by Case Lane

You know once seen…a dramatic image cannot be unseen.

We do not say this about information we hear, or notes we write down. But what we see stays with us as an impression we cannot shake.

When you are trying to decide which online platform you want to use to build your online business, if you want to choose videos, you can start a YouTube channel with information, guides or even commentary that attracts an audience.

Being a YouTuber, for lack of a better term, is actually one online business that literally requires no investment. But it also requires the highest level of courage. You have to be comfortable on camera, or artistic or creative enough to create images that do not require you to be on camera.

And you have to be consistent and popular enough to attract the minimum audience that allows you to earn from advertising on YouTube.  That may be a challenge, but if you make it work, you can also attract sponsorships, build a community, and become a web search recognizable influencer for your subject area.

While starting an online business is an extraordinary opportunity for you to establish a foundation for your own professional satisfaction, financial security, and lifestyle freedom, to get started you have to select an online platform that fits your interests, skills and budget.

Videoing is a powerful communication medium that only requires a minimum audience to begin earning advertising revenue. 

But are you camera ready?

Does the YouTube platform have all the elements you want and need for an online business venture?

If your online platform of choice is to be creating videos, you need to be aware of the joys and limitations of the effort. 

In this article, I explain the real story behind starting a YouTube channel to make money.

YouTube is For Creative Imagers

YouTube is a video hosting platform that as a division of Google is also a search engine the second largest in the world, delivering answers to questions asked every second by searchers.  While there are other video platforms, and it is possible to build a following on another one, YouTube remains the dominate force for all viewers.

YouTube is the search engine results come to life in picture. You will find content that ranges from short How-Tos, to multi-hour courses, trailers to movies, questions to indepth interviews, book quotes to novel readings, reviews, music, podcasts, speeches, news reports, documentaries, commentaries, comedy routines – from every era of video recording to the present day – from every corner of the globe and outerspace. 

The numbers are staggering…

Five hundred hours of video uploaded…every minute!

One billion hours viewed…each day!

And what may look like insurmountable odds for getting noticed for the average new YouTuber is actually the opportunity to create a business based on your video recording capabilities.

With tens of millions of viewers scrolling the site every second, looking for new and original content, the videos that will be the next to go viral, are the ones that attract enough attention to convince someone to share.

And the shared videos can skyrocket a YouTuber to success overnight.

Creativity is the Answer

Music videos are the most watched videos on YouTube. The genre defined by the rise of MTV (the Music Television cable network) now has a dominant home on the platform. And it was music videos that transformed from bands standing on stage to opera-worthy movie productions that made the MTV generation take notice.

Luckily, you do not have to compete with music videos.

Because the next level of dominance belongs to How-Tos where viewers will take any step-by-step explanation that they can follow and copy.

And commentaries and reviews, where honest words, clever presentations and solid content pre-dominate.

But to operate in this space, and be recognized, the videos that attract the attention are the most creative. While the content is important, the design of YouTube videos – drawings, special effects, spectacular settings, bright lights, awkward angles, intriguing props – all make for videos that can catch…and hold the attention of viewers.

The creator who can take an instructional or motivational video, or a spoken-word piece or lecture, and turn it into art…will stand out and move forward on YouTube.

Who Should Start a YouTube channel?

Whether you want to unleash your image creativity or simply speak directly to the camera, you will have to find content topics that your potential viewers are seeking.

If you:

• Like to be on camera
• Have enough creative ideas to be behind the camera
• Are prepared to promote

You could consider starting a YouTube channel.  And you control the amount of work you do by deciding how elaborate or plain-spoken you would like to make your videos.

How to Start a YouTube Channel

Of all the online platforms, YouTube is actually the only one that really requires no investment. Assuming you have a digital device with a camera, microphone and access to the Internet, you can make videos and post them to the platform.

But on YouTube, you are literally competing with all the media companies, global advertisers, and world-class performers who also use the platform for their promotions. While this may be true with other platforms, the issue with YouTube is that it’s so easy for your potential audience to become distracted by another video.

YouTube constantly feeds viewers suggestions of other videos that they may be interested in seeing, and unless you have a significant library of content, the recommended videos will not be yours.

The challenge with YouTube is getting your potential audience to notice you, and to do that, you need the next level of creativity.

Using YouTube

Technically, uploading videos to YouTube is straight-forward. Once you have recorded, and possibly edited your video file, you can upload. But truly understanding the functions and capabilities of the platform can take you to a new ‘school,’ where you can spend time learning how YouTube really works.

As a beginner, take the time to go through YouTube’s own training videos to learn the basic functions, language and best practices.  As you become more comfortable with the platform, you may find there are features you would like to incorporate to extend the impact of your videos, and drive viewers on to your content.

