How to make YouTube your job
Image Credit: Terje Sollie on Pexels
Ash Sanders,
25th Jul 2022
Tags:
Life
Blog
Social Media
You may not know this about me, but on the side from my role here as Content Controller for xRhythms, I run a YouTube channel...and get paid to do it. Last year my channel (From The Ash) was viewed over half a million times.
My videos focus on a range of things, from travelling across the world, to reviewing viral food and drink trends, (people love these videos for some reason!), to spending time vlogging with family and friends in incredible places.
You can watch one of my favourite videos below, but there are loads of others you may like so head on over via this link and check it out.
Working in social media as a 'YouTuber' is of course lots of fun, but let me tell you this...it takes a lot of hard work too. There are tonnes of hours of filming, editing, administration, curation and even scripting that your audience never sees...but it is all crucial if you're going to create content for people to really connect with and enjoy.
So having achieved some success in video creation (although I keep working toward even more success in the years to come!) I wanted to pass on my top four tips for anyone reading this who would love to try making videos for YouTube in some form too.
1. Be consistent
Some days you'll make a video and think you've smashed it....only for it to get next to no views! This has happened to me more times than I can count. But in moments like this, don't give up, learn from that video's mistakes, and simply keep creating content.
When you post videos regularly, YouTube itself promotes your channel better, and also your audience that you have built up feel more connected to you, and they get to know you better with each video.
2. Be precise
It's important not to rush the creation of your video.
When you're filming it, take your time to make sure the shots look good, are well-lit, and contain everything you want them to.
When you're editing, don't rush the process - ensure your message or story is delivered in the style and manner you planned and that every cut is spot-on. When I watch others' YouTube content I can tell who took their time and who didn't, and as a viewer you need to capture people with high-quality videos, or they'll eventually switch off.
3. Be realistic
As I mentioned earlier, simply deciding you want to make videos for YouTube isn't enough - you have to realise it'll take time. In my first 18 months of From The Ash, my videos were getting next to no views. But I kept going, put in the hard work, and eventually got to 1000 subscribers, which is where YouTube will start paying you. So don't assume you'll get there overnight.
Also be realistic with your content creating schedule - don't commit to making 2-3 videos per week if you are already super-busy and won't realistically have time to film, edit, and do post-production on them all. Stick to a smaller number of videos and do them well.
4. Be creative
This is my favourite pointer, and it encapsulates what YouTube is all about, and what you're all about too. Because there is no-one like you, you're totally unique, a one-off. So the videos you make should reflect that - don't try and be like any other YouTuber you've seen, just make content that reflects you and your passions. YouTube is a hub of creativity, and you have a role to play within that, so go crazy and make YOUR videos!
I hope these tips are helpful to any of you thinking of starting a YouTube channel - and just to prove to you that following these tips do work, above is my most successful YouTube video, which got almost 400,000 views!
