How to start a successful Youtube channel in 2022 (ultimate step by step for beginners)

There is so much more to YouTube than putting on a well-beat face and hitting record to let your thoughts run wild. The more time and effort you put into planning and creating content for YouTube, the more growth you’ll see in the long run. Today, I’m sharing step by step how to start a successful Youtube channel for beginners in 2022!

Because the quality of your content is just as important as the quality of your video, so it’s vital to know how to plan and create quality content.

Let’s get started, shall we?

This page may include affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase something.

How to start a successful Youtube channel for beginners

STEP 1. How to choose a YouTube niche

When planning content for a successful YouTube channel, it’s crucial to stay true to who you are. Take a moment to ask yourself questions so you can better understand yourself as a whole. This will help to guide you in the right direction.

If you’re multi-passionate, it can be easy to get carried away trying to create different types of content. But doing so without a clear plan in place can make your youtube channel content seem inconsistent. So auditing yourself is not a step you want to skip.

An important step of starting a YouTube channel is determining what niche you will be.

When figuring out your niche, think about what you want to be known for, what interests you, and what you can talk about often. I recommend narrowing down your niche to no more than 2 when you’re just starting off.

When I first started, I only focused on Beauty, and then as my audience grew, I expanded into home decor and lifestyle content. Your niche isn’t permanent, and as you evolve, your niche will change too, but for now, focus on one thing!

For example…
– When Amazon first started, they only sold books online.
– When Nike first started, they only sold athletic tennis shoes.
– When Oprah first started, she was known only for her tv show.
– When Dwayne johnson first started, he was known only as a wrestler on WWE (Do you smell what the Rock is cooking?! *raises left eyebrow*)
– When Will Smith first started, he was known only for rapping.

BUT they evolved.

It’s perfectly normal to grow eventually, but when you first start, focus on dominating one thing! If you want to become an influencer, then you have to focus on being known for something within a specific field.

Whatever niche you choose, make sure it aligns with your passions/expertise and that you will continue to be interested in it for years to come.

Questions to ask yourself to figure out your YouTube niche:

What are you passionate about?

What do you enjoy doing? What can you talk about all day? What is something that you feel connected to?

What do you advocate for?

What is something that you never get tired of doing or supporting? Body positivity, beauty, hair care, helping women online, writing, singing? What’s your thang, sis?

What are your gifts and talents?

You can take the things you’re passionate about and your abilities and mesh them together. In doing this, you’re sharing content that you’re passionate about while staying true to yourself. There’s no room for comparison here. There’s only one you.

Think of it this way, only Beyoncé can do Beyoncé, and only you can do you.

What’s your personality?

What part of your personality do you want to showcase through your videos?

Let your personality shine. Do you have a killer sense of humor? Is your positive personality contagious? What makes you, you? Don’t hold these things back. The world needs your sparkle. Your personality and character adds to the uniqueness of your content, and that can’t be replicated.

What makes you unique?

Lastly, what makes you unique? What do you have that nobody else does? What story have you lived through that adds a deeper meaning to the content that you share? Include the things that make you stand out in a crowd in this list.

Take your answers to these questions into consideration when thinking of content ideas. Your passions, talents, personality, and uniqueness are integral parts of your brand. Your combination of these categories is part of what opens the door for one-of-a-kind content.

Be honest with yourself

Don’t think of things you want to be good at in the future, but find the things you do well already. Are you a natural communicator? Do you have impressive writing skills? Do you have an eye for fashion or graphic design?

If you have a hard time pinpointing your gifts and talents, ask a brutally honest friend what they think. They’ll tell you.

When planning content for your YouTube channel, it’s crucial to stay true to who you are.

Popular Youtube niches

Are you going to post beauty-themed videos, how-to tech videos, sit down storytimes? Based on your answers above decide on a general theme and niche for your YouTube content.

Common Niches for YouTube Channels:

Beauty
Travel
Fitness
Food
Finance
Fashion
Relationships
Career
Gaming
Politics
Home Decor
Entrepreneurship
Love & Relationships
Hair
Family & Home
Photography
Diets (Such as Keto, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo)
Technology
Investing
Lifestyle Humor

If you don’t have a lot of experience in a niche, please stay away from it. Don’t start a YouTube channel in a niche simply because you’ve witnessed others’ success in it. You have to actually enjoy what you’re talking about.

STEP 2: How to choose videos topics for YouTube (that people actually watch!)

With the niche you’ve chosen, list your video content ideas.

There are two main ways to go about this. First, think of the content that you would like to watch. If you create videos on topics you enjoy, you’re more likely to record a higher quality video. It’s also safe to say that if you find something interesting, others most likely will too.

If you already have a following, be sure to take the knowledge you have of your viewer demographics and interests into consideration as well.

Second, see what’s already out there. Watch some YouTube channels that share similar content to the content that you want to share.

Additionally, you can use the YouTube search bar to your advantage. Type in a topic or video idea into the search bar to see how popular that style of video is. From there, you can filter the responses to show the most recent or the most popular video on that topic.

Ps. This is a great way to see which title formats and keywords work best for that type of video.

You can take your research one step further by watching videos within the niche you want to be in. It’s essential, though, to watch for inspiration, not to copy. We’re not out here to replicate; we’re out here to represent.

Originality is key!

For example, if you want to review a specific product, you can reference similar reviews. This is a great way to see different review formats to get a better idea of how you could format yours. Then you can tweak it to fit your style.

If you’re doing a tag or a trend started by someone else, always be sure to give credit where credit is due. The point of referencing other videos is to get a better idea for an aspect of yours, never to copy.

For deeper research, I highly recommend using plugins like VidIQ and TubeBuddy (both have free options).

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HACK to get MORE views on your videos

Tubebuddy allows you to fully optimize your channel. They provide the best keywords and topics to use for videos that people are actually looking for. They tell you if your title tag is too long, too short or how likely it is to rank.

If you want to start a successful Youtube channel then you want to create videos that people will actually watch and engage in.

The best way to have videos that people watch is to have videos that people can easily find. When you plan and research videos, you are helping your videos become easily discoverable, which thus increases views and subscribers.

TubeBuddy helps you plan content by showing you popular tops and video types.

For example, let’s say I want to do a patio decor tutorial. By using the “keyword explorer” in Tubebuddy, I can find the best topics and keywords for my video.

Searching “patio decor” and Tubebuddy gives it a 9 rating. This means out of a score of 100; my video is about 9% likely to rank in the search results. This is awful
”
Tubebuddy will tell you if the keyword is searched often (a good thing) and if there’s a lot of videos already created that will saturate your view appearing in search results(a bad thing).

You want people to type in “Patio decor” and your video shows up on the first page because let’s be honest, how often do you click on page 2 or 3 when searching for something on Youtube? Rarely! You usually click whatever is on page #1! So you want to choose keywords that allow you to show up on page number 1!

