Fed up with the 9-5 routine and dream of being your own boss? Well, have you considered becoming a YouTuber? In 2024, there’s no denying that YouTube is one of the most popular platforms online, and it’s a goldmine for creative people who know how to capture an audience.
And the best part? You can make a living via this. Yep. We’re talking about being able to make $$$ from the comfort of your cozy casa with just a camera and an idea. So, prepared to discover how to become a successful YouTuber and rake in the dough? Lessgo!
What is a YouTuber?
A YouTuber is a content creator on YouTube, the world’s biggest video marketing platform. They share videos on various topics, from makeup tutorials and comedy pieces to vlogs and gaming content. Think of them as the new age TV stars with much more creative freedom and accessibility.
And literally, anyone can do it. Being a YouTuber is one of the only professions where you don’t need a pricey education or cash to start. All you need is essential equipment and the ability to create compelling content that people want to watch.
Some YouTubers love posting content without any ROI, but some of them have turned their channels into complete, profit-packed businesses, making millions of dollars a year!
Remember PewDiePie, the Swedish YouTuber who started out making gaming videos? Yeah. He’s got over 111 million subscribers on his channel now.
And let’s not forget Jenna Marbles, who became a viral sensation with her funny and relatable videos. She’s now worth an estimated $8 million.
How to become a YouTuber: 6 steps
I know. Becoming a YouTuber may seem scary and difficult at first, but with the correct approach, it’s a journey worth taking. Follow these six fool-proof steps to start your YouTube career (and be good at it) ASAP.
Step 1: Find your niche
The Initial step to becoming a successful YouTuber is to figure out what you’re very passionate about and what you want to share with the world. Are you a makeup guru, a cooking expert, or a video game addict? Make sure it’s something that excites about and can create engaging content around.
Step 2: Create a YouTube channel
Once you’ve got your niche, it’s time to *create a YouTube channel*. Choose a name that represents you or the content you plan to make, and make sure it’s unique. A random but fun name that hits your mind at 3 am also works! Plus, make sure your profile picture and banner are aesthetically pleasing and relevant.
Step 3: Plan your content
Now that your YouTube channel is in place decide the type of content you want to create. Will it be vlogs, tutorials, reviews, or something else? Don’t get me wrong – I hate pre-planning more than anything, too, but by creating a schedule for when you’ll upload them, you can stay on track, keep your viewers engaged and let them know when to expect new videos from you.
Plus, this stuff feels like a total breeze with super helpful tools like ContentStudio’s Content Planner that create the whole content calendar for you. Here are some ways it does that:
- Drag and drop functionality: With Content Planner, you can easily drag and drop your content onto your calendar, making it easier to plan and rearrange your videos.
- Collaborative planning: If you’re working with a team, you can use its collaborative features to assign tasks and manage your content creation process.
- Time zone support: If you’ve got a global audience, Content Planner’s time zone support is an absolute gift and lets you schedule your videos for the most optimal times.
- Analytics integration: And yes, its analytics integration allows you to swiftly track the performance of your YouTube videos and then adjust your content strategy accordingly.
Related Read: Best time to post videos on YouTube in 2024
Step 4: Create engaging, high-quality content
The key to a successful YouTube career is creating high-quality content. You want to make sure your videos are well-lit, well-edited, and engaging. You know what that means – No—sloppy Work. Hard work shows, so put in the time and effort to create content that everyone will look forward to watching.
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Step 5: Promote your channel
Created some content? It’s time to start promoting your youtube channel! Share your videos, collaborate with other YouTubers, engage with your viewers in the comments section, and use keywords & tags to help people find your content.
Step 6: Monetize your channel
Once you’ve built a following, you can monetize your content through ads, sponsorships, brand deals, merchandise, and advertising revenue. But remember: stay true to yourself and only partner with companies that align with your values. Genuineness always succeeds!
YouTube Monetization eligibility criteria
Becoming a verified YouTube user and eligible for monetization on YouTube takes little work, TBH. All you need to have is meeting the following criteria:
- Your channel must have a minimum of 1,000 subscribers.
- At least 4,000 hours must have been spent watching your channel in the past 12 months.
- Your content must comply with YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.
- You must set up an AdSense account (Google’s advertising program that helps you earn money from the ads placed on your videos) to receive payments.
You can apply for monetization through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) if you meet all these criteria. And, if your application’s approved, HURRAY! You can start generating revenue from ads that run on your videos ASAP.
