YOUTUBE PLAYBOOK 2021

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE & SECRETS FOR GROWING

YOUR CHANNEL, MAKING MONEY AS A VIDEO
INFLUENCER, MASTERING SOCIAL MEDIA
MARKETING & THE BEGINNERS WORKBOOK (+ 10
TIPS)

BRANDON’S BUSINESS GUIDES

© Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.

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professional advice.
 C O NTENTS

Introduction vii

Part I
UNDERSTANDING YOUTUBE

1. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE 3

GETTING STARTED
YouTube: The Past, The Present, And The 4
Future
Video Progress On YouTube 6
The Future Of YouTube 7
YouTube As A Social Media Platform 10
YouTube As A Search Engine Platform 12
How YouTube Search Works 13
Other Factors That Are A Must-Know 15
Activity #1: Exploring YouTube 18

2. WHY YOUTUBE? 19
For Passion 21
For Money 26
For Fame 28
Activity #2: Finding Your Motivation 30

Part II
YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

3. DETERMINE YOUR FOCUS 35

Picking A Niche 37
Seven Steps To Honing Down Your Niche 38
Best Types Of YouTube Niches 41
Activity #3: Time To Choose 47
4. UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE 49
Understanding Your Competition 51
Creating A Benchmark For Your Channel 52
Activity #4: The Channels On Your Chosen 56
Niche

5. BRANDING YOUR CHANNEL 58

Why You Need To Brand 58
Setting Up Your New YouTube Channel 61
Activity #5: Create Your Channel 65

Part III
CREATING YOUTUBE VIDEOS

6. CREATING QUALITY CONTENT 69

What Exactly Is Quality Content? 70
The Different Kinds Of Video Content 71
Why You Need A Solid Video Content 80
Strategy
The 3 C's For A Simple And Efficient 81
Content Strategy
How To Plan Ahead With Your Content 85
How To Structure The Video Content - A 87
Simple Template
Collaborating With Other Creators In Your 89
Niche
How To Make Sure You Never Run Out Of 91
Great Ideas
A Simple Formula To Get Over 100 Video 93
Content Ideas In Less Than 20min.
Do You Need A Script? Yes Or No? 99
Activity #6: Create And Schedule Your 105
Content

7. RECORDING YOUTUBE VIDEOS 107

The Only Equipment You Need To Get 108
Started
 Here Are Some Of The Basic Things To 109
Consider If You Can Invest Some Money
Into Your Equipment.
Best Practices For Recording Your Videos 118
#1 Tip For All Beginners 120
Set And Follow A Realistic Schedule 125
Implementation Activity #7: You Just Have 129
To Do It

8. EDITING VIDEOS 130

Understanding the Basic Elements of Video 131
Editing
Video Editing Tools That Every YouTuber 137
Must Know
Activity #8: Start Honing Your Skill 142

Part IV
MANAGING YOUR YOUTUBE
CHANNEL

9. BEST PRACTICES ON MANAGING YOUR 147

YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Creating Video Titles, Descriptions, 148
And Tags
YouTube Thumbnails 149
Uploading Videos 150
Creating A Trailer Video 151
Categorizing Your Videos Into Playlists 153
Creating YouTube Stories 154
Applying SEO 155
Mastering The Use Of YouTube Analytics 156
Promoting Your Channel On Other Social 158
Platforms
Continuously Learning From Others 159
Activity #9: Start Tinkering Around 160
10. GROWING YOUR COMMUNITY 161
Sources Of Traffic 161
Using The Audience Tab 162
Engaging Your Audience 163
YouTube Community Tab 164
Maximize The Use Of Live Streaming 165
A Checklist For Optimization 166
Activity #10: What Moves You? 168

Part V
MONETIZE YOUR YOUTUBE
CHANNEL

11. YOUTUBE MONETIZATION MADE EASY 171

How Much Can One Earn On YouTube? 171
The Simplest Way To Earn Money From 173
YouTube
Activity #11: Become A YouTube Partner 174

12. CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE MONEY ON 175

YOUTUBE
Become An Affiliate 175
Become An Influencer 177
Sell Products and Merchandise Of Your 179
Brand
Crowdfund You YouTube Project 179
Fan Funding 180
Social Media Marketing On YouTube 180
Applying YouTube On You Existing Business 181
YouTube Advertising 182
Activity #12: Optimization 184

Conclusion 187
Resources 191
 INTRODUCTION

When I published my first book on YouTube marketing,

many of my readers were thrilled to finally have a simple,
easy to read playbook that would enable them to learn the
basics of this giant platform. It has done well in serving that
purpose. But as we all know, the Novel Coronavirus hit in
2020 and set the world into a global pandemic that we are
yet to recover from.

The impact of the global pandemic has been experienced in

every niche, both online and offline. Even YouTube felt the
pressures of the changing world. It made many adjustments,
including issuing out a report that there would be an
increased number of deleted and banned videos during the
pandemic season. Why does this matter to you?
viii | INT ROD UC TION

The simple reason that whether we like it or not, the world

as we knew it in 2020 no longer exists. The game has
changed dramatically in just a matter of months. Those
entering the world of social media or those who want to win
in this new environment of 2021 will have to switch up their
game.

I am assuming you picked up this book because you're

among the smart people who recognize that change is
already in the air. Unfortunately, that makes a lot of the
information you might come across on the Internet pretty
out-dated. That includes all the awesome books that have
been written in the past about how to win big with
YouTube marketing (including my first edition). I'm not
saying these books have no value, but I insist we need to
have fresh approaches and strategies to help us in this new
world.

One thing hasn't changed. YouTube remains a powerful

platform for anyone of any age, ethnicity, background, voca‐
tion, and in any location to share their message and build
significant influence. So even if you're just starting out now,
there's still plenty of time for you to carve out a successful
spot in the minds and hearts of your eagerly awaiting
YouTube community.

To fully utilize the power of YouTube this year so you can

start a successful channel around your passion and effec‐
 INT RO DU C TI ON | ix

tively grow your business or reach your goals, you're going

to need a solid plan.

There was a time when the only thing a YouTube creator

needed to do to enter stardom was simply switching on a
camera and ranting about whatever comes to mind. Done
consistently and with a bit of entertainment, many channels
have grown to massive numbers with obsessive fans and
dismissive naysayers helping to keep that fire alive for the
ambitious YouTuber. If that's the kind of imagery you hold
in your mind about how your path of success will be, I'm
sorry, but you're in for a rude awakening.

Sure, there was a time when winging, it was good enough,

but that time has passed.

As you begin this journey, realize that it will take commit‐

ment, discipline, and a solid plan on your end to reach
those lofty goals. If you are looking to learn how to
develop these things, then you're definitely in the right
place.

I've realized since releasing my first book on YouTube that

people beginning this journey don't know where their atten‐
tion and energy should go or how to grow their channel, let
alone create passive income. And since there are so many
paths to take, most end up overwhelmed, frustrated, and
even give up too soon. Others overcomplicate things, which
x | I NT ROD UC TION

leads to unnecessary mistakes. Ever heard of the saying

'don't take the slow boat to China'?