Another thing I love about Tubebuddy is that they give you similar keywords on the side. I have the upgraded version so I can get unlimited keyword suggestions. I highly recommend it if you’re committed to these Youtube streets.

Now, let’s try “cheap patio decorating ideas” using Tubebuddy’s keyword explorer:

Tubebuddy rates this a 62, which is pretty good because it means you’re more likely to rank on YouTube and get more views!

The higher your videos rank, the more people will see your videos. Ranking increases your visibility which increases your subscribers, views, and *ahem* money from Adsense if you want to make money with YouTube.

Using Tubebuddy to plan your content, you know it would make more sense to create a “patio decor video focusing on being budget-friendly over a basic patio decor video that’s less likely to discovered and viewed by new YouTubers.

Be sure to research

Now that you’ve got your video ideas listed, it’s time to research. This is where you’re able to provide the most value to your viewers through the quality of your research.

Have you watched a quality product review based solely on opinion with no facts what-so-ever? How likely are you to buy that item? While opinions are important, credible information is a necessity. That’s why you’ve gotta do the research.

When researching, find as many credible resources as possible. If the theme of your video is testing beauty products, actually spend time testing the product before sharing it. Do your research on the brand and the ingredients found in the products you’re using. Learn more for yourself so that you can share useful information with your viewers.

STEP 3: How to create a content schedule (to stay consistent!)

A content plan will help you keep track of video topics, how often you need to post, which subjects you will cover, and what you need to complete a task,

I highly recommend having a content schedule and deciding on an exact day that youtube videos go live. I recommend it be on the same day(s) and time(s) each week.

This helps YouTube know when to push out your content as well as allows your subscribers to know what day to expect new content from you.

If you’re a digital gal (or guy), you can use the notes app on your phone or, you can use free digital resources like Evernote and Trello to gather for creating a content schedule.

Evernote is a free note-taking app that allows you to digitize your thoughts that you can access on your computer, tablet, or mobile device. This option is helpful when you want to jot something down on the go but don’t have a pen or paper nearby. Plus, the paper-free method is good for the environment.

Trello is a free web-based, list-making software, and that helps jot down quick lists. Trello integrates well with other apps, like Google calendar. If you’re looking for well-rounded software to organize your life, this is the tool for you.

You can use Trello to list props you need, items you want to have handy, or talking points you want to remember.

You’ll also to include the following details inside your content schedule:
✓ Date to post
✓ Time (and time zone) to schedule
✓ Copy to include such as video title, keywords, and description
✓ Thumbnail

STEP 4: What Equipment you need for your youtube channel

Once you have all of your Youtube content and channel planned out, it’s time to ensure you have the right equipment to record videos.

When it comes to recording YouTube videos, the 3 basic things you need are:1. Something to record video with (so people can see you)
2. Something to record audio with (so people can hear you)
3. Something to edit video withA newer cell phone can do all of 3 things, and when I first started my YouTube channel, I recorded on my iPhone too!. When starting off, use what you already have!

If you want elevated videos then the best way to have high-quality videos is investing in high-quality equipment. However, you don’t need the newest or most expensive cameras to have a successful Youtube channel!

Here are a few things I currently use and vouch for but they are a little pricey:

1. Camera

2. Audio

3. Lighting

Click here for all these YouTube equipment essentials I currently use.

STEP 5: How to create a Youtube account & set up your channel

Once you have planned a successful YouTube channel, it’s time to actually START your channel by creating a YouTube account!

Here is an awesome video by The Content Bug that shares step by step how to set-up and start a youtube channel from scratch.

STEP 6: How to create videos on Youtube

You’ve planned, researched, and created your account. Now its time to be SEEN and create great videos! The last step to starting a successful Youtube channel is creating, editing, and uploading videos!

Here’s a video sharing my behind the scenes as I set-up, record, and edit my YouTube videos:

Record the video

When it comes to being on camera, it can be a little scary putting yourself out there!

I promise it gets easier with time and practice. If you’ve planned and researched your content like in step 2, it will be a lot easier to create videos because you know exactly what to talk about.

When it comes to being more natural on camera, here are a few tips:
1. Imagine you’re talking to one person
2. Have a bullet list of everything you want to talk about
3. Practice
5. Breathe. (seriously… say a sentence, then breathe. Say another sentence, breathe)
6. Progress beats perfection. The only way to improve at something is to do it over and over again

Seriously, the more you create videos the better you will get, so I urge you to push through. You will build camera-confidence the more you put yourself on camera.

Edit the video

Now it’s time to edit your video! You want to ensure you are removing any parts of the video where you’re rambling, saying a bunch of ums, or ultimately just doesn’t fit within the video.

When it comes to the best video editors, I highly recommend Filmora video editor because it’s super beginner-friendly with an easy interface and also allows you to add special effects, texts, cool transitions and there’s even a green screen option!

It’s less than $100 for the editor, and you can even use it to edit Instagram stories, Instagram posts, podcasts, and so much more!

Publish the video

Recently, Youtube changed the way you upload videos (they change the platform often). Here’s a video from Creator Fundamentals sharing step by step how to upload a YouTube video in 2020.

Market & optimize the content

Once you have uploaded the video, the final step is to optimize the video so you can get more eyeballs on your content. I have a completely free checklist of everything you should do when uploading new YouTube videos to ensure you get the most views and traffic!

YouTube is a powerful way to express yourself while sharing your passions with the world. That’s why it’s important to be intentional with every area of your YouTube channel.

I hope this guide has helped you so you can start a successful Youtube channel! If you’re a new YouTuber, be sure to share your URL below as well as what your video channel is about!

In my next blog post, I’m sharing how to get more views on your YouTube videos!

If you’re starting to realize that you’ve still got a lot of work to do, don’t sweat it. I have created an ultimate YouTube checklist for you! It’s everything you should be doing to create bangin’ videos and a bangin’ Youtube channel! This ultimate checklist is FREE, and it’s even interactive so you can checkmark things off via the pdf as you go!

The BEST video equipment for starting a channel

Are you ready to create a YouTube channel sharing the things you love? Maybe that’s cooking, a family vlog, hair tutorials, or something in between! Whatever the topic, there are a few things you want to acquire for your YouTube channel when you are first starting off. Today I’m sharing some of the top essentials for starting a Youtube channel!

NOTE: When starting a YouTube channel, you truly only need 2 things which is something to record on and something to edit on. That can be your phone.

Matter of fact, when I first started my YouTube channel, I actually recorded with my cracked iPhone leaned against a window and that’s how I collected my first 5,000 youtube subscribers!

As my channel grew, I knew I had to elevate so I invested in better equipment. Starting off you do NOT need the newest greatest things. I am a firm believer in using what you have and upgrading as you go. That’s exactly what I did.

This page may include affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase something.

Essentials for starting a Youtube channel

1. Camera

You don’t have to go out and buy a brand new camera… you probably have one right in your hand (which is your phone). You can use your phone to record videos and it’s not that hard to do!

