What do you need to grow a Youtube channel? A lot of Youtubers answer this question in their videos, but those are usually short 3-6 minute videos. This is an in-depth article about this question
How to Start Your Youtube Channel
Firstly, these are the things that you need to cover before you start your channel. You need an idea. It is a big mistake to start a Youtube channel then just freestyle your videos from there. The Algorithm will be confused if you start with gaming, then go to music, then go to sports, etc. Your videos won’t be recommended to people, because Youtube doesn’t know who to recommend them to. Brainstorm for at least a few hours and come up with some ideas. Then choose the one you like the most. That brings us into the next step. Make sure to pick an idea that you like and can do a lot without getting burnt out. Depending on the category that your channel is in, you might have to do daily uploads. Small gaming channels usually upload once a week. The big gaming channels usually upload every other day. But music channels usually upload once every month, or even every other month. Because everybody understands that music takes time, but playing a game doesn’t. What the general community doesn’t know, is that it’s more than just recording a video and clicking upload. But don’t worry about that now, right now we’re covering the things that you need to know and cover before you make your channel. After that, make sure you have all the equipment you need. If you’re going to be a vlogger, you’ll need a camcorder. If you’re going to be a gamer, you’ll need a screen recording software, a mic, decent headphones, and maybe a webcam. Etc.
Other Things to Note Before You Create Your Channel
Secondly, these are the basic things you need to know after you click the “Create Channel” button. You may think it’s just clicking “Record”, do some stuff, and click upload. No. First, you need to set up for the video. If you’re making a reaction video in your room, make sure your room is clean and has good lighting. If you’re making a storytime animation, you need to make a script before you start animating. Once you record the video, you can’t just click upload! First, you have to edit the video. To start off, you can use something simple, like Windows Default Editor, or iMovie. After that, you have to make a thumbnail. When you just start off, just take a screenshot with Lightshot, then add a title on top of it. Now, you’ve completely finished your first video! Good job! But you can’t upload it just yet. You need to make at least 3-7 more videos. You’ll end up with 6 videos or something like that. Every day after that, publish 2 of those videos. Then, you can chill with the uploads. As I mentioned before, depending on the category of your channel, you can upload more, or less often. The reason you want to upload those first six videos is, if people find your channel. You want them to have a few videos to watch while you’re working on the next video. In the early stages of your channel, you want to make sure that people always have something new to watch while you’re working on the next video. Think of your videos as water, and the rest of Youtube as a desert. You’ll be slaving away, making cups of water almost 24/7. So your viewers aren’t thirsty. Never let your viewers be thirsty for the first 2-4 months of your channel. This is because during that time, your videos won’t be recommended by the Algorithm. Meaning, you won’t get any new viewers because of Youtube. Only people who search for you, people whose friend shared your video with them, and your personal friends.
Titles
Thirdly, this is going to be a short section about titles. You need titles that catch people’s attention, but still tell them what actually happens in the video. You can’t make a video about cats, then title it, “TOP 10 CUTEST ANIMALS IN THE WORLD”. That is called clickbait, and is not going to get monetized. Because in 2012, Youtube changed their monetization system because of clickbaiters. It changed from a per view system, to a watch time system. Meaning, you could get 5 billion views, but if everyone only watched for 1 second, you won’t get any money. A better title for that would be, “TOP 10 BEST FACTS ABOUT KITTIES!”. People are more likely to click on a video that has kitties in the title, than a video with cats in the title. Because people associate kittens with being really cute. One note, never put, “[NOT CLICKBAIT]” in your title. Even if it isn’t clickbait. People hate those types of videos. Also, make sure to capitalize your titles.
Thumbnails
Fourthly, thumbnails. Make good thumbnails. Make sure that your thumbnails pop out. One way to do that, is to blur out everything but the main object in the thumbnail. But that requires an expensive photo editing software, and you’re not making money yet! So just take a picture or screenshot and put a filter over it. Also, use an editing software like Windows Default Editing Software or iMovie (As I mentioned earlier) to put a title over that picture/screenshot. Then screenshot the edited picture and use it as your thumbnail.