It’s important to note that meeting the eligibility criteria doesn’t guarantee approval – YouTube also reviews your content to ensure it’s suitable for advertisers. It has rigorous policies, and Non-adherence to these can get your monetization privileges suspended or revoked even after enabling. Some of the key policies include:
- No clickbait or misleading titles, descriptions, or tags.
- There is no inappropriate content, such as violence, hate speech, or sexually explicit material.
- No copyright infringement or use of other people’s content without permission.
How to make money on YouTube
Ready to turn your YouTube passion into profits? In this guide, I will show you how to make money on YouTube, from monetizing your videos to a lot of other cool stuff. What’s that I hear? Oh. Right. Let the games begin!
Step 1: Join the YouTube partner program
Join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) to embark on the money-making journey. This requires you to meet specific eligibility criteria (mentioned above), such as possessing 4,000 hours or more of watch time and a minimum of 1,000 subscribers throughout the last 12 months.
Step 2: Enable monetization on your videos
Once you’re part of the YPP fam, you can enable monetization on your videos. This means that ads will appear on your videos, and you’ll earn money based on the number of views and clicks those ads get.
Step 3: Select ads format
Various ad formats are out there, including display advertisements, sponsored cards, overlay ads, and skippable and non-skippable video ads. Choose the ones that work best for your content and your audience.
Step 4: Create high-quality content
To generate revenue on YouTube, you must create content people want to watch. This means producing high-quality videos that are engaging, informative, and entertaining.
Step 5: Promote your YouTube videos
As you have created your videos, you need to promote them to get more views and subscribers. Use strategies like social media advertising and email marketing to promote your videos.
Step 6: Build a loyal following
The higher the number of subscribers & views, the more money you’ll make on YouTube. Build a loyal following by engaging with your viewers, responding to comments, and creating content that resonates with your audience.
Step 7: Consider other monetization options
There are multiple other ways to make money on YouTube apart from ads. You can also earn through sponsorships, merchandise sales, and crowdfunding. Explore these options to find additional revenue streams for your channel.
Step 8: Keep up with YouTube’s policies and algorithms
YouTube’s algorithm and policies are constantly changing, so staying up-to-date on any updates that may affect your monetization is essential. Ensure you follow YouTube’s community guidelines and terms of service to avoid getting demonetized.
Technical skills for YouTube success
Successful YouTubers are more than just having great content and a bubbly personality. You also need skills, or as I’d like to call them, YouTube channel growth hacks, to produce, edit, and distribute your videos perfectly. And yes, I’ve mentioned them below. Bon appetit!
Video editing skills
Video editing is like seasoning on a dish: it can make or break your content. You should know the basics: how to trim, cut, and mix your video clips, add music, sound effects, and visual effects to keep your audience engaged. Even though one does not need to be an expert in complex software like Adobe Premier Pro, you should be able to work with essential editing tools like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, and depending on your experience, some user-friendly software like Filmora that offers more features without overwhelming you with complex functions.
Lighting and sound design
Lighting and sound are game-changers. You should know how to set up and adjust the lighting to create the right mood and atmosphere and how to record and mix sound to ensure clear and crisp audio. Plus, you don’t need pricey equipment to do this; a simple ring light and microphone can go a long way.
Search engine optimization (SEO)
SEO is optimizing your video titles, descriptions, hashtags & tags to make them more discoverable in search engines like Google and YouTube. You need to know how to use relevant keywords, add alt tags to images, and craft compelling titles to attract viewers to your content.
Social media marketing
If you want to grow your channel and attract a massive following, you need to know the ins and outs of social media marketing. It’s like the secret sauce that can make your channel go viral! You should also know how to create & manage social media accounts, share your YouTube content that gets people talking, and interact with your audience like a boss. By building a loyal following on social media, you can increase YouTube channel traffic, boost your YouTube views, and grow your subscribers.
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Analytics and data analysis
You must learn to analyze data and metrics to track your channel’s growth and success. You should be familiar with tools like YouTube Analytics & Google Analytics to track your video views, engagement rates, and audience demographics. This’ll help you understand what’s working & what’s not to make accurate decisions about your social media content strategy.
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Basic graphic design
You don’t need to be an expert at graphic design, but knowing how to create basic graphics can deff come in handy for creating thumbnails, channel art, and other visual assets. You should know how to use tools like Canva or Adobe Photoshop to create aesthetic designs that grab your audience’s attention.