Well, I'm here to make sure you don't take the slow boat to
China.

The purpose of this book is to help you avoid the many

mistakes I've made while growing my YouTube channel and
marketing my business. I want to share the processes and
hacks that I learned the hard way with you so that you can
achieve your goals faster than I ever did.

Years ago, when I started my journey, I could have used a

book like this. At the time, there wasn't much clarity on how
to develop a solid plan for YouTube success. If you've read my
first YouTube book, you know it was anything but rosy when
I first set up my channel. At first, I created video content and
hosted it on YouTube because I wanted to give my blogging
audience some variety in the content I produced. After about
eighteen months of randomly posting videos and embedding
them on my blog, I decided to take YouTube seriously. Vlog‐
ging was becoming a common term. I could see YouTube
creators popping up everywhere and claiming to generate
massive income from video content creation alone.

When I jumped into the deep end, I assumed things would

pick up instantly since I had already been publishing a few
 INT RO DU C TI ON | xi

videos here and there, and I had a pretty good blog follow‐
ing. Boy, was I wrong. Three years into my endeavors, and I
still couldn't gain much momentum.

Most people would have given up after the first year, not
me. The more I researched the channels that were doing
well, the more I was convinced that I could make this work
too... but how?

It took a while to realize that I was making many rookie

mistakes, which cost me the channel's growth and success.
Painstaking effort and hard lessons learned, combined with
my persistent attitude, and finally enabled me to have my
breakthrough. But it took years! I want to shave off some of
that learning curve for you and pass on some of the applied
and proven knowledge that I have acquired over the years.
Today I have a healthy subscriber community of several
hundred thousand followers. But I can still recall how hard it
was to hit those first one thousand subscribers. If you can
persist long enough to reach your first 1,000 followers on
YouTube, you'll be on your way to creating any kind of
success you desire.

This book is an expansion from my last that will equip you

with all the tools you need, whether you read the first book
or not. To execute this objective successfully, you need some
support. I can promise you that as you trust in the process, I
xii | INTR ODU C TION

am sharing in this book, and as you take consistent massive

action, you will experience growing YouTube success. It
won't happen overnight. YouTube is not an overnight game,
especially not in 2021 and beyond, but success is still
possible.

Many aspiring YouTube superstars, influencers, and entre‐

preneurs who want to acquire business through this channel
start their channel without learning some key ingredients
that are a pre-requisite for success. Doing this blindly will
only cause you to fall into the same pit of despair that most
of us know all too well. If I can save you the time and trouble
that usually accompanies a lack of know-how, would that be
meaningful to you?

Suppose I can show you exactly where to place your energy

and attention and the things you need to learn to become
successful on YouTube. Will you commit all the way starting
now?

Then let's get started because we have much ground to

cover. In this book, you'll learn the ingredients needed to
create successful videos, strategies, and hacks that help you
attract and earn new views even if no one knows you yet.
You'll learn how to make money as an influencer and how to
create passive income from all your content creation efforts.
Whether you want to be a superstar or a successful business
 INT ROD U CT I ON | xiii

owner driving sales through YouTube marketing, this book

has it all, and you get to use it to your advantage. Take notes,
implement everything you learn, and remember to trust in
this process. YouTube success is a journey, even for those
who end up becoming overnight superstars.
 I

UNDERSTANDING YOUTUBE
 1

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE

GETTING STARTED

S uppose you're going to invest the next few

months and years establishing your brand on
the YouTube platform. In that case, it makes sense to learn a
little about the platform's origins and what makes it so
unique. Like for example, did you know YouTube started off
as a dating platform? Few people know this, but co-founder
Steven Chen said it was initially designed for dating so that
people could upload videos of themselves talking about their
dream partner.

In this chapter, we will cover a little bit of YouTube's

history, present, and future, as well as why it's both a social
platform search engine. We will also get a bit technical by
introducing you to the robust YouTube algorithm so you
can create your channel and content with the understanding
necessary to help your videos perform well.
4 | Y OUT UBE PLA YBOOK 20 21

YouTube is a unique social networking platform for this

simple reason. It's both a social networking channel and a
search engine. So it falls into the category of social media,
yet it's also far grander if you think about it. But how did it
become this big giant? Surely, it's not just because the
Internet giant Google owns it. Right you are! This is why it's
best to start with an overview of YouTube's past, present,
and future so you can align yourself with this ever-growing
social and search engine platform.

YO UTUBE : TH E PA S T, TH E PR E S E N T, A ND
TH E F UTURE

Few people know this, but YouTube came to be due to a

combined effort from three former PayPal employees. Chad
Hurley, Steven Chen, and Jawed Karim believed that ordi‐
nary people would enjoy sharing personal homemade
videos. So they created the first website version of what we
know today in early February of 2005. The beta version was
launched in May of 2005 and already started attracting
30,000 visitors per day. Yes, that was a massive number at
the time. By the time it was officially launched in December
of 2005, the platform was getting over two million video
views per day. By January 2006, those numbers increased to
more than 25 million views. A few months later (March
2006), the platform had more than 25 million uploaded
W HAT YOU NEED TO K NOW BEFORE GET T IN G ST AR T… | 5

videos with more than 20,000 videos being uploaded daily.

Even back then, these were huge numbers. The platform has
shown no signs of slowing down since its launch. When it
comes to funding, the original founders got their first real
funding in November 2005 from Sequoia Capital, which
invested more than $3 million. Of course, with the massive
growth I just shared, it wasn't too long before popularity
took over, and Google decided it was time to take their lion’s
share. In November of 2006, Google bought YouTube for a
cool $1.65 billion. Yes, that was a B (billion), not a million.

Fast forward years of successful growth, more popularity,

and lots of stardom case studies from YouTube creators who
gained fame and fortune, YouTube has not shown any signs
of slowing down. But their early days were rather humble.
In the early days, YouTube was very "homely" and raw.
You'd find hilarious pranks, videos showing interesting loca‐
tions, crazy stunts, and neighborhood entertainment. There
were only square videos available at that time. But with
time, the platform matured and expanded to include political
debates, unfiltered war footage, musical performances,
instructional videos, lots more comedy, and entertainment.
In 2007, YouTube partnered up with CNN to create an
opportunity for ordinary citizens to interact with potential
United States presidential candidates, which exponentially
grew the platform's engagement.
6 | Y OUT UBE PLA YBOOK 20 21

VI D E O PR OG R E SS ON YOU T U BE

The first video ever published is said to be on the 23rd of

April 2005 by one of the founders titled "Me At The
Zoo." Since then, YouTube has gone from zero to 1 billion
views in under a decade. According to Statista, YouTube
currently has 2 billion users worldwide and growing. (Sta‐
tista, 2019). It, therefore, stands to be the biggest social
network - even bigger than Facebook.

It is still considered by many to be the easiest platform to

share video content with a broad audience. Setting up a
channel and getting started is fast and simple, as you'll learn
in an upcoming section. With a good strategy, you can be
unknown today and reaching millions of views around the
world by the end of the week.