Using your phone to record is a cheaper alternative to buying a digital camera. However, I do feel that if you want truly elevated videos then you will need a DSLR camera as these deliver that top-notch cinematic look.

One of my favorite cameras for shooting Youtube videos is the Sony 6400. While there is a slight learning curve, this camera packs a lot of punch with 4k quality (for super clear and crisp video quality), auto-focus so you’re not blurry when recording and, it’s lightweight which makes it a great vlogging camera.

2. Lighting

It doesn’t matter how amazing your camera is… if your lighting is not great then you won’t look great!

There are two types of lighting when it comes to recording and that’s natural sunlight (ie: the sun) and artificial light (such as ring lights and standing lights). You can choose to use one or both!

The sun provides natural lighting which is complimentary and free. However, relying only on natural sunlight means you won’t be able to record at night or while it’s raining.

I, personally, use a combination of both. I use artificial lighting during the day and photography lights during the night so I can record no matter the time of day or weather.

Here are a few lights I currently use and recommend:

3. SD Card

A SD card (which stands for Secure Digital Card) is a memory card that you record on so you can transfer to your computer.

If you are using a DSLR then there’s a very high chance it has an SD reader. There are a ton of SD cards and ultimately you want to choose one that has a decent amount of storage and works for your camera.

My personal favorite SD card for youtube is the Sandisk extreme since it allows you to record 4k quality with no problem. I highly recommend getting at least 128GB so you can record multiple videos within the SD card.

4. Microphone

Video is awesome because we can not only see you but we can hear you which means crappy quality video and crappy quality audio is a serious no-no.

If your audience struggles to hear you then they will, unfortunately, turn your video off which is why it’s important to invest in high-quality audio equipment such as a mic.

One of the top microphones for popular Youtubers is the Rode microphone.

5. Tripod

Back in the day, I would sit my iPhone against a stack of books near a window and record my videos. It worked during that moment in time (and sometimes it didn’t work…. and would fall down during recording) so as I elevated my equipment, a tripod was absolutely a must-have for me.

When it comes to a tripod, I recommend ones that will allow you to record vertical and horizontal as well as from different angles and heights.

I have been using the Amazon Basics tripod for years now and highly recommend it. It’s sturdy and can be adjusted as high as 60 inches

6. Camera remote

A camera remote is not a necessity when it comes to equipment essentials for starting a Youtube channel. However, it will make your life a lot easier because you will be able to record, zoom in/out, take photos, pause and so much more without having to leave your seat and constantly adjust the camera.

Now there are different remotes based on the camera you use so be sure to check that your remote is compatible with your camera (did you know they even hate remotes for cell phones?!)

7. Back-up battery

Imagine this: You’re recording a youtube video and everything is going great. The sun is shining perfect, you’re deep into your content, and suddenly your battery dies…

Now you have to stop everything you’re doing and wait for your battery to charge up.

Trust me, it’s not fun. Especially if by the time your battery charges, it’s now dark and you’re no longer in the mood to record.

This is where having backup batteries come in! Make sure you have at least 2 batteries for your camera so if one dies, you have another one!

Additionally, look into plug-in batteries that never die and prevent you from ever needing a backup battery!

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8. Camera Lens

Different camera lenses do different things.

Some are great for vlogging and being on the go.
Some are great for real estate because they go out further out allowing you to get more into a frame,
Some are great for sitting down talking-style videos because they focus on you allow you and make your background super blurry.

If your sole purpose is recording Youtube videos then find 1-3 lens that will work for you since lenses can be expensive.

For example, I tend to shoot 2 types of videos which are beauty and decor videos. Beauty videos are usually me sitting at my desk so I need a lens that will get close up to my face so my audience can see my makeup application.

For decor videos, I need a lens that will zoom further out so my audience can see an entire room in one frame.

Different lenses will produce different outcomes so I highly recommend researching the best lens for your needs. Also, don’t be afraid to head to your nearest BestBuy and test our lens so you can get a good feel before purchasing.

9. Cleaning Kit

Protect your investment by cleaning your camera, lens, and mic regularly.

This cleaning kit includes everything you need for under $20!

10. Background

If you want to switch up the background to your videos then a great youtube essential is clothes to hang up for different background colors.

You can use sheets, poster board, and even fabric to switch up the look! You can tape it, nail it, or invest in a background backdrop stand such as this one:

11. Computer

Can you record and edit videos from your phone? Yes, yes you can.

Is it the easiest and best? No.

When it comes to editing videos, I’m a firm believer in editing on a laptop or desktop since you will have a lot more options and freedom.

I currently use an Apple MacBook air but seriously, I think any computer that allows you to edit videos is great.

12. Editing software

Most computers come with free video editing software such as windows movie maker or iMovie.

I used iMovie up until a few years ago when I decided I wanted more special effects and invested in filmora wondershare.

I highly recommend it for beginners since its super user-friendly, and comes with great special effects!

In my next post, I’m sharing the best video editing software for YouTube

If you’re ready to start an amazing YouTube channel then I highly recommend downloading my ultimate YouTube checklist to a banging channel! It’s completely free to download and includes everything you need to create a YouTube channel and YouTube videos that increase your subscribers and views!

Five tips for beginners getting started on YouTube

You can have 100,000 YouTube subscribers and not be making much money, or on the contrary, you could have 10,000 …

9 proven ways to get more views on Youtube for free

Picture this horror story: You spend time recording an amazing video, edit it to pure perfection, upload it to YouTube and then BOOM, do absolut,ely nothing else.

The Horror.

This page may include affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase something.

Okay, while I may be acting slightly over dramatic… if you record, edit and publish your YouTube videos without optimizing them, you’re doing yourself a SERIOUS disservice.

Why you should optimize your videos

YouTube is a search engine and if, you don’t optimize your videos correctly then Y,ouTube can’t rank them or show them to the very people interested in your content which means no one will see your video.

Google and YouTube don’t watch your videos, so they have no idea what your video is about. It’s up to you to tell the #1 and #2 most popular search engines (that’s google and YouTube FYI) what your actual videos are about and the keywords most relevant to the content.

When you optimize your videos, it makes that video more likely to be discovered by a relevant audience (the people actually looking for your video who will be most likely to watch it!). The more views a video gets in a short period of time, the higher it will rank for keywords related to that video so yes, views= good.

Once you upload a video, it’s doesn’t stop there. You should be promoting the video and optimizing it for increased video views. You want your videos to have a strong YouTube presence and you do that by fully optimizing your videos so Google and YouTube actually understand.

I don’t want your video to fall into the black hole of no views and no engagement which ,is why I’m sharing 9 things your video needs to increase YouTube views.

Nine things every video ABSOLUTELY NEEDS so you can increase YouTube views

1. Research the best video title

Your video titles need to be written for robots and humans.
Say whaaaaaaa?
Your video title should be catchy enough that people actually want to click on the video and watch it AND y,our video title should also tell the YouTube algorithm what the video is about, so they can rank it.

