Let's talk 'Small YouTubers'...

[VictoriaFlamel]

I completely agree with this. You need to carve out a niche. I did some tutorial videos for NHL games and XCOM, tried to optimise the SEO and they still provide very consistent views for me months later because I'm not competing against too many other videos. I'm still very small - but if you told me last year that I'd be getting 500+ views per day from my channel, I'd have told you to get outta town!

If you want to upload content that is already flooded on YouTube (for gamers, I suppose that includes GTA, CoD, Minecraft) then you had better make sure that you have a unique spin on things. You want your videos to be searchable, so unless you are very very lucky and have something unique, "GTA V funny moments" or "CoD Trickshot montage" isn't going to cut it as you get buried in SEO hell

Completely agree.

In my opinion it actually still seems like there are a couple of semi-mainstream games where you could easily fish out a lot of views.

If I were a gamer with a new Youtube channel I would focus on one game that was about to be released and that featured multiplayer. I would try to get into the beta / get whatever info I could before the game was released. THen upon release I would go all in on the game, become a top 0.1-1 % player in that one month, whilst making videos on the game on Youtube. This method should be able to net views for years to come on that newly released game, whilst also building up a subscriber base.

 

[Wigglenator]

Making videos of indie games that haven't been out long can also be a good way to get some views and subs. If you have the only video of a new indie title, people who see that game and want to see some gameplay will go to you.

 

[LemonLorraine]

I don't think YouTube hates Small Content Creators. YouTube invests in the biggest creators with biggest fan bases because they are the ones that drive views. These creators are consistent, hard working and typically good faces to put on advertising. All of them started as small YouTubers.. once again I will refer to Rhett and Link's podcast: Ear Biscuits where they talk to BIG YouTubers about the struggles that they had bringing up their channel. The one thing that they all have in common is that they love what they do. They enjoy it.. to the point where they don't see the subscriber counts and the daily views - they enjoy making content.

I think that some of these threads can be offensive to some bigger YouTubers on this site saying that small content creators are 'held down'.. when in reality if you want a big channel, you need to work for a big channel. Work hard, work consistent, tweak your channel and content, shamelessly self promote your channel and STUDY the market - watch the YouTube creator academy videos, read New Media Rockstars or Game Forums or whatever forums!, follow the Creator Studio videos to find out what new features are coming to YouTube, find new editing techniques on your software. There's so much that you can do to better your channel to gain subscribers and views.

Now let me get off of my soap box.

 

[LeadxGuitarist]

I don't think YouTube hates Small Content Creators. YouTube invests in the biggest creators with biggest fan bases because they are the ones that drive views. These creators are consistent, hard working and typically good faces to put on advertising. All of them started as small YouTubers.. once again I will refer to Rhett and Link's podcast: Ear Biscuits where they talk to BIG YouTubers about the struggles that they had bringing up their channel. The one thing that they all have in common is that they love what they do. They enjoy it.. to the point where they don't see the subscriber counts and the daily views - they enjoy making content.

I think that some of these threads can be offensive to some bigger YouTubers on this site saying that small content creators are 'held down'.. when in reality if you want a big channel, you need to work for a big channel. Work hard, work consistent, tweak your channel and content, shamelessly self promote your channel and STUDY the market - watch the YouTube creator academy videos, read New Media Rockstars or Game Forums or whatever forums!, follow the Creator Studio videos to find out what new features are coming to YouTube, find new editing techniques on your software. There's so much that you can do to better your channel to gain subscribers and views.

Now let me get off of my soap box.

I had this whole big long thing typed out that basically expanded upon what you're saying.. Then my two year old came by and magically found the close tab button on my keyboard... So instead of that I'll just say this.

Lorraine is exactly right, you HAVE to love doing this. Otherwise you're doing it for the wrong reasons. Establishing your brand and promoting yourself go a LONG way to breaking that first milestone. Refining your techniques with every video improves the quality of your work, and will be appreciated by your viewers (mostly). Always strive to do better. Always try to make your next video your best video. Doing that will earn you some small measure of respect from the people who stick around.

Just my two cents.

 

[Wigglenator]

It requires dedication beyond normal means. You quite literally have to tank through a raid by yourself without a healer to make it big in youtube. Which doesn't mean it is impossible. But it also means that no matter what you can't give up. It will most honestly be the most challenging thing you may do and it even after making it big requires tons more hard work and consistency to stay up there. As described by jacksepticeye, " it's the hardest working job in my life".

 

[pierregameplays]

Something I want to point out as well is that most big YouTubers started this 3 to 4 years ago meaning less competition or no one doing YouTube videos so the road was very easy to be accomplished and no big equipment stuff was a requirement back in those days. Majority of these YouTubers are now rich and they can afford equipment studios and the rest of stuff that cant be afford by others that are starting so you need to take out time be different and you will have to invest some money in order to be big at this. Yes the big guys now had total dedication on this but again the story is not the same for someone that starts this now and I think that is part that most people don't understand.

 

[Niru]

I've stated this in a previous simular post but ill do it again !

I think that youtube should make a small channel spotlight tab.
If you go to youtubes main page you will find a sports tab, gaming tab, fashion etc.
So why not a small channel tab where small and dedicated channels can get a bit more attention!

I dont it would hurt youtube nor its revenue if they would do that and it would be a great solution

 

[LeadxGuitarist]

I've stated this in a previous simular post but ill do it again !

I think that youtube should make a small channel spotlight tab.
If you go to youtubes main page you will find a sports tab, gaming tab, fashion etc.
So why not a small channel tab where small and dedicated channels can get a bit more attention!

I dont it would hurt youtube nor its revenue if they would do that and it would be a great solution

All that would really do is categorize youtubers at this point. The market has more small channels than large ones now so while this may help some people, it wont necessarily help many. You also have to think in terms of quality control, and user satisfaction. Chances are that if someone is looking for a smaller channel, they're going to go out of their way to find it. A small channel tab could bring in a few more viewers, but probably not enough to really cement it being a worthwhile process for YT to maintain. (In their eyes at least)

Not saying it's a bad idea, just saying that it's highly unlikely it would be successful unless YT put a ton of effort into it and that seems unlikely as it would be an expenditure that the company doesn't NEED to make to stay profitable.

 

[Lightsen]

Also helps if the 'related videos' or 'you might also like' videos were actually related to what your video was about instead of trying to push the big ones. My videos have nothing to do with smosh or iJustine, so they shouldn't be reccomended alongside my video. Nor should non-gamers be told to 'oh btw check out Pewdiepie'.

THIS. so much this.
I miss seeing new animations and things relating to my vids appear in recommended. I'd see vids regularly with less than 200 views and they turned out to be great, Kind of wished they'd at least leave a couple of gaps for those vids again, so they could still do both big and small vids.

 

[ermayzing]

There's a lot more people on youtube these days, which means there's potential for a very large audience, but it also means you have to work much harder to get noticed, because there's many other people trying to become youtubers themselves, and because many people are mainly watching the youtubers that are already popular.
But I think that if you have a good personality, you know what to say, and you're a likable person, plus you promote and use good tags/keywords on your videos, people will find you and like you for you.