So, you’re ready to start a YouTube channel! YouTube can be a great way to grow your brand and reach a new audience for your small business. Now, you’re probably wondering what to do next to make this new adventure really worth your time. Today, I’m sharing 5 things I would do if I was starting a YouTube channel that I believe would have led to faster growth in the start.

Pick a target audience! 

By this, I don’t mean that you have to find your specific niche right away… but, I still believe that knowing who you’re talking to is important. If you have a brand already and you want to use what you’re currently talking about sharing as a business, go for it! I think that complimenting your existing brand and business is a great way to get started. Instead of picking a niche too soon (and boxing yourself in), a target audience is going to be the easiest way to figure out how to teach and who you should be teaching. 

Audio matters more than video quality!

The second thing I wish I knew when I started my YouTube channel is that audio matters more than video quality. Seriously, audio matters! It is important to have quality video, but remember that if audio is bad, people will click off of your video faster. I have a full list of all of my gear which I recommend if you’re starting out or investing into a more advanced option. But, your phone mic is going to be better than any DSLR mic, so you can always start there! Remember to sit closer to your mic when you film, too. If you film with a wider lens, this will be even easier. PS. I LOVE my Rode mic – you can get one here! 

Incorporate your own products & offerings into your videos!

The third thing that’s super important when starting a YouTube channel is to incorporate your own products and offerings into your video. I wish I had started doing this earlier on. When I first began, my goal wasn’t as clear. So I recommend that you share the products and offerings you have in your business early on. This is a great way to drive more traffic to your products, servies, podcasts, and so on. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you already have in place! You can easily create content that points to these things naturally so that it doesn’t feel as forced in your filming. 

Regularly check your YouTube analytics!

The next thing I wish I had done sooner was check my YouTube analytics regularly. Just take a look on a regular basis and see what’s performing well on your channel. Once you know what’s performing well, create more content around that topic! It’s a really good signal to you that your target audience wants to hear more about this – so jump on that train!! 

Your thumbnails matter! 

The last thing I wish I had known was that your thumbnails matter! Make sure that your thumbnails are native to the YouTube platform. What I mean by that is what works here may not work on other social media accounts. But this image is the thing that will help viewers decide if they want to watch your video or someone else’s. I like to look at everything else and see what’s already on YouTube then make something different! Bright colors, icons, and your face will do better than anything else, even if it’s not totally on brand. 

An easy way to get your thumbnails actually happens during filming. Once you finish filming your video, stop the recording then start again. In that second video, do a few poses and then later you can grab a screen grab to convert into a thumbnail. Move around the screen, leave blank space to add text later, smile and you’ll be able to find a perfect image in all of that!

If you’re interested in getting started on YouTube, make sure to check out my gear lists. I have one for beginners and one that’s a bigger investment for those further along in their journey! If you have any other questions about starting a YouTube channel, let me know! I’d love to help you!