Promotion
After you make 68+ videos, start thinking about promotion. Maybe buy a Youtube ad that links to your channel. Whatever you do, don’t buy subscribers. There’s nothing worse than having an inactive audience. It’s also against Youtube’s TOS (Terms of Service).
Upgrade Time!
Now, you have 80+ videos, and 70+ subscribers, it’s time for an upgrade. If you’re a vlogger, get 2 better cameras. If you’re a gamer, then get a better screen recording software, better mic, better webcam, etc. If you’re a musician, get a good green screen for music videos, a really good camera, and a professional grade microphone. And it doesn’t matter what you do, at this point in time, everyone needs an editing software upgrade. I recommend Filmora9, it’s a one time payment of $70. It is an extremely simple editing software that goes easy on the eyes. Not like one of those editors that is burning a hole in your retina from the brightness.
Now that you got all those upgrades, it’s time to upgrade your content. Maybe change your camera angle if you’re a gamer, and maybe change up the location if you’re a vlogger. But now, you have to spend a little more time editing. You don’t have to go overboard, but edit for at least 1-2 hours per video. It may seem like a lot, but it’ll be worth it in the end.
Pull Through!
Continue making videos, it’s during this time you’ll want to give up. You may not even have hit triple digits yet, but it is key to pull through. Don’t give up. You’ve gotten this far, don’t throw it all away. As long as you keep making videos, you’ll make it.
Fame
There’s 3 ways for a Youtube channel to become famous. I’ll start from the least common to the most common. First option, be a leach. Collab with a youtuber with a lot of subscribers. I personally will say that this works, but is a bad idea. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. There’s nothing worse than having an inactive audience. Second option, have a video that blows up. This is usually completely based on luck. Some people just have a single video that suddenly blows up and gets thousands of views. Don’t hope for this though, as I said, this is completely based on luck. Third option, steadily grow your audience over a lot of time. I forgot to say it before, but you need a lot of patience to run a Youtube channel. This may take months, or even years. But it will pay off. This is the option for people who are serious about Youtube and want to continue it as their career.
Algorithm HELL
Keep making videos for a year or maybe a year and a half. If you followed my advice, you probably have 1,000+ subscribers. And have been taken in by the Youtube partner program, meaning, you have started making money! It’s at this point where your videos will be recommended a lot. But don’t let this get to your head, if you lay down and take a break from your channel. You will lose subscribers and your channel may be put in Algorithm Hell. Algorithm Hell is when Youtube thinks a channel is dying and can’t be saved. Then it stops recommending it, and you’re back at the beginning.
Sponsorships
Maybe it’s time for some sponsorships. When you get a sponsorship option, make sure it fits the theme of your channel. If you make vlogging videos, maybe get sponsored by Hot Wheels and make an epic hot wheels track. If you’re a gamer, get sponsored by Honey and tell your viewers that they can get gaming equipment for cheap if they use Honey. (These are completely random examples, I am not sponsored by Hot Wheels nor Honey). Don’t do a gaming computer sponsorship in a vlog. Now let’s talk about laws. You have to clearly state it if you are being sponsored. Otherwise, you are breaking FTC laws. Also, make sure not to overdo it. Otherwise, you will be labeled as, “The Sellout”.
You’re On Your Own Now
After a few more years, while following this advice, you probably have 40k+ subscribers. You’re making a stable income, getting a lot of views, and most importantly, you’re being recommended on a normal basis. At this point, you can go on without my help. Youtube is now officially your job. It’ll take a while for your channel to die at this point, even if you don’t upload at all. Good job, and I hope you become one of the greats.
Thank you for your time, I don’t know why you clicked on this but thank you. See you later techigator.