You watch YouTube all the time. In fact, you watch YouTube more than you watch TV. One day you get the idea to start your own channel. How hard could it be, right?
So you set up your camera and talk about your life, or ten things you like about something, or the foods you hate to buy frozen, or whatever is trending at the time. You edit the footage, which takes longer than you expect, create an awesome thumbnail and post the video. A two weeks later it only has 20 views, most of which are yours checking to see if there’s a problem with the video. Sound familiar?
Take a look at the tips below to see how you can improve your channel and be successful on YouTube.
Be Authentic
Ever see someone pretend to like something or fake expertise on a subject? It’s obvious, right? In order to succeed on YouTube, be sure you are genuinely interested in the topics you cover on your channel. Also ensure you really do know what you’re talking about. That said, don’t be afraid to experiment. It will take some time to find your voice. You may love to workout but dread taking your camera to the gym, the park or the basement to shoot a video. That’s fine. Just don’t force yourself to make workout videos. Viewers can see when you hate what you’re doing.
Post Regularly
Be sure to post new videos on a regular basis. New content is important as a discovery tool for new viewers and to keep you current viewers from forgetting about you. Try to post at least once a week. More is better but don’t let a fast paced production schedule affect the quality of your work.
Be Patient
Success takes time. You’re unlikely to hit it out of the park with one video or even 20 videos. In addition to new content, you need to have a back catalogue for viewers to watch so they can learn about you and your style. Don’t give up if you shoot videos for a year and barely have 100 subscribers. There’s no magic number for when your channel will start hitting it big. Just post regularly, be real and enjoy the process. YouTube is not for those looking for instant success.
Engage Your Audience
YouTube is designed to be interactive. Viewers want discussion and seek out opportunities to connect with YouTubers. In your videos, be sure to let viewers know you want to interact. In the comments section, prove to them that this is true by replying to comments. But be cautious, don’t attack viewers who have a different point of view. Other ways to engage viewers are to ask for questions they would like you to answer. Hold giveaways or give out prizes. Also interact outside of YouTube on the social media platform of your choice.
In addition to the tips above, remember that YouTube is a community. Be good to your viewers and good to other YouTubers and your channel will grow. Most importantly, have fun.
