I have always loved YouTube. Whether I was watching or creating, I have been watching YouTube for over a decade. In that time, I’ve seen transformative changes to the overall pacing of YouTube content, the growing importance of highly saturated thumbnails and high-energy, intense intros. It almost feels like YouTube has become more of a TV channel, rather than a place for teenagers with a camera and a dream.

But is there still space… for both? Can you still be a ‘good YouTuber’ from your bedroom? Do you have to be creating Mr Beast level content in order to build a community?

The answer is no. YouTube has 2.7 billion users, so there are definitely people out there who will enjoy your content. However, it would be silly to sit and just expect the audience to find you. You should be taking the necessary steps to bridge that gap and find your community.

There are thousands of resources about how to create a good thumbnail or the importance of an attention-grabbing title, but I want to go deeper than that. Something that will sustain you as a creator. So here is how to be a great YouTuber…

Have the right motivation

It’s easy to want to get into YouTube for the money or the status. Mr Beast is estimated to make up to $700 million a year. It’s crazy, right? Why wouldn’t you want to replicate that process?

Well, what most people don’t realise is that Jimmy (Mr Beast) has been posting on YouTube for well over a decade. He began with Minecraft videos and other random content for nearly six years before he saw success. And this isn’t an uncommon story. Many YouTubers have been filming and posting for many years before they get rich and famous.

YouTube is a marathon, not a sprint. With the addition of YouTube Shorts, there is now space for people to come into the limelight on a shorter time frame, but if you want a long-term career on the platform, you have to be ok with working at nothing for a long time.

If you’re rushing into YouTube for a quick buck, you will likely give up and quit well before you see any tangible success. As of writing this article, YouTube requires a channel to have 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public long-form watch hours. You aren’t going to get that by tomorrow afternoon.

Do YouTube because you love it, because you want to get creative and because you genuinely enjoy it. You can try and pretend you do, but the truth always comes out in the end.

Be yourself

Bleh. Gross. Disgusting. Who cares.

Well, everyone, actually. As with motivation, people can always tell if you’re pretending. You can pretend to be high energy and entertaining, but if that’s not you, you’re just going to burn out. Maybe you can keep the gig up, but it’s pretty unlikely.

You don’t have to copy those with massive success in order to be successful yourself. People value authenticity, and so just showing your true personality and character will help attract the right audience.

Now, of course, you can take inspiration from the greats. A big part of YouTube success IS in the thumbnail, the hook, the call to action, so be my guest to learn from those you look up to, but you don’t have to try and completely emulate others. It may work for one video, or a few if you’re lucky, but we’re thinking about the long-term today, and it gets pretty lonely pretending to be somebody else.

Be consistent and consistently creative

This is arguably a question of logistics, but it is worthy of its own bullet point. Consistency is key – same with anything.

You don’t need to vlog daily to be successful, nor do you necessarily need to post weekly. I post bi-weekly, for example, and some big creators only post every few weeks; they may not have a schedule whatsoever!

Regardless of the time of day and day of the week when people post, they always ensure it is consistent. Posting once every 2-3 months may eventually lead to success, but it’ll likely be a much slower process. In this game, quantity is almost as big of a consideration as quality.

On that note, don’t fully sacrifice the quality of your videos just to churn them out quicker. I’ve been guilty of this before, because I’ve tried to stack videos before holidays or have an overly busy week so I can only film for an hour on a particular day, but don’t make a habit of it. The algorithm and your audience can tell when a video is rushed or lacks thought. Not every video has to be a short film or you getting stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean, but they should be creative.

When you’re just starting out, take the time to experiment. Not only to see which type of videos perform better, but also to see which you enjoy making more and which you can consistently make without becoming bored or burnt out. Take the time to really think through ideas, go through a process of writing and planning, rather than just filming and editing. Maybe make a mindmap, or a mood board – whatever gets the creative juices flowing.

Consistency is a sure way to help you grow. Your audience will appreciate it, and so will the algorithm.

Engage with your community

Replying to comments and engaging with your community is vital not only for YouTube as a platform but also for you as a creator.

Engaging with your viewers will make your channel stronger and help the algorithm notice and surface your videos, but it’s also important to acknowledge people who take the time out of their day to comment on YOUR video! Be kind and respond to what people say, even if it’s just a thank you.

YouTube also now has a community tab, where you can interact with your audience through text, images, GIFs or polls. Using it will also help with your engagement.

Experiment and Grow

YouTube is a space where you can try many different things and see what you enjoy most. You’ll likely make mistakes at the start, such as with audio or forgetting to edit out a specific ‘um’, but that’s all part of the fun!

Don’t put yourself in a box from video one, trying your hardest to copy other people in the hope of seeing the same results. Focus on yourself and your audience, not anybody else’s. This way, you will get to learn your style as a creator and what you enjoy putting out to people.

Don’t expect to have it all figured out by video 5, or even video 100. Even 5 years down the line, you’ll still be changing and growing as a creator. It’s all about reframing that in your mind from being a burden into being something truly exciting.

TL;DR

• Have the right motivation: starting YouTube for the money is an almost sure way to give up and quit
• Be yourself: your audience will be able to tell if you’re pretending to be somebody that you’re not
• Be consistent(ly creative): have a schedule and stick to it as best as you can. Your audience and the algorithm will thank you
• Engage with your community: not only will this strengthen your channel, but it will also help create loyal viewers
• Experiment and Grow: don’t be afraid to make mistakes, it’s all part of the journey and learning from them will simply make you a better creator.

Final Thoughts

If you’re wondering if there’s still space for you on YouTube, the answer is yes. You can still grow your audience, monetise your platform, and reap the rewards of being a consistent, creative YouTuber.

If you’d like any specific advice, I’d love to have a chat. Click here to contact me.

I wish you all the best on your YouTube journey. If you’re hesitating, then this is your sign to just press record. Good luck 🙂