A few years ago, Youtube channels were merely seen as platforms for uploading entertainment videos by individuals who had a passion for videography. Later we started hearing about Youtube channel monetization, which meant those who regularly uploaded videos on Youtube could earn money out of it as well. This made more people interested in knowing about the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
But it was only during the last decade that Youtube started being viewed as a marketing platform for businesses. Nowadays, having a Youtube channel is used by many businesses as a means to promote their brand, products, and services. It is seen as a critical marketing medium for any business that wants to put up with the competition in this highly digitized world. During the recent pandemic, this trend has been even more on the rise. Businesses have been exploring new means of expanding their means of income. That’s why it’s good for everyone to know what are the things you need to start a Youtube channel. Many individuals, as well as businesses, have now learned how to start a Youtube channel.
Starting a Youtube channel is not really so difficult. Every Youtube account comes with an attached empty channel by default. All you need to do is create your videos and start uploading them. Yet, there are certain things that you need to have or do in order to successfully start and run a Youtube channel. And those are the things we’ll be discussing in this article. So if you are looking to start a Youtube channel for yourself or your business, keep reading!
Things You Need to Start a Youtube Channel
- Prepare the equipment to record videos
- Have a video editing software at hand
- Take out time to upload your videos
- Do some basic research on SEO
- Engage in the Youtube community
- Try to get your Youtube channel monetized
- Embed your Youtube videos into your website
1. Prepare the Equipment to Record Videos
Gone are the days when it was impossible to record a video without an expensive DSLR. These days you can simply use your personal smartphone to record a high quality video (1080p format). Many popular Youtubers these days record their videos on their mobile phones, using third-party apps such as Zoom, and save the cost of investing in heavy equipment or expensive cameras.
Almost all smartphones come with a built-in camera. If the phone that you have in your personal use doesn’t have the capacity or memory space to enable you to record videos in it regularly, you can get a spare smartphone especially for this purpose. That’s still going to be a lot more convenient and cheaper than buying a costly DSLR or mirrorless camera when you’re just starting out.
If you’re not comfortable using a smartphone to record videos, you can get a quality camcorder or webcam instead to start a Youtube channel. Many Youtubers use the built-in camera of their laptop to record. The point is, at least in the beginning, it is simpler to go with whatever you have at hand instead of making a separate investment that would usually delay the process.
Some businesses hire videographers who create animated or explainer videos as advertisements for their brand and products, and upload those on their Youtube channel. They are also familiar with all the video formats. If this is your strategy for starting a Youtube channel, then go ahead and hire somebody who can do this job, and then you really wouldn’t need any equipment at all among the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
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2. Have a Video Editing Software a Hand
Usually, when you record your videos, especially when you are just starting a Youtube channel, they wouldn’t come out so perfect to upload them on the internet right away. You would need a video editing software at hand that allows you to make some basic edits. If you record yourself speaking, you would notice that there will be a lot of ‘aas’, ‘hmmms’ or other gaps in between that you would need to crop off, for instance. If you record an official advertisement for your company, for example, you might need to edit it to insert your company’s logo.
Either way, it is very rare for anyone to record such a perfect video in the very first shot that it doesn’t need to be edited at all. That’s why you need to have the means to edit your videos. This doesn’t have to be an expensive video editing software with all the heavy features required for professional editing. It can simply be an open-source video editing tool or the free/trial version of a video editing app. There are tons of free video editing softwares available in the market these days. The point is to have this in mind that your videos will definitely require some basic editing when you start a Youtube channel.
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In case you don’t want to get involved with a video editing tool, another way to go about this is to hire a video editor. Hence for starting a Youtube channel, you can either hire a full-time video editor or get a freelancer with good video editing skills. In short, you either need a video editing software or a video editor among the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
3. Take Out Time to Upload Your Videos
For running a Youtube channel, it’s not only important to record and edit videos, but to also actually upload them onto your channel. Although the process to upload videos on Youtube is quite simple, it does require some time and patience, especially if you’re doing it all by yourself. That’s why having this time is also one of the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
You would need a proper internet connection to begin with, and some time to wait for the video to upload and process within Youtube. You would also need to fill out all the fields that Youtube requires you to fill or upload for each video, such as the title, keywords, category and thumbnail.
So if you plan to upload videos regularly on Youtube, do keep in mind the time that you’ll need to upload each video, in order to fulfil the requirements of the Youtube template.
4. Do Some Basic Research on SEO
When you put in all this effort to start and run a Youtube channel, you would obviously want your videos to be discovered and viewed by people. For that to happen, you need to have some basic knowledge of how the Youtube algorithm works. Even if you’re not an SEO expert, you do need to be familiar with the simple tactics that every ordinary Youtuber can apply to their channel in order to enhance the reach, clicks, and search rankings of their videos.
