Video blogging, commonly referred to as vlogging, has gained popularity in the last few years. This has seen YouTube, the most popular video sharing site, grow exceptionally.
It’s no wonder then that every minute, 500 hours of video content is uploaded on YouTube. This may seem like a lot of content, but you need not fret as you can still add your unique voice or story to the already existing YouTube content.
And if you’re stuck on how to start a YouTube channel, then this article is worth reading. In here, you’ll find five key steps you can follow to get your YouTube channel off the ground.
5 Steps to Becoming a Successful YouTube Member
1. Choose Your Niche
To attract people to your vlogging channel, you must create content that appeals to them. And since you can’t be a jack of all trades, you’ll need to choose a niche. Having a niche helps you come up with videos that appeal to a specific audience.
Choosing a niche also helps you create videos that are likely to show up in search engine results for that specific topic. YouTube may also recommend your videos to people looking for content on your topic. Besides, your audience will find it easier to share and talk to their friends about your channel as it directly speaks to them.
Ensure you research your niche if you’re to appear knowledgeable to your audience. Keep up with the happenings in your industry and watch your competitors’ content. This way, your audience will consider you the go-to channel when they want to stay up to date with this niche.
2. Quality Is Key
Your viewers know a low-quality video immediately they see it. Having poor-quality videos in your channel is a sure way for your followers to click the unsubscribe button.
Although you can always use your cell phone to capture your videos, investing in a digital video camera is even better.
However, this doesn’t mean your videos must look like the Hollywood movies, but essential things like ensuring your video is clean, and the audio is clear can go a long way in making your channel a success.
Other factors to consider when producing your video include:
- Lighting- Poor lighting can make even the best videos look amateur
- Microphone – A good microphone will make your audio clear
- Good camera presence – This comes with practice
- Editing – Learn and use editing software to create visually appealing videos
- Thumbnails- Use websites such as Canva and Photoshop to come up with great thumbnails for your videos.
3. Don’t Ignore YouTube SEO
YouTube is a popular search engine. Many people use it to search and discover new content.
Taking the time to come up with quality videos is just the tip of the iceberg. Make sure you use the right keywords with your videos to be seen in the search results. The YouTube algorithm decides what videos to recommend to users. So, it’s best if you also learn what YouTube considers good content.
Research the keywords you intend to use with your videos and consider their popularity. It would be best if you also researched the popular searches in your niche. Don’t forget to cross-reference your YouTube keyword research with research from Google, as the latter often recommends YouTube videos in its search results.
4. Consistency Counts
Consistently releasing quality videos to your audience makes them expectant. They are also likely to remain loyal to your channel as you’ll always have fresh content.
In addition to consistently sharing quality content, ensure you’re consistent with the type of videos you release. For instance, don’t keep changing the niche if you want to be recognized as an authority in your industry.
You should also stick to a schedule that includes the time and day of the week you post your videos. This allows your audience to know when to expect fresh content and gives you a chance to practice your blogging skills. If you’re going to change your content, ensure you give your followers a heads up first.
Remember, the bare minimum on YouTube is that you should publish at least one video weekly.
5. Spread the Word on Social Media
Sharing a link to your YouTube channel on your other social media sites will ensure you reach a bigger audience. You can also sync your social media accounts to your YouTube channel allowing for smooth integration between the two.
You should also collaborate with other creators on social media to make your channel grow. Connecting with your viewers both on YouTube and on other social networks is another strategy that will help foster a sense of community that your fans can identify with.
There you have it!
Five essential steps can help make your YouTube channel a success. Now all you need to do is to implement them and let us know how it goes.
