YouTube is branded as the place where anyone can make something of themselves. YouTube content can take a hobby and make it a business. You love book clubs? Start a book review channel. Love crafting? Show people your process and you’ve got an art channel. Love talking? Suddenly you’re a commentator. It can be a standalone business model or an add-on to an existing business.
A niche
Do not go into this thinking “I wanna be a YouTuber” and then eventually finding something to do. Your drive will not outlast the struggle to reach 1,000 followers before you’re even permitted to earn money off the idea if it is manufactured. Have your passion ready and expand on it with social media.
Take what you love and make it into something, but if it seems like only you are into what you’re into: you’re wrong. No matter how niche, someone wants to hear about it, whether to finally find someone to share ideas with about something that resonates or to discover something new. How else would we get the bizarre trends we do? Eating is an entire genre.
A plan
Once you’ve got your niche, the next thing to do is to start planning. How will you record your videos? Think about equipment, sets, and resources. How will you attract viewers? Do you know how to edit? How often will you upload? Be realistic. If you’re doing this around work, you cannot post a vlog every day. If you want to make long-form and in-depth content, it will take time and research.
Incorporate realistic goals into this plan. “By the end of this month, I will have uploaded 10 videos, a brand deal, a merch design” etc. Keep them away from followers or anything that is an outcome you cannot control.
Money know-how
There should be an asterisk on YouTube’s common phrase of “where anyone can make it”. It should be edited to say, “anyone business savvy can make it”.
Look into brand deals, like affiliate links, paid promotions etc. Names like Raycon, Dollar Shave Club, and NetBet slots are all looking for marketing across the internet. Some will offer you money for a promotion in your content.
Look at SEO, marketing, and how YouTube works as a business model. Look at alternative means of income like Patreon donations, events, or merchandise. Understand the algorithm and advertisement revenue and if you’re more of a performer than an entrepreneur: hire someone to do all that for you.
A winning personality
Don’t panic. Everyone has one, it just needs to be unleashed, with the power of passion. Find something you’re hungry to talk about or do and your passion for it will shine through.
And there are options if you aren’t the most confident on camera. If your content is tutorial in nature, or about an object or place, you can keep the focus on the subject or use graphics, letting your voice do the majority of the work.
If you’re loud, be loud. If you’re quiet, be quiet. If you’re immature, sophisticated, extravagant, like simplicity, whatever you’re into, there is a fanbase for you. It’s all about what feels natural to you.