Example #1: Your YouTube title is “How to make the most delicious chicken noodle soup ever”
– Yo.uTube knows the video is about cooking chicken noodle soup. So if someone searches “chicken noodle soup recipe” your video should pop up because you have those keywords.
– This video also makes people want to click it because who doesn’t want to make the most delicious soup ever?!

Now let’s see some examples of some trash video titles:
Title: Video #1
– Terrible. What is the video even about?!
– This doesn’t make anyone want to click on the video nor does it tell the YouTube algorithm what the video is about so it won’t rank for anything

Title: Going to the club
– Huh? At what club? The baseball club? The nightclub? The 90s bestselling book, the babysitters club? WE NEED MORE INFO!
– SOME people may click on this but, the majority won’t find the video because YouTube won’t rank it for anything since it’s not specific.
– A better title would be “3 things you need for the baseball club” or “5 best nightclubs in New York you HAVE TO ATTEND”

A great video title draws in more viewers.YouTube sees the attention your video is getting and pushes your video up in search results. Therefore, your video gets seen by even more people! WIN-WIN.

How to find the best video titles for MAJOR views

The best tool to create great YouTube titles is Tubebuddy.

I use it every single time I’m researching videos and optimizing them.

Tubebuddy is great because it tells you what titles are ranking, what people are searching for and, how well that title will do compared to other similar named videos.

Tubebuddy is free to use, however, I like unlimited keyword searches and suggestions so I have the paid version. It’s totally worth it and pays for itself since I’m creating better views which means more youtube absence (revenue).

2. Create a bright video thumbnail

Create bright thumbnails that portray what the video is about AND make people want to actually click on the video. Videos with a little text do great and videos showing a face tend to perform higher as well.

I highly recommend Canva to create Youtube thumbnails! It’s easy to do and they even have templates to follow if you’re not very design-savvy.

3. Add the best keywords

Absolutely do not under any condition forget to add keywords to your video!
Your keywords should tell what the video is about so if someone was to type in your keywords, your video would pop up and be relevant.

The higher up in the list of tags, the more weight it has. This means that the keywords you include first are the ones YouTube will care more about so make sure you are adding the best keywords at the very beginning of the keywords section, in your description and even in your title!

For example, let’s say you’ve made a video about how to make a vegan soup. Your most relevant long-tail keyword would be “Vegan Soup Recipe”

4. Add End Screens

End screens are videos that pop up at the very last 20 seconds of a video. This is a great way to hook your viewers, so they can watch more related content that you have created!

I highly recommend adding related videos or newest uploads to your end screens so viewers can continue watching your videos after the initial video is over.

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5. Add closed-captioning

Closed captioning is not just for deaf or hearing-impaired. Captions allow for different viewing experiences as well.

More and more people are watching videos on silence which makes close captioning a great option since it adds another layer to enjoying your videos.

Additionally, closed captioning is great for SEO as YouTube takes closed captioning into consideration when ranking your videos.

I use REV.com to transcribe my videos because they’re effective, less than $1.50 a minute AND they will even transcribe directly to your YouTube video.

CLICK HERE FOR $10 OFF REV.COM TO TRANSCRIBE YOUR VIDEOS

Here’s an infographic from 3playmedia sharing why people use closed captioning:

6. Utilize the Description

Your description should reinforce what the video is about with the main keywords. Also include a call to action (CTA) such as the reminder to subscribe, the URL to your website, and even affiliate links.

I make hundreds of dollars each month just from affiliate links added to my Youtube video descriptions!

You can also add time markers to important points or sections of your video. For example, if your video is about 4 exercises for belly fat you can add time markers such as:
1:36 Warm-up
2:45 Crunches
3:23 Planks
5:54 Sit-ups

This way viewers can skip to the parts of the video they want.

7. Add to a playlist

Make it easy for viewers to watch more videos on a specific topic. If you have a ton of beginner makeup videos, create a playlist for “beginner how-to’s” and another playlist for “beginner eyeshadow tutorials”

This also helps Youtube to determine what to rank and play next once your video is over.

8. Engage with your audience by commenting, liking and hearting comments

Build a community and connect with your audience by commenting, answering questions, and engaging. The first 42 hours your video is posted can determine how well your video ranks based on the engagement. Answering questions and interacting with your audience helps your engagement.

Answering questions and interacting with your audience helps your engagement.

9. Share with your community via Youtube stories

Did you know Youtube now has youtube stories? It’s similar to Instagram stories and Facebook stories, and great for showing behind the scenes and promos! Don’t sleep on Youtube stories! I find it’s easiest to use on the actual YouTube app! You can learn more about Youtube stories here.

Are you a Youtuber? If so, what advice do you have when it comes to growing your Youtube channel? What questions do you have when it comes to how to increase your Youtube views?! Share below!

In my next post, I’m sharing the BIGGEST mistakes new YouTubers make with their channel and I bet you’re doing #6!

Watch the video: How to make your YouTube Videos better

The 6 best video editing software for YouTube on desktop

Editing is just as important as recording when it comes to having a successful YouTube video. It also can be one of the scariest things for beginners when it comes to starting a YouTube channel. Today, I’m sharing six different desktop video editing software for YouTubers!

Watch the video: Behind the scenes – How to record and edit

What is the best software to edit videos for YouTube?

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

1. Filmora Wondershare

If you’re a beginner and want great graphics for your video, I highly recommend Filmora wondershare! It’s super beginner-friendly and has great effects priced under $100 [desktop]⁣⁣⁣

You can apply transitions, use filters, add music, add special effects, and even use a green screen with a simple drag and drop face! Another great thing about Fimlora is it’s available on Windows and Mac and can be used for YouTube videos, IGTV, Instagram posts, and more with the resizing feature.

2. Final Cut Pro

This is currently what I use. It’s a little pricey, and there’s a learning curve, but it gives you so much video editing power and options. I highly recommend for intermediate and up who want a little more power when it comes to things like color grading and different video formats.

3. iMovie

Don’t sleep on the free video editing software, iMovie, if you have a mac!

iMovie does everything you need for basic editing including cutting, cropping, and adding text. While the special effects leave much to be desired and there’s a small learning curve, it’s FREE!

4. Adobe Premiere

#honestyhour while I’ve had Adobe Premiere on my computer for years, I never used it. There’s a learning curve that I didn’t want to commit to ??.

The mobile version is easier but it’s Adobe, so its a little pricey. It’s supreme video editing, though, and therefore, I recommend for advanced and up [desktop & mobile]⁣⁣⁣⁣. A lot of movie editors use Adobe Premiere, and it takes cinematic videos to a whole new level because of all the options and video editing freedom

5. Windows movie maker

Most computers come with free video editing software. For mac’s, it’s imovie, and for windows, it’s windows movie maker [pro]. It allows you to do basic things like cropping, cutting out parts of a video, adding music and text effects, which makes it perfect for new YouTubers and beginners who don’t need a lot.

