More than just the go-to platform for random tutorials we never knew we needed; YouTube is now also the home for millions of wide varieties of videos. All you have to do is simply type what you want to watch and choose the one that suits you most from the search result.
With the wide variety of video topics and audiences it caters to, YouTube has opened a Pandora’s box full of opportunities. Today, when a person says that they create content for YouTube for a living, nobody would bat an eye. This is due to the market’s demand for an even wider variety of content, per each person’s niche.
Thanks to each creator’s flexibility and freedom, along with the often-hefty income from partnerships with brands and advertisements, a YouTuber is now seen as an ideal job. Though being a content creator is dreamed of by most, figuring out where to start can be rather confusing. Here we have concluded some tips that might inspire you to kickstart your journey to becoming a YouTuber.
Identify the Topic of Your Contents
Before you even start drafting your video, you have to know the direction you are taking your channel. What type of content you’ll produce and how often you will post the content are only two of the long lists of things that you need to think about. But how do I find the right content for me?
Familiarizing yourself with the type of content available in the market is a very important first step. By doing this, it’s not only new knowledge that you’ll gain but also the opportunity to find out which type of content do you identify with the most and what gap you can fill in the market.
Choosing a topic that you are personally interested in, more often than not, can make your content more interesting to the audience. This is due to the sincerity that they can feel, all the way from your screen to theirs. That is why choosing the main topic is vital for the continuity of your channel.
Gear Up
It is no secret that a lot goes into making a single YouTube video. From developing the idea to shooting the actual video, and the tiers of the editing process, it is definitely no simple feat. In this case, working with the right tools plays a huge role in making the whole process easier.
Camera
Despite the proven quality of a DSLR camera, depending on the kind of content that you are producing, different options would be available for you to choose from. Usually, a DSLR camera is used by a more professional production as it is mostly offered at a higher price point.
Alternatively, for creators of vlogs and reviews, a mirrorless camera is often used, due to its lightness and high-quality footage. If you plan to create gaming content, a 1080p web camera can also be a pocket-friendly option. Though, remembering the quality of the camera that today’s smartphone offers, it has also become a norm to use your camera phone for video shooting.
External Microphone
One of the biggest turn-offs in watching a video is bad audio quality. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to understand what is happening and keep having to adjust the volume level of your device.
Despite the many benefits of YouTube’s wide content variety, one of the disadvantages is that the audience can always look for other videos with better quality. This is an especially bad thing for you because you can lose your audience and give them a bad impression of your channel.
To make sure that never happens, an external microphone is an answer. Comes in many forms, it is highly recommended to buy a wireless external microphone to ease your production process. However, if you are on a budget, your smartphone’s built-in microphone is also more than enough for standard audio quality.
One type of microphone is called a lapel, which is mostly used in interviews or reviews videos on YouTube. A shotgun microphone you would usually find attached at the top of a camera. Another type is a condenser mic that people usually use for ASMR videos or music-related content.
Tripod or Stabilizer
It is important for your audience to be able to comfortably watch your videos. One of the ways you can make sure of this is by providing stable video footage. Tripod and stabilizer come into play as they allow you to shoot content without incorporating shakiness.
If your contents are mostly done sitting down, and there’s not much camera movement required, then a tripod would be your best option. However, if you move around a lot, a camera or phone stabilizer would be your new best friend. Slightly more advanced than a stabilizer, a gimbal allows more movement and requires charging.
Lighting
Visibility, as an integral part of a video, requires the support of well-placed lighting. If you are just starting, working with a ring light might be easier, which also means less production time. But if a ring light is no longer enough, you can invest in softboxes, to produce softer and more natural light.
Learn How to Edit
A big chunk of being a YouTuber is just video editing, especially if you do not have a designated team of video editors. However, even with a team of editors to support you, being able to edit your own content comes with its freedom and brings a greater kind of fulfillment. One of the industry standards for video editing software is Adobe Premiere Pro, though Apple users also often prefer to use Final Cut Pro.
Above all, the most important thing in starting out your journey as a YouTuber is to be consistent in creating your content. This is because there is no predicting which one of your contents will turn out to be your big break. Good luck!