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Share your stories, your creativity, and your knowledge on the world’s biggest video platform – here’s how to become a YouTube creator.

You want to be a creator? Well you’ve come to the right place and at the right time! Anyone can become a creator and be successful on video platforms in this day and age. With a few pushes in the right direction, we’ll help ensure you start making traction with your content.

YouTube is the world’s favourite video platform, even with teens despite their love of TikTok. In fact, around 2.7 billion people head to YouTube for content every single month – that’s a lot of potential audience!

As Mark Mulligan of MIDiA Research says, we’re in a consumer as creator economy now. Apps like TikTok and YouTube want the users to be the creators. The potential is there, it’s time to do it and with some advice to help you start your journey.

How to get started creating on YouTube

Anyone can join YouTube and start their very own channel. You can upload any content that you like as long as it meets their content policies, so whatever you want to create there’s a spot for you!

If you’re brand new to this, then you’re going to need to create a channel. Here’s how you start your very own YouTube channel:

  1. First you need to sign into YouTube using a Google Account.
  2. Once you’re signed in, click ‘Create Account’, and choose whether it’s for you or for your business.
  3. You can then create a YouTube channel on your account, upload videos, leave comments, and create Shorts and playlists.

Once you’ve got your channel, make it personal! You want your channel to be instantly recognisable, so use a unique name can easily be associated with your content. Make sure the appearance is immediately distinguishable and personal to. Here are some tips for getting your channel just right in this video.

The next step is to upload your videos. Whether they are a direct upload from a phone recording you made or an edited piece that you’ve put together, your video has a place on YouTube.

  1. Uploading is easy. You just sign into your YouTube account and then click on the “Create” icon.
  2. If you’re planning to upload a longer form video, select “upload video” and then choose your desired video file – you can upload 15 files at a time!
  3. If you’d like to upload a YouTube Short, you’ll need to be signed into YouTube mobile, where you’ll tap ‘Create’ and then ‘Create a Short’. From here you can either upload a video from your camera roll or create using our suite of lightweight tools.

YouTube supports most video file formats, so you shouldn’t have an issue on upload. If you’re unsure, you can check which file formats YouTube works with here.

Content Conundrum? Discover your YouTube niche as a creator

If you want to make an impact on YouTube, then you need to discover what your content niche is. This means deciding the type of content you want to create and that your channel will provide to a specific audience.

This can be anything: Vlogs, beauty tutorials, how-tos, comedy skits, animation, etc.. Choose something that feels right to who you are, makes the best use of your skills and talents, and that you think you’ll be able to create regular content for.

Having a direction helps you to come up with ideas for content, but more importantly it builds your channel and audience. If all of your content is on a similar theme then audiences who enjoy will know to watch more from you. However, if you upload a mix of all sorts of content, it’s much less likely to lead to long-term engagement which will build your channel.

Choosing your niche doesn’t mean that you have to pigeon hole yourself however. YouTube breeds creativity, just try to create some kind of consistency and consider whether your next idea appeals to the audience you’ve already built on the videos you’ve made.

Gear Up Like a Pro: Essential equipment for YouTube Mastery

You don’t need to spend loads on a bundle of professional equipment to make videos. You don’t even necessarily need to buy a camera. These days, most of us have a high-quality camera in our pockets already. If your phone shoots HD video, then you’ve got a start! If you want to go the camera route though, there are plenty of affordable options out there to get started with. Do your research to find the best one for you needs and budget. Don’t invest more than you need to or too early.

If you become successful, then you can start to consider using your earnings to upgrade but be humble and work out how to use what you’ve got or to work with little. At the end of the day, with a high quality camera it is more dependent on how you make your content than what you make it with.

Here are the things to consider buying to shoot your videos with:

  • A budget second camera – Cheap GoPro’s and knock-off action cams are really versatile and easy to use for some on-the-go shooting or a second camera angle
  • A tripod – A full size tripod will give you steady shots wherever you go whilst a small gorilla pod is versatile and will allow you to place it almost anywhere. Make sure you get an attachment that fits on to your camera or your phone.
  • A clip-on microphone – You can get lavalier microphones really cheap. They’re incredibly versatile, great for recording indoors and outdoors with ease.
  • SD cards and hard drives – You’re going to be taking up a lot of space shooting video and audio, organise your life with some good storage that suits the equipment you have

Conquer Camera Shyness: Tips for natural on-camera presence

Being in front of the camera does not come naturally. It’s normal to feel a bit uncomfortable when you first start talking to the camera, or looking at the footage and judging how you look in front of it.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to not be perturbed. Keep doing it, with practice it will start to feel natural and you will also learn what looks and sounds better in front of the camera.

