Becoming a YouTube star?

[Eddi]

I want to become a YouTube star!

I think I have what it takes

In the past I have had a YouTube channel but I stopped doing it after about four or five videos but I now want to have another go

Does anyone have any wisdom or advice about doing a successful YouTube channel?

And does anyone have any ideas about content, and how often to post new videos?

 

[Quintessence]

From what I've heard from a successful channel (as in, it's their day job and they've got 500K+ subs) I watch regularly, you will want to keep in mind:

• Ad revenue from ShmuckTube is peanuts. You cannot and should not rely on it for this and other reasons - have a Patreon or something similar set up if you expect to make an actual living wage from it.
• You will be at the mercy of the algorithm - it will have a substantial impact on the traction of your content. One of the major problems I have with ShmuckTube in general is how it goads content creators into placating the algorithm and worsening their channels as a result. I'll grant others don't give two pence about that, so you'll just have to ask yourself how much you are willing to compromise the integrity and quality of your work to placate the algorithm. A few must-dos to placate the algorithm even if you don't compromise your integrity in other ways:
  
  • Have a regular and consistent release schedule for your content (I hear ShmuckTube is especially merciless on this one - if you take a week vacation your channel will drop like a rock)
  • Be timely with your content if you are covering current or recent news and information (if you are not the first, you will not get the clicks and the traction unless you are already a well-established channel with a dedicated viewership)
  • Avoid terms that will get you demonetized (there is a whole slough of content creation rules that are way above and beyond what I know but you will want to review these regularly and often to avoid blacklisting channel from the almighty algorithm)
• Ask yourself one very important question - is the content I am producing suitable for videos? That is, does it regularly and routinely contain both audio and visual elements together in motion? If you are not producing content that involves a lot of show-and-tell, look into a medium that makes more sense for your content, like a Podcast if all you are doing is talking and not showing.
• Don't try to do everything on your own. Especially when the channel takes off, you will want to hire someone to do your production and/or editing and/or manage any livestream chats/donations while you are recording. If you are making content that actually makes sense for video, video editing is a lot of work when you are doing it correctly (speaking as someone who used to do some of that).

 

[Eddi]

From what I've heard from a successful channel (as in, it's their day job and they've got 500K+ subs) I watch regularly, you will want to keep in mind:

• Ad revenue from ShmuckTube is peanuts. You cannot and should not rely on it for this and other reasons - have a Patreon or something similar set up if you expect to make an actual living wage from it.
• You will be at the mercy of the algorithm - it will have a substantial impact on the traction of your content. One of the major problems I have with ShmuckTube in general is how it goads content creators into placating the algorithm and worsening their channels as a result. I'll grant others don't give two pence about that, so you'll just have to ask yourself how much you are willing to compromise the integrity and quality of your work to placate the algorithm. A few must-dos to placate the algorithm even if you don't compromise your integrity in other ways:
  
  • Have a regular and consistent release schedule for your content (I hear ShmuckTube is especially merciless on this one - if you take a week vacation your channel will drop like a rock)
  • Be timely with your content if you are covering current or recent news and information (if you are not the first, you will not get the clicks and the traction unless you are already a well-established channel with a dedicated viewership)
  • Avoid terms that will get you demonetized (there is a whole slough of content creation rules that are way above and beyond what I know but you will want to review these regularly and often to avoid blacklisting channel from the almighty algorithm)
• Ask yourself one very important question - is the content I am producing suitable for videos? That is, does it regularly and routinely contain both audio and visual elements together in motion? If you are not producing content that involves a lot of show-and-tell, look into a medium that makes more sense for your content, like a Podcast if all you are doing is talking and not showing.
• Don't try to do everything on your own. Especially when the channel takes off, you will want to hire someone to do your production and/or editing and/or manage any livestream chats/donations while you are recording. If you are making content that actually makes sense for video, video editing is a lot of work when you are doing it correctly (speaking as someone who used to do some of that).

I'm not in it to make any money so I'm not bothered about any of that

I want to post things for fun

I aim to do documentaries and a weekly (or possibly twice weekly) commentary on what's happening in the world, from my own personal political and religious position!

 

[Quintessence]

So kind of like a video web blog, basically? It might not take off and make you a star, exactly, but to my mind first and foremost it should be something you enjoy for its own sake, yeah?

You might look into a video production class at a community college if one is available. It's a surprisingly complex career that I had once looked into (and didn't go into largely because of how volatile it is in terms of employment haha) and getting a grasp of the basics wouldn't take too long. Learn some basics on scripting, editing, pacing, shot composition, etc. Depends on how semi-professional you want things to look I guess?

In any case for something like documentaries or personal diatribes I would definitely avoid having ads appear during your videos if at all possible. I don't mind them at the very start, but most channels I have just stopped watching because they are interrupted like every five minutes with aids. It's super annoying, super distracting, and ruins the message of the creator.

 

[Eddi]

So kind of like a video web blog, basically? It might not take off and make you a star, exactly, but to my mind first and foremost it should be something you enjoy for its own sake, yeah?

You might look into a video production class at a community college if one is available. It's a surprisingly complex career that I had once looked into (and didn't go into largely because of how volatile it is in terms of employment haha) and getting a grasp of the basics wouldn't take too long. Learn some basics on scripting, editing, pacing, shot composition, etc. Depends on how semi-professional you want things to look I guess?

In any case for something like documentaries or personal diatribes I would definitely avoid having ads appear during your videos if at all possible. I don't mind them at the very start, but most channels I have just stopped watching because they are interrupted like every five minutes with aids. It's super annoying, super distracting, and ruins the message of the creator.

Yes, more like a video blog!

And I definitely don't want any adverts I hate adverts!

I got an A in Media Studies at college so I can already put together a film but I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to look into all that anyway

I am confident that I can produce quality content

 

[Quagmire]

I want to become a YouTube star!

I think I have what it takes

In the past I have had a YouTube channel but I stopped doing it after about four or five videos but I now want to have another go

Does anyone have any wisdom or advice about doing a successful YouTube channel?

And does anyone have any ideas about content, and how often to post new videos?

You never know what's going to catch on, Eddi.

One of the hottest internet sensations right now is Hawk Tuah girl

Spoiler: Sexual content

Hawk Tuah Girl - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

All she did was make an offhand comment about spitting, and now she's a celebrity.

She's already been on Bill Maher's show and iirc she's gotten offers to start her own show.

Anyway, I think the lesson there is; just be yourself, because you never know what people are going to go crazy over.

Anyway, let me know when you start your channel, I'll subscribe.