It’s a great video editing software to start off with if you have a windows computer.

6. Hitfilm Express

Hitfilm is a free pro video editing software that has a friendly interface and allows you to any editing task. Special effects, adding music, transitions…it does it all! They do offer a full version, and it’s available for both mac and pc.

Which video editing software do I recommend the most?

When it comes to my favorite video editing software for YouTubers, I highly recommend filmora. I started off using this and it’s perfect for beginner and intermediate YouTubers who want great videos but don’t need all the bells or whistles (or want to commit to learning advance video editing).

Another great thing about Filmora is you pay a one time fee for the video editing software and as an add-on you can pay an additional $7.99/month for premium special effects, videos, and royalty-free audio music with their filmstocks!

Another reason why I recommend filmora is you can make videos horizontal or vertical which means you can also post your videos on Instagram, IGTV and more.

Here’s a video sharing Filmora wondershare:

So here are my top 6 video editing software for Youtube! If you’re a new YouTuber or thinking of starting a YouTube channel, I have a free ultimate YouTube checklist that goes through everything you need to create a bangin’ YouTube channel!

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In my next blog post, I’m sharing my favorite YouTube tools for growth!

Are you making these 7 painful youtube mistakes? I bet you’re doing #6!

You record your first YouTube video and publish it. Suddenly, thousands of views start rolling in. Comments Galore. You blink and your subscribers go from 4 to 40,000. Yeah, Okay.

While that does happen to a few, it may not be your truth… and if you’re on video upload #25 and still feel like you’re not getting anywhere then this may be the post for you because we’re talking about youtube mistakes you’re making growing your channel in 2020.

This page may include affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase something.

1. Not being consistent

How often do you post? Once a week? Great. Twice a week? Awesome! 1-2 times every 6 months? NO MA’AM (or sir).

You can’t eat one healthy meal and expect to lost 30 lbs. You have to be consistent with it, right? The same applies to your YouTube channel. You MUST be consistent and I don’t just mean consistent with the day you post. You also must be consistent with quality. One video can’t be 4k quality, hilariously entertaining and the next upload looks like it was shot on your 2006 Motorola Razr flip phone. ew.

If there’s one HUGE mistake I’ve made over the past few years its hands down inconsistency. Up until 2017, I would post videos weekly… then life happened and I would legit go months (3-8 months ?) without a single upload. My channel has definitely suffered for it and it’s been hard to grow back up the viewership I use to have.

Right now, I’m working on a video schedule that works for me and trying out different timing frequencies to get into a flow that’s realistic to me. I recommend the same for you. Commit to posting at a certain frequency. That could be weekly. That may be bi-weekly but it cannot be weekly for one month and then we don’t hear from you for another 5 months.

Your subscribers WILL forget about you if you don’t post content consistently. I’m telling you this from experience.

2. Not looking at your analytics

Some people love analytics. They love knowing the average time someone spent watching their video. They love knowing how their subscribers found their videos. They love knowing the average amount of clicks they received on their video.

If you love it, great. If you don’t, get over it. You MUST look at your analytics these days so you can improve.

Look at how long people watch your videos. If 50% of viewers are dropping off at the 2-minute mark for your videos, is there a reason why? At the 2 minute mark did you bust out in song and dance so viewers decided to close out the video?

Are most people finding you via Youtube search? Is YouTube recommending you through the watch page? These are things you want to know so that you can improve your channel and the eyeballs on your videos.

Interested in figuring out your Analytics? Here’s a great video by The Content Bug on reading your YT analytics.

YouTube Analytics is super in-depth these days and it’s something I wish I would have paid more attention to. Had I looked at my analytics, I would of saw trends, opportunities for growth as well as areas that I lacked in. If you’re not looking at your analytics, it’s one of the biggest mistakes you’re making growing your YouTube channel!

For example, a large percentage of traffic for some of my videos comes from Pinterest… especially my DIY videos. This is valuable information because it lets me know where I should spend my time marketing and promoting my videos!

Had I known that over 50% of my traffic for some of my videos comes from Pinterest, I would have known to create more Pinterest pins for videos instead of heavily promoting on Instagram and hearing crickets.
Absolute chirping crickets.

3. Your thumbnails are trash

It doesn’t matter how delicious the cake taste… if it looks gross, we aren’t tasting it.

The same applies to your videos. If your thumbnail is awful and doesn’t make the person want to click then guess what? The person WON’T click!

Sorry.

Here are a few tips when it comes to creating awesome YouTube thumbnails:
1. Photos should be of high quality.
2. Photos should be the correct size. No one wants to see those ugly black borders around the thumbnail.
3. Thumbnails should include fonts that are readable.
4. Thumbnails should be on brand and consistent with your brand image.

I create my thumbnails in canva. It’s super easy and you can use their YouTube templates for even more convenience.

Don’t let ugly thumbnails be the reason your videos only get 2 views.

4. Not batching videos

One way I stay consistent with my YouTube channel these days is by batching videos…. something I didn’t even realize I could do back in the day.

*gasp*

Batching videos is basically when you create multiple videos in a timeframe (usually 1-2 days) and schedule those out through the month.

For the longest, I would create YouTube videos every single Saturday, edit on Sunday and publish on Tuesday. My social life…. oh, my social life.

That was my life from 2014-2016. A lot of time goes into video creation and it would have been a lot easier if I batched 3-4 videos in a day and then scheduled out (I probably would have been more consistent too!). If you’re creating the type of videos that can be batched then PLEASE DO IT.

Trust me on this.

5. Your content does not engage, educate and/or entertain

How many times have you typed “how to…” or “how do I” inside of Youtube or Google search?

A lot huh?

How many times have you watched a video and 1 hour later found yourself down a rabbit hole of that user’s content because they were so engaging?

THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT.

You want people to love your content so much that they get lost in it. You want people to watch your videos and feel an emotion. That emotion can be empowered, informed or hey, just in a good mood. However, your video should be entertaining. People will click out of a video within 3 seconds if they don’t like it (and you’ll know because you’re now looking at your Google Analytics…. right?!).

Hook them at the beginning and continue to do it with things like:
1. Jumpcuts: varying in camera position. Here’s an example of a Jumpcut
2. Showing your awesome personality
3. Engaging and smiling with the camera

6. Comparing yourself to others

Seriously, don’t do it.

No. Don’t you do it!

Don’t compare your growth to someone else’s growth. It’s okay to learn from others and be inspired by them but please don’t constantly compare. It does nothing but robs you from joy and you NEED that joy. Your viewers and subscribers NEED that joy.

I compared my growth to a lot of my peers and ultimately it caused me to give up. In 2017, I MAYBE posted 5 videos for that entire year. I was over creating videos and I wasn’t getting the views or engagement I use to get compared to others… so I just stopped creating videos altogether (unless I felt like it or a brand sponsorship came through).

