YouTube Tips for a Successful Channel

Are you looking to grow your channel’s success? These YouTube tips are key to a solid video creation foundation.

Looking at how massive YouTube is today, it’s almost impossible to believe that the website was born out of frustration for the limited number of online video platforms just 12 years ago. Even though the online video scene has grown immensely since then, with over 1.3 billion users and revenue soaring over 4 billion a year, YouTube’s stats just can’t be beat.

More importantly, YouTube has completely revolutionized the entertainment industry. Not only in the way video is consumed, but in the way it’s made. The biggest winners in this revolution have perhaps been the self-made YouTube celebrities, or “YouTubers,” the biggest of whom have earned a combined $127 million in just the past year! These vloggers have managed to amass huge audiences and carve out careers for themselves by simply sharing their creative videos on a free social media platform. So it’s not surprising that about 300 hours of YouTube videos are uploaded every single minute — who wouldn’t want a shot at fame?

The YouTube revolution has made it truly possible for anyone to become a star. All you need is unique content wrapped up in high-quality (maybe even just decent quality) videos. If you’re a budding YouTuber unsatisfied with the quality of your videos or an aspiring YouTuber, these tips are sure to improve your efforts.

1. Invest In A Microphone

You may be surprised to learn that audio quality sells more on YouTube than video quality. Some viewers may tolerate a mediocre video if the sound is great. However, it’s difficult to follow even the highest-quality visuals when the sound is either low or distorted. Many viewers won’t hesitate to move on to the next video.

Therefore, any YouTuber that hopes to build an audience has to pay special attention to the sound quality of their videos. Consider investing in a good microphone that fits into your budget. Then use a noise-removal filter to clean the recording.

2. Use A Quality Camera

The best quality can be achieved using a DSLR camera from either Nikon or Canon. These retail from around $400 — but if you’re low on cash, consider the following, more accessible alternatives:

3. Light Strategically

You can’t expect to create a quality look for your videos without some quality lighting. In fact, great lighting can even make up for low-quality cameras, and it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, just smart! When arranged strategically, a couple of desk lamps behind your PC could even do the trick. Run some test shots and see what works best in your environment with your equipment.

If your budget allows, invest in a cost-effective lighting kit that comes with a background setup with a light facing away from you to add that extra quality. You can get more ideas with these blogs on budget lighting ideas and tips for lighting outdoors.

4. Create Stability And Focus

Before you start shooting your video, make sure that your camera is stable and won’t shake during the recording. A tripod stand works well for a DSLR camera, and webcams stay put on their own. To achieve stability with a smartphone, check out tabletop tripods and other handy gadgets like the ones on our favorite “10 Best” list. Once your camera is secure, you can work on framing your shot to focus the key elements or actors.

5. Use The Jump Cut Video Recording Method

Using jump cut largely depends on the nature of the video you’re recording, but it’s definitely the easiest way to create a video with a long script. Why? For one thing, by recording many short clips, you won’t have to memorize an entire script in one go. Break the script into logical segments, memorize, and record each separately. Then merge the scenes as you edit the video.

As we said though, this all depends on the nature of your video as well as your personal style. If you’re going for a more professional, polished, or maybe just personal vibe, longer takes or even a single take might work better. Just don’t be afraid to make use of the editing tools available to you. It’s incredible what you can download for free these days.

6. Make The Video As Short As Possible

As Shakespeare once wrote: “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Maybe you’re not a comedian, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore this wise maxim.

This doesn’t mean you should jam each video into a three minute block. Some videos are  meant to be longer than others. Just be smart about how this rule applies to your unique brand of content. Whether you’re creating dramatic scenes, how-tos, or reviews, you want to stay on topic and avoid including unnecessary topic drift or fluff. Why? People don’t have a long attention span. In fact, the science shows that in today’s  on-demand society, even some goldfish may have longer attention spans than humans.

If your video doesn’t capture people’s attention within the first few seconds, they may get bored and move to something more interesting. Make sure to get the good stuff right up front, but don’t drag on once you have their attention. Include what’s important and keep them wanting more!

7. Always Have A Call To Action

A call to action at the end of your videos is a must if you want to get viewers to subscribe to your channel or share your work with others. There are lots of ways to do this aside from the obvious “don’t forget to subscribe!” at the end of the video. Get creative. Tell users to tag you in social posts with relevant pictures or stories, remind them to tune in for your next piece and give them a quick summary to garner interest. Getting viewers engaged in more ways than just clicking a button is a great way to keep them intrigued and involved.

It really isn’t that difficult to make a great YouTube video and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. You can improvise or acquire the relevant equipment at low prices and still achieve great results. Once you blend these basic YouTube tips with your video voice and style, success can be yours!