You can easily reach people of any age group today on

YouTube because research shows that both the young and
older people using the Internet are also watching videos on
YouTube. Since most people prefer to consume visual
content, the growth of YouTube and your ability to succeed
have no limits. But what about in the future? What are some
of the predictions being made?
W HAT YOU NEED TO K NOW BEFORE GET T IN G ST AR T… | 7

T HE F U T U R E OF YOU T U BE

Video is still expected to remain front-and-centre in our

society. It has become the most effective strategy anyone can
use to connect with an audience. You don't even need fancy
equipment or a professional studio to do so.

Many smartphone users find engaging types of video

content difficult to resist, and I believe this will continue to
be the case. Why? Because according to recent data, 85% of
Internet users in the U.S watch video content. And in 2021,
it is expected that the average person will spend 100 minutes
daily watching online videos! That's a 19% increase since
2019.

While it's hard for anyone to accurately prophecy where any

of these social networking platforms will be in another
decade, there seems to be enough reason to assume YouTube
won't be going anywhere, anytime soon. There's a strong
chance that today's YouTuber's will become tomorrow's
moguls. The Internet and the digital economy are still in
infancy. We know the best is yet to come, and those that
learn to ride this wave with YouTube might just continue to
experience tremendous success regardless of the new adapta‐
tions the platform brings about.

Consider people like PewDiePie (Felix Kjellberg). He is

arguably the most famous YouTuber on the planet gener‐
8 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

ating billions of views from his channel. With all the fame
and money he's acquired over the years, it's unlikely he
would sizzle out easily. In fact, according to an interview
with The Guardian Magazine a while back, PewDiePie
hinted that he's contemplating expanding out into creating a
multi-channel network at some point. There's a good chance
many of these YouTubers who have become influencers are
more likely to seek out television stardom as well or even
develop their own networks. Imagine any kind of future
you'd like to have, and I can assure you, YouTube can
become a vehicle for that accomplishment.

As for the platform itself, given that its parent company is

Internet goliath Google - I'm inclined to believe it will
continue to evolve, adapt, and invest in further growth
within the platform itself.

When the platform launched, it only had square videos and

no advertising opportunities. Over the years, it has evolved
and expanded to include a very robust advertising system.
The video formats have also been evolving. It's wise for
every YouTuber to keep up with these ever-changing video
requirements. As an overview, YouTube allows you to
upload various sizes ranging from 240p to 2160p(4K).

240p: 426x240 pixels

360p: 640x360 pixels
W HAT YOU NEED TO K NOW BEFORE GET T IN G ST AR T… | 9

480p: 854x480 pixels

720p: 1280x720 pixels
1080p: 1920x1080 pixels
1440p: 2560x1440 pixels
2160p: 3840x2160 pixels

That means if you're just learning his stuff, you can upload a
video size that's as little as 426X240 pixels or go as large as
3840X2160 pixels. But, dimension isn't the only thing you
need to get right. You also need to consider video size,
length, and aspect ratio, especially now that they also added
new features such as vertical video stories.

We're going to dive deeper into the different video sizes

available, whether you're running ads or posting organically
for your channel so stay tuned for those fresh updates and
features in an upcoming chapter. For now, realize that it's
going to be essential to use the recommended video size and
to keep refreshing yourself on the latest changes. Why?

Because if you want to attract more views and make more

profit, you need to use the correct YouTube video size.
Failure to do so will result in low-quality content, which will
repel the audience you're looking to attract. For that reason,
I encourage you to regularly visit the content creator
academy webpage, where they have all things YouTube
related.
10 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

YO UT UBE A S A SO CI A L ME D I A PL A T F O R M

Do you know why YouTube is considered a social media

platform? Well, to effectively answer that, let's focus on clar‐
ifying what an online social network is. An online social
network is a platform where you and other like-minded
people can connect. You can build relationships, exchange
and share information, etc. YouTube is a platform that
enables you to do all that, and so much more. Not only can
you build new connections, but you can also learn from new
people who are halfway across the world from you. When a
social network is done right, it becomes a thriving ecosystem
where content creators, brands, and users benefit from being
actively engaged on the platform. I'd say YouTube has done
a fantastic job creating such an environment.

One of the critical factors to consider when labeling

YouTube as a social media platform comes from this simple
word - community.

There is a massive community on YouTube of people who

are producing, sharing, and consuming content. The most
active and engaged people on the platform feel like they are
part of something bigger, like they belong. These people
support each other, hang out together, and share common
values. That, my friend, is called community building. It may
not be a community in the traditional offline sense of the
WHA T YOU NEED T O KNO W BEFORE GET T IN G S TA R… | 11

word where everyone is physically next to each other, but it

is nonetheless.

Because YouTube is a social media platform, it's not enough

to occasionally post videos and pray to the traffic gods that
your channel will attract people. It's also not a great idea to
focus solely on data and getting views on your video. The
approach should be the same as any other social networking
site. You need to focus on connecting with and interacting
with the people you wish to have as part of your YouTube
community. We will talk more in-depth about how you can
actually do this, but it is essentially about posting quality
videos with content that your ideal audience will find valu‐
able. Like other social channels, you can send out friend
requests, ask people to subscribe to your channel, and
engage in live chats, especially when you do live streaming.
More on that later.

The other thing I love about YouTube is the fact that you
can create real conversations around your video content.
Since most people spend a lot of time watching videos on
the platform, if you engage and interact with community
members by asking questions on the comments and making
sure you reply to all the comments people make, you can
demonstrate to your new audience that you care. And they,
in turn, will follow and consume what you have to offer.
The more value and engagement you bring to this social
12 | Y O UTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

network, the more success you will experience, especially as

a business owner.

YO UT UBE A S A SE A R CH E N GI N E
PL A T F O R M

A while back, Google (the parent company that owns

YouTube) released a resource that answers many of the
questions we all ask when we decide to set up a YouTube
channel. Namely, how exactly does YouTube work?

While I'm sure they didn't spill all their secrets, they have
given us enough knowledge that we can leverage to our
advantage. I will be taking more about the YouTube algo‐
rithm and hacks to help you rank higher on their search
engine in a later chapter. But for you to get the most of that
conversation, you need to understand that YouTube is a
search engine just like Google, Yahoo, etc. There's a tremen‐
dous amount of organic traffic to be enjoyed within
YouTube's own platform because many people actually use
that search bar. Besides that fact, we also have the added
benefit of being favored highly by Google when they rank
content on the homepage. Videos from YouTube always
rank high on a Google search page, and I don't know if you
noticed, but Google added a new tab specifically titled
"video." So when it comes to doing the regular search,
people are still being served video results for their query. Let
WHA T YOU NEED T O KNO W BEFORE GET T IN G S TA R… | 13

me put this practically for you so you can understand the

power of this.

Suppose your potential client is looking for a service you can

offer. They head over to Google and type in their query.
Millions of results show up in the form of regular articles.
But they see a tab "video" and click on that because let's face
it; most people prefer to watch than read. Videos are not as
saturated as text-based solutions. Since you're smart, you
have a video explainer showing them exactly how to solve
their need and how you do it fast and affordably. What do
you think are the chances of getting that cold lead and
converting a customer?

