In this article, you will learn everything you need to get started on YouTube. Getting started on YouTube is the easy part but do you have what it takes to keep your momentum going and do you have what it takes to succeed on YouTube?

How to Be a YouTuber for Beginners

If you are new to the whole YouTube thing then you may ask yourself is it too late? Is it possible to succeed on YouTube this late in the game?

The answer is simple. No, it is not too late and now is the best time to get started on YouTube. Yes, it is possible to succeed on YouTube this late in the game.

Why?

Because you really aren’t late. YouTube is evolving and the content you watch and listen to on YouTube is fresh and exciting. New YouTubers are starting up brand new and seeing massive success and quite quickly. Take your topic and figure out your spin and just get started. After you read this article and watch this video of course.

1. What Gear You Need to Get Started on YouTube

Let’s get the basics out of the way. There are some important things you will need to get started on YouTube. Everyone who wants to be on YouTube will need these specific items.Note: at the end of this post you will see a link to get everything you need for less than $100 on Amazon. I included this expecting that you will have a smartphone to record your videos. This little set up will get you started on YouTube for less than $100.

A Camera to Record YouTube Videos

You will need a camera. That is the most important part of getting started on YouTube. I do not recommend buying any new gear until you know for sure this is something you want to do and you see potential in it.

After getting started with your channel you will be able to decide if you can be a YouTuber and if you see some great results then it is time to get better equipment. For now, we will just start with a smartphone.

Several successful YouTubers still use their iPhones or other smartphones to record their videos. Almost everyone has a smartphone. This is the best thing to start your YouTube channel with.

If you aren’t on a limited budget and want to start out with a quality video I recommend the Canon EOS M50 which is what I personally use. The link is for a kit that comes with a bunch of extras that will make your YouTube video creation much easier. The Canon M50 is the best camera for YouTube as you can see yourself as you record and because it has a standard audio jack that most cameras don’t have these days.

A Tripod To Hold Your Phone

One inexpensive item you will likely need, depending on your style of video, is a tripod. This will allow you to record your videos without the camera shaking. No one wants to watch a video that is all over the place.

I recommend the Amazon Basics Tripod to get started. It is under $25

If you want and need something much more professional and taller then consider the GEEKOTO 77 Inch Tripod. This tripod is amazing and at a great price for the quality it offers. The price to expect is about $120 on amazon.

Audio Is Very Important for YouTube

Audio is of extreme importance. If you cannot afford to purchase anything to better your audio that is ok just start with what you have but when you can and if you can you should purchase a lav mic or a Rode mic that attaches to your camera or phone to offer your audience a better audio experience.

When you are editing your YouTube video’s audio be sure not to leave out audio editing. This will set you apart in the world of YouTube. Audio is probably one of the most important aspects of your video. Check to make sure you aren’t peaking anywhere in your video and turn down the volume until you are at the perfect levels and definitely add some mastering.

I will do a tutorial on how I accomplish this with my videos in the future so be sure to subscribe to my email list to be notified of this video and all other helpful videos and blog posts.

Video Editing Software

There are so many options for editing videos it's unreal. I personally use Adobe Premiere Pro but a lot of people I know use iMovie which is free for Mac users and just as good to edit simple YouTube videos.

Adobe Premiere Pro is a more feature-rich software and offers better editing options.

2. Choosing Your Niche for YouTube

Your niche is EVERYTHING! This is what you will talk about in your YouTube videos. This is the content you will create for your channel. Before you even start a YouTube channel you have to decide what topics you will cover.

What is Your Passion

What you are passionate about? Do you enjoy crafts, cooking or even raising your children? Your channel can literally cover any topic you are passionate about. This is honestly the best route to go because if you are passionate about something then you are likely never going to burn out on the topic.

Passion keeps things going and most people have a passion for something. The passions we have as human beings drive us and keep us on this wheel of life. For some of us, these passions keep us from going insane.

What Are You Good At?

What are you good at? Are you good at crafting, cooking or with kids? This is a great position to be in because if you are good at something then chances are you know a ton on the subject which will allow you to have endless video ideas. Also, being good at something makes you an expert.

Think about what you know a lot about. Consider your interests and try to come up with about 50 to 100 video ideas for each niche of interest. While doing this decide which topic you have more interest in and choose one or three.

It is best to start small but you can branch out as you grow your channel covering related topics in your niche. You definitely don’t want to niche down too much as this will limit your content abilities and force you to eventually niche up and broaden your subject.

3. Branding & Content Delivery

Branding is SO IMPORTANT. So important that even the simplest bit of branding matters. Your name your banner on your channel your profile picture. Everything in this section matters so spend some time crafting a great about section, creating your YouTube batter and profile picture.

Your banner should include your content information as well as when you plan to upload. This increases your chances of being successful on YouTube as your fans or subscribers want to know when to expect your uploads. They also want to know what your channel is all about.