Non-technical skills for YouTube success
Let’s talk about some non-technical skills you must have in your arsenal if you intented to slay it as a YouTuber. I’ve got soft skills that’ll help you keep your audience hooked and have them return for more.
Storytelling
I know you might think this is irrelevant, but hear me out. Let’s say the star of the show for today’s video is your pair of white Vans and how you accidentally wore someone else’s home after gym class. Now, if you sum the whole thing up in 2-3 lines, it’s gonna make the incident sound bleh and no one’s gonna find it as interesting as it probably would’ve been.
That’s because people love to visualize. They love descriptions and details and getting lost in the moment. And that’s why you need to create an epic intro using Intro Maker to hook your audience, build up the suspense, and deliver a satisfying conclusion. That’s how you keep people binge-watching your content. Thank me later.
Creativity
If you wanna stand out in the crowded YouTube space, you need to think OUTSIDE the box. You can’t copy what everyone else is doing around the globe and expect to make it big. You gotta come up with fresh, innovative ideas that make people go, “Wow, I’ve never seen that before!” And one more thing: Always take risks and try new things – the results might just be crazy good!
Authenticity
You might be succeeded to fake it ’til you make it in you school or college, but not on YouTube. Your viewers will see right through you if you’re not being genuine so you gotta stay true to yourself and your brand, and let your personality shine through. Don’t try to be someone you’re not and remember, your audience is here because they like you for who you are.
Consistency
You can’t just upload a video whenever you feel like posting it and expect to build a loyal following. You must set a proper YouTube schedule and stick to it till the end. If you promise your viewers that you’ll upload every Wednesday, you better upload every Wednesday, come what may. People always wants to know when to expect new content from you, and they’ll be more likely to stick around if they know you’re reliable.
Communication
Communication is vital key when it comes to building a strong online presence & relationship with your audience. You must engage with your viewers, respond to comments and messages, and make them feel like they’re a part of your community. In such a way, you can build a strong and loyal brand voice and turn casual viewers into die-hard fans.
Adaptability
YouTube’s landscape is constantly changing, and you need to be surf the waves and navigate through the turbulence. Trends come and go, algorithms change, and your audience’s preferences might shift over time. You’ve gotta be willing to alter your content strategy. when necessary and embrace new ideas and opportunities. Don’t be that person who always gets left out because they’re too grumpy!
Becoming a successful YouTuber and making money from your content is no easy feat, but it’s definitely achievable if you put in the time, effort, and dedication. By following in the steps outlined in this guide, you can prepare yourself for success and start building a thriving YouTube channel in 2024.
Whether you’re passionate about gaming, beauty, cooking, or any other niche, there’s an audience out there waiting to discover your content. So, grab your camera, start filming, and get ready to make your mark on the YouTube world. Who knows? You could be the next big thing!
FAQs
Do I need expensive equipment to become a YouTuber?
Oh, hell no! Who says you have to sell your kidney to start creating content? While having fancy equipment can help improve the quality of your videos, it’s not exactly a necessity. You can start with a basic camera and a microphone setup, even your phone’s if it’s decent, and upgrade as you grow.
How does a YouTuber get paid?
Cha-ching! YouTubers get paid through several methods, including Google AdSense, brand deals, and sponsorships. You can generate a hansome income from ads on your videos if you meet YouTube’s monetization criteria. Plus, you can collaborate with brands and companies to create sponsored content or promote products through affiliate marketing.
Is it hard to be a YouTuber?
Well, let’s just say it’s not a cakewalk, but it’s not rocket science either! Being a YouTuber requires dedication, hard work, and a strong commitment to creating quality content. Always remember that that success doesn’t come overnight, though, and it takes time to build a loyal audience and grow your channel. But with perseverance and the right strategies, anyone can become a successful YouTuber.
Can anyone be a YouTuber?
You bet! Anyone can be a YouTuber regardless of age, gender, or location. All you need is an idea, a camera, and the determination to strive hard. YouTube is a platform that welcomes diversity and encourages creativity, so don’t be afraid to showcase your unique talents and perspectives.
Do I need to be famous to become a successful YouTuber?
Absolutely not! Having a large following can certainly help, but it’s not a prerequisite for success on YouTube. You just need to create content that matches your target audience’s interests and engage with them on a personal level.
How do I promote my YouTube channel?
There are a multiple ways to promote your channel and increase your visibility on YouTube. Some effective strategies include collaborating with other creators, leveraging social media platforms, and optimizing your video titles, tags, and descriptions for search engines.