I'd say, pretty high. You don't need a big audience or a huge
channel. What you need is to understand how to leverage
YouTube.

HO W YO UT UBE SE A R CH WO R KS

The search ranking system on YouTube is pretty amazing

because it sorts through over 500 hours of content that gets
uploaded every minute. Then it finds the most relevant
results for the search query given by the end-user. Thanks to
Google's information, we know there are three main
elements you need to focus on: quality, relevance, and
engagement.
14 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Quality:

That refers to how authoritative your channel and content

are for the target audience. YouTube wants expert, authori‐
tative, and trustworthy content for its community members.
That's why I always recommend starting narrow with a
specific topic. It's a lot easier to prove that your channel is
worth being promoted when you focus on delivering quality
content on what you know really well.

The more you can deliver that, the better your videos will
perform. "...

Relevance:

YouTube's algorithm is still a mystery even for the so-called

expert hackers. But what we all know for sure is that being
relevant is a critical factor for channel growth. There are
many indicators the algorithms look for to determine
whether something is relevant to an audience or not, some
of which include the video content itself (though not 100%
perfect), title, description, and tags.

Engagement:

The last thing I want us to discuss here that the algorithm

cares about is video engagement. Watch time is especially
critical for the algorithm because it uses that as a key indi‐
cator of whether to continue promoting your content or
WHA T YOU NEED T O KNO W BEFORE GET T IN G S TA R… | 15

not. The more people watch and stay on the platform thanks
to your video, the more they will promote your stuff to a
bigger audience.

O T HE R FACT O RS T HAT ARE A M UST - K NO W

In the same earlier mentioned report, YouTube shared that

they care a lot about promoting authoritative content from
reliable sources. But only when it is appropriate. So when it
comes to scientific, political, medical information, or
breaking news, they will promote the most credible channels
and personalities on the platform.

The key thing to take away from this is that you need to
build credibility. You do not have to be Oprah or CNBC, but
you do need to demonstrate to the algorithm that your
content can be trusted. This is especially true if you are
dealing with educational type of content. This may not apply
as much with entertainment or music channels because what
matters most in such cases is popularity, freshness, and rele‐
vancy, which we already discussed.

Recommended videos

This is an exciting one for me because it offers us a window

of opportunity to do well right off the bat. Have you ever
noticed the "recommended" icon when watching content on
YouTube? You can usually see it in the section titled "Up
16 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Next" on your dashboard. This is YouTube's way of

suggesting what you should consume next. The algorithm
factors in many things before making that recommendation,
including: what channels you're subscribed to, your watch
history, the time of day, and so on. Getting your video to
appear on this recommended list will be a huge win, and it
will accelerate your channel growth. I even have hacks that
will increase your chances of showing up on that suggestions
list.

Before we can move on, I'd also like to emphasize that

YouTube does factor in personalization when determining
what to show a user. If you've noticed how many times
recommended videos show up based on your recent activity,
this will make sense. As a user, your homepage gets popu‐
lated by more of the things you've watched, liked, and inter‐
acted with. Flip perspective for a bit and think like a creator.
The more you can create content that a user interacts with,
the more of your stuff he or she will be served by YouTube.
Therefore, it is imperative to create content with your ideal
consumer in mind. You want to create content you feel
confident he or she will want to click on, watch, and like.
That's your golden ticket to the success you desire on this
platform.

Want to get more technical about how the YouTube algo‐

rithm works?
WHA T YOU NEED T O KNO W BEFORE GET T IN G S TA R… | 17

If what I just shared wasn't sophisticated enough for you,

I've got something that will satisfy the tech geek in you.
There's a research paper published by Google engineers Paul
Covington, Jay Adams, and Emre Sargin. They break down
the signals they use to rank videos for YouTube recommen‐
dations. If you can recall, recommendations are a pretty huge
deal when it comes to getting more people to know about
your channel. In the paper, they talk about the following:

1. Click-through rate. That refers to the likelihood of

someone clicking on your video after they've
seen it.
2. Watch time. That refers to the total amount of time
that viewers spend watching your videos.
3. How many videos the user has watched from your
channel.
4. How recently the user watched a video about the
same topic.
5. What the user has searched for in the past.
6. The user's previously watched videos.
7. The user's demographic information and location.

Want to read the entire research paper (Deep Neural

Networks for YouTube Recommendations)? Check out the
resource section for links.
18 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

ACT IVIT Y # 1: E X PLO RING Y O UT UB E

Now it's time to start taking some action. Before getting into
the next chapter, it's good to familiarize yourself with this
platform through the lens of the new insights and lessons
learned. So here's what you're going to do.

Open an incognito webpage, sign in to your personal

YouTube if you have one, and start browsing. First, begin by
entering the homepage and playing around with the search
bar at the top. Type in a query around your topic of exper‐
tise or whatever your channel will be about. Observe how
many search results come up. Notice which top channels are
being promoted and look at their titles, length of the video,
number of views, year of publication, and quality of the
content. I also want you to check the sidebar menu and
notice what YouTube recommends to you. Browse the plat‐
form from the eyes of a consumer, your potential
subscriber.

Before moving on, the last activity is to type in the same

search query on the main Google search tab then hover over
to "videos." Notice how many of the videos you encountered
on YouTube are showing up here. What you learn from
exploring YouTube through this new lens will equip you as
we move forward.
 2

WHY YOUTUBE?

B y now, it should be evident that YouTube is

on fire. Billions of users log in every month to
consume content. There are also as many content creators or
YouTubers in the backend, pushing out hundreds of content
every minute of the day. The amount of activity taking place
on this platform can feel quite overwhelming. The fact that
you can find almost any topic on any genre can make one
wonder why they should even consider setting up a channel.
Everything is already there, right?

Yes and no. There's indeed a lot of content on almost any

topic you might have in mind. Still, the reality is, you are a
unique individual. Even if you start a channel with a
common topic, as long as you remain true to yourself, it
won't be like any other channel because no one can imitate
you. That is what makes YouTube special. There's enough
20 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

room for every content creator. The only obstacle you have
is figuring out how to be more of yourself, so your content
stands out.

The question you need to be asking isn't why should I invest

my time, resources, and energy on YouTube when over 500
hours of video are uploaded every minute. Instead, it should
be a question directed to your own self-expression as a
unique human being. Meaning - what am I extremely
passionate about that I also feel I can become an authorita‐
tive voice for?

Most people who start a channel do so out of sheer passion

and an urge to share their message with the world, but that's
not the only reason to become a YouTuber. You could also
do it because you want to become famous like the
Kardashians or to generate income. I don't think there's a
wrong or right reason, but I believe there should be a big
enough reason.

Always start by identifying your "why" for taking this deci‐

sion to create a successful channel because you will need the
fuel when the going gets tough. So here are some of the
reasons I know of for starting a successful YouTube channel.

