Why I started Small Channel Shoutouts and my Youtube channel tips
HOW DO I BEGIN?
Back in 2011 when I first decided I wanted to start a Youtube Channel. I can recall that I had been looking online about Keratin products. I came across a video with a woman talking about a particular product I had heard about and wanted to know more before I purchased so i watched. As I am watching, it occurred to me that this was just an average person, not a celebrity or "guru" as I had always thought was mainly on Youtube. I had already begun a blog by this time and a Facebook page dedicated to talking about beauty, makeup and thrifty shopping. I had someone assisting me when I began, with graphics and making short videos to promote me but I had no idea the ways to actually grow my channel. When I decided to make my own videos it started out with just simple drugstore hauls (as these are the kinds of videos I was watching and learning on how people were getting great deals on products) I figured I was doing this anyway so why not share it? Only now there was just one problem.....
WHO WILL WATCH ME?
How will anyone see this? I mean Youtube is a massive forum from which to be seen from but how will they find me in a multitude of channels and faces that have been established and or are providing much better content than I could ever force out? I had no idea outside of sharing on Facebook where my subscribers were going to come from.
Such is a huge frustration for all of us smaller Youtubers who take the direction that I did and want to start a Youtube channel for themselves after watching others do it for so long. I can remember back when I started i was watching some larger Youtubers who had a massive following and they seemed to be normal, regular salt of the earth type people not your typical "Beauty Guru" which if you're familiar with in the Youtube beauty community there seems to be an endless array of perfectly poised and sounding young women who define the sterotype of being such guru with the inclusion of one or all of these things in their videos:
1. A pure white background featuring some kind of candle burning
2. Alex drawers (purchased from Ikea perfect for storing makeup and other beauty essentials especially if you are buying ever known makeup brand there is.
3. Some sort of ring lighting or "diva" lighting as they call it now
4. a RIDICULOUS amount of makeup, skincare, brushes, palettes what have you all in the name of sticking with the trends of what you need to buy next no matter how much you break the bank featured in all tutorials and "get ready with me" videos.
5. That ever condescending tone in their voice as if you don't know they are about to sell you some kind of crap they themselves got sent for free, a brand that sponsored them or they gush is this weeks "amazing" product you must purchase with their special coupon code of course. But it's their "honest" review......sure it is.
I could go on but you can probably garner the gist of what I am saying. To me, as great as they all "seem" when you first subscribe to them you learn quickly that there is a formula here that gets repeated over and over and thus keeps creating these same types of videos and channels so that must be the way to get noticed on Youtube... Right???
NOT EVEN CLOSE..
Say you walk into a fabulous boutique and see this jumper you've seen in magazines and have been wanting for a while but couldn't afford it, You finally save up enough money to purchase it so you go back to that boutique and find the jumper and quickly grab your size only to find out when you try it on it looks horrible and is just not you. Then you take a glimpse over at the register and find everyone waiting on line has that same jumper. Are you going to go purchase that jumper anyway? My guess would be no as it's just not YOU.
Youtube was created to give any individual with the mind to create a platform. A place where you the individual can voice your opinions, express your interests, show off a skill or share in a passion. Basically YOU TV. What I am saying is don't feel you have to create a channel that is designed the same or is patterned like everyone else just because of the numbers that they generate. You CAN and WILL get there eventually it just takes some effort and of course letting those out there know you exist.
HOW DOES A SMALL CHANNEL GROW?
Most channels when they start out (such as myself) rely on support from friends or family at first to give their channel that first couple of views and subscribers. While this is a great way to get your foot in the door it certainly limits the potential views and subs you could be gaining even though you just started out.
First and foremost... SOCIAL MEDIA!!!!!
You want to get yourself out there on as many platforms as possible and what better way than to be social?? If you notice whenever you post a video there is a option to "share" and on that tab is a slew of places you can potentially be posting your content.
Everyone seems to have a Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and you should too. Not only because of its widespread popularity or the infinite amount of selfies you can post but they are integral tools into promoting your channel content.
While social media is integral there are other sources where you can share your videos and posts that you might not be aware of so here is my short list of resources.
1. SVERVE: Yes this site is mainly for bloggers with influence but you can also share your video content as well (bet you didn't know that) and they also offer campaigns based on your profile you can sign up for to potentially get you more ways to bring subscribers to your channel/blog.
2.Google+ communities: Here is where you can find just about any type of community to share your content to, Google offers a wide variety of groups dedicated to whatever channel content you create. Mainly look for the ones that are dedicated to Youtube to share your videos to.
3.Blog posts: I myself forget many times to link my videos back to my blog, Why is this important?? Well if you are someone who say does product reviews and you not only wrote your review but there is a video you also created?? well why would you NOT want to link the two together so that those that follow your blog can now find your channel and vice versa.
4.EMPIRE AVENUE: While I am still brand new to this site I can see why this could be potentially lucrative for all of your social media posts and content, It literally is a stock market of investors and areas where you can grow and build all your social media content. While it does take some time the more people you get to know, the more investments you make and receive while being able to create missions to get those and other potential investors to your channel, blog and so forth. The more you interact the more you can gain your true wealth in social media.
Also check out my video above for these and more tips on starting a Youtube channel and the importance of smaller channels and how we can help each other grow.
I hope you find these tips useful and if you have any comments or suggestions on how to grow a Youtube channel or blog feel free to comment below~~