The less you feel awkward, the less you will be awkward. It’s a bit like socialising in real-life. Make eye contact with the camera, smile, express yourself physically, ensure you have good posture, and talk slowly and clearly.

If you’re shooting out in public, it definitely takes a while to feel comfortable presenting to the camera in front of strangers. As with before, practice is the best way to get better. Keep being uncomfortable and slowly it will become more normal the more you do it.

Editing 101: Simple techniques to polish your videos for perfection

Okay, so we’ve discussed how to approach your content before you make it and what to do with it once it’s ready to upload. But, what about actually making the videos in the first place?

It will depend on the type of content you’re creating as to how you approach editing. Take inspiration from how other people approach their videos and think about how you could implement their techniques in your own unique way. Especially look at if there are specific camera and editing techniques in content similar to yours that makes it work. But be sure to find your own path from their inspiration – don’t copy.

The first thing to remember is: Editing begins in the recording process. What this means is, consider how you want to edit your video together, the scenes and shots you want, the camera angles and sounds you require. There is nothing worse than coming to edit your video and realise you’re missing something and need to record more – especially if all your prior recordings had the same lighting and audio setup, matching that again can be really hard.

Once you have all of your video and audio ready to go, it’s time to take it to your software. If you’re not already nifty with a video editing program then you’re going to need to get to know one. There are some great free-to-use video editing tools out there like Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve. It’s good to get to know one well so that you can use that for whatever you need to do.

When it comes to splicing your clips together, think of it a bit like music. There is a rhythm to video and sound and you’ll need to try to feel it. You should intuitively be able to tell if a transition feels abrupt between shots. Just like creating music, find the rhythm that feels right for you and suits what you want to create.

You can also consider how you’re keeping your audience engaged with your editing. Teasing content that comes later in the video is a great way to get people hooked and watching the whole thing. Likewise, keeping your video interesting with cuts and exciting scenes helps keep viewers watching. Even if your video is simply you talking to a camera, try to include zooms and different camera angles to make your content dynamic and keep your viewers eyes interested.

Engagement is King: Strategies to grow your audience and build community

To grow your channel you have to make sure your content is correctly appealing to your target audience. We’ve already discussed discovering your niche and now it’s time to get to know the audience of that niche.

First off, optimising your content starts simply; with your video title, thumbnail, and description. Make sure that they accurately reflect the content you create. You especially want your title and thumbnail to be clear, telling what your content is, whilst also drawing people in to watch what your video is all about.

If you’re creating Shorts rather than long-form video, use the first couple of seconds to grab the viewers attention. There is a game to grabbing the attention of viewers at first glance through the snippet they first see of a short or the thumbnail they glance whilst browsing. Once they’re hooked, the content will speak for itself.

A good title and description will help you out in search results as well. You want to make sure that people searching for the type of content you’re creating can find you, so include keywords.

The best way to get the algorithm to present your content to more people is through good engagement. For regular YouTube videos, this means likes, comments, and subscribes. Yep! There’s a reason every YouTuber asks for them. Encourage interactions. A good way to do this naturally, is to provoke commentary from viewers in the comment section below. Encourage people to join the conversation and interactions will grow, boosting your presence.

For Shorts viewers, the same principles apply. There is another method of engagement that is important too. Replays of a Short are like gold for content in the algorithm’s eyes. That’s why you’ll often see Shorts that try to create a clean transition from the end back to the beginning, or sometimes Shorts will make a user watch again after hearing/seeing something at the end of the video. This is because it shows the content is engaging. A Short that gets replayed has a good chance of being boosted into people’s feeds.

Play the Game: How does the YouTube algorithm work?

YouTube has developed a sophisticated system to present viewers the content they think they are most likely to enjoy. Videos are recommended to users based on what they watch, as well as what they don’t watch. The amount of time they spend watching videos will play a part in the types of content recommended.

Likes and dislikes are a really good for users to tell YouTube what to give them more of – and what to avoid. If you’re a viewer yourself, then this a good way to tune the algorithm to your tastes with ease.

In this video, YouTube themselves teach you about how the algorithm works and how to use it to your advantage.

Because the algorithm is so heavily based on a viewer’s personal preference you must focus on ensuring it appeals to your audience. Make content that resonates with your target audience and their views and interactions will serve the algorithm and connect to similar viewers.