To express your passion and share your message

with the world.
For money.
 WHY Y O UT UB E? | 21

For fame.

F OR PA S S I ON

If you want to use this platform to express yourself and share

your passions with the world, you're not alone. Many of the
channels that have successfully grown to millions of
followers are created by YouTubers who had a passion they
wanted to share with an audience. To do the same, the first
thing you must do is identify what your passions and talents
are.

What's real and proven about creating a passion-based

YouTube channel is that you cannot go wrong. Passion
always drives success.

In the world of content creation, knowing how long and

how much effort is required to grow a thriving channel,
your passion is the fuel that will keep you going until things
start to snowball. Consider this for a moment. Have you
ever been given a task or project you disliked or didn't care
about? Can you recall how laborious and lengthy the process
was? Perhaps you ended up procrastinating, quit then un-
quit several times over, and it was an experience you
couldn't wait to finish.

Now think about a time when you got to work on a project

you absolutely love. How enjoyable was that experienced?
22 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

You probably skipped meals, worked overtime including

weekends, and even forgo your weekend Netflix Binge-
watching just because of how immersed you were. When it
comes to your YouTube content creation and channel
management, it should feel more like the second example.
How do you do this? Let me share a simple process to help
you identify a topic you are passionate about. Once you pin
that down and it feels right for you, every other choice will
revolve around that passion.

How to discover your own passion and turn it

into video content for YouTube.

Open up your Google docs or word document, and let's

carry out an exercise to help you identify what you're
passionate about. Remember, this exercise should be fun.
Don't overthink things. Write anything and everything that
comes to mind because there is no right or wrong. If
nothing comes, make something up.

Step one: Ask yourself this question - What do I

love doing and talking about?
Example answer: I love running in nature, cooking,
traveling, reading comic books, painting, hiking, and
writing poetry.

Step two: Answer this question - I can spend hours

 WHY Y OU TU BE ? | 23

reading, researching, thinking, and learning

about...X...[fill in your blank].
Example answer: I can spend hours reading,
researching, thinking, and learning about comic
books and creating my own characters.

Step three: Write down all the activities you've

enjoyed throughout your life. Go back as far as you
can and list everything down.
Example answer: Selling lemonade when I was
nine, drawing manga as a teen, playing piano, cook‐
ing, painting with watercolors, juggling, writing
comedy, etc. Anything and everything you've
enjoyed doing should go on this list whether you did
it a year ago or ten years ago.

Step four: Write down all your strengths, skills,

and any work experience you've had. Make sure
these are practical.
Example answer: social media manager, sales repre‐
sentative, party planner, florist, etc.

Step five: What are some of your personality traits

that people say they like about you? Three qualities
that people have mentioned really make you unique.
They have to be positive traits, and if you don't
24 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

know, then text a few friends now and ask them to

share with you.
Example answer: Funny, resilient, and confident.

Step six: Pick and choose, and then put in some

research time.
Pick the top three topics or activities that stand out
from your list and order them in priority. The one
with the most electrifying energy is the one you
should start researching most.

Researching in this context means you should head over to

the YouTube search bar and start typing in the topics you've
chosen. See what comes up. How much content has been
created around your passion? Are people engaging,
commenting, and liking existing content? What quality is
the content? Which titles are performing best? Click on the
channels with the content you're passionate about and
notice how that channel is set up. If you'd like to see exact
metrics and volume search, I recommend getting a Google
Chrome extension like VidIQ or Keywords Everywhere.
These are great for helping you figure out what keywords
and content are performing well at high volume and low
competition.

The purpose of doing research is to ensure you're going after

an interest that has an existing and engaged audience. Most
 WHY Y OU TU BE ? | 25

people say YouTube is oversaturated, and it's too late to start

a channel. I disagree strongly. I think now is the best time to
start your channel, and you can grow it even faster than the
rest of us because you get to ride the wave of success we've
already created.

By finding channels that are posting on the topic you're

passionate about, you can get ideas of content topics that
work. You also get to see the mistakes they are making or
the gaps that still need to be filled. You will also feel what the
audience cares about and what they want to see more of. So
if you find competition around your topic, get excited
because you're on the right path, and I will show you strate‐
gies to leverage this competition.

Now that you've identified your passion and validated that

there's an audience for that topic, it's time to start thinking
of content that you can post. If you've not yet identified
what you love, don't worry. Here are some more questions
that will help.

1. If you could be remembered for three things after

you're gone from this life, what would you want
those three to be?
2. If money wasn't an issue and you had financial
freedom, what would you do with your time?
3. What is one thing your friends and family usually
26 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

come to you to ask for advice or a

recommendation? Make sure it's something you
also enjoy helping them out with.

F O R MO N E Y

Some people decide to start their YouTube channel because

they hear of the many YouTubers making a full-time income
and traveling the world. There are also countless stories of
content creators that have started a side-hustle of YouTube
content creation and ended up generating more passive
income than their primary job salary.

For example, I have a friend who was employed as a

customer service rep in a furniture company. He decided to
test out his ability to succeed on YouTube and generate
passive income by teaching arts and crafts, DIY sessions,
and promoting unique furniture pieces. His channel now
earns him about $15k in passive income each month,
which is more than the salary he gets working at the store.
So if you've been wondering how to make a side income or
even if you want to be a full-time YouTuber traveling the
world and creating amazing content of the cool places
you're exploring, this can be a great way to fund that
lifestyle.
 WHY Y O UT UB E? | 27

Many consider YouTube to be the king of the side hustle.

Why? Here are some of the reasons worth knowing if you
want to increase your income.

YouTube monetization is very consistent and can

be very lucrative if you have the right strategy. In a
later section, we will be talking about different
ways to monetize. For now, realize that as a content
creator on YouTube, you will have the opportunity
to generate income on your channel.
They're recurring and evergreen income
possibilities on YouTube. What do I mean by this?
You can create a video this week and three years
from now still make money from it. After
interviewing lots of YouTubers and plotting my
own success on the platform, I noticed some
similarities. A key one that stands out is that video
creation has been going on for years for all of us.
Years ago, when we started making the videos, no
one knew us. Video views ranged from a few
hundred to a few thousand if we were lucky, but we
just kept creating awesome videos.

I can tell you, there was no income coming in at that point

for any of us. I certainly never made a dime. But I kept
persisting. After a few years, I noticed my growth started to
28 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

gain momentum, and then slowly, a few thousand views

turned into a few hundred thousand. By that time, the
subscriber count was decent enough, and each video's earn‐
ings started adding up. Ultimately, a good steady income
becomes a reality. This is pretty much what I've heard from
almost every fellow creator I've interviewed, with just a few
exceptions. All this to say, you can do it, but you need to play
the long game. And the best part about YouTube is the more
mature your channel becomes. The better you'll be rewarded
by your older content as long as you didn't take shortcuts
initially.

Suppose you're looking for a side hustle or want a lifestyle

that's funded entirely by your content creation. In that case, I
do think YouTube is excellent for helping you accomplish
this. And as I shared with you, I know many people who
earn more from their YouTube than their 9 to 5.

