This article is part of my ongoing YouTube Articles and Guides series.
I received a question on ask.fm recently: “Any tips for a starting youtuber?” and decided to make a short post about this. If you have things that should be added to the list, leave a comment! These tips are based on my personal experience after over doing YouTube every day for over two three years.
I also recently made a video about this list, to share these tips with my YouTube audience and also to delve deeper into the individual tips:
- Don’t let anyone tell you, you are too late to the game. It’s not true.
- Watch Tutorial by other YouTubers and read up on the topic. Learn how to edit your videos.
- Always try to improve your commentary. Avoid fillers like “eehm”.
- Play what you enjoy; switch it up with smaller, less popular games.
- Don’t spam your link in comments (or anywhere).
- Don’t do a sub for sub or anything similarly stupid.
- Don’t obsess so much over sound insulation and hardware before you got your commentary down.
- Treat every other YouTuber with respect.
- Treat your viewers with respect. A happy viewer is worth those few seconds you spend replying to him.
- Try something different – don’t always do what everyone else is doing.
- Don’t take mean comments to heart.
- Don’t ignore constructive criticism, you will need it to grow.
- Don’t take it personal if a YouTuber does not want to collab with you. We are busy people and less social than you might think.
- Don’t get into fights in the comments, be the bigger person. Delete insulting comments and ignore.
- Remember: People subscribe for you. If they sub for a game, they are not here to stay anyway.
- Help other people that want to start YouTube / Twitch / anything in life.
- Don’t expect the same enthusiasm from your friends that don’t do YouTube – they will probably not get it. Find a group online to have other YouTubers to chat with and grow.
- Watch your video after recording and ask yourself “What can I do better next time?”.
- Learn how to make engaging thumbnails. Don’t be lazy: Write your descriptions and tags.
- Be consistent and upload on a schedule. If you can’t keep to the schedule, do less – but stay consistent.
- Don’t expect anyone to give you shout outs, they won’t help anyway if your content isn’t good.
- Use Social Media to your advantage. Don’t just auto-post your videos there – engage with your audience.
- Expect to spend a LOT of time on your new hobby.
- Unless you are very, very good or have a very unique idea, don’t try to do a Minecraft-focused chanel. There is way too much competition to gain traction. If you want to anyway, make sure to switch up the content with other games to gain new subscribers.
- You are not your subscriber counter or your views. Don’t obsess over numbers, it’s unhealthy.
- Growth in the beginning is slow, don’t get discouraged. It can take years, but you can do it!
- Never buy subscribers, Twitter followers or any of that. It will just hurt you.
- Don’t overexert yourself too often – it will burn you out. Get some sleep instead.
- Don’t sign the first network that contacts you. Most of the time you don’t need a MCN in the beginning.
- Don’t sign a contract that locks you in a year. Also a 60/40 cut is not a good deal. Don’t believe outrageous claims by small networks.
- You should not expect any money from YouTube in the beginning. It takes time. Don’t even think about going full-time unless you already make money.