube.
Step 2 — Outline your channel goal
Next, think about the goal of your channel. What exactly do you want to accomplish? Is your goal to help people? Do you want to make them laugh or show them how to improve their skills in DIY crafts projects, musical instruments, sports, and so on? Alternatively, you could share stories and teach or entertain your followers.
The easiest way to do this is to just outline your goal. Remember your niche and form your goal in relation to it. Moreover, think about your own goals. Do you only want to make money, or do you want to interact with people and help them?
If you outline your goals, you will become more motivated. You will also gain more direction in your content. If you only intend to create content because of money and fame, just make sure that it can actually offer some value to your audience.
Step 3 — Brainstorm content ideas
Like with any project, you will need to invest a lot of time in planning. Successful YouTube creators consistently come up with new ideas. It’s often hard to understand where they get them from. Fortunately, the secret is very simple.
To make things easier for you, you should come up with as many video ideas as you can before you actually launch your channel. This is an essential step. You’ll always have an idea on hand before you create your videos. If you don’t do this, you could upload all the videos that you’ve planned and eventually run out of new ideas.
A good suggestion here is to check out your competition and inspect some YouTubers in your niche. How can you create videos that stand out but still follow similar approaches for your industry? Could you think of a better idea? Your competitors’ videos will also reveal the target audience’s interests and pain points.
Step 4 — Develop a content schedule
The reason why many YouTubers are successful is that they are consistent. They maintain that consistency by constantly sharing unique content that interacts with their audience.
If you stick to a schedule, your audience will know when to expect your videos. Plus, it gives you a timeline and allows you to get organized more effectively. When it comes to publishing schedules, new channels should try to create daily uploads. That can attract a big audience quickly.
However, it can also become overbearing if you are only working by yourself. If you’re solo, try a weekly schedule. Get used to this schedule and pump out a video per week. When you get used to it, you can increase it to two per week and so on. What’s more, it’s a good idea to highlight your schedule and remind your followers by including it in your channel banner.
Step 5 — Assess your equipment
One of the reasons why tons of people are striving to become YouTubers is that it’s relatively affordable to find quality equipment. You don’t need to get the most expensive camera when you start out.
However, you must not ignore some essential pieces of gear that will make or break your video quality. Obviously, you need a computer that could handle your editing demands. Then, you need a quality app for video editing. If you are not planning to include lots of fancy edits, a simple app like iMovie will work. Also, you might need a screen recorder app.
When it comes to cameras, a good smartphone will allow you to create quality content. Still, if your niche requires a lot of visual features in your videos, it might be better to choose a pro camera. And above all, do not ignore your audio quality. You might need a quality microphone that will eliminate noise and allow you to address your followers clearly. Remember that you can always upgrade your gear later on after you profit.
Step 6 — Create and optimize your channel
This step can be intimidating. Even if you’ve covered all the previous tips, you will need to think about how you’ll present your channel so that it is catchy and memorable.
Many people struggle with channel names. Here, the goal is to create something catchy. It’s also acceptable to use your real name. What’s more, also think about your channel art, profile photo, and the “About” section.
For example, you can edit the “About” section and write a compelling description of your channel. Use shorter sentences and break them into paragraphs to make them accessible to a wider audience. You can also incorporate some keywords to help you to get discovered. What’s more, promote your channel on social platforms and inform your followers on social media whenever you post videos.
If you do all that, your channel will provide a welcoming atmosphere. It will leave a superb first impression on most visitors.
Step 7 — Upload and learn from your first video
Finally, try not to think too much about your first video. It doesn’t matter how much you try, you’ll always see some flaws in your video, and it could take you a long time to fix them.
Instead, get an early start by treating your first piece of content as a learning experience. Simply look back to your list of ideas. Then, find the one that you think will grab the attention of a wide audience and not only a few followers.
After that, publish it and observe people’s reactions. How are they responding, and are you getting a lot of positive comments? Or are they complaining about some aspects of your videos? Did some of them offer feedback and tell you how you could make your next video better? You can also check out YouTube analytics and inspect your video’s performance to get further insight.
Good luck!
Now that we’ve shown you how to successfully think about your channel and eventually launch it, it’s time to put in the effort and work hard to make your dreams come true. Have fun!