5 Things to Know Before Starting a YouTube Channel

It’s crazy to think that I’ve been on YouTube for nearly three years now! When I started, I wanted to be a light for other young women that were struggling in their faith alongside the obvious excitement to share lifestyle-based content and college advice—as a college sophomore.

In the beginning, I was purely “winging it” in every sense of the phrase. I watched a couple YouTuber's videos about making a channel banner, editing, and how to “make money” (as if I was even heading in that direction), before kicking off my journey with a typical "introduction" video.

I have always been one to research every detail when I start something new but know that most people aren’t as eager to spend their time doing the same.

So, since I’m sure many of you have incredible content to share with the world, I wanted to share this post that I pray is both informative and encouraging. Let's get into it, shall we?

1. yes, you should “brand yourself” first

I know that the term “branding” is overused by content creators, but it’s one of the most important steps when building a new platform.

Not only are you bare without a brand, but you aren’t able to establish yourself efficiently until there’s at least one reason why people can distinguish you from “the others.”

I’ve already written a couple posts about “branding” but, to break it down in simple terms, branding is an identifier. This includes, for a YouTube Channel, your:

— channel name
— topics + subtopics
— channel banner, end-slates, and introduction
— editing style (jump-cuts, transitions, and commentary)
— color scheme + thumbnail style

Knowing what I know now, branding is definitely more specific for a blog than anything else—filtering all the way down to what font to use for headlines and paragraphs.

For a YouTube channel, the colors and intro / “outro” elements aren’t as important as your theme and editing style. If you watch YouTube, I'm sure you can admit that you’re more aware of how people craft (or edit) their content than if they use the same colors in their thumbnails.

With that said, branding yourself doesn’t have to be as difficult as it seems. Creating a word document and writing out a general outline will help you stay on track as you create content.

For one, creating an intro and channel banner can feel exciting when you’re first starting out so take advantage of that “excitement” while it’s still fresh.Then, once you finish your initial images and pick out music or a color scheme, I suggest you take the time to write out a purpose statement with a range of topics.

related post: How to Attract Your Ideal Audience + Get Traffic to Your Blog

Here’s an example of my go-to outline:

2. no, you shouldn’t just put “anything” out there

Once you’ve decided that it's time to start a channel, with an attempt to “brand yourself,” you should get used to the fact that your content is king on this marvelous platform.

I’m sure you’ve heard from others that starting when you’re unprepared is better than waiting until you have everything “in order," but that's not necessarily true.

Yes, it's recommended that you start "whenever," but rushing the process is dangerous. Although I do believe that you should start when you have the urge, attempting to film and create the best content you physically can land you much further, faster.

It’s not practical to have a production company appear out of thin air with a camera and audio crew, but it IS practical to spend an extra couple days on a video than you intended—to make sure it’s the best it can be.

Trust me, re-filming a sit-down video for the third time may not be enjoyable, but the outcome will feel much better and probably do well on your channel as you grow and gain more loyal subscribers (that love binge-watching their favorite creators).

 

3. money won’t come until you earn it

Even I, a young woman with less than two thousand subscribers, am able to make money on YouTube. (Check out this video sharing my first Google check to learn more).

When I first started, I was one of the lucky ones that could enjoy the benefits of a viral video with a much more lenient threshold for Google Adsense—YouTube’s partner program. Now, with the changes they’ve made to their threshold, one has to have over one thousand subscribers and four thousand hours of watch time before they can earn from their channel.

This is YouTube’s way of showing you, rather than telling you, that money is NOT as painfully easy to come across like many assume.

With some friends and acquaintances from high school creeping on my platforms, many eventually found the courage to message me with questions that, more or less, had to do "getting rich" off of videos.

It’s as if the main reason why people want to do anything is to get a check nowadays and this, my friends, is a mindset you should run from.

Nothing worth having comes easy and now, with the new threshold set in stone, creators that start just to attempt to reach Logan Paul status (which is also not recommended) end up dropping like flies after a few months of varying effort.

Long story short, money won’t come until you earn it. Plain and simple.

 

4. they’re right when they say you don’t need professional equipment

Not too long ago, I filmed a “day in the life” video showing off the equipment I use and how I set up a filming space in a small dorm room.

Everything in that video is typical "YouTuber" gear, but not necessary. My ring light, which is always recommended later down the line or for those that are serious about creating content, has done me well thus far.

Could I survive with just my cell phone and a detachable light? Yes.
Did it hurt to purchase what I did as an “investment?” No.

Since everyone has their own journey when it comes to creating content online, I’ll never come onto my blog or channel (like I used to) and proclaim how one MUST purchase a ring light and fancy camera to survive.

Not only are some college kids I know making it online with just their updated iPhone, but with a one-time investment in a high-quality editing program, some have been able to beat out the competition that sport thousand dollar cameras and professional filming setups.

Below, at the end of this post, are a few products that I’ve invested in for my channel with a couple options that one would consider “beginner” and “budget-friendly.” Again, I’m just sharing these recommendations to inform those that want to know what I use but by no means endorse spending money before actually "starting."

Do your best with what you have until what you have is “the best.” Share on X

 

5. you can’t stop if you really want “it”

No matter what you want out of creating a channel, "consistency" is the word you’ll hear from some of the largest creators and platforms until the day YouTube dissipates into thin air.

Consistency is not the only key, but it’s survival.

For me, my “it” was both financial freedom and the ability to have a large platform that encourages transparency and mental health awareness.

I know it seems cliche to say that I want to be successful for other people, but I genuinely just want to spread the light I’ve acquired as far as I can. This is not only a dream of mine, but it’s a purpose I’ve slowly grown into.

With this “it” in mind, I know that stopping is not possible. Aside from stopping, I know that leaving my channel for months at a time is not only unacceptable but it's doing my purpose an injustice.

The same goes for you, my friends, and can be the difference between your success or your burn out.

My last piece of advice before I close out this post is to develop a game-plan to “fool-proof” your YouTube journey. I’ve attached a picture of a few sticky notes I keep on my computer to ensure I never stray from my weekly goals.

That’s all for this post, until next time! I plan on continuing this topic with actual content breaking down the branding process and video-editing workflow that has helped me stay decently consistent across my platforms.

If you’re interested in the tech I use for my posts, check below for a list of camera equipment, lighting, and backgrounds that helped me create some of the videos you can find here.

I wish nothing but the best for the next generation of creators. Please share this post if you enjoyed it, and comment below if you have a channel of your own that you’d like to share!

As always,
Live Intentionally.