This article is written by Sampruthi. R, pursuing a Diploma in Advanced Contract Drafting, Negotiation and Dispute Resolution from Lawsikho.com.

If you are reading this article, then there is probably no need to tell you that YouTube is one of the biggest social media platforms that has revolutionised the way we view online video content. You might already know that and want to start a YouTube channel. So, let me guide you to a treasure that I cannot possess.

Answering the “Why” question

Before starting a YouTube channel, understand WHY you want to start it. People start a YouTube channel for various reasons. You may have seen James Charles house tour and thought to yourself, “I want such a big house too! Maybe I should start a YouTube channel” or like many YouTubers, it may be a creative outlet, a method to pursue your passion, to disseminate information, for your own enjoyment, for fame, money, or just out of boredom. 

Knowing your “why” is very important because there may be times in the future where you could feel lost, discouraged or dissuaded and remembering your “why” would help you overcome such obstacles. 

Benefits of having a YouTube Channel

YouTube is a gateway to bigger and better things if you are successful with your channel. It can help you get sponsorship deals, travel the world and get paid for it, or get opportunities to act in movies, launch a music career, or an entire business.

What you HAVE to do when starting a YouTube channel

Before making a video

What is your channel about?

Before starting a YouTube channel, you must have an idea as to what the channel is about. It could be about animals, food, travel, makeup, video games, education, science, fashion, movies, workout, ASMR, daily vlogs, or even a combination of the above. When YouTube first started, YouTubers who were “unique” or “different” often got a lot of followers, however, a lot of ideas and topics have been explored at this point and the best thing for you to do is make content that you are good at and that makes you happy.

Who are your viewers?

While it is a great idea to “do what makes you happy”, you must remember that not all genres or content caters to everyone. Thus, it is important to identify the type of audience that you want to attract.

Time

Being a YouTuber and having a YouTube channel is different from having a 9 to 5 job. It allows a lot of flexibility and freedom to create content according to your convenience. However, due to the absence of any time restrictions, YouTubers often find themselves working on their channel for the entire day, whether it is coming up with a video idea, filming, editing, promoting the video on other social platforms, networking or just reading comments on their videos. Thus, you must be ready to commit a certain amount of time (maybe not the entire day, but at least an hour or two a day) to your channel.

Consistency

YouTubers who upload videos consistently tend to grow their channel at a faster rate than those who do not. Consistency also allows new YouTubers to gain experience, be more comfortable in front of the camera, edit better and overall, improve the qualities of their videos. Remember, “Practice makes perfect”.

Equipment

Having the best equipment is not a prerequisite to starting a YouTube channel. As long as the quality of the video and the sound is good, even your phone is enough to shoot videos and upload the same.

During the filming of the video

Content

Once you know what kind of videos you want to make and the audience you want to cater to, you can start making the content. Popular videos have one thing in common, they have a story that is to be conveyed. There is a plot pertaining to a subject matter which takes place in a specific setting.

The three elements, a plot, subject matter and the setting are the integral elements in most successful videos. The manner, method and style of execution is what differentiates the videos.

Having a format for the video helps in maintaining a smooth flow for the viewer. It also ensures that the videos are short, to the point and presentable.

Further, being comfortable in front of the camera, the language that you are speaking, the content that you are making and the information that you are disclosing about yourself is very important.

Ask for help

Whether it is for shooting the videos, the content, ideas, editing, sound, constructive criticism, or promoting the channel and the videos, you can always enlist the help of your family and friends.

Editing and CUTTING IT OUT

Editing the videos is an art that various YouTubers have mastered. Complex editing software does not guarantee a good video. Analysing your favourite YouTubers, TV shows and movies, and brushing up on your editing skills will allow you to understand your style and the type of content best suited for it. However, the most important thing to remember is to cut out irrelevant material. Long and repetitive content does not attract viewers. Do not be afraid to cut out unnecessary content.

Like and Subscribe!

An obvious tip is to ask people to like and subscribe at the end of the video. If the viewers have watched the video in entirety, they would be more likely to subscribe to your channel.

After making the video

Title, Thumbnails, Tags and Description

Now that the video is edited and ready to be uploaded on your channel, it is crucial to understand the importance of the title and the thumbnail. No matter how good the video is, it might get less views due to the thumbnail and the title. The thumbnail and the title of the video is like a movie poster and the name of the movie. 

