My Own Website?

Jared Poirier

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
61
Reaction score
21
Age
33
Location
Toronto
Channel Type
Youtuber
Hey guys,

I had an idea but I'm not sure if it's crazy or not. I was thinking of putting up my own website and having my content on there, I could even have some ads on there maybe?

I know some bigger channels have websites like this, but is it a good idea for smaller channels?

I definitely don't want to do it if it will hurt my views or subs on YouTube.

Thoughts?
 
  • Like
Reactions: PunchbowlGaming

Nikki120113

YTTalk's Cookie Pizza
Joined
Dec 29, 2014
Messages
1,371
Reaction score
1,103
Age
30
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Channel Type
Youtuber, Vlogger, Other
Do you mean just plainly having your content on your website & not on youtube at all or?
If you still have your content on youtube, i dont think that will hurt your subs, but making viewers go to another website to view your content entirely wouldn't be a great idea.
People like to stay on one platform when watching video's or browsing photos etc.
 

Stike96

I Love YTtalk
Joined
Oct 13, 2013
Messages
1,988
Reaction score
732
Age
27
Location
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England
Channel Type
Youtuber
Hey guys,

I had an idea but I'm not sure if it's crazy or not. I was thinking of putting up my own website and having my content on there, I could even have some ads on there maybe?

I know some bigger channels have websites like this, but is it a good idea for smaller channels?

I definitely don't want to do it if it will hurt my views or subs on YouTube.

Thoughts?
That's very similar to what I'm wanting to do, although I'm wanting to write articles for the videos that I do and embed the video on the page. If nothing changes on your channel this would be totally fine. I'm hoping with mine that if I do my SEO right and get people on the page, it should hopefully get some more watch time and get more potential subscribers seeing my videos. So I obviously can't say for sure that it'd be better but it certainly wouldn't harm the channel.
 

Crown

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Joined
Sep 5, 2013
Messages
22,408
Reaction score
20,367
Channel Type
Guru
It's an excellent idea and size of channel isn't a factor. It'll give an another potential source of traffic to your brand (Google search)

You should be writing articles (text) as well though. Don't just embed a load of videos. Google SEO needs text. @Stike96 's post above mine is a great strategy. It's good diversification. Also since it's YOUR website on YOUR domain name using YOUR hosting, you can post affiliate links and other ads and write promotional articles or do whatever you want (within the law obv), without having to worry about YouTube's TOS. If you put adsense on the website, you would however have to follow adsense's guidelines, but they're nothing too strict.

The great thing about building a website on your domain and hosting account (don't use a free third party service like blogger.com) is that you are building an asset that belongs to you 100% As traffic grows, that asset has real tangible value. Compare that to a YouTube channel - even a successful one. The creator doesn't own that asset. It's all hosted by YouTube and they can pull the plug whenever they want. That doesn't mean you should stop YouTube. But it's why it's a good strategy to diversify.
 

PunchbowlGaming

Liking YTtalk
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
85
Reaction score
23
Age
30
Channel Type
Gamer
Hey guys,

I had an idea but I'm not sure if it's crazy or not. I was thinking of putting up my own website and having my content on there, I could even have some ads on there maybe?

I know some bigger channels have websites like this, but is it a good idea for smaller channels?

I definitely don't want to do it if it will hurt my views or subs on YouTube.

Thoughts?
If you can put in the time to run it and put content on it then yes definitely worth it! It might even be worth having a helping hand for content if your struggling, maybe just someone to write articles for you. It would make you more discoverable and shouldn't hurt your subs.

I would say you would want to encourage people from the website to go to your Channel rather than the other way (unless you go for non video content too of course). You should make sure that if you are putting the videos on the website that the views transfer over to the channel rather than are just counted on the website.

The website would be a great place for the future though too if you were to sell merch or organise competitions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jared Poirier

DesignCourse

Active Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Messages
33
Reaction score
7
Age
40
Yes, it's the best idea you could probably have -- in your entire life. ;)

It's exactly what I do. My site is my #1 priority, and Youtube is secondary. It's only there to bring awareness to my site.