Start with Content

Whether you are explaining How-To, or commenting on the state of the world, your YouTube video must be able to hold the attention of the viewer.

Before you start recording, think through your presentation. If you’re creative and adept with video tools, you might be able visualize a spectacular layout.  If you’re thinking only of the words you will use, focus on how you will present them.

You on Camera

If you plan to be in front of the camera, as most YouTubers are, you will have to consider how you want to look.

This is where video can cost you money. You can invest in an external camera, ring lights, stands, green screen (for virtual backgrounds), and stand-alone microphone. Even your clothes, hair and makeup, and room props can be stylized for your intended on-screen presence.

While many rage about the need for authenticity in marketing and online business, it’s hard to imagine that many of the videos you see are spontaneous creations by singular individuals. The polished smiles, cute poses, hand gestures, and clean backgrounds all speak to a level of intention in creating the ‘right’ atmosphere for their presentation.

As you decide what works best for you, consider your audience, who are you trying to reach and why a particular approach might appeal to them.

Props for Your Vision

To separate your videos and establish your creative presence, you are going to want to make an investment in time, money or both.

And your YouTube channel can cost you even more money.

You can differentiate your videos by adding virtual effects like dynamic headlines, or real props that allow you to stand out. Some of these editing options are included with video software, some can be bought separately.

Recording and Editing

Creating your video can be as simple or as complicated as your budget will allow. While high quality, professional videos are great, they are not always what works best on YouTube. 

If you are doing an explanation video on your desktop, a screen recording using Screenflow (for Mac) or Camtasia (for PC) would be sufficient for viewers who are looking for information.

But if you want to make an impactful message video about major issues, you will want to separate your work from all those who are doing similar activities.  You can record your own live video, or use apps that have pre-cleared live video scenes that you can incorporate with your own words and graphics.

And once you have recorded your video, you can spend time editing to include music, layered images, additional videos or other features that create a polished product.

You can do all this work yourself, or outsource editing, if you have the budget for those costs. Either way, when your video is ready, you can upload directly to YouTube and be live.

Making Money with YouTube

YouTube is the only major platform that enforces minimum interest numbers before allowing you to profit from your content. As of this writing, you need 1,000 subscribers to your channel, and 4,000 hours of viewing to monetize your video channel with advertising.

But prior to reaching those numbers you can still make money if you are able to obtain sponsorships or promote your own products.

Sponsorships

Being a YouTuber is one time when using other people’s products can be particularly lucrative. If you are creating videos that use specific products to tell the story, you may be able to have the products’ companies sponsor your videos.

You will have to show you have an audience, and deliver a sense of the value the sponsor could derive from the video. Sometimes advertisers will only be interested in sending you more free product to promote, but others may be inclined to pay you a fee if you have a niche audience they want to target.

For sponsorships, it does not hurt to ask for the opportunity, and see how the potential sponsor responds.

Product Promotion

You can also be your own sponsor.

If your videos tie in with your own products – books, courses, physical products – you can either incorporate them directly into your videos, or simply place links in your video description.

Promoting your own product can enhance your video’s message, if you are aligned with the message of your video.

Of course, blatant direct promotion with no value will not win you any viewers. But information tailored to help your audience can be seen as integral and effective in reaching out.

Advertising

If you continue to grow your channel organically using messaging that supports your audience’s interests, you will eventually hit the numbers necessary to profit from advertising on YouTube.

At that point, YouTube’s own programs will step in to direct ads to you based on your video content.  As your channel grows, with viewers and likes, your advertising revenue can grow also.

Although you can indicate certain preferences for ad placement on you YouTube videos, in general Since YouTube controls the ads, and there is no option to do your own advertising with affiliates like you could with a blog or podcast. But as mentioned previously, you can incorporate any type of advertising directly into your videos, and make them part of the creative process.

What Makes YouTubing Successful

The numbers really are spectacular. If you can drive viewers to your videos, and your videos are shared, you have an opportunity to make more money.

YouTube is part of the search engine, writing your video title and description to include keywords and search terms can help drive discovery.   Many people go directly to YouTube when searching for specific information. They want to consume a video rather than read a post with the same details. If you plan to be YouTubing, you should keep that in mind.

Successful YouTube channels have consistent valuable content, usually a lot of it. Once viewers find a look and style that’s appealing, they want to return for more. If you enjoy making your videos and can continue to deliver new and different subjects, your audience will continue to grow.

The real story behind YouTubing to make money online is that while you can start for nothing, you have to differentiate your videos with creativity that you post, share and cultivate for an audience that will keep coming back for more.

YouTube is a huge platform and a key element in search, if you can align your own creativity and ability to attract viewers, you will benefit from the opportunity to turn your YouTubing into an online business.

For Case Lane’s YouTube channel, click here:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCovzFtOHutvmlD0_pqFZUUg