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15+ Tips to Help Your Youtube Channel Rock!
By Howard Berenbon
So, you just started a Youtube channel, and you want to know how to get subscribers, or just anyone to watch. Or, you've had a Youtube channel for a year or so and it may not be working. Well, maybe you need to give up! Quit!. Or, maybe not. I just started a new series on my Youtube channel to help your channel grow called Youtube Creators Forum. I go live on Youtube, and record help videos so you can learn some tricks and techniques that will get your channel noticed. If you like to see the current episodes, visit my channel, Youtube channel, Cyber Times LLC with this link (please subscribe!).
15+ Tips to Help Your Channel Grow and Prosper
1. Video Format. Save/render your video as an MP4 file, H.264 format, 1080P at 29fps. It may take a little longer to render an MP4 file, but it will save on the videos memory size, and load much faster than other formats. I was rendering my files as an AVI, and it rendered faster, but created a huge file, and it wasn't as clear as the MP4.
2. Custom Thumbnails. Create custom Thumbnails to attract attention to your videos. I use TubeBuddy, a free browser plugin, which allows you to create a custom thumbnail online while at Youtube. They offer a free version with limited features. But if you wanted to save your template and have other options, 3 other paid versions are available. I use the Pro version for $9 a month. It's well worth it if you do a lot of creating.
3. Key Words in Your Title and Description. It's important to describe your video with a short sentence in your Title and a longer description in your video Description. Also, if you add a few #hash tags related to your subject somewhere in the description, that may help the SEO of your video.
4. Green Screen Backgrounds. For custom backgrounds use the Green Screen/Chroma Key feature that's available in most video editors. You don't need a professional green screen. Just buy 5 yards of Kelly Green fabric from a fabric store for about $10 and tape it to your wall. I bought my Kelly green fabric at Joann Fabrics. You can buy a professional setup on Amazon or eBay for around $30. This includes a 12 foot stand and the same amount of fabric that mounts to it with clips.
5. Video Editor. I use Adobe Premiere Pro CS6 but it's no longer available. Adobe offers a subscription service for their design programs. The current version is Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Other free open source versions are available, but I prefer Adobe.
6. Camera for Live Streaming. If you want to do live videos, you need a camera connected to your computer. I use a Rocketfish HD Webcam with microphone, cost about $30. Logitech also offers several good cameras: their HD Pro C920 or HD Pro C922 also work well.
7. Separate Microphone. For live streaming you can add a separate microphone plugged into your computer. When doing videos with a camera, only the expensive cameras have a microphone jack to add a microphone.
8. Vlog Camera. I use a Canon PowerShot Elph 110HS, 16.1 MP HD camera. They are no longer made, but you can find them used and some new on eBay for around $50. It's an excellent camera with a good sounding microphone and a great picture. It does not have a separate jack to plug in a microphone.
9. Record an Into Video. Record a video with examples of your work, maybe a short montage, and don't forget to ask viewers to subscribe. When new viewers visit, this video with start playing.
10. Answer Comments. It's important to interact with your viewers, and you can do this by responding to their comments. Just a "thank you" may be enough.
11. Setup Playlist. Setting up a playlist on your channel subdivided by your video topics will help people find what they want, and keep them on your channel. The play lists should be set up to display your video thumbnails horizontally. A vertical option is available, but not recommended.
12. End Screen Annotations. Adding end screen annotations to your videos is a great way to keep people on your channel. You can select the last video, a video you select or a playlist. A thumbnail from your video or playlist will appear on your video, positioned by you, and will lead to that playlist or video.
13. Promote to Twitter. Sending tweets via your Twitter account will help get people to your Youtube channel. Even if you don't have a lot of Twitter followers, putting #hash tags in the tweet with your keywords will get indexed, and anyone even non follower can find your videos.
14. Promote to Google+ and Facebook. Similar to the Twitter tip, join or follow Facebook and Google+ pages and groups related to your Youtube content to help spread the word about your videos. When you create a video related to that group, post a short description and link. Before you do, check the posting policy. You don't want to spam the pages.
15. Promote to Reddit. Reddit is another social networking site to promote your videos. It's like a huge bulletin board with tons of content pages on any subject you can imagine called Subreddits. Reddit and the subreddit pages usually have many more restrictions than Facebook. If you don't follow them to the word, you can be suspended or even banned. So be careful what you submit and where you submit it.
16. Promote to Pinterest. Another social network that mainly accepts photos and videos, and actually ideas, on any topic. You sign up and submit your video on your own account under varous topics you've created.
17. Use Daylight from a Window. This is one of the best pieces of advice I've seen about lighting for your videos, recommended by a popular Youtuber who I follow. Set up your camera on a tripod with the lense facing you in front of a window. This method also works well for green screen videos since the daylight should evenly illuminate your Kelly green fabric. You won't need special lighting fixtures, unless you video at night.
Youtube Creators Forum
I also do some funny and odd puppet parodies if you like that kind of stuff, so please stop by. And subscribe!
