YouTube is no longer just a place to watch funny viral videos. In the 15 years since the platform launched, it has become a digital powerhouse. It is the second most visited website on the Internet and is the second most popular search engine. YouTube is only second only to Google.
Vlogging, or video blogging, is a mainstay of YouTube. In the site’s early years, people simply used the platform to create video diaries for friends and family. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry. PewDiePie, the most subscribed individual YouTuber of all time, reportedly has a net worth in the eight figures. Everything from creating fun gaming videos that people love to watch.
The beauty of YouTube is that anyone can get started. Whether you’re someone who simply wants to share your life with others, or a business owner who wants to engage with your audience on a more personal level, YouTube is the perfect place to do it.
While it can Sound simple, establishing your channel and growing your audience takes time and a lot of dedication. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll give you the tools and insight to launch your vlog and start earning subscribers.
1: Understand your audience and find your niche
It’s not It’s rare to hear some not-so-great things about vloggers from those who aren’t familiar with the world of YouTube. Because the platform is accessible to anyone, many people have a hard time understanding why so many people choose to follow particular content creators.
The truth is that vlogging on YouTube is a business in itself. your own.
Some of the most successful vloggers are savvy business people who cater to the needs of their audience.
The first thing to do is figure out your niche and get a better understanding of who your vlogs will target.
Your niche will be the focus of your channel. Are you going to focus on a particular topic or are you going to post videos randomly? If you’re looking to succeed, go with the former. Millions of video bloggers have tried to find success on YouTube. However, only a small number of them end up being successful. Why do you think that is?
Well, let’s take a look at some of the biggest names on the platform. PewDiePie has tens of millions of subscribers. While it has expanded its channel a bit to include different types of content, its main niche is still gaming. He gained recognition by creating nice comments and showing his reaction to popular games. Eventually, that gaming niche became massive.
Then we have beautiful YouTubers. Vloggers like NikkieTutorials, RCLBeauty and more have turned heads by reviewing products and creating unique makeup tutorials that their followers can try at home.
These are just a few examples of niches. The truth is that your niche can be anything. There is a lot of interest in crafts, travel blogs, art and more. As long as there is a sizable audience that is willing to watch your vlogs, you can see success in any niche. Consider doing something you’re really passionate about and enjoy vlogging.
If you’re a business, you already have your niche covered. Then you can start thinking about branching out and learning more about how your business fits into the YouTube landscape.
The Importance of Knowing Your Audience
Once you’ve found your niche , you need to learn more about who your audience is and what they will like. YouTube is a colorful platform and you will find a wide variety of video styles. The same fun, flashy style of video used by beauty vloggers won’t cut it if your target audience is primarily middle-aged professionals.
To increase your chances of success, you need to tailor your content to your audience.
2: Get inspired by vloggers
When you launch your channel, you have the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants. So why not take some inspiration from them? Take a look at all your favorite vloggers and check out some popular channels related to your niche.
What are they doing right?
Is there anything you can provide to that audience that those video bloggers aren’t?
The goal of getting inspired is not to become in a clone copy of another YouTuber. Viewers look for originality. They want a new version of the things they love.
That doesn’t mean you have to come up with an idea that’s never been seen before. You just need to add your own personal touch to help you stand out. Take your time to see what the platform has to offer and work from there.
3: Get familiar with the platform
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not understanding how to YouTube works. There are thousands of examples of this on the platform.Reputable companies create dull content all the time thinking that it will be a hit with the public. However, his lack of knowledge about the platform is evident. Ultimately, those videos end up getting lost in the shuffle and not having any success.
Spend some time familiarizing yourself with how YouTube works. Use the search engine and see what kind of titles come up. Look at channel pages, thumbnails, and keywords. When watching videos, pay attention to how your favorite vloggers promote other videos through subtitles or interactive links.
All those little details can make all the difference in the future. Understanding how they work now will give you the knowledge you need to start your channel off on the right foot.
