Are you using YouTube for your creative small business? By 2021, video marketing will drive 80% of total internet traffic! In this blog post, I’m hosting Trena Little, a YouTube strategist, on how to start a YouTube channel and what common video content mistakes to avoid.

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Today, I’m hosting Trena Little, YouTube Strategist for Creatives! She is going to be sharing How to start a YouTube channel today!

How to Start a YouTube Channel

Let’s face it, video isn’t going anywhere. The problem is that you’re busy. I get it! I’m a mom and business owner so I know that time absolutely can feel like your most precious commodity. But here’s the thing: starting a YouTube channel doesn’t have to take up your whole schedule. It may feel like one more thing to do but YouTube can be one of your hardest working employees. Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging. Let’s dig into how to get started with video without having to sacrifice your entire day.

Start with a Plan.

One of the biggest mistakes I see in video creators is diving in with no plan in place. This is a surefire way to ensure that you’re using a ton of time on creating content without seeing much in the of results. Instead, start figuring out when you can record your videos in batches. If you know you need to have makeup on and children out of the house, set aside a block of time on the calendar for that. Set aside an hour to record a months worth of content. This time batching will help you stay on track AND see results.

Choose the Right Video Ideas.

To gain traction as an authority on YouTube, you’re going to need to talk about the same topic a lot. For example, I’m an authority on YouTube strategy. Which means I’ve created videos on how to get more YouTube views many times. And guess what? That’s totally okay! You can create the same videos because not everyone is going to see each video.  

But let’s say you’re still feeling a little stuck. The best place to look for content ideas is your very own blog. Take a look at what posts you’ve created that have been most popular or most visited. Then create content around those posts.

Use a Script.

So many times people will try to “wing it” when recording videos. They feel like this is the most natural way of speaking to a camera and in reality, it’s not the best or easiest way to create content. Why? Because you need to follow a format to keep your viewers interested. This formula isn’t hard either. It’s as simple as a hook, an intro, your actual content and finally, your CTA.

Following this formula helps you build that know like and trust with your audience that is so important. You want your viewers to know that you’re going to be providing them with value every time they watch a video on your channel.

Your Equipment.

This is the part that people get really hung up on. There’s some belief that you have to have the top of the line, most professional equipment to get started on YouTube. This just isn’t true. You can use what you have. If what you have an iPhone, guess what? That’ll work. It’s not about the equipment as much as it’s about the quality of what you put out. This means you need to pay attention to your lighting and your audio. The best lighting is natural lighting. If you don’t have great natural lighting, you can always use a tree light with daylight balanced light bulbs.

Just Hit Publish.

There are so many things that can potentially be “tweaked.” And you could wait to “perfect” everything. The problem is that waiting isn’t going to give you the most valuable data. You need to know what’s working. What’s not working. You need to be able to tune into analytics so that you CAN grow. And that means just publishing the content you’ve created without worrying about everything being “perfect.” By doing so, you’ll be able to dig into your YouTube analytics to get the exact data you need to shift and improve your video strategy.

Using YouTube doesn’t have to be just another thing on your to-do list. It can be your best working employee and you can start now. Remember, all it takes is a good strategy, attention to the analytics and a desire to create videos around your niche and you can start taking advantage of this amazing platform.

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