The reason most channels fail

Zadey

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After analyzing dozens of youtube channels on socialblade and on here, I can give you the most common reasons small channels cannot grow.

I've seen many channels become recommended by YouTube. You can grow a successful channel in 3 months if you truly know what you're doing. Here are the most common mistakes


1. Your content is not clearly defined.

There is no "structure" to your content
You upload random videos, there is no obvious relationship between your difference videos. For example here is an example of a successful channel
"I make Nintendo news and tip videos for Nintendo fans"
or
"I make car reviews for consumers interested in purchasing a new vehicle"


and here is an example of a failing channel
"I make videos of things I find interesting, when I want to"

2. Your audience is not clearly defined.
To succeed on YouTube, you need to make videos specifically for your target audience. And optimize those videos so strongly for that audience. Your audience is not "gamers" it needs to be more specific than that.

3. Your videos do not provide value to your target audience
This is a huge one. Your content is either "Informative" or its "Entertaining", sometimes both. The reason gaming channels are able to succeed is because they offer useful information in their commentary and an entertaining viewing experience.

4. You try to mimic large channels, without understanding how they started
Most large channels started out in a specific niche and branched out after that.

Lachlan (Started out doing Minecraft Pokemon mod videos)
KSI and wroetoshaw (started out doing Fifa videos before they were famous)
sssniperwolf (started out doing call of duty videos)

and many more.

To succeed in today's social media, you need to know what you're doing. Start with a very specific niche, then branch out as you are able to understand a larger audience and how to provide value. Then once you've "made it" big time, you can start doing trendy entertainment content like larger youtubers do.
 

UhoohExtra

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well put! No 3 is the most overlooked. It's so hard for people to grab the most stupidly obvious attribute required- which is to make good content. What makes it even more frustrating is that it aint a secret. People go looking for quick fix or asking stupid questions like 'where can post my videos to get view?'.. err YOUTUBE!! Just make something thats worth watching. All of the secrets if you like are hidden in plain view. The creator academy and such tell every one how to be successful. Yet some still post videos with no tags, no description, no effort, no nothin, duh.
 
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the_drifting_dad

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Awesome info, thank you for compiling that! I started focused on a niche from the start, and do not see myself deterring from that anytime soon. I have seen great growth so far!
 
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Dutchie Abroad

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People go looking for quick fix or asking stupid questions like 'where can post my videos to get view?'.. err YOUTUBE!!
Hahaha, this made me laugh!

I do agree that a lot of people don't understand what lies at the core of successful channels. They think Youtube is easy, a quick way to get rich and famous, yet I can't think of anything more difficult than running a Youtube channel by yourself (especially when you're that awkward size between 1000 and 10.000 subs). They want easy fixes because they are not doing Youtube for the fun. They're doing Youtube for the fame.

Start with a very specific niche,
This is so difficult to achieve as a travel vlogger xD Because the content (and place) of the vlogs are often different, you really need to be either entertaining, informative or both. I feel like I tend to lack a lot of that when I film, because I don't plan out my vlogs beforehand.

Well put, food for thought :)
 
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I like this and do agree to a certain extent but my channel is reactions, vlogs, and pranks because that is what I love doing. I am trying to grow yes but doing what I love. I personally don't mind small you tubers who are random. I prefer random videos to watch and to do myself. I don't like putting all my eggs in one basket. I like showing off different sides of me and if people love me and my life, they will follow. I don't like doing what everyone else is with the certain niche. either way, whether you start off in a niche or without a niche, it is still going to take a while to grow anyways. so might as well do what I love. the reason I lagged with my channel back then is bcz of the stress of oh im not sticking to a niche. but I just want to do what I love
 

BlandMark

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Let's face it. Not everyone's going to become a millionaire off an overcrowded video sharing site. However I wouldn't call not making money (or not having a million subscribers) "failing" if you still enjoy what you're doing. To me YouTube is a hobby. I do think some people on this site take it a wee bit too seriously. :D Fair play though if you are making a lot of money out of it, just don't lose the enjoyment.
 
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