by When you think of digital video content, the odds are that YouTube springs to mind. And, there’s good reason for that.
Some YouTube Statistics
According to the company’s latest reported stats, YouTube has over a billion users. This equates to almost a third of all people on the internet.
YouTube overall, and even YouTube on mobile alone, reaches more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.
The number of channels earning six figures, each year, on YouTube (through advertising) has increased by 50% y/y.
That’s a lot of money generated by people watching ads before their favourite cat videos.
16 Tips On How To Start a YouTube Channel
In South Africa, YouTube is still a fledgling platform in terms of content creation and creators.
If you’re considering becoming a YouTuber, then here are a few tips to help you out:
1. Use the YouTube resources. The YouTube Creator Academy is packed with tips and topics covering branding, getting viewers etc.
2. Make sure you know how to setup a YouTube account.
- Go to YouTube.com and click on the Sign In button on the top right hand corner of the screen.
- On the next screen select Create an account and Gmail address.
- Once you’ve created a Gmail account, you’ll be able to use that to create a YouTube account by going to Youtube.com and clicking on Sign In on the top right hand corner and using your newly created Gmail account to login.
3. Think about what type of content you’d like to create.
4. See what’s trending on YouTube and get a feel for what it is that people want to watch.
5. This one might sound cliché, but be yourself. People respond to authenticity.
6. Develop a schedule. People on YouTube know that on certain days, certain YouTubers upload their content and they wait for that.
7. Figure out what will make your content different or unique amongst the thousands of videos being uploaded each day.
8. Figure out your style in terms of the type of videos that you want to create.
- Live action – this is what many people or company’s use for interviews or getting people’s opinions on a particular topic. In order for this to work, you need a charismatic person to be in front of the camera.
- Haul videos – This is where you showoff a lot of stuff that you’ve recently gotten. This style is usually used by fashion and beauty bloggers.
- Unboxing videos – used mostly by tech YouTubers, unboxing videos can be shot from above with just your hands and the actual product (still in the box). The device is unboxed on camera and a voice over can be added later to narrate what’s being done as well as what the first impressions of the device are. Check out our unboxing of the LGV20 below:
9. You don’t need additional expensive equipment to start filming your videos, you can use your smartphone (if it has a great camera).
10. Learn how to make high-quality videos through editing techniques. YouTube Video Editor is a great tool to help you when you’re first learning how to edit videos for the platform.
11. Start off by making shorter videos. Not only does this help you develop your production skills, it also gives people an opportunity to develop with you as your channel grows.
12. Use YouTube Creator Studio to help manage your content. It’s available online as well as on iOS and Android.
13. Be specific with your tags. The more specific you are, the better chance that your video won’t get lost in the masses.
14. Growing your channel is not just about great content, it’s also about partnerships. Align yourself with the right creators and learn from them.
15. Growing your YouTube channel also involves maintaining your other social media platforms and using them to promote your channel.
16. Don’t expect your channel to be an immediate hit. Many of the big YouTube stars took years before they became the household names they are today. In fact, many of them have had YouTube channels before the ones that you now know.