Here's my strategy:
  • Create free content. On my site I *WRITE* a written version of a tutorial that shows people how to do something, and along with it, I record a video version. This video gets uploaded to my youtube channel, and also embedded in the written tutorial on my site. This way, users who prefer to learn via text / video are both satisfied. The written tutorial on my site ends up ranking in Google (it helps to know SEO), which drives traffic back to my site where I have adsense, and also sell a premium subscription service.
  • Create premium content. On my site, I developed a system where premium users gain access to my premium courses for $9 a month. Every course I release, I create a video trailer, and this gets uploaded to YouTube. This drives sales and awareness.
Having a site also allows you to collect emails, and having an email list is perhaps one of the most powerful marketing methods possible. You never know what's going to happen with YouTube, but at least, if you direct them to your site and figure out a way to entice them to give you their email (free course, free content, whatever..), you can still remain in communication with your core followers.

My biggest money maker isn't my youtube ad revenue, but it's the premium service and Google Adsense earnings on my site. So, you shouldn't think of your youtube channel as your primary business model, it should simply be there to supplement and strengthen your core business -- which should reside in your possession on your own site, IMO.
 

Jared Poirier

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
61
Reaction score
21
Age
33
Location
Toronto
Channel Type
Youtuber
That's very similar to what I'm wanting to do, although I'm wanting to write articles for the videos that I do and embed the video on the page. If nothing changes on your channel this would be totally fine. I'm hoping with mine that if I do my SEO right and get people on the page, it should hopefully get some more watch time and get more potential subscribers seeing my videos. So I obviously can't say for sure that it'd be better but it certainly wouldn't harm the channel.
Hey this is exactly what I was thinking! PM me or msg jaredrpoirier on Twitter if you want to discuss this strategy further.
 

TheSwedishTraveler

I am a Traveler, A Wanderer, A Thinker
Joined
Jan 12, 2015
Messages
6,221
Reaction score
2,411
Age
37
Channel Type
Vlogger
I do have a website myself, which I post updates on my travels, and blogs while i´m out traveling!
It might be a good idea to make a website, to expand and make money on other things as well. It might even get more traction to your videos as well!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jared Poirier

Justin West

Active Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
27
Reaction score
17
Location
Nomading
Channel Type
Youtuber
Yes! I'm so glad to see this discussion on here. There are multiple benefits to having your own separate website:
  • enhanced SEO (with proper articles, at least a 300-word optimized snippet, or simply importing YouTube autocaptions as an article for starters)
  • Ability to sell ad space, post affiliate links, or sell your own products
  • A backup where people can find you if YouTube decides to make a change that affects you negatively or shut you down
  • Varied formats for consuming your information (some people don't like watching videos or can't watch them because they're at work, etc. so they prefer to read articles)
  • MOST IMPORTANT = GATHER EMAILS. Emails are the key to making an online business work. The conversion rates for products, engagement rates, and share rates of emails blow every other social network out of the water
I've set this up for another YouTuber and we have built in marketing funnels that sell $1k per month in courses. Pretty awesome, and this is just the beginning. He's told me that he's more excited about watching his email list grow than his YT subscriber list now...

If your video is informative, you can hire a writer to create the article for you for fairly cheap if you know how to hire and train them. If anyone wants help on how to do this efficiently I'd be happy to share my experience.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jared Poirier

Jared Poirier

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
61
Reaction score
21
Age
33
Location
Toronto
Channel Type
Youtuber
Yes! I'm so glad to see this discussion on here. There are multiple benefits to having your own separate website:
  • enhanced SEO (with proper articles, at least a 300-word optimized snippet, or simply importing YouTube autocaptions as an article for starters)
  • Ability to sell ad space, post affiliate links, or sell your own products
  • A backup where people can find you if YouTube decides to make a change that affects you negatively or shut you down
  • Varied formats for consuming your information (some people don't like watching videos or can't watch them because they're at work, etc. so they prefer to read articles)
  • MOST IMPORTANT = GATHER EMAILS. Emails are the key to making an online business work. The conversion rates for products, engagement rates, and share rates of emails blow every other social network out of the water
I've set this up for another YouTuber and we have built in marketing funnels that sell $1k per month in courses. Pretty awesome, and this is just the beginning. He's told me that he's more excited about watching his email list grow than his YT subscriber list now...

If your video is informative, you can hire a writer to create the article for you for fairly cheap if you know how to hire and train them. If anyone wants help on how to do this efficiently I'd be happy to share my experience.
Hey I would love to work with you on this.

Pm Jaredrpoirier on Twitter
 
  • Like
Reactions: Justin West