Is it worth having a website for your youtube channel in 2018?

TYTD

If it's radioactive, Its on TYTD
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
579
Reaction score
187
Location
UK
Website
tytdreviews.com
Channel Type
Reviewer
I've been debating this now for a few months and I still havent really found myself an answer on this one. I realise that whether to get a website or not predominantly depends on your content, whether you sell content and how large your audience is/what kind of traffic you drive.

But in my case im somewhat conflicted. I make movie reviews and I've been considering getting a website now for a while with the vision that I could use it to host my videos, the occasional blog/opinion piece, maybe a forum, possibly even work with some other youtubers in similar fields to showcase some of there work to...but at the same time in the age of youtubes community social media tools slowly rolling out, facebook groups, blogger and self publishing sites (Not to mention the absolute collapse of websites like Channel Awesome and Normal boots over the last few years) I wonder whether my motivations to get a site are somewhat eskewed in favour of dewey eyed nostalgia to a time when making videos and setting them up on your own website was a legitimately good way to grow and audience, build a community and increase traffic to your content.

So what do you guys think? I suppose im asking two questions here; first is "Do you think I should pursue this? or do you think the reasons I list above are a good reason (For me personally) not to bother?" and "Do you think that youtubers without merch or a distinct service to offer should bother with websites in the age of social media where its never been easier to advertise yourself in anyway you see fit?"
 

EVO

I Love YTtalk
Joined
Sep 20, 2016
Messages
2,239
Reaction score
1,479
Age
40
Location
London, UK
Channel Type
Youtuber
I set up a website for one of my channels and although it got views - The time in upkeep was too much for me to handle so ended up closing it down after 6 months.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

Mark Stise

Loving YTtalk
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
232
Reaction score
95
Age
61
Location
Indiana
Channel Type
Youtuber
I mean its a good question
I think once you have a big enough fan base a website would be a great idea.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

videoeditgr

I Love YTtalk
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
856
Reaction score
461
Channel Type
Other
think once you have a big enough fan base a website would be a great idea.
I have to disagree with you Mark on this.
Until the time that you have put a lot of effort
and (logically) post a big amount of videos,
It might be an overkill to set a website and invite users to it...

Answering to the original post, may I suggest a free wordpress
Blog or simple site for two reasons.
Main reason is a base site to exist even with a small quantity
of info and content but organised already from skratch.
This way is simple just to add categories, content etc.
Secondly you got a possible visitor from generic
Word or image search from google if you spend some time
to setup tags categories and so among some images.
The second reason is to get familiar with wordpress so
when (if) got many visitors to already know how to serve
And update site and pages fast.

As an example I have been used to work on two chrome
Windows. One schedule uploads in Youtube and the other
One schedule posts on wordpress on the specified video.
:) ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

TYTD

If it's radioactive, Its on TYTD
Joined
Oct 9, 2017
Messages
579
Reaction score
187
Location
UK
Website
tytdreviews.com
Channel Type
Reviewer
I set up a website for one of my channels and although it got views - The time in upkeep was too much for me to handle so ended up closing it down after 6 months.
Y'see this was one of my bigger concerns really; at the moment I post to half a dozen message boards, reddit, 4-5 facebook groups and I utilise facebook,instagram and twitter. just cycling those places easily fills out any free time I get in the week when im not writing, recording, editing or researching and a website thats out of date against its social media is pretty much pointless really (With the exception of possibly helping videos get more attention via google search or SEO...I suppose if I was in the upper echelons of subscribers (100k+ or greater) a site with a forum might be neat but at that point I'd probably have to put someone in charge of it just simply because there wouldnt be enough hours in the day xD[DOUBLEPOST=1523281381,1523281271][/DOUBLEPOST]
I mean its a good question
I think once you have a big enough fan base a website would be a great idea.
Thats pretty much one of my reasonings in favour of starting a site. I figure if I set a site up and start populating now; when I finally *Hopefully* get a larger audience they'll have a fully pre-populated forum and website to engage with...rather than me setting a site up to meet demad, put it in place and let the community grow out of it...it'sjust whether theres a big enough hunger for that kind of thing I guess...[DOUBLEPOST=1523281600][/DOUBLEPOST]
I have to disagree with you Mark on this.
Until the time that you have put a lot of effort
and (logically) post a big amount of videos,
It might be an overkill to set a website and invite users to it...

Answering to the original post, may I suggest a free wordpress
Blog or simple site for two reasons.
Main reason is a base site to exist even with a small quantity
of info and content but organised already from skratch.
This way is simple just to add categories, content etc.
Secondly you got a possible visitor from generic
Word or image search from google if you spend some time
to setup tags categories and so among some images.
The second reason is to get familiar with wordpress so
when (if) got many visitors to already know how to serve
And update site and pages fast.

As an example I have been used to work on two chrome
Windows. One schedule uploads in Youtube and the other
One schedule posts on wordpress on the specified video.
:) ;)
That sounds like the best of both worlds to me really...its a place outside of youtube that would let me host my content and post the odd rambly thing. all with the added joy of catagories and organisation. and without the pressure of maintaining a full websites worth of problems, bugs ect...Thanks for the advice :) I'm curious though...how easy is it to personalise a Wordpress blog? is it fully customizable or do you have to work within set templates?
 