It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the technical side of things.
Take a look to YouTube Creator Studio.
This is a platform that vloggers use to upload their content. It has some useful tools such as an audio library and a video management system. Most importantly, you will find information about the video formats that YouTube supports. YouTube accepts many different types of video files, but there are some limitations with file size, aspect ratio, and more. Familiarize yourself with these specifications so you don’t end up producing a video that you can’t even upload.
You should also pay attention to the general environment of YouTube. A good way to do this is to visit the trending page. The trending page shows you what is currently popular. This can not only give you some video ideas for the future, but you can also extract playback information from those popular videos and use it as a guide for your own. For example, you’ll find that the vast majority of those videos are longer than 10 minutes.
4: Create Your YouTube Channel and Make Your Brand
Now we’re getting to the fun stuff. It’s time to create your YouTube channel! Creating a channel is very easy to do and it won’t cost you a dime. If you’ve ever subscribed to another vlogger’s channel or commented on a video, you probably already have one. Each user has the opportunity to upload videos, so each username is attached to a channel.
If that’s the case, consider creating a new channel from scratch. It’s always a good idea to separate your professional vlogging channel and your viewing account. This can help you maintain your brand and prevent any of your activities from ruining all your hard work. All you have to do is provide some basic information and you’ll have a channel set up in minutes.
At this point, you should spend some time building your brand. Take a look at any professional vlogger’s channel page and you’ll see strategic branding throughout. Most have a profile photo that represents what their channel is about, an attractive banner photo, and links to any social media accounts they may have.
While it may not sound like much, those little details they make your channel look legit, even if you haven’t posted any videos yet. Keep things simple, and make sure you use high-quality media that appeals to your target demographic. Flashy graphics and cheap photoshop work aren’t going to cut it. Follow the principles of modern advertising and treat your channel page like a billboard for your next piece of content. If you’re a business that’s already somewhat branded, half the work is already done.
You can also make a short video intro or channel trailer. You don’t have to do this right away, but it’s something to consider.
5: Invest in good gear
It’s a common misconception that you have to spend thousands of dollars on a video camera high end. In fact, many successful YouTubers use equipment that rivals that of professional filmmakers. They didn’t start out that way, though.
Buying the Right Camera for Vlogging
Before you hit the stores to buy a camera, be sure to check out our epic guide to vlogging. shopping for the best vlogging cameras.
Learn about the best vlogging cameras for a wide range of different budgets.
With today’s technology, you can create some cool videos with your smartphone. Modern mobile devices are capable of recording videos in quality up to 4K. Most viewers will only watch at 1080p or lower resolutions, so that device in your pocket should do just fine.
Alternatively, you could opt for a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or dedicated camcorder. It is good to opt for a model that has a reversible screen that you can use as a monitor. However, it is not completely necessary. Just don’t spend thousands of dollars to upgrade your equipment to the best. As long as your team shoots high-resolution video, you should be good to go.
Microphones, Lighting, and Other Gear
Your recording arsenal doesn’t stop at your camera. You should also be able to pick up good sound.This is one of the biggest problems with vlogging. Too many people are uploading horrible sounding videos. Nobody wants to hear the wind roaring outside. They also don’t want to have to turn the volume all the way up to hear you speak.
Investing in a simple external microphone can make a noticeable difference. You can get a standard boom mic that plugs directly into your camera or go the extra mile and get a lavalier mic. Windshields are also essential if you plan to go out filming. Either way, they’re easy upgrades that can take your videos to the next level.
Next, you’ll need something to mount your recording equipment. Tripods are relatively affordable and come in a variety of designs to suit your needs. Traditional tripods are ideal for DSLR cameras and basic vlogging cameras. You can also get stabilizer selfie sticks, flexible outdoor tripods, and more.
Lastly, there’s lighting. What is the one thing that all professional vloggers have in common? They use a lot of lighting. A simple ring light can illuminate your face and add a professional touch to your vlog. If you have a vlogging set, a couple of box lights will ensure that the background is lit as well. The lights are fairly affordable and easy to set up.