Collaborate to conquer: Partnering with other youtubes for mutual growth

Collaborating with other YouTubers is a great way to get seen by a new audience and to learn from another person’s way of doing things. Collaborating can take many forms, from meeting up and creating an entire video together to simply having a feature in one of your videos.

Even if you’re miles apart, you can ask another relevant YouTuber to record a clip that goes into your video. It could be for a funny aside from your content, or it could be to bring their expert opinion into your video.

When you collaborate, you open up an opportunity for that other creator’s entire audience to see you. It’s important that you make a plan with the feature. If it’s a surprise that gets people talking that’s great! Otherwise, it helps if you both share the content to spread it’s reach as far as possible between two distinct audiences.

YouTube recommends these considerations when thinking about who to contact for a collab:

  • Could you imagine someone watching one of their videos then immediately watching one of yours? 
  • Do you have mutual values? Do they or do I need any skills, production resources, or unique access to a particular audience that the other creator can offer?
  • Do you enjoy their videos? If you don’t connect with the creator’s work, it probably wouldn’t be a successful collaboration.

Here’s how to connect with potential YouTube collabs:

  • Offer a brief synopsis of the type of video that you want to make.
  • Use their preferred method of communication, which is often indicated in their channel page’s About tab.
  • Familiarize yourself with their channel and the types of videos that they make.
  • Make it personal. Use their name and don’t just copy and paste the same note to multiple creators.

Protect your music on YouTube: Ensure you get paid as a musician (Content ID sell)

If you’re a musician, producer, or music creator of any kind then you want to keep your content protected on YouTube. That’s where RouteNote comes in with their YouTube partnership.

RouteNote uses YouTube’s Content ID library to protect artists and help them get paid more. Music that is in the Content ID library will be detected whenever it is uploaded in a YouTube video. This means that artists can earn royalties from videos which use their music. It also allows artists to protect their content if they don’t want other channels to use their songs.

RouteNote allows artists to upload their music to Content ID for free, ensuring they are protected and earning more for their work. It also ensures that YouTube adds a credit for your track and artist name on videos which your music is used.

Find out more in this video and sign up for free here: www.routenote.com

Beyond YouTube: Leveraging your channel to expand your brand

YouTube may be where your focus is, but it’s not the beginning and end of your route to success. As a creator online, it’s good to diversify your platforms and connect with audiences beyond YouTube.

Social media is the obvious first step. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (X) pages all give you a chance to communicate with fans in a different way and keep them updated with simpler content when you haven’t got a video to share. It’s a great way to connect with your audience and find out what they want by promoting conversation and seeing what your audience wants from you. You can also use the YouTube Community tab on your channel to connect more socially and casually.

You can also look to expand to other video sites. If you’re already making YouTube Shorts, TikTok is a great chance to tap into a wider audience with the same content. You will find that the particular audience that likes your content probably flocks to certain platforms, so find where your target audience spends most of its time and push yourself there.

Monetization magic: exploring different ways to earn money on YouTube

Once you start getting a following, you can begin to monetise your content and start earning as a creator. The next step in potentially become a full-time creator!

If you want to monetise directly from your content on YouTube then there are two avenues to consider and you can double down to do both and maximise your potential profits.

YouTube Partner Programme

YouTube’s Partner Programme (YPP) provides direct monetisation for eligible channels. Once you’re eligible you can earn money on your videos, funded by advertisements on your content.

The YPP also provides other monetisation potential, like channel memberships which allow fans to pay a monthly fee for exclusive features and member-exclusives from you. It also opens up features like Super Chat, Super Stickers, and Super Thanks.

If you’re in the YPP you also gain the ability to connect your shop to your channel. This means that viewers and fans can easily browse and purchase your merch and products from YouTube.

Sponsorships and partnerships

If you have an audience, then you can connect with brands to advertise their products to your audience. This is a great opportunity to earn money that isn’t impacted by ad-blockers and other preventatives to YPP’s earnings.

Sponsorships often take the form of a shout-out in your video but they may also include things like wearing their merch or even creating a whole video talking about that product. You will arrange the terms with the brand beforehand, nailing down what they expect of you and what you’ll receive in return.

Whilst brand sponsorships and partnerships are a fantastic way to earn extra income, they can put off viewers. You want to ensure that you don’t lose your audience with any promotions, keeping both the fans and the brands happy.

A good way to do this is consider your audience and choose products that are relevant for them. For example, if you run a channel on music production tips then partnering with music software and hardware companies is a great connection that will benefit all parties.

Now you’re well on your way to becoming a top YouTube creator! Share your journey and post your channel down in the comments below.