F O R F A ME

Want to become YouTube famous? It's not too late, but you
need to be prepared to put in the work.

Being YouTube famous has become a real thing. It is consid‐

ered just as substantial as being a rock-star. Of course, it's
not as easy as it used to be, but it's still possible.
 WHY Y O UT UB E? | 29

If you want to become a social media influencer or grow a

brand, YouTube is a great platform to help you create fame.
Nowadays, some of the most famous YouTubers have the
same special treatment as TV celebrities. Have you noticed? I
have seen comedians, musicians, and other types of enter‐
tainers jumpstart their careers by being "discovered" on
YouTube. Even Justin Beiber first started out on YouTube.
So whether you want to grow a personal brand, a company
brand, or become a well-known social media celebrity,
YouTube has the potential to make that happen for you.

But before you get too excited, let's make sure you're setting
realistic expectations. If you think YouTube will make you a
celebrity overnight, you are sorely mistaken. There was a
time when it could happen, but given how mature the plat‐
form has become, it will take a lot more strategic thinking
and effort.

When YouTube first started, platform tools like the video

response tool could be leveraged to gain a new audience's
attention. You could piggyback on the rise and success of a
YouTube star just by directly engaging on their hit videos
using the video-response tool. This option no longer exists.

There's also the opportunity of collaborating with other

successful YouTubers. That could help you get in front of a
huge audience and go from zero to famous in a day, but
unfortunately, a lot of work goes into creating these collabo‐
30 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

rations nowadays. There has to be a real-world connection.

The more prominent stars are increasingly difficult to access
if one is just getting started. Besides, just because someone
has a big audience doesn't mean they will automatically
subscribe to your channel. And then, of course, there is the
growing issue of creating high-quality videos with graphics,
great studio lighting, scenery, etc. Top creators already have
the financing, resources, and support from the partner
program and other sponsorships, but when you're just
starting out, all you have a webcam in your bedroom or
living room. It's going to take a while before people start to
respect and admire what you do. But if you keep persisting,
it is possible.

ACT IVIT Y # 2 : FINDING Y O UR M O T IVAT IO N

It's time to implement what you've just learned in this

chapter.

If you want to become successful with your YouTube

endeavor, you need to know what drives you. What is
causing you to start this channel? What's your big "WHY"
for this? The bigger the way, the more likely you are to
persist and succeed. To do this, here are some questions to
answer.

1. What is my goal for this YouTube channel?

 WHY Y O UT UB E? | 31

2. Why am I choosing that goal as my primary goal?

3. How far am I willing to stretch to make the goal a
reality?
4. What is my vision for myself if I think about where
I want to be 2 years from now?
5. What is the vision for the channel? I.e., what do I
want it to represent?
6. Why is the success of this channel so vital to
me now?
7. How will my life change when I hit the goals I have
set for this YouTube channel?
 II

YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

 3

DETERMINE YOUR FOCUS

A s we start to gain momentum on this quest to

becoming a highly successful income-producing
YouTuber, it's time to turn your focus on delivering value.
What can you bring to the platform that will cause others to
pay attention, engage with your content, and become loyal
subscribers? To help you answer that question effectively
and efficiently, we will break down how you can pick or
decide on a niche. I'll also share with you the best types of
niches that are performing well. But before we get to that,
perhaps you're wondering why picking a niche is essential.

I've found myself in heated conversations with smart busi‐

ness owners who wondered the same thing. Creatives
struggle to understand that marketing to everyone means
you're marketing to no one. Recently I was introduced to a
life and health coach who was in the process of starting his
36 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

YouTube channel. He wants to become an authority on the

platform and attract hot leads that can easily convert into
paying customers, and he wants that to happen fast. When I
asked what his niche would be, he hesitated and then said, "I
want to help billions of people, so I don't want to limit
myself by being so narrow with a niche topic."

That, my friend, is the recipe for YouTube failure, especially

now that it has gained maturity. The best performing chan‐
nels are super niched. And you know why? Because when
you focus on one vertical, you become known as the
industry leader, the credible resource, and the go-to person
for that topic. When new potential subscribers and future
buyers come across your content and immediately under‐
stand the problem you can solve for them, they are more
likely to stick around, engage, connect, and convert. When
you focus on one niche, you have clarity, and people love
clarity. It also makes your channel more memorable. Can
you imagine how Coca Cola would be if they had started
years ago advertising soft drinks, shoes, and food? It would
have been extra hard to build the fortified brand we've all
grown accustomed to. Everyone sees that red label on a soft
drink or that Santa holding a bottle, and we immediately
think - Coca-Cola.

You don't have deep pockets and years of branding budget to

waste, so please save yourself by focusing on a niche. Bring
 DET ERMINE YOUR F O CU S | 37

as much clarity and simplicity to your new audience as you

can, so they quickly associate you with the result you offer.

PI C KI NG A N I C H E

How, then, does one determine a niche for their new chan‐
nel? In the case of the life and health coach I mentioned
above, he could talk about mindset, lifestyle, working out,
healthy eating, nutrition, and the list goes on and on. While
he can always create content around any of these major cate‐
gories once his channel gains momentum, it is best to focus
on one vertical when just starting out. But which one first?

You may be having a hard time determining your niche, or

perhaps you have too many options available. Regardless, we
can still help you figure out the perfect niche for you. To
start, go back to the answers from previous chapters. The
exercises you've been doing so far are a foundation for this
particular exercise because now you understand a bit more
about yourself and why you want this channel. Now it's time
to dive deeper. We need to find that sweet spot between
gained knowledge about yourself and what we know about
your ideal audience. In other words, the overlap between
what you love (what you're passionate about) and what your
ideal audience wants is the sweet spot for your content. That
becomes your niche topic.
38 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

SE VE N ST E PS T O HON I N G D OWN YOU R

NI CHE

One. Review your strengths and skills

The first step is detailing the ways you've been most helpful
to others throughout your career. If you're just coming out
of college and think about what friends usually come to you
for help with. Again, want you to write the answers down.
What skills have you developed? What leading roles and
responsibilities have you had? What primary benefits did
you deliver in the roles you've had? What successes have you
had? Make sure to be super specific here.

Two. Map out your ideal audience and what they

need.

It's imperative to identify what your ideal audience consider

valuable and what needs they have that you can fulfill. To
better figure out this piece of the puzzle, you need to create a
perfect audience persona profile. Here are some of the ques‐
tions to answer for that persona profile.

Whom would you love to work with?

What shared values do you have with this person?
What makes him or her unique?
Why does this person come to YouTube? What is
he/she looking to experience?
 DET ERMINE YOUR F O CU S | 39

What are his/her goals and ambitions?

What is his/her current challenges and worries?
What is his/her purchase behavior? For example,
they research online but like to buy offline.
What is a pain or problem or lack they are
experiencing as it relates to what your channel can
offer?

Three. Research to see if there's a demand for

your identified topic.