Content Delivery Style

Your content should be delivered in a way that helps you stand out. If you are perfecting this part of your videos then you are probably seeing some great growth. How will you deliver your content? Will you write a blog post to further explore the topic, will you use list-style formatting for your blog post and YouTube video? Will you ride a white horse while talking to the camera? What will you do that will make you stand out?

I like to do a giveaway. This engages my audience and in return for subscribing to my channel, I reward my audience. I also sit at my desk and get up close and personal with a green screen in my background so I can put up something that is distraction-free and helps with adding text during my video editing that is perfectly readable.

Being Yourself on Camera

It is important not to change who you are on camera. People will subscribe to your channel because they like your personality. This is a very important part of starting a YouTube channel. Being true to you and your own beliefs should be at the forefront of your experience on YouTube. This is a platform to create and give your take on a subject so stay true to you and your audience will respect that.

Retention is Everything

Keeping your audience watching your videos all the way through will help you grow exponentially. This is one key factor that YouTube watches closely. If you are keeping your audience watching you will see that your videos are being promoted.

Grab your audience’s attention by hooking them in the beginning.

A good way to do this is by creating an intro letting your audience know what to expect and hook them by stating that the BEST part is toward the end of the video so watch all the way through for the value or bonus tip.

Asking for a comment in a sneaky way is best done during the middle of your video. You can do this by asking a question about your topic and requesting your viewers to comment below.

Ask for a Like, comment and Subscription

At the end of your videos ask for the like and subscription. You aren’t begging you are engaging so don’t feel weird asking for this. People need direction.

If you can do all of this YouTube will love your channel and promote it because you are engaging your audience and you are getting a ton of social signals which will help your video’s rank higher on YouTube.

4 Consistency is King

With everything consistency is king. If you start something then see it through. If you start a YouTube channel and want it to grow then you will have to make time for it and be consistent otherwise you will likely fail.

YouTube has an algorithm and they reward consistency. If you are consistent you are setting yourself up for success with the YouTube algorithm and your audience.

Who wants to watch a series on Netflix with 5 episodes and no plan for any future episodes? I hate those because before I notice there are only  5 episodes and one season I am neck-deep into the show and really bummed when I find out that I got into it for nothing.

The same thing goes for YouTube. People want to subscribe to consistent content creators that offer them value and content.

Scheduling YouTube Video Content

I like to batch record my content. Most of my videos will be scheduled a week or more in advance because I want to be sure not to miss an upload and to do this I record videos to go live on a certain day.

On YouTube, you can upload your video and schedule the launch date of that YouTube video. This is perfect because you can have 6 months of recordings ready and publish them all on autopilot.

Uploading Specific Days of the Week

Again consistency is king so is uploading the same day each week. This is more for your YouTube audience or subscribers. This lets them know when to expect a new upload from you. Subscribers want your content and definitely want to know when you are uploading so be sure to stay consistent with your upload dates.

You can upload once per week on a Saturday or ever Saturday and Wednesday to give yourself some time in between each video to get something recorded and edited if you don’t batch record.

Creating a Content Calendar

This is almost like a business plan. This should be something you do before you record your first video. As mentioned above you should create 50 to 100 video ideas you can cover in your niche but I suggest you do this with a content calendar. I also suggest you should challenge yourself to record, edit and upload all of the video ideas you came up with on your content calendar.

I just use Google Docs for this and list all my ideas and plan them out on the calendar which is all free on Google. All you have to do is create a Gmail account which is also required for creating a YouTube channel.

Creating a content calendar will help hold you accountable and push you to keep creating YouTube videos.

5. Just Get Started

This is something I struggled with in the beginning. I really had a hard time getting started. I was nervous about my content, nervous about my quality and just so many things were running through my head.

It is really awkward at first talking to a camera lens and barely anyone seeing your content. It is a ghost town in the beginning but that is perfect because that will allow you to hone in on your new project. The more videos you create the better you will be.

Your video style and content will change as you get better. You may start off without editing your videos and eventually, every video is edited. You may also start out without adding any B roll to your videos but in the future include some B roll in ever YouTube video you upload. As you continue to create your experience will continue to evolve and you will get better.

6. Thumbnails Make or Break Your Video Stats

Thumbnails are a feature on YouTube which help boost your clickthrough rate. People are scrolling through YouTube to find the video they want to watch based on their search terms and each thumbnail they see will either encourage them to click or tap to watch that video.

What is a Good Thumbnail

This is something you will just have to test as you grow your channel and create content. There are many successful YouTubers who have stated that thumbnails with you in them posing a reaction are the best. Use minimal wording maybe three words tops.

Thumbnail Specifications

It is important to remember that people are more and more on a mobile device when searching YouTube so don’t create your thumbnails for computers. Instead, create them to be readable on a phone. Most traffic online is via mobile so focus there and you will win.

To take this a step further there are mobile apps that you can use to create your YouTube video thumbnails. Take advantage of this for your channel and you should win with great clickthrough rates.

Conclusion

Learning how to get started on YouTube is the easy part. Will you take massive action? Will you learn and get started with your own YouTube channel?

What topics are you interested in covering? Leave a comment below.