How To START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL: Beginner's guide to YouTube & growing from 0 subscribers
Introduction
A big part of YouTube success is having a lot of subscribers, but how do you get started? How do you make a great video that gets lots of views? And how do you grow your channel so people keep coming back for more? While there's no one-size-fits-all approach to launching a YouTube channel, I've learned plenty by experimenting with my own. After testing out different techniques and channels, I've come up with the key tips that helped me find success on this platform. Now, let's learn how we can use these tips to jumpstart your own journey toward becoming a YouTuber!
The Problem:
The Problem:
People don't know how to start a channel, grow it, make content for it or monetize it. They're trying but they get stuck at one of those points and then give up. It's really hard!
Your camera doesn't have to be expensive.
The camera you use doesn't have to be expensive. The best cameras for YouTube are the ones that help you capture your story in the most authentic and compelling way possible. A great camera is not going to make a bad video good, but it can make an average video great.
When I started my channel, I used an iPhone 6 Plus and found some success with it (I now use a Canon 5D Mark IV). If you don't want to pay for a camera right away or don't have much money to spend on equipment, there are plenty of affordable options out there that will do just fine for starting out.
If you're looking for something durable and lightweight, the Olympus TG-5 is an excellent choice that won't break the bank. Its lens retracts when turned off so it's protected from damage if dropped or thrown around in luggage; plus its waterproof housing means no matter where life takes you—from swimming pools to oceans—you'll always have beautiful footage at hand.*
Have a Value Proposition
You may be wondering, "What's a Value Proposition?" Your value proposition is the reason why someone should subscribe to your channel. It answers the question: Why should they follow you?
For example, if you're starting out as a YouTuber and want to build a community around your videos, then your value proposition could be that you make entertaining content that people will enjoy watching. If you're trying to sell products or services through YouTube marketing, then your value proposition would focus more on the benefits of purchasing from you instead of just showing off what it is that makes up who you are as an individual.
I'm sure there are many different ways for building a successful YouTube channel with tons of subscribers but this strategy has worked wonders for me so far and I hope it does for everyone else too!
You can repurpose things you've already made.
You don't need to create something new every time you want to make content for your channel. You can repurpose things you've already made!
For example, if you did a video about how to make a cake and it had a lot of views and positive feedback, then maybe you could use that video for another one about cakes. Or if you took some photos of your dog and posted them on Instagram last year when he was younger, now that he's older maybe those same photos could be used in a new post about dogs being cute. Or perhaps there was an article from your blog last year that didn't get as much attention as it should have done - use part of this old blog post in the introduction or conclusion of an article that relates more directly with your audience this time around!
The possibilities are limitless here, so don't worry too much about creating something completely new every time: everything we see on YouTube has been at least touched by someone else before us!
Don't ask for too much from your audience.
Don't ask for too much from your audience. Although you may be an expert in what you're doing, don't expect your audience to be experts as well. Don't expect them to be loyal or consistent with their viewership either. Even if they are loyal and consistent viewers, don't expect them to wait with bated breath for every new video that comes out of your channel. You might even want to refrain from asking for money (hint: it's not going to happen).
Don't edit your videos yourself.
Please don't edit your videos yourself. I know you can edit on YouTube, but I'm here to tell you that it's not worth the time or money. If you want to get into the video editing game, then hire someone else who knows what they are doing. You need some software and experience behind you before taking on a project like this.
If hiring is out of the question or too expensive for your budget, there are other options available to help make sure your content looks as good as possible:
Use YouTube's editor - It's free! You just need an account with them and then click 'upload' in their dashboard when uploading videos from either Google Drive or Dropbox (recommended).
Use Adobe Premier Pro - There are many paid options available for editing software but Premiere Pro is one of my favorites because of its intuitive interface, low learning curve requirements and cost-effectiveness (starting around $60).
Get the right equipment for the job.
You have to have the right equipment. You can't just use your iPhone and expect it to work. You need a good camera, a decent microphone and some way of holding your camera steady while you're recording. If you're not sure what to buy, there are plenty of reviews online that will help you make an informed decision.
Once you have the right equipment for the job, now comes the hard part: actually making content! There's no shortcut here; it takes time and effort if you want people to watch your videos regularly (and interact with them). If nobody can hear or see what's going on in the video then they won't stick around for long—so spend some time reading about how to make good videos before diving headfirst into a project without doing any planning first!
Use thumbnails to increase clickthrough rates.
It's important to choose a thumbnail that will grab the attention of the viewer. You'll want to use an image that is relevant to your video, eye-catching and clear, easy to understand and relevant to your audience. For example, if you're doing a tutorial on Instagram filters then you might want an image of a person holding their phone with the filter of choice in action.
If you're making more general content (for example, vlogging about life) then try using images that are eye-catching but not so specific as to be off-putting for some viewers (unless they're part of your target audience).
Try using different thumbnails for different videos too! This might give people more reason to click through because it looks like it's something new and interesting rather than just another boring photo from last week's family vacation...
Uploading your video is just the beginning.
Uploading your video is just the beginning. The hard work has just begun.
There are various ways you can promote your channel, but it all starts with growing your subscriber base. This will allow you to create more content and build a community around yourself and your brand that will help you monetize down the road. Here are some tips for growing from 0 to 1K subscribers:
Create more content
Engage with your audience
Build a community and brand around yourself (don't be afraid to be different!)
The next step is monetizing. Once you reach 1K subscribers, YouTube gives creators access to monetization tools like AdSense or Super Chat which allows viewers on live streams to pay money via chat messages in order to get their message seen by everyone else watching the streamer’s live stream at that time(Note: there are different requirements depending on which option you choose). This can help creators earn money while they create content because they're able to make money off of ads within their videos as well as receive tips from users who want them displayed prominently during certain moments within videos where viewers feel compelled due if their message was important enough.. It's important not only because it helps creators earn money but also because it increases viewer engagement since people are more likely willing engage if there's something tangible being offered back in return for helping out - whether financial benefit directly tied into buying product recommendations made by influencers themselves who have reputations built upon trustworthiness."
Starting a YouTube channel can be daunting because of the high investment, but you don't need to invest that much to get started and grow to 10,000 subscribers
Starting a YouTube channel can be daunting because of the high investment, but you don't need to invest that much to get started and grow to 10,000 subscribers.
You can use your smartphone and tripod to record videos. You don’t need a fancy camera or expensive lighting equipment. If you have an old laptop or tablet lying around, open up its “camera” app and start recording short videos. These are great if they cover topics like product reviews or how-to skill sets that could potentially help others in their life (e.g., how to cook).
Once you have some video content, it’s time for editing! There aren't any good paid editing software options for Windows computers (I tried them all). Instead, use VLC Media Player because it has many more features than Windows Movie Maker does at no cost whatsoever!
Conclusion
It is possible to start a YouTube channel without spending much money at all. But to do it right, you have to be willing to invest in some things that aren't cheap. And if you don't want to spend any money, then there are always free options like OBS Studio or VLC Media Player that will get the job done well enough for most people's needs. If you have any questions about how I started my own channel, please leave them in the comments below and I'll be happy to answer them!