Now that you've found that sweet spot between what you
love and what your audience needs, it's time to head over to
YouTube and see how much demand there is for your topic.
We do this to make sure there are actual people out there
who want to watch your content type. To effectively
conduct this research, you need to write down some
keywords from your chosen topic or some titles that you
would make a video about. Then type in that title or those
keywords on the YouTube search to see what comes up. If
there's a ton of results (millions of results), then I suggest
getting a bit more specific with that title. If there are zero
results, then no one may be looking for that type of content.
What I recommend is to create content that is somewhere in
between those two extremes.
40 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Four. Do some due diligence for income earning

potential.

Just because a topic is popular doesn't mean it's right for

you, especially if you're looking to get rich. Many niches do
well on the platform but don't earn the content creator
much money. So if you want to make a lot of money
through your channel, make sure you check to see income
earning potential. Find out if a company would be willing or
likely to sponsor you to use their products or whether you
can create a side business alongside your channel. Monetiza‐
tion is worth thinking about before settling on a niche.
Sponsorship is very lucrative when done right, but you need
a good strategy; otherwise, it won't work. Your channel
must be aligned with the income avenue you wish to
leverage most. For example, if you want to be paid by
brands, then definitely research the brands that seem to be
paying fellow YouTubers to create content. Most good
creators always let their audience know when doing spon‐
sored content, so that's a great way of getting some compa‐
nies' names within your niche. If you're interested in
sponsorship, then make sure you have some offers to give to
your audience as they learn to trust you. Having this plan
from the start ensures you'll make all the right choices,
including niche picking.
 DET ERMINE YOU R F OC US | 41

BE ST T YPE S O F YO UT UBE N I CHE S

Not every niche can be monetized. The most popular ones

do work well, and some are way easier than others. Here's a
list of the most popular and easy to monetize niches.

How-to tutorials

I personally think this is the most popular and best niche to

get into on YouTube. Based on my experience, most people
who come into this platform are looking to learn something.
And since we all at some point need to know something,
starting a channel that teaches "how-to" for your skill, talent
or passion seems like a great idea. It can also become very
lucrative. Answering "how to..." questions can quickly build
your audience and generate clients for your brand or busi‐
ness. Whether it's how to tie your unique shoelaces, how to
clean your carpets, how to make certain floral arrangements
for a particular occasion, how to get rid of a stain, or what‐
ever else you do, you could easily gather tens of thousands if
not millions of views over time.

Animals

Cute animals have been trending on YouTube since the

beginning, and the trend hasn't slowed down. This niche is
still popular, and given how trendy cat videos have become,
you can consider getting into this niche if you love animals.
42 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

That doesn't mean everyone with cats should start a

YouTube channel. Make sure it aligns with your brand and
the objective of the channel. For example, a bakery should
not get into this niche! A vet should definitely consider
having a channel around cute animals. You can create
content with animals doing funny things and centre it on
humor and entertainment. If you're more of the educational
type, consider making videos on animal training, pet
product reviews, and even animal care.

Lifestyle

Lifestyle has become one of the more popular niches on the

platform. I think it's mainly due to the fact that a lifestyle
vlogger doesn't neatly fit into any particular niche. So their
content can be wildly varied and carry differing undertones.
Some lifestyle vloggers rely heavily on humor, sarcasm,
drama, or gossip, which gives their content that extra edge
that people seem to love. Another thing about lifestyle vlog‐
ging is that it's incredibly personal. People usually disclose a
lot of personal information about themselves, so if you tend
to lead a private life, perhaps this wouldn't be the right type
of content for you.

Food

Cooking and all things food-related are huge on YouTube.

So if you love to cook or eat and critique food, you can
 DET ERMINE YOUR F O CU S | 43

create a successful channel with a vast audience. Show off

amazing recipes, share some of the gadgets and tools you use
in the kitchen, and you can't go wrong. Foodies are abun‐
dant on YouTube.

Gaming

I think the most famous YouTubers are gamers. Someone

correct me if I'm wrong, but some of these individuals have
become real-world celebrities. PewDiePie, Jack Septiceye,
Markiplier, SSSniperWolf are just a few names that have
gained global recognition. Why? Because these individuals
have dominated YouTube. They are making tons of money
doing what they love the most - gaming. You could be the
same, but of course, you need to be fresh and different.

Makeup

One of the most popular YouTube niches is makeup, so if

you're in the beauty space, this is a great starting point. And
before you assume I am only talking about women's makeup,
I'd like to point out that you could do really well with men's
makeup. Yes, you read me right. Even men want tutorials
around how to do their makeup! Be forewarned, though;
competition is fierce with this niche, but the audience pretty
huge and engaged.

Fashion
44 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Fashion is another popular niche on YouTube, and you can

approach it from various angles even if you're not a
designer. You can review clothing items, share styling tips,
or, if you're talented, start your own fashion line. This is one
of the best and easier niches to get sponsors or even do affil‐
iate marketing, which we will delve into later on.

Tech review

As we become a more tech-driven society, more and more

people are coming to YouTube to watch tutorials or reviews
on the latest tech and software products. Whether it's apps
and software or physical hardware, you will have an audi‐
ence if you can create engaging and valuable content. Are
you good at helping others learn how to operate, assemble,
or choose the right tech for their needs?

You can focus on workplace and productivity tech, home

tech, or even small tech gadgets that we carry around our
pockets daily. Your only limitation is your lack of imagina‐
tion and creativity.

Sports

Are you a sport fantastic or maybe a former pro or amateur

athlete? Then YouTube has an audience that would love
your content. I have seen everything from sports vloggers to
amateur reporters following around their favorite sports
teams and sharing a different perspective with their audi‐
 DET ERMINE YOUR F O CU S | 45

ence than what professional journalists would share. And all

of these types of content do really well. You don't have to be
an officially appointed ambassador to create awesome
content and keep your audience updated with the latest
news. All you need is passion. Just be careful not to show
copyrighted materials because that would lead to many
unpleasant experiences with the authorities.

Photography

Another popular niche is photography. Many budding

photographers look to YouTube for good advice on how to
take better shots. You can offer tutorials on photography
itself and also on the equipment that you use. This can be a
great channel for affiliate marketing opportunities.

Travel

Who doesn't love a great travel channel? Some of the sexiest

YouTube channels that I've come across are travel channels
with great storytelling infused into them. There is a huge
and very hungry audience waiting for you if you love to
travel the world and have cool stories to share. People love
to escape their current reality or that horrid cubicle with a
good travel video. It inspires, motivates, and uplifts travel
enthusiasts. The best part is many full-time YouTubers are
also digital nomads traveling the world and finding creative
ways to cover their expenses so they can continue to build
46 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

their channel. If your dream is to travel the world, YouTube

could be your golden ticket to seeing some of the best-
hidden gems and the richest cultures our planet has to offer.

Music

Do you have a passion for music? Do you compose, sing, DJ,

review, or teach others how to play an instrument?
YouTube is an excellent platform for launching yourself.
Some of the most viewed videos are music videos, and the
best part is that you can go into any music genre and you'll
still get a decent audience size. I also know some channels
that do commentaries on music news, give advice, report on
the latest news from their favorite musicians, or even teach
others how to play a particular instrument. Your options are
endless when it comes to content types, and there's a healthy
audience to support you.