You’ll also need some quality editing software, but more on that in a bit.
6: Creating a Schematic
Once everything is set up and ready to go, it’s time to make a schematic. This can be as complex or simple as you want it to be. You don’t have to write a whole script. In fact, we don’t recommend it at all. Some of the best YouTube videos were made on the go. Reading a script will only make you appear inauthentic and flat.
Instead, consider creating a basic outline of what you want to cover or what you want the content of your video to contain. If you’re doing a basic conversation vlog, jot down a few keywords and place the paper in an area that you can see. This will help you stay on track as you speak.
It’s a good idea to plan your videos ahead of time. While you can always edit out awkward pauses later, there’s no way to materialize quality content when you’re not prepared. By creating an outline, you can hit all the points you want to cover efficiently and focus on having fun.
7: Lights, Camera, Action!
Now, you can finally do your first video. This is usually the most difficult step in the process. Despite all the preparation, many aspiring vloggers get nervous when it comes time to hit the record button. If you want your own vlog to be successful, you have to start somewhere.
Use your outline to create your first vlog. relax and be yourself. YouTubers prize authenticity. They prefer vloggers to be natural, comfortable, and fun.
We have great vlogging tips that can help you feel comfortable and make the most of your screen time.
The first is to interact with your audience. Don’t think of your future viewers as just numbers and statistics. They are people with unique opinions and thoughts. Talk to the camera as if you are speaking directly to them. Ask questions and invite comments.
Next, don’t be afraid to have fun. Your video is not live, so take this opportunity to try new things and have a good time. You can always come back to view the images later and remove anything you don’t like. The key is not to feel pressured to say the right thing in every sentence.
Another tip is to be personal. Again, YouTubers like people to show personality in their videos. Make it easy to connect with the person on the opposite side of the screen. Convey personal stories and speak passionately about the topic.
Finally, consider using personal phrases to start and end your blog. This is quite common among the vlogging community. Most YouTubers have their own signature phrase or hand gesture. It’s a nice personal touch that also becomes part of your branding for new videos in the future.
8: Take time to edit
Video editing is one of the most most important parts of creating a good video. Some vlog channels have launched empires based solely on wacky editing. You don’t have to come up with an innovative editing style to be successful. However, you need to make sure things are clean and professional looking.
There are plenty of video editing software options on the market. While you can go all out and invest in Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere Pro, you can also do a lot with free apps on your Windows or Mac. You can even get away with using Windows Movie Maker or iMovie on your computer to make cuts. simple. There are even some great apps for iPhone and Android that you can take advantage of if you shot on your smartphone.
During your edits, you should focus on making the video look its best. Eliminate awkward silences and collect clips into one cohesive story.You can also implement graphics, perform color corrections, and balance audio. How much editing you choose to do is completely up to you.
If you’re not as knowledgeable about editing, you can also hire contractors to do the work for you. You can easily find freelance publishers on gig sites. Just make sure you present your ideas clearly so they know what you’re looking for.
9: Upload and Optimize
Uploading a new video to your channel is pretty simple. However, it may take some time depending on the resolution and overall file size.
While you wait for the video to load and render, you can start optimizing it to make sure it’s viewable. There are several ways to do this. YouTube is essentially a huge search engine that provides access to millions of videos. You can treat your video like a web page and perform search engine optimization techniques to increase your exposure.
Write eye-catching titles
The first way to you can do this is through the title. Eye-catching titles are the best way to attract viewers. Your headline should be clear, concise, and fun. Before posting the video, write down some keywords related to your vlog. Use the most powerful keyword in your title. This will increase the chances of your video appearing on a results page for that query. You can also implement some secondary keywords in the description text below the video player.
YouTube SEO
Next, you’ll want to provide tags for video Tags are an important factor in YouTube SEO ranking. These tags can be added to the video through the Creator Studio for your channel. Choose tags that pertain to the content, as YouTube uses these tags to better understand what the video is about. They can be used to recommend your video to viewers or to feature your content on a results page.
Create attractive thumbnails
Last but not least important, there’s the thumbnail. The thumbnail is a visual representation of your video. Think of it like a DVD cover. It gives viewers a quick glimpse of what you have to offer. So it should be eye-catching.
YouTube Creator Studio can automatically select a thumbnail from a screenshot of your video. But, most of the professional YouTubers make their own. This can be done in photo editing software. There are plenty of thumbnail styles to model your own. The general consensus is to use bright colors, attractive backgrounds, and simple text.
Nick Nimmin has created a great video on how to create the perfect YouTube thumbnail. Check it out…
I would recommend using a tool like Canva. There is a free version that might be enough for what you want to create. They have pre-built templates you can work with and can speed up the process of creating thumbnails and images.
10: Engage your audience and use social media
If you optimized your video for free well you should start to see some views pop up. Don’t expect to see a massive influx of spectators. YouTube is all about slow growth and consistency. To keep those viewers coming back for future content, keep them engaged.
Respond to comments and engage with your audience. Don’t take criticism personally. The last thing you want to do is fight someone in the comments section. This is the internet. People can be unreasonably rude just because they are anonymous. As they say on YouTube, “Don’t feed the trolls.”
Respond to viewers who want to interact with you. Create social media accounts and invite those viewers to follow you on other platforms. You can then start promoting new vlogs to those accounts to produce organic growth over time.
11: Use Analytics to Improve
The best thing about YouTube Creator Studio is that it’s given access to certain important analytical information. As your channel grows, you can use this information to adjust your content accordingly. There are many types of data available for you to view. You can find information about where your viewers are, how old they are, and more.
YouTube even provides audience retention charts. These charts can tell you how long people are staying on your video, when they decide to go offline, and more. After viewing the data, watch your video and see what made people click. Tweak your next video until you find something that works for both you and your audience. Once you find that sweet spot, you can improve your retention and gain even more followers.
Beyond the information YouTube provides, you can use Google’s overall analytics to create your future content. Making videos about current trends is always a good idea. People are already looking for related content. So why not jump on the bandwagon and give people what they want?Google Analytics can show you popular keywords and topics that you can use for video ideas.
12: Stay alert
This is an important step in the process.
It’s easy to give up when your view count isn’t growing as fast as you’d like. Just remember that many great vloggers went under the radar for years before amassing a large audience.
Getting a large viewer base takes time.
You won’t get there if you simply stop producing content.
Consider creating a production schedule that you can stick to. Many YouTubers post at least one new video a week. Some make more and some only release videos every few months. The key is to maintain quality and continue to create relevant content that your audience enjoys.
13: Grow Your Brand
Many new YouTubers have a lot of questions about when they can get started. monetizing their channels. YouTube has changed its policies quite a bit in recent years. Currently, you must have at least 4,000 watch hours and 1,000 subscribers to become a Google AdSense partner.
Once you’ve reached that milestone, YouTube will review your channel. If you’re approved for the program, you can start showing ads before your videos to earn some revenue. Google will pay you a certain amount of money based on audience and impressions.
This is the easiest way to monetize a channel. But, it is not the only solution. The sky is the limit when it comes to money making opportunities. That is, as long as you have a large audience of viewers who are willing to support you.
Once you’ve reached a certain level of success, you can expand your brand and start looking for other sources of income. . Many vloggers agree to brand deals. Some also launch unique merchandise and products.
Before you do any of that, you need to build your brand and gain an audience.
Now that you know what it takes to get started, what are you doing? expecting? YouTube is a great way to build a brand or grow your business. There is nothing more personal than a vlog. You can easily connect with others and build an audience that will follow everything you do. All you have to do is get started.
Further reading:
Which is better Blog vs Vlog?
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