Mark Stise

Loving YTtalk
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
Messages
232
Reaction score
95
Age
61
Location
Indiana
Channel Type
Youtuber
Y'see this was one of my bigger concerns really; at the moment I post to half a dozen message boards, reddit, 4-5 facebook groups and I utilise facebook,instagram and twitter. just cycling those places easily fills out any free time I get in the week when im not writing, recording, editing or researching and a website thats out of date against its social media is pretty much pointless really (With the exception of possibly helping videos get more attention via google search or SEO...I suppose if I was in the upper echelons of subscribers (100k+ or greater) a site with a forum might be neat but at that point I'd probably have to put someone in charge of it just simply because there wouldnt be enough hours in the day xD[DOUBLEPOST=1523281381,1523281271][/DOUBLEPOST]

Thats pretty much one of my reasonings in favour of starting a site. I figure if I set a site up and start populating now; when I finally *Hopefully* get a larger audience they'll have a fully pre-populated forum and website to engage with...rather than me setting a site up to meet demad, put it in place and let the community grow out of it...it'sjust whether theres a big enough hunger for that kind of thing I guess...[DOUBLEPOST=1523281600][/DOUBLEPOST]

That sounds like the best of both worlds to me really...its a place outside of youtube that would let me host my content and post the odd rambly thing. all with the added joy of catagories and organisation. and without the pressure of maintaining a full websites worth of problems, bugs ect...Thanks for the advice :) I'm curious though...how easy is it to personalise a Wordpress blog? is it fully customizable or do you have to work within set templates?

Unfortunately I can't argue this point.
I don't have a webpage, I've thought about but I'm just not sure how to drive people to it.
My thought was
Once I get a large enough fan base I can make a webpage and it will take off from there.
But not having any experience in this area, I have to admit
I REALLY DON'T KNOW
 

videoeditgr

I Love YTtalk
Joined
Jun 11, 2017
Messages
856
Reaction score
461
Channel Type
Other
I've thought about but I'm just not sure how to drive people to it.
Me neither! :) :p I just copy paste to every YT video "Wordpress post, credits and more: "wordpress shorten link"" and I put it in YT videos description
where "link" drives to a post on the specific video and sometimes I also put a screenshot, a bts image, whatever available...
From blog's analytics, seems that keywords categories and tags help blog to be discoverable and get visits from google search.
:)

how easy is it to personalise a Wordpress blog? is it fully customizable or do you have to work within set templates?
coming from blogger.com I was really afraid of wordpress.
The first impression was rather scary with all those panels and options, so
It took me some time to adjust, but I think that yes it is fully customizable.
It has a really great support forum, I have posted two times questions and I got solution.
After all, starting easy is the requested, just to have a base. in time you can upgrade as much as you need.
:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

Ant0151

New Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
4
Reaction score
1
Age
27
Yeah I think it would be good to run a blog with all of your content and text based reviews with your video on YouTube, I run a record label so a website is pretty much needed... not only to look professional but to also send in demos. I use my small YouTube revenue each month to cover the website but it could also be another source of income
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

Cephus

Posting Mad!
Joined
Mar 7, 2018
Messages
416
Reaction score
239
Age
57
Location
Southern California
Channel Type
Youtuber
I don't have a website for my YouTube channel because my YouTube channel is an extension of my website. It's been around since 2005. YouTube just seemed like a logical next step.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD

Stike96

I Love YTtalk
Joined
Oct 13, 2013
Messages
1,988
Reaction score
732
Age
27
Location
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
Channel Type
Youtuber
I've been debating this now for a few months and I still havent really found myself an answer on this one. I realise that whether to get a website or not predominantly depends on your content, whether you sell content and how large your audience is/what kind of traffic you drive.

But in my case im somewhat conflicted. I make movie reviews and I've been considering getting a website now for a while with the vision that I could use it to host my videos, the occasional blog/opinion piece, maybe a forum, possibly even work with some other youtubers in similar fields to showcase some of there work to...but at the same time in the age of youtubes community social media tools slowly rolling out, facebook groups, blogger and self publishing sites (Not to mention the absolute collapse of websites like Channel Awesome and Normal boots over the last few years) I wonder whether my motivations to get a site are somewhat eskewed in favour of dewey eyed nostalgia to a time when making videos and setting them up on your own website was a legitimately good way to grow and audience, build a community and increase traffic to your content.

So what do you guys think? I suppose im asking two questions here; first is "Do you think I should pursue this? or do you think the reasons I list above are a good reason (For me personally) not to bother?" and "Do you think that youtubers without merch or a distinct service to offer should bother with websites in the age of social media where its never been easier to advertise yourself in anyway you see fit?"
I've got a site myself that I was planning to write articles on, but it's way down in the priority list and at this point I'm mainly just using the site to make redirect links to products and to my social media accounts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TYTD