ASMR

ASMR or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response has

really grown in the last few years. It's all about the experi‐
ence - using soothing sounds and imagery to relax viewers.
ASMR content creators are all about taking their audience
on a transformative journey through their sense organs.

And there you have it: the top niches on YouTube that are
not only popular, but also easier to monetize. These niches
already have audiences looking for content daily, so if you
 DET ERMINE YOUR F O CU S | 47

happen to pick one of these, you are in luck. There's a ready-

made audience for you, thanks to the work of your peers
who launched before you. All you have to do is develop the
right plan to attract some of those engaged people to your
channel.

ACT IVIT Y # 3: T IM E T O CHO O SE

As you might have realized by now, each chapter has to close

with an implementation step. After having gone through the
different exercises and discovered the top-performing
niches, it's time to pick your niche.

Review your notes and come up with the top three niches
that excite you the most. If you already know precisely the
one to go for, that's great. But I encourage you to have more
than one that you can start experimenting with for at least
six weeks before settling on one. This is because I have seen
many of my students get bored a few weeks into their
content creation and give up on growing their channel.
Listen, you'll need to consistently create unique content for
the next many years if you want to succeed at this. Therefore
you need to pick a niche that you are confident won't
become a bore or burden 50 videos into it. That's why to get
started I suggest having more than one - but limited to three
-different verticals and then creating content on each for a
short while to see which one still excites you after a few
48 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

weeks. It also gives you the chance to see what the audience
response is so you can test if one of them attracts more
eyeballs and subscribers.

Pro tip:

When you make your choice, be sure to pick complementary

niches. For example, Lifestyle vlogging and photography can
align well. If, after a few weeks, you realize lifestyle isn't for
you, then it's perfectly fine to focus on photography only.
Now it's your turn. What niche will you choose?
 4

UNDERSTANDING YOUR AUDIENCE

T here are a lot of unhelpful myths surrounding

the existing YouTube audience. It will serve
you well to read and understand this chapter carefully as it
will impact your content strategy and channel growth
moving forward.

Most people assume YouTube is for young single male

personas or that only the younger demographics are active
users. This is actually not accurate. According to a study
conducted by Google and Nielsen, the average YouTube
viewer is just as likely to be female as male. And this thing
about young single Millenials being the only audience is also
a myth because the same research said YouTube users are
more likely to have kids compared to non-users.
50 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Another report, by Cast from Clay, shared U.S. statistics

around YouTube users and revealed data that proved men
and women use YouTube equally. There's a robust usage of
the platform across all age groups, so this isn't just a younger
demographic platform like TikTok and others. You will find
a healthy and active audience of 65-75-year-olds. Granted,
they don't use the platform in the same proportions are the
15-30-year-olds. Still, they are actively engaged nonetheless.
The data from Cast from Clay shows 96% users aged
between 18 - 24 years, 95% users aged between 25 - 34 years
old, 90% users aged between 35 - 44 years old, 85% users
ages between 45 - 54 years old, 79% of users aged between
55 - 64 years old, 66% aged between 65 - 75 years old and
51% users aged 75 and over. Keep in mind these statistics
reflect US users only. What we can take away from this is
that there are all kinds of YouTube users ranging from
teenagers to retired. Even in the United Kingdom, the
statistics remain steady, showing YouTube has a stronghold
in every age group and demographic.

How does knowing these different types of YouTube

viewers benefit you?

It's very simple. You can have any kind of channel you
desire, and your ideal audience will be ready to embrace your
brand. Remember, you cannot become a video influencer if
there's no one to influence. Well, I have just proven to you
 UNDERS TANDING YOUR AU D I EN CE | 51

that on YouTube, you can become an influencer at any age,

for any demographic. The most important thing is to figure
out what audience your content will serve and then focus on
understanding what your people want. It's not enough to
create a persona based on shallow things like gender, loca‐
tion, age, and job title. You need to know your audience
more deeply so they can immediately resonate with your
channel.

UND E R S TA N D I N G YOUR C OMPE TI TI ON

If you're a beginner, this part will help you quickly deter‐

mine what works and what doesn't in your niche. It will also
show you best practices, industry standards, and some
benchmarks you can use to create an amazing channel. Even
if you've got your channel set up, I still encourage you to pay
attention to this section of the book. It's where you can learn
how to check existing and trending channels in your niche.
The goal isn't to copy your competition but to learn from
them and improve upon what they've done. That way, your
young channel can shave off some of the mistakes and
learning curves they had to go through. Let's walk through
how to do this now.
52 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

CR E A T I NG A BE N CHMA R K F OR YOU R
CHA NNE L

Make sure to fire up your Google doc or Word document so

you can create your own custom benchmark in this process.
Make sure to document this as much as possible.

Step one: Find the best performing channels in

your niche.

I recommend gathering the top five to ten preferred chan‐

nels where you know your audience is hanging out. Not sure
how to find your competition? Here's a simple exercise.

Do in-depth market research online to figure out who is

talking about the same topic or selling the same products
and services you want to sell. By now, you should have the
primary keyword or niche topic that you'll be focusing on.
Take that keyword or keyphrase and start by putting it on
the main Google search bar to see what comes up. You'll see
a list of websites and ads that are ranking for it, and if you
click on the "video" tabs, you will see all the videos that are
ranking on Google. This is great because it already shows
you the channels competing with you. Record everything on
your Google sheet and click the channels of these videos
whenever one resonates with you so you can see how
they've set up their entire YouTube channel.
 UNDERST ANDING YOUR A U DI EN C E | 53

You can also go to a software called Ubersuggest and type in

each of the keywords. You'll get a downloadable report of all
the websites ranking for that topic. Take the names of those
sites and head over to the YouTube search bar to see what
kind of content they have on their channel. If you realize
some of these high-ranking websites don't have a great
YouTube channel, then that's great because that's the oppor‐
tunity you need to seize. If you find a great channel with lots
of engagement and high-quality content, add that to your list
of competitors. You can also do the same thing on other
social media channels like Twitter and Instagram, especially
if your topic is popular on these other networks. Just use
hashtags to find the most engaged accounts and then spy on
their YouTube channels. Your goal is to have a comprehen‐
sive list of between five to ten competitors. Then move on
to the next step.

Step two: Take note of the following metrics for

all the identified competitive YouTube channels.

The Total Number of Subscribers on the Channel.

Subscribers Change.
The Total Number of Videos on the Entire
Channel.
Videos Change.
Videos Table.
Views Total.
54 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Views Change.
View Subscriber Rate.
Average Views Per Video.
Engagement Rate.
Average Engagement Per Video.
Average Favorites Per Video.
Average Likes Per Video.
Average Dislikes Per Video.
Average Comments Per Video.

Granted, this will be a lot of manual work, especially if your

competitors have created lots of video content on their
channel. So if you'd like a little bit of help with this process,
consider using software such as SocialBlade, which is a free
online tool that can help you track YouTube statistics more
effortlessly. