Starting a YouTube channel, developing it and making money from it is not as easy as it seems. After all, not all that glitters is gold. The money making part of YouTube is what draws people to the app. If you are looking to successfully start a YouTube channel, I have a few tips for you.
What do you need to get started? Your smartphone, a video editing app, and the YouTube mobile app installed on your phone. If you already have a smartphone, you are good to go. Do not worry about how expensive or capable the phone is. You can record great videos if you pay attention to lighting and location. And you should pay attention to those. Beyond these basics, let’s look at the pro-tips that will give you an edge in making your YouTube channel successful.
So, you want to start a YouTube channel? Here are a few important things
- Find your niche
Finding something you are interested in is a big deal when it comes to YouTube. You need to be interested in the content you put out, because gaining an audience requires patience. And if you don’t enjoy what you create, you will likely get frustrated and quit before you get that chance to grow. If you like singing, making jokes, pranks, vlogging, reaction videos, tech, beauty, fashion, e.t.c., go for it.
2. Video Editing
Recording a video is one thing; editing it is another. The editing part of your video can make or break it. Different YouTubers have different editing styles, so find what works for you. Put in music, memes, sound effects, anything that will make your video more interesting or funny. Making a thumbnail is also part of editing. There are popular editing apps like Adobe Premiere, Canva, iMovie, VLLO, YouCut e.t.c. Thumbnails and titles are the first things people see when they come across your video, and if your thumbnail is attractive, I assure you that more people will click on your videos.
3. Branding: Give thought to your Channel profile and banner
Channel banner and profile are important when starting a YouTube channel. This will help people to understand what your channel is about. So make sure your channel banner fits the aesthetic you want as you start your YouTube channel.
4. Video tags and keywords are important
Using the right keywords or tags will enable YouTube to know who to show your videos to and when to show them. So, be sure to add keywords and tags when uploading your finished videos to YouTube. It is really important to use keywords for your channel because it will increase your content reach. If anyone searches for any keyword listed in your video, your video will be recommended.
5. Consistency is key
The key to gaining more subscribers and growth is consistency. You have to make and post content on a regular basis. Try twice or thrice a week, whatever works for you. If a user watches a video of yours and enjoys it, he or she will want to watch more. As you will see later in the section of making money and getting paid, consistency is key.
7. Don’t Ignore YouTube Shorts
YouTube’s shorts are videos with a short duration than regular YouTube videos. They might seem like a waste of time to a few people, but it is an effective way to gain more subscribers and increase your content reach. These short videos show up on users’ pages much more than YouTube videos, so make sure to use this feature.
8. Making money/getting paid
To start earning money directly from YouTube, you have to meet certain conditions. You must have at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year, so you have a lot of work ahead of you. Once you have met these conditions, you can then apply for YouTube’s Partner Program, which allows creators to make money from their channels through Adsense ads, subscriptions, and channel memberships.
9. Patience
This is the number one thing you need when starting YouTube. It could take months or even years before you start growing on YouTube, so you have to keep going and be patient. All these tips will help you with your channel, but success doesn’t start immediately, so have that in mind when starting.
If you haven’t started one yet, the next best time to start a YouTube channel is now. Give it your best.