How to Be Successful on YouTube: 13 Essential Skills

You’ve got an amazing idea for a YouTube channel, and you are full of zest, with a phone that (I hope) can shoot decent videos. But where do you start the way to YouTube success? Here’s what I want to say, it’s a journey, not a destination. Nevertheless, don’t lose heart, dear YouTuber-to-be! In this article, I will give you 13 essential tips on how to be successful on YouTube.

Essential Technical Skills

Technical skills will help you better prepare your videos, and understand the analytics reports of your channel. Here are the essential skills for learning how to be successful on YouTube:

1. Exploring Keywords and Trends

Assuming you are starting a shop in the central district of your neighborhood. You would not just pile various goods, rather, you would look into what households and individuals in the neighborhood are in search of. That’s how YouTube works too.

Think of keywords as those labels attached to your videos to inform YouTube’s algorithm of your video’s topic. Utilizing relevant keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags will help to maximize your exposure to potential viewers, and assist your content to rank higher in the search results.

2. Optimizing Videos with YouTube SEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) doesn’t just mean websites optimizing for search anymore. YouTube SEO is the process of optimizing videos so that they rank higher in search results and recommendations. This is where keyword research comes in.

Think of it like a library. An astrophysics book would not be placed in the romance section, would it? SEO optimization helps YouTube put your video in the right categories and recommend it to viewers who are looking for similar content.

3. Video Production

This may sound obvious, but good video production is more than just pointing your phone and pressing the record button. Of course, top-notch gear can bring your production to the next level, but the truth is that you can still make quality videos with what you already have. Consider:

• Sound: Get yourself a good microphone. Even the most stunning visuals can be ruined by poor audio.

• Lighting: Proper lighting is what makes or breaks a video. Sunlight is your best companion for now, but if you have no other option, try soft lighting setups.

• Shot Composition: Experiment with various camera angles as well as zooms to make your video more visually appealing.

4. Video Editing

To be honest, raw video footage can sometimes be a bit…well, raw. Video editing is your magic wand to transform that footage into a polished and captivating video. Software options are abundant, both free and paid, some with easy-to-use interfaces.

As you get started, focus on the basics: removing unnecessary footage, transitions, background music, and sound effects. These all appear to be very few changes that, however, can significantly improve the flow and engagement of your video.

5. Graphic Design for Thumbnail Creations

Your video thumbnail is your shop window display. It is the first impression that lures viewers to click on your video. Even though you don’t necessarily need to be a professional graphic designer, being aware of some basic design principles like color theory and composition can help you. There are several YouTube thumbnail tools to help you create great thumbnails for your videos.

Here’s the golden rule: Make it simple, brief, and interesting. Choose bright colors, large text, and high-quality photos that illustrate what is in your video.

6. Marketing to Boost Your Visibility

You have produced a great video, but how can people know that? This is where the marketing part is. There are uncountable ways to promote your channel, both on YouTube and outside of it. You can try these:

• Social Media: Include your videos on other platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. Tease clips to arouse the interest of the viewers and include a link that will lead to the full video on YouTube.

• Collaborations: Work with other YouTubers in your niche. This could be your launching pad to a different audience and vice versa.

7. Channel Analytics

You’ve now completed your video, promoted it, and now all you are waiting for is the views to start pouring in. However, what metric do we use to judge effectiveness and ineffectiveness? It’s YouTube Analytics that will come to our help in this situation. You can utilize these metrics:

• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Click Through Rate is the proportion of viewers who watched your video starting from your thumbnail after having seen it. A low CTR suggests your thumbnail may not be working.

• Audience Retention: The length of time viewers spend on your video can be estimated by this tool. Target a larger audience retention rate as it quantifies the viewers’ engagement.

• Traffic from YouTube Suggestions: Is YouTube recommending videos to viewers who may be interested in your channel? This is very good evidence that the SEO is doing well.

• Subscribers Gained: This measure demonstrates, exactly, how many of the new viewers get to subscribe. Keep tabs on the growth and figure out the type of content that results in most engagements.

• Engagement: Do viewers like, comment, and share your videos? High engagement proves the presence of an audience that is loyal.

• New vs. Returning Viewers: It is best to have a good combination of fresh and returning viewers. It shows that you’re not only for old fans but new viewers as well.

Non-Technical Skills Necessary for YouTube Success

Now that you have a grip on the technicalities, let’s explore the human element. These skills are also necessary for developing a fan base and for surviving on YouTube.

8. Networking for Collaborative Video Projects

There’s power in collaboration! Approaching like-minded YouTubers in your genre will greatly assist you in getting a bigger audience. Another valuable strategy is to collaborate – do guest spots on each other’s channels, create content together, or just brainstorm ideas together.

9. Creativity to Create Unique Video Ideas

This is where the real grind starts! Your YouTube channel will grow with the invention of fresh, exciting video ideas that you can implement. Ponder over what makes your content unique. What benefit do you provide for the viewers that they may not get somewhere else?

Here are some tips to spark your creativity:

• Go and find some trending topics and put your twist on them.

• Pinpoint weakness in your niche. Are there questions that are left out or no other person is addressing?

• React to the audience’s comments and suggestions. What specific subjects are your viewer audience requesting?

10. Storytelling

Even the crispiest, most imaginative video is pointless if it lacks a captivating storyline. Conveying the message effectively will make the audience fall for it and watch until the last second. Try to:

• Hook them early.
• Speak clearly and confidently.
• Use cliffhanger.
• Be yourself.

11. Maintaining Consistency

Being successful on YouTube is not something you will accomplish overnight. It needs patience, hard work, and farm support. Consistency is key. Fix a routine upload schedule and do not skip it in any case.

Such a need is made possible only by a strong work ethic. There will be times when shooting and editing will seem like a hassle, but winning through those moments is what makes you successful.

12. Engaging with Your Community

Your viewers are the very core of your YouTube channel. Building an active community is a key element in achieving audience loyalty and emerging viewers in that regard. You should:

• Respond to comments and queries as quickly as possible.

• Run contests and giveaways.

• Request for viewer likes and subscriptions.

• Carry on live streams and be able to interact with your audience in real-time.

13. Strong Confidence

The road to YouTube is a hard and rocky one full of obstacles and failures. Despite that, you may have times when negative thoughts win, and you might doubt yourself too. But here’s the thing: that’s great!

Convince yourself, your ideas, and your skills. Keep a positive attitude, learn from your lapses, and continue the fight ahead.

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