For example, MrBeast’s video titled, “Lamborghini Race, Winner Keeps Lamborghini” with the picture of three Lamborghinis attracts the viewer to click on the video and watch the entire video.

YouTubers often spend time shooting specifically for the thumbnail and have multiple thumbnails to choose from. There is a lot of thought that goes into the thumbnail and the title to ensure that it is catchy, informative and intrigues the viewers.

Further, a brief description of the video, using tags and promoting the videos on other social media platforms also helps in gaining more viewers for the videos.

Algorithm

Understanding the YouTube algorithm, especially if you want to gain more subscribers and viewers is crucial. The algorithm depends on the number of clicks that your videos get and the watch time per video. If a video is able to attract viewers to click on it and watch the video, the YouTube algorithm would pick it up and suggest it to more and more people depending on how well it does.

What is popular?

However, for the purpose of appeasing the algorithm, you might try to replicate a popular trend on YouTube. This might help bring in more viewers, but it is often temporary and might not substantially help your channel. Depending on the content and the type of viewers you want to attract, longer or shorter videos and trending topics will have a different success rate.

Network and Collaborate

Collaborating with other YouTubers, having various other active social media platforms, commenting on other YouTubers videos and engaging with viewers will help in the growth of your channel. 

Passion

Without passion, it is easy to burn out and feel drained. Thus, it is important to do what you are passionate about, whether it is having a channel where you are filming your dog and all the things that he does or cooking the tastiest food in your kitchen to inspire others, especially during quarantine.

Hire

Having a YouTube channel does not have to be a solo endeavour. You can hire editors, concept writers for the videos, photographers, actors, or any other person as may be required. However, it is advisable to hire a lawyer to review any contracts, or endorsement deals, and have an accountant to maintain the finances. 

YouTubers, especially daily vloggers, often hire editors in a different time zone, so that once they have finished with the shooting their videos during the day, they can send the same to their editors who are able to start working on editing the videos as soon as it is sent and the same is completed within a short period of time. 

Experiment

Experimenting with different genres, content, editing styles or music will help in reaching out to a larger audience and ensuring that the present viewers do not get bored.

Keep it simple

Simplicity is the key. Whether it is with respect to the content, editing, ideas, etc. It is easier for viewers to consume simple content.

What NOT to do when starting your own YouTube channel

Privacy

Do not reveal too much personal information on the internet. Having separate email accounts for business and your YouTube account, not disclosing your address or sensitive information will help in safeguarding you from physical threats or hackers.

Do not trust people

Your passwords, account information, business strategies, and personal information can be misused by unscrupulous people or other YouTubers for their own personal gain. Misinformation, drama and loss of personal peace can be avoided by having a general distrust towards other human beings, whether on YouTube or in real life.

Illegal or insensitive actions

Do not do anything illegal, immoral or insensitive because the resulting public outrage or legal penalties is not worth the slight influx of viewers that your channel might attract. For instance, Jake Paul caused a huge controversy for filming a dead body in Japan’s Aokigahara forest. The backlash faced by him was immense and the same is one of the biggest controversies faced by a YouTuber.

It is also important to be aware of various laws in the countries or locations that you are filming in as well as the copyright laws and the effects of using copyright material in your videos.

Self-Promotion

There is a fine line between self-promotion on your own channel and social media platforms and spamming other influencers who have worked hard on their own content. For instance, commenting on other YouTubers’ videos helps increase visibility for your channel, however, it should be with respect to the video or the content and not a blatant self-promotion for your channel as it would not be well received by most YouTubers.

Haters

The internet offers anonymity often resulting in harsh, or degrading comments. Do not allow your life, emotions or mental health to be affected by the trolls or haters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, YouTube is a social media platform with the sole purpose of generating revenue by ensuring that people spend as much time on it as possible. The YouTube algorithm will list the videos that satisfy this purpose. However, catering to the needs of your viewers and subscribers or trying to get the “perfect” video is not as fulfilling as making content that brings your contentment or joy. 

In the wise words of PewDiePie, “It is easy to make it to the top but it’s twice as hard to stay there”. So you might as well start making the videos that you want to and remember that the views and the subscribers on your channel are just a number.

Students of Lawsikho courses regularly produce writing assignments and work on practical exercises as a part of their coursework and develop themselves in real-life practical skill.