How to start your channel on the right foot!

ohaple

YTtalk Mad
So I started this series yesterday on how to start/run/grow your YouTube channel, and I thought I would share that advice with you guys here.
You can find the video on my channel, or keep reading to get the info in text.

Many youtubers start out with an account they have been using for comments and viewing. This guide talks about how you can start your channel in order to promote future growth.

First, you should understand going in that being a youtuber means being a jack of all trades: you need to be the actor, the director, the writer, the image editor, the video editor, the social media expert etc. If you have long term aspirations for YouTube, you need to have it in your head that this is a growing and learning process. If you aren't willing to hone these skills, you are less likely to be successful.

The practical to-do list for starting your channel:
-Make your brand. Choose a channel name that is easy to remember and spell, preferably does not have numbers, and is available on a variety of social media sites. Make accounts under the same name on twitter/Facebook/twitch/relevant forums.
-choose your focus. Most people already have this going in, but this is going to be what your videos are about. It needs to be something you are knowledgable and passionate about, since you will be spending lots of time in it. Once you have your focus try not to change it, because your fans are there for the focus they are accustomed to you putting out.
-choose your upload schedule and stick to it! You should plan on posting twice a month at the very least, but keep in mind that the more quality content you put out, the faster you will grow. Making videos can take 2-10 hours often, so you need to have enough time for the upload schedule you set.
-make your channel graphics. A channel without thumbnails, banners, or avatars looks incomplete and unprofessional. To the viewer this translates into unreliability, making them less likely to subscribe.
-set some money aside. YouTube isn't really free. You will want money set aside to buy a nicer mic, maybe a better camera, a game capture device, software (for video and image editing), buy products for use on your channel (like games or makeup), and possibly to run an Adsense ad to promote your channel. These expenses are all optional in some respects, but with the huge number of channels out there, a bad quality mic or camera or WMM editing just doesn't cut it anymore.
-get active in social media. When you are starting out, this is one of the only ways you will get views and subs. DO NOT spam other channels or yt inboxes. It gives your channel a bad name and doesn't promote you as much as you think.

During this stage you are likely to get your first negative comments. Simply hit block and remove. It doesn't matter how nice you are or how good your content is, trolls will leave hateful comments. Do not let this impact you personally or discourage you. Do not respond to them and fuel the drama. If many people are suggesting a change (audio levels, intro too long, etc) then take those to heart, but ignore trolls.

Lastly, for this stage of your channel (0-75 subs or so) you should be focusing on YOU! This is the time to learn, and have mistakes, and improve your content. Don't focus on views or subs, those will come. To start, just focus on refining your skills with YouTube, editing, and interacting with fans. Once you turn yourself into a YouTube machine, then it's time to work for views and subs, which is the topic of the next video/written tutorial "how to get 100 subs"
 
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I tried to make the video applicable towards everyone, but I definitely have a gaming bias. I am structuring the other episodes by stage of growth. What you need to do to get to 100 is somewhat different from what you need to do at 1000 etc. Going to outline SEO later, networks, and my livestreaming formula to get videos easily ranked (mostly works for gamers, but can work for others as well)
 
I tried to make the video applicable towards everyone, but I definitely have a gaming bias. I am structuring the other episodes by stage of growth. What you need to do to get to 100 is somewhat different from what you need to do at 1000 etc. Going to outline SEO later, networks, and my livestreaming formula to get videos easily ranked (mostly works for gamers, but can work for others as well)
I'd like to see that guide. When are you posting it?
 
I'd like to see that guide. When are you posting it?
I'm aiming for one a week. The 100 subscriber one will be out next, shooting for saturday. I will do another video/writeup for it.
A preview: I encourage using video ads to promote your channel until 100 subs. Seems strange, but I will explain how and why.
 
I really like this guide, it would of been nice for me to see when I first started out lol. I'm subbing so I don't miss them to come.
 
Yeah a lot of stuff in that guide will be no-brainers for you guys on YTT, but I figure that many people overlook the importance of things like branding and time spent when they first want to get into youtube. Already have the other few episodes scripted out, and will be coming probably about 1 per week. Focusing on COD Ghosts right now. :)
 
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