The thing about giving up is we give up during the times where we should push harder. I wish I didn’t throw in the towel and kept at it!

Who knows where I would be now?!

Keep going. The numbers will come. The views will come. The subscribers will come if you continue to work hard, be consistent, and strive to be 1% better each time!

Comparing yourself to others could be one of the biggest youtube mistakes you’re making growing your channel. It was, personally, one of mine.

7. Not using the right keywords

Your video title should accurately describe what the video is about and also use keywords that people are using to search Youtube.

Your titles should make the reader want to click on the video BUT at the same time be easy for Youtube algorithm to read.

ie: Your youtube title is “How to make the most delicious chicken noodle soup ever”
Youtube knows the video is about cooking chicken noodle soup. So if someone searches “chicken noodle soup recipe” your video should pop up.
This video also makes people want to click it because who doesn’t want to make the most delicious soup ever?!

Now let’s see some examples of some trash video titles:
ie: Video #1
Terrible. What is the video even about?!

ie: Me At the club
Huh? At what club? The baseball club? The night club? The 90’s bestselling book, the babysitters club? WE NEED MORE INFO!

ie: My life on may 6th
Nobody is clicking on this…. unless you’re Beyonce or already have 500,000 Youtube subscribers.

Youtube isn’t a social media platform, it’s a search engine. You want people to search and find your videos.

Pin for later!

You should be using keywords in your title, in your description, and the tags. This is how Youtube figures out what your video is about and how to rank.

Oh, if you’re not using Tubebuddy to grow your channel then it’s definitely one of the mistakes you’re making growing your YouTube channel.

Tubebuddy allows you to fully optimize your channel. They provide the best keywords and topics to use for videos. They tell you if your title tag is too long or too short. They provide more in-depth analytics and a ton of other things.

For example, let’s say I’m doing a patio decor tutorial. By using the “keyword explorer” in Tubebuddy, I find the best topics and keywords.

Searching “patio decor” and Tubebuddy gives it a 9 rating (out of 100… which is awful)
”
Tubebuddy will tell you if the keyword is searched often (a good thing) and if there’s a lot of videos already created (a bad thing).

You want people to type in “Patio decor” and your video shows up on the first page… because let’s be honest, how often do you click on page 2 or 3 when searching for something on Youtube? Rarely! You usually click whatever is on page #1! So you want to choose keywords that allow you to show up on page number 1!

Another thing I love about Tubebuddy is that they give you similar keywords on the side. I have the upgraded version so I can get unlimited keyword suggestions. I highly recommend it if you’re committed to these Youtube streets.

Now, let’s try “cheap patio decorating ideas” using keyword explorer:

Tubebuddy rates this a 62 which is great because it means you’re more likely to rank on YouTube and get more views!

The higher your videos rank, the more people will see your videos. Ranking increases your visibility which increases your subscribers, views, and *ahem* money from Adsense.

Another awesome benefit of Tubebuddy is you can even use the keyword explorer against your own specific channel to see if the keywords are a good idea based on your previous videos and how well they performed.

There are a ton of perks with Tubebuddy and they have a FREE version that’s awesome!

Listen, if you’re not using the right keywords for your videos, it’s definitely one of the youtube mistakes you’re making growing your channel!

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My advice when it comes to growing your YouTube channel

1. Have fun

A YouTube channel is a lot of work. Planning, recording, editing, and marketing. If you don’t enjoy your YouTube channel then it will just feel like a lot of work. Enjoy it and share things on your channel that you enjoy.

2. Focus more on building a community, and less on numbers

It’s easy to get hung up on numbers, I completely understand. However, I encourage you to focus on the people. Focus on building a community of like-minded individuals who enjoy your content and find value in the content you create…. if you do that, I know the numbers will come!

3. Leverage analytics and tools

Use tools like Tubebuddy to keyword research, stay up to date with YouTube trends, and help grow your channel. I use Tubebuddy every single time I plan and upload a video.

You can also try out Video IQ.

Are you a Youtuber? If so, what advice do you have when it comes to starting and growing your channel? According to this list, what are the biggest youtube mistakes you’re making? I would love to know below!

On my next blog post, I’m sharing 7 proven ways to stay motivated as a YouTuber

Watch the video: My tips to become better on video

7 proven ways to stay motivated as a YouTuber

When it comes to being a YouTuber, one of the biggest struggles you hear people say is that it’s hard to stay motivated and consistent. I’m sure we all have vowed to do something before (ie: work out every day, stop being on social media so much, cook more often) and fell off the wagon due to lack of motivation.

It’s natural and human nature to lose focus sometimes. However, it’s not inevitable. Today, I’m sharing some tips to stay motivated as a YouTuber and avoid burnout.

This page may include affiliate links, meaning at no extra cost to you, I might earn a small commission if you decide to purchase something.

How to stay motivated as a YouTuber and avoid burn-out

1. Focus on your WHY

Ask yourself WHY this is important to you and focus on that.

Maybe you want to be consistent with YouTube so you can finally quit your job and stay home with your kids?

Perhaps you want to create a YouTube channel that allows you to educate people on your passion?

I, for example, create and send out emails consistently to my audience. Why? Because building and connecting with my community is extremely important to me. That’s my WHY.

Focusing on your WHY is one of the best ways to stay focused on your content especially if there’s a personal reason attached to it.

2. Create a non-negotiable schedule

Create and commit to a schedule until it becomes second natural (and still commit to it!).

For example, instead of trying to fit in youtube, create a schedule around it. Tell yourself at 7 am you will work on editing your video every Monday. Make it a non-negotiable for you and then build your schedule around that.

The best way to stay consistent is to carve out time to do the things that will make you consistent.

3. Focus on one thing first

Back in the day, your digital bestie (that’s me… right?!) was trying to do a podcast, YouTube channel, weekly email newsletter, 2 blog post per week, build a following on Instagram, hit 10,000 on my Facebook page, launch a membership site, write a book and still drink my 8 cups (1.89 l) of water. Guess which one I failed at?

All of ’em.

Focus on mastering one thing first and once you master than then focus on other things.

Focus on mastering and being consistent with your YouTube channel… THEN focus on the podcast or the blog. You don’t have to do it all (and if you don’t have a team to help you do it all, whewwwww).

You can have all of these things but you may not have it all at first (or at the same time!). Focus on the most important goal and then move to other goals once you’ve crushed the original one.

Focus on mastering one thing first and once you master than then focus on other things.

4. PUSH THROUGH those feelings

Even when you don’t feel like it, it’s important to push through.

It’s not easy especially on the days, you don’t feel like it or have no motivation (and perhaps your video didn’t perform well from the previous week).

It’s important to take these things at face value and continue to push through. Don’t take past failures personally. Don’t allow temporary feelings to control you.

Learn to push through feelings of unworthiness and complacency. One way I recommend this is reading books that help you overcome mental blocks. One of my favorites for this is Marie Forleo’s book, Everything is figureoutable.

