So You Want To Start A Youtube Channel?

A Lesson Taught From Lessons I'm Learning.

In an interest of having a prosperous YouTube channel, I have studied the work of YouTubers that have had success in growing an audience and gathering higher view counts. From my research, I have found certain universal traits that seem to lead to fruitful video sharing endeavors. I decided to share these findings in an attempt to help others create quality Youtube videos and start their own Youtube channels.  With that, I present to you my article.  Here are some quick tips and advice to get you started. 

Quick Tips

As a new Youtuber, I asked on the Flite Test forum for advice on how people should start their Youtube channels. Here is some advice from those who contributed.

http://forum.flitetest.com/showthread.php?16726-Starting-a-new-RC-Youtube-Channel

1) Quality

The general consensus is this: Quality over quantity of publicising your account. Make great videos and your audience will find you. If you are not making the best content you know you can, then you will not have the audience that it is possible to have at that time. People are more likely to subscribe if you have really impressive and engaging content.

2) Make a lot of content

It is a good idea when you are just starting off to have a fair bit of content coming out of your channel. That way you have a lot of stuff for people to watch. It is not essential, especially if you are focusing on pure quality and not quantity, but it helps tell subscribers and your viewers that your channel is one to keep watching. 

3) Specialise  

Pick subjects for videos for specific audiences. Make sure your videos can be categorised into a specific area and you can target people who are interested in that. 

4) Start off general, get more specific

It is easiest to start of doing what other people have been doing, gaining an audience, and then going down a route you are passionate about. That way you can find your niche, your style and your own way of making videos. However, if you want a broader channel theme, maybe including other things aside from RC, this could work too, attracting a wider audience. 

5) Start a show or Series?

You could start some sort of show or series about your niche area of RC. This could help make your channel seem more professional. 

Examples

There are many examples of great Youtube channels out there that all have something unique about them. This diversity demonstrates how you don't have to be the same to be successful. Here are a few popular channels, that you have probably have heard of before, in order to demonstrate this and also to give you a bit of inspiration.

RCTESTFLIGHT

Daniel Riley has been making excellent content for many years now, now including a vast number of reviews, personal RC challenges, edits, builds and equipment related videos. For anyone who hasn't seen his channel yet, be warned that you may loose quite a few hours of your day catching up on what you have been missing!

Drive Along FPV - RCTESTFLIGHT

Huge 3-Axis Brushless Gimbal for FS700 - RCTESTFLIGHT -

Experimental Airlines

Ed creates fantastic videos about his own designs. Like his aircraft, his channel has a unique style and character about it. He even runs the occasional competition for his viewers, offering prizes for the best aircraft design.

Synapse FPV Desert Aerial Video

Putting the tips to work

As an experiment, I decided that I would take the tips in this article and start a youtube channel dedicated to RC related content. Here is the result of my efforts with the first three videos on the channel. For these, I focused on making 'edits', short videos made up of edited together clips for the purpose of pure entertainment. I used examples of other Youtubers whilst focusing on a specific audience - The Flite Test family.

These three videos are the beginning of something bigger I have planned for the channel. You could make a plan too. 

I intend to start making well produced overview videos to accompany my articles, created mainly for the Flite Test community, such as with my article on the Super Detailed FT Spitfire for example. These will probably be in a similar style to some of Flite Test's videos, but evolve into a more unique personal form as time progresses.

I will also appear more in my videos, using some of David Windestal's recent videos as an example to follow. I want to be making high quality videos with pieces to camera, sharing what I'm doing, using DSLR's and lighting. High end production like that.   

In the future, the channel may expand into a broader channel of general things I am into, such as film making, yet it will always have its origins in RC related content. 

Hopefully you have found this article helpful, informative and useful. Making a youtube channel is not hard, but making one which works successfully takes focus and careful direction to achieve what you want it to.

I feel I should point out that the content of this article is purely composed of mine and others non-expert opinions and views.  Think of it as a helpful guide written by a friend rather than someone who is a professional! I was trying to research the best ways to start a youtube channel and thought I would share for the common good of the Flite Test community.

As a final note, a big thank you to the following users on the forums who contributed to this article through their suggestions and tips. 

• Nerdnic
• ClearSkiesCalmWinds
• Montiey
• DharanFlyer
• Snarls
• Evan

Thank you for reading!