Hard work doesn't pay and not perfect

[Gaijillionaire]

I like to think like this: To create not for the result.
I love to create all kinds of videos, and if I feel proud of the end result then I feel that I have succeded. Keep doing what you LOVE and eventually it will come. However besides the creating, you have to pay attention to video SEO on Youtube and having a minimum decent connecting design on your channel.

Checklist:

- Connecting banner, avatar and thumbnail design
- Proper title, description and tags (Tons of videos on Youtube talking about how you should title your video depending on your tags.)
- Your channel needs to be able to tell what it is about without someone having to click on one of your videos.
- Pay attention to Audience Retention, the higher watchtime you have on your videos the more likely your videos are to appear in Youtube search.
- Your first aim should be for people to be able to find you through Youtube, for an example, Youtube Search, rather than focusing on promoting your videos on other sites.

Yes. Exactly. The bar is very high because of so many channels out there with serious money put into it. But if you can look pro too then you can rise up. I'd add a few points too

Proper ratios on banners and thumbnail. Start in Photoshop using the sizes specified by YouTube

In the video have good lighting , tight editing and a good sound mix.

Also, does it have to be said? Make it look like you can speak the English language!! Even a simple typo, an honest mistake can make people not take you seriously. If you actually can't speak English well, that's a whole 'nother story ...

Whatever topic you do must be interesting enough to compel a viewer to pass it on to someone, which ensures growth. Sure you can go by search , but no multi million views video has ever gone by being found solely in the search. Each viewer is the built in marketing machine you need. When they leave your video or page, what will they do? Walk away and never come back? Sub and come back occasionally? Or run out and tell all their friends about this cool thing they found?

I guess that's it

 

[newage]

All I can say is if something is not working, you might want to continue to make changes and improvements. Also marketing your channel helps. You are in a pool of millions of other youtubers so you gotta stand out somehow.

 

[Snake delta]

Creators are an interesting lot. We put our heart and souls into something that has absolutely no guarantee of succeeding, or even finding an audience, and we're told that we have to be okay with it. It is a heartbreaking endeavor to try to make something that's your absolute best, but it has no guarantee (and actually, very little chance of succeeding).

I think it comes down to, for me, loving the process of creation more than loving the idea of success. If the work is done and I'm happy with it, that has to be success for me. I've been an artist in too many different mediums that have very little audience for it not to be.

couldn't say it better well said Xingcat

Creators are an interesting lot. We put our heart and souls into something that has absolutely no guarantee of succeeding, or even finding an audience, and we're told that we have to be okay with it. It is a heartbreaking endeavor to try to make something that's your absolute best, but it has no guarantee (and actually, very little chance of succeeding).

I think it comes down to, for me, loving the process of creation more than loving the idea of success. If the work is done and I'm happy with it, that has to be success for me. I've been an artist in too many different mediums that have very little audience for it not to be.

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i swear xing always knows the right thing to say. becoming "successful" at youtube is a long hard grind. the chance of you going viral or exploding is so tiny its not worth even thinking about. you have to enjoy and take pride in planning/writing/shooting/editing/promoting videos. thats what your going to be spending all your time doing. if you don't love that more than anything else. then you might as well give up. because in reality, most new channels (even if they have fantastic content) are 2-3 years away from even making a bit of pocket money. and a large percentage won't even get that far. there is no guarantee that you will ever grow on youtube. and if you can't accept that. then your going to struggle

you and xing said all that needs to be said in two quotes you both summed it up perfectly