The titles, thumbnail, and keywords that you choose play a critical role in this. It is therefore good to do some basic research on these. Learn how to come up with keywords that would optimize your videos for search results. Study how successful Youtubers create their thumbnails. Be creative in coming up with titles for your videos. Learn how to get more subscribers for your Youtube channel. These simple actions can go a long way in increasing the growth of your Youtube channel. Hence, some basic know-how of Youtube SEO is one of the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
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5. Engage in the Youtube community
Since you have decided to join the Youtube community by starting a Youtube channel, there is no point in staying isolated in it. Being interested in engaging with your audience is also among the things you need to start a Youtube channel. Engaging with your viewers and with subscribers of channels that are similar to your channel is the key to building a repo for yourself in the community. It plays a major role in becoming a successful Youtuber. Ways to engage in the Youtube community include the following.
- Like and subscribe to Youtube videos and channels that are catering to a niche that’s similar to yours.
- Comment on videos that are giving out similar content to yours.
- Reply to any comments that you get on your videos.
- Write down a clear and concise description for each of your videos.
- Encourage people to like your videos and to subscribe to your channel.
- Mention and promote your videos on the other social media platforms that you use.
6. Get Your Youtube Channel Monetized
Even if earning ad revenue from your Youtube channel is not your primary goal, it is good to keep an eye on your path to get your channel monetized. Many businesses that start a Youtube channel to promote their services eventually start earning revenue from advertisements that run on their Youtube videos.
For your Youtube channel to be eligible for monetization, you need at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours of watch time within the last 12 months. It is not easy to achieve these statistics, but if you move in the right direction, in time, you can actually get your channel monetized. Running ads on your Youtube videos also enhances the position of your channel and your brand in the eyes of your viewers. Although it’s not necessary for your channel to be monetized, moving towards getting it monetized should be included in the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
7. Embed Your Youtube Videos into Your Website
When you have your brand’s online presence scattered over different platforms on the Internet, it is best to link all the platforms with each other to increase the overall reach of your marketing efforts. Thus if you have a website for your business, don’t forget to embed your Youtube videos into your web pages.
This can be easily done if you’re using a website builder that allows you to embed Youtube videos. For example, if you build your website on Strikingly, you will have the option to add videos to your site.
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Just like your Youtube channel will promote your site, your website can promote your Youtube channel as well. It goes both ways. Therefore, having an official website for your brand can be considered among the things you need to start a Youtube channel. If you don’t have a website and you plan to create a Youtube channel, it is best if you alongside create a website as well.
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If you don’t have a website yet, don’t fret. You can easily create one all by yourself and launch it within a few hours, without needing any knowledge whatsoever of any coding or programming languages. Create a free account in Strikingly, select a template for your site, and use the drag-and-drop feature to put everything in place. It really is that simple! All good Youtube channels have a website to promote their brand as well.
5 Youtube Business Channels That Are Worth Subscribing To
Here is a list of 5 good Youtube channels that promote their business through their Youtube videos. If you subscribe and follow them, you can learn how they market and position their brand by integrating their site with their channel. Getting inspiration from successful Youtubers is a good way to know about the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
1. Ranking Academy
This company gives coaching about a brand’s online visibility and search rankings. Their Youtube videos are about the same, giving free tips for SEO while at the same time promoting their paid services.
2. Vanessa Lau
The Youtuber channel of a young entrepreneur who’s an online business coach. She teaches how to build an audience for your business on social media, and particularly on Instagram, and promotes her online courses in her Youtube videos. In some of her videos, she also talks about the things you need to start a Youtube channel.
3. Nate O’ Brien
Another online business coach who guides his Youtube audience on how to make money online. He promotes his skills and paid services in his videos.
4. Yibbia
A company that develops and sells e-learning platforms, with their explainer videos and tutorial videos published on their Youtube channel.
5. Strikingly
A company that owns and offers registrations to their website building tool. Their Youtube channel provides tutorial videos on how to use Strikingly to create a full-fledged website. Among the things you need to start a Youtube channel, building a site on Strikingly can be the first step!
If you are interested in starting a Youtube channel, don’t hold yourself back. It might feel daunting at first, but as you get used to recording and uploading your videos, it will become a part of your daily life. Many individuals start a Youtube channel merely out of passion and end up making tons of money out of it. Also, many businesses create a Youtube channel for branding to help the business grow, but eventually start earning good ad revenue from it. Now that you know that the things you need to start a Youtube channel are very basic, you can make up your mind and just go for it.