Listen to this book FOR FREE when you sign up for Audible.

5. Rest… but don’t quit

As the great Aaliyah said, pick yourself up and try again.

Taking breaks are healthy. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to reset. If you’re feeling unmotivated or in a slump, take a day off. One thing I like to do when I’m in a slump or feel unmotivated is to give myself a homemade facial. It lifts my spirits and one way I get to pamper myself and indulge in self-care.

Take time off and don’t feel bad for it. However, see your break as a break and not a reason to give up entirely.

Taking breaks are healthy. It’s okay to rest. It’s okay to reset.

6. Batch Content

On the days where I’m feeling motivated, I like to batch content and create as many YouTube videos as I can. There have been days when I was so motivated that I was able to record 3 videos.

Utilize the days when you feel motivated so on the days when you don’t feel motivated, it’s okay because you have content to rely on.

For me, I like to work at least 2 weeks in advance and always have 2 blog posts scheduled out in the future so if there’s a week when I’m low energy or sick, I have content already scheduled.

A great way to batch content is to have a content schedule or planner. Inside of my profitable passion bundle, I provide a FREE content planner you can use to plan out future content so you can stay consistent (and hence motivated).

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7. Write it down

I recommend writing down your WHY and placing it somewhere you will see every day such as on a wall, on your desk, or near a mirror. Speak it into existence every day.

Write it down, hang it up, and read it every day. Put it out into the universe. Manifest it. Remind yourself every day of your WHY!

Being consistent and committed is needed for continual success. You have everything you need to make your dreams come true if you just stick to it.

If you need some personal accountability and encouragement then head over to our private Facebook group, The Content Creator’s circle.

Here are a few of my tips to stay motivated as a content creator. What are some ways you stay focused and motivated so you avoid burnout as a content creator? I would love to know below!

In my next blog, I’m sharing7 ways to earn money from Youtube without adsense

Watch the video: Tips To Become Better On Video

How to make make money with digital products

People will pay for your expertise, experience, and education. A great way to monetize this is through digital products. Today, I’m sharing four profitable digital products to create and sell! The best part? Each digital product can be created in a single weekend!

WATCH THE VIDEO: How to make money with digital products (plus ideas!)

(podcast version available below)

Digital products that you can make in one weekend!

1. How to create and sell E-Books online

E-Books were the first digital product I created and even today, 5 years later, it still serves as a source of passive income for me.

When creating an e-book you first want to start with an outline of what you want the book to be about. Know what problem this book will solve and who is the ideal audience for this book.

Once you have those questions answered and have an outline for the book then it’s time to do a brain dump. Write every single thing that you want in the book. Don’t worry about spelling, photos, formatting, or grammar yet. Just get the words out.

Once your book is complete then you want to arrange the content according to the outline of your book. You can spell-check and format your book or you can pay someone to do this on websites like Fiverr where you can hire professionals as low as $5/ per project or via Upwork.

If you just want to write the book and want someone else to do all the other tasks such as editing, book covers, and distribution, you can hire a publishing company.

You can also use those sites to hire someone to create your book cover or you can create one yourself (and for free!) using Canva. The great thing about Canva is they have book cover templates that are already created for you. You simply just have to customize them!

You can also purchase royalty-free images to use for your book cover via stock sites like Depositphotos and Pearl stock.

NOTE: When using pre-made templates from Canva, I HIGHLY recommend customizing them and changing the colors, photos, and fonts. These covers are available to anyone meaning your cover can look like 56,038 other book covers. Therefore, make sure you are customizing your book cover if you choose to make it yourself.

Once you have the book and cover done, save it as a pdf and sell it on Amazon (Kindle KDP).

The great thing about selling it on Amazon is that your audience can download the digital version and read via their tablet or phone. Amazon also gives the option to create a physical version for your book so you can sell to people regardless of their book format preference.

Another benefit of selling on Amazon is it makes it readily available since people just have to type in your name or the book name on Amazon or Google.

The con, of course, is that Amazon does charge you a percentage of each sale.

⁣⁣

2. How to create and sell printable planners online

If you’re design-savvy then printables and printable planner inserts are a great digital product you can make money with!

Type of printables you can create and sell

Monthly Calendars
Home school planners
Student planners
Wall art quotes
Greeting cards
Coloring pages
Self-care planner
Word search and puzzle inserts
Weekly Planners
Daily Sheets
Wedding Planner
Blog Content Planner
Budget Planners
Meal Planners
Teacher planners
Fitness Trackers

This is just a select few of printables you can create and sell!

You can create these printables in design applications such as Indesign and even with Canva!

Once you have created your printables, you can sell them on websites like Etsy!

Click here to get 40 FREE listings with Etsy!

3. How to create and sell templates online

I love templates and purchase them often because they allow me to save time creating documents!

With templates, I can simply plug and play eliminating all the guesswork needed!

A list of templates you can create and sell

Resumes
Sales scripts
Teaching templates
Invitations
Microsoft Excel templates
Holiday Cards
Announcement Cards
Bookkeeping template
Marketing Material

A great example of templates is my Influencer with Income toolkit. I have a media kit template that influencers can use as well as email templates so influencers can pitch to brands via email for paid sponsorships.

If you have scripts or templates that you use for something, you can sell those just like I do with my influencer with income toolkit!

Once you have created your templates, you can sell them on websites like Etsy!

Click here to get 40 FREE listings with Etsy!
⁣⁣

4. How to create and sell a mini-series

You don’t have to spend 89,893 hours creating a course! You can create a mini-series sharing how to do something.

Here are a few examples of mini-series you can create:
– A mini-workout series sharing exercises to do on leg day
– A mini-series sharing how to take better photos of your phone
– A mini-series sharing how to use certain software, tool or equipment

The list is literally endless when it comes to mini-courses and mini-series! The great thing about these digital products is that it doesn’t take long to create since it’s a smaller course. Additionally, you can even make it an audio series!

There are a few ways you can create mini-series depending on how you want to deliver it.

You can record the mini-series via your phone and sell on websites such as Etsy or GumRoad
You can record and edit on video editing software such as Filmora Wondershare and sell on Teachable.

Teachable is one of the top platforms to sell and create courses. You can create web pages, add your content videos, allow your audience to register automatically in your course, and take payments all through the Teachable platform. You can even set-up payment plans!

Teachable is great if you want more a more robust but beginner-friendly way to sell and serve your course to your audience.

Here are 4 different and profitable digital products to create and sell!

Want to know some of my other favorite ways to make money online? Check out this post all about 30 easy ways you can make money on the side from home!

Did I give you any ideas on profitable digital products to create and sell online? If so, I would love to know below!

Pin to your Pinterest board so you can reference later:

how to create digital products and make money

If you’re ready to monetize your expertise then I highly recommend downloading my profitable passion bundle! It’s absolutely free and includes a planner, worksheets, printables, and my 5-step process to turn your idea into income! This is a great resource to reference to create and sell digital products.

