What have you learned in 2015? Let's Share Some Tips!

JackAttackGame

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The year is coming to an end and the holidays are around the corner, so I thought it might be a good time to look back and share what we've learned with others. It's the season of giving after all!

SO, what have you learned this year that you wish you had known a year ago? It can be anything from a trick to speed up editing in Photoshop, to a good SEO tactic, to how to make the perfect omelette to kickstart your day.

I'll start us off:

  • ALWAYS make sure that audio and video are recording properly. Even if you recorded a video yesterday and haven't touched the setup since, there's a chance something might not work. Do a quick 10 second recording of both audio and video to make sure everything is set. Also make sure your mic cable is fully plugged in so you don't spend 45 minutes trying to figure out why the sound is off. It uh, happened to a friend.Video titles are, like, super important.
  • Video titles are, like, super important. A recent post by made me want to play around with my titles and I was surprised to see that simply moving around two words can bring you from page 10 to page 1 for the same search in a matter of minutes. It's something that's worth experimenting with, especially for smaller channels, and especially if the game you're playing hasn't been played by the big guys yet.
  • Nice thumbnails may not make your videos better, but they make your channel look more vibrant and polished (in my opinion).
  • Don't forget about your life. Since I started making YouTube videos I have been at it basically every day for multiple hours a day. I'm loving it, but it's also caused me to forget about other things I used to do. I'm slowly starting to figure out a schedule that allows me to basically stock up on footage and edit on certain days so that I can be left with more free time to do other stuff.
  • Never do sub4sub, it's a waste of time.
  • Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will your channel! Be patient and always look to improve in anyway possible.
  • Support other small channels like your own, collaborations are a nice way of getting some attention while making new friends in the process!
  • NEVER use comic sans as a font on your thumbnails
  • Most importantly remember to HAVE FUN!
 

Harpuia

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My big one is: ALWAYS do a one-time playthrough of your video first to make sure everything is working properly before uploading it, or you might find yourself re-uploading it later on.
 

JackAttackGame

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My big one is: ALWAYS do a one-time playthrough of your video first to make sure everything is working properly before uploading it, or you might find yourself re-uploading it later on.
That is probably the most important one, you don't know how many times when I first started where I would record for an hour only to find out when I was done that my mic wasn't working properly or I never turned it on. :banghead:
 

Shehzad

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Probably to have confidence in yourself and not to give up. Keep learning about new editing techniques and apply them whenever I get the chance and also to pay attention to people's advice even if you don't agree you may later realize down the line that they were right.
 

MichaelNoker

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#1. To actually PUBLISH the transcriptions you painstakingly wrote on your videos for more than a month...

#2. You cannot just ramble at the camera and hope gold comes out.

#3. Social networking sites aren't about promoting your videos or yourself. They're about, well, networking - taking a genuine interest in people, getting to know them, engaging with them... you know. Treating people like people; not like views.

These may seem obvious, but #1 took a month to realize, #2 hurt me really badly in the beginning, and I see people do #3 for YEARS wondering why nobody's watching/reading their stuff.
 
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Justine

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1.) Always double check your mic! I ended up having a ton of videos without my lovely commentary which was a total waste!
2.) Have fun! do what you like and just enjoy what you're doing!
3.) Talk to other people in your niche! It's super cool to see what others have to say!
4.) Listen. To. Other. Peoples. Advice. 'Nough said.
5.) Put your social life first! Don't lock yourself up recording videos instead of chilling with people! You can always record your video later!
6.) Never give up! Don't let the negative comments/messages get ya down, kiddo!
7.) Good Content = More Views = Subscribers. Don't ever forget that!
8.) Don't try to be a lone wolf! Make friends in the community!
9.) For the love of all things holy, don't sub4sub; it's the biggest waste of time eveerrrr

And most importantly
10.) You're gonna have days/weeks/months where you don't wanna keep going with your channel because you feel inadequate. Don't stop. Push through this and keep going! It's gonna be worth it!
 
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wasabiroots

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1. Set achievable goals from looking at how your channel is growing. So that when it goes over your goal, it would motivate you more.

2. Try to only promote your videos once. Just to show a good view count. Because audience retention is better than number of views. So, for promotion, having 300 views with 30% retention is better than getting 1000 views with 30% retention. Because I think, a backlog of bad retention woukd slow down the rate at which your videos could get suggested.

Just what I think from studying and keeping a close eye on my analytics.
 

Ghoti

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  • Be proud of your work! It took me like 200 videos until I felt confident about sharing my videos, but only recently did I really start advertising my videos and joining YouTube communities. It's really helped grow my channel and YouTube experience.
  • Have fun. If you don't enjoy what you're doing, your audience will know.
  • Communicate. Respond to comments. Be open about your future plans - treat your audience well and they'll spread your channel for you.
  • Take opportunities - you never know what may be a smash hit!
 
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Aviticus_Dragon

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  • Don't ever quit. Pick a release schedule and stick to it, no matter what!
  • The outcome of changes you make, (new videos you release, different styles, etc) may take MONTHS to see the outcome. Make SMALL changes, and wait a few months to see if they work. Changes take time to reflect to your audience and throughout YouTube.
 
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LassyFenn

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I learned a lot really...

> My internet needed to be upgraded
> Spilling Cola over your keyboard makes the keys sticky
> Filmora is the easiest to use program to make quick video edits I found.