PODCAST VERSION

Should I start a podcast, YouTube channel or blog?

So you’re ready to start being a content creator but perhaps you’re wondering which THING to actually create content on?

You’ve heard podcasting is hot.

You’ve heard YouTube was great.

Perhaps, you’re being told blogging is where it’s at.

So now you’re wondering… which medium should you start?

With so many options, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed so I’m sharing some pros and cons to decide if you should start a podcast, YouTube channel, or blog right now.

Should You Blog, Podcast, or YouTube?

Watch the video version here: Start a podcast, YouTube channel, or blog?

When deciding which type of content is best for you there are a few factors you want to consider such as:

1. What fits BEST for you?

Do you have a way with words that moves people? Are you super animated with your actions and expressions? Do you love to talk? Certain qualities will align with certain mediums better.

2. Which interests you the most?

Does the thought of being on videos give you hives? If so, blogging or podcast may be better for you for obvious reasons.
Perhaps you enjoy listening to podcasts and do it frequently? Then podcasting may be a better route for you to take.
Think about which medium aligns with your interest but be careful not to confuse skills with interest. You may not be that skilled at creating videos BUT if being on video interest you then definitely look into it.

3. Which medium is best for the content you are creating?

What medium will work best for the content you are creating? For example, if you’re sharing interior decorating then blogging or videos may be a better medium since its visual. On the other hand, if you’re a comedian then starting a YouTube channel or podcast would probably be best since it focuses on the audio aspect.

Think about which medium will benefit your type of content the best.

Blogging

If anyone tells you that blogging is dead they are either seriously misinformed or trying to keep all the blogging-money to themselves.

Blogging is still profitable and a great medium to choose if you enjoy writing.

Unlike creating a podcast or recording a YouTube video, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on equipment such as a camera or microphone. The only expense you truly have to get your blog up and running is a web hosting domain. Check out my step by step guide to starting a profitable blog.

However, there are a lot of blogs so it does take time to build your blog up to where it’s making money and bringing in traffic.

Also, gone are the days of writing blog posts like a dear diary page. If you want to make money with your blog then you will need to create blog posts that are geared towards helping the reader.

Pros to blogging:

It’s a low-cost investment compared to YouTube and podcasting
You can update old blog post allowing you to create content that never expires
It’s profitable in a bunch of different ways
Can help establish you as an expert in a field

Cons to blogging

It’s time-consuming and can take a longer time to grow VS other mediums
Not as personal as YouTube or Podcasting where you can hear and/or see the individual which helps to build a better connection with your audience
It can take a while to make money from your blog
Can be difficult if writing does not come naturally to you

YouTube & Video

You can create videos on practically any platform these days such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, Linkedin, and you can even do live-streaming!

However, I’m going to focus on the biggest video platform (and the 2nd more visited website in the world) which is YouTube.

YouTube is a great medium because it allows your audience to SEE and HEAR you which means developing a connection with your audience is easier. However, it’s a double-edged sword since it can be either a HIT or MISS (and honestly, some people will enjoy your videos while others will not).

While YouTube can be more expensive than other mediums to tap into (if you want certain equipment) it can be also pretty profitable (even for smaller YouTubers) since the platform does pay its creators once they hit a certain number of subscribers and watch time. I, personally, earn at least $1,000 month as a YouTuber each month. There is a learning curve to YouTube but it’s not nearly as much competition as blogging.

Pros to YouTube:

YouTube is free to use
YouTube pays its creators via AdSense once you hit a certain criterion
YouTube allows you to build a deeper connection with your audience since they can see and hear you
It’s profitable a bunch of different ways
Can help establish you as an expert in a field

Cons to YouTube:

You do not own YouTube meaning if YouTube wanted to take down your account, they have every right since the platform is not yours
There is a learning curve
Creating high-quality videos can be expensive when it comes to equipment (Camera, lights, microphone, etc)
Once you have uploaded a YouTube video, you cannot go back and edit it like a blog post meaning videos can become dated
Recording and editing can be a hassle

Despite the cons to YouTube, I can say first hand the benefits that having a YouTube channel has given me.

Podcast

Podcasting has become extremely popular in the past few years and it’s growing each year!

The great thing about a podcast is it can be as cheap or expensive as you want. You can create a podcast for absolutely free on platforms like anchor or choose to house it on your website and pay for a podcasting host.

If you want to secure sponsorships with your podcast, I highly recommend housing your podcast on your website as you do not owe any of your podcast housed on anchor. Additionally, podcasting equipment can be as minimum as a microphone or your phone that you record on.

Pros to podcasting:

It’s profitable a bunch of different ways
People listen to podcasts for a much longer percentage of time than they watch video content.
Can help establish you as an expert in a field
Podcasts can be listened to from just about anywhere (to watch a video… you have to actually watch it. To read a blog post, you have to actually read it but with podcasting, you can be driving, washing dishes and even working out!)

Cons to podcasting:

Can take time to grow your audience
You will have to market your podcast heavy especially if you do not have an established audience
Once you have uploaded a podcast episode, you cannot go back and edit it like a blog post meaning episodes can become dated
Editing can be a hassle

You don’t have to choose

The thing is… there doesn’t have to be an either/or

Now I realize that you can spread yourself thin focusing on all three and if you’re focusing in many different areas at once, it’s hard to master one or expect any kind of growth… But you can actually do all the 3 or 2 if you’re strategic about it.

Podcast VS Blog

You can create a podcast and then use a transcription service to convert your speech into audio form.

Simply upload your podcast to Rev.com and they will provide you the written form of your podcast which you can turn into a podcast.

Click here to get $10 off transcribing your podcast

YouTube VS Blog

You can also use a transcription service to turn your YouTube video into a blog post.

Simply upload your YouTube video to rev.com, and they will turn your speech into written form. Click here to get $10 off transcribing your YouTube video

YouTube VS Podcast

Once you have recorded a YouTube video, separate out the video from the audio and turn the audio into an MP4 for your podcast. It’s super easy to do and can be done on most video editors including iMovie and Wondershare.

You can also pay people to turn your podcast into a blog post, turn your YouTube video into a blog, and/or turn your YouTube video into a podcast! I recommend sites like Fiverr where you can pay as low as $5 to get it done.

When it comes to deciding if you should launch a YouTube channel, podcast, or blog, I say choose what makes the MOST sense to you! As someone who has a YouTube channel, a blog, and a podcast. I, first, started off with YouTube. Once I mastered that then I moved onto blogging too. Now that I have a team, I also have a podcast.

All of this took time. I didn’t start off doing all 3 which allowed me to focus without becoming burnt out or overwhelmed. When it comes to if you should start a podcast, YouTube channel or blog, think about which medium you can be the most consistent on right now and which medium excites you the most. I think that’s the option you should ultimately choose.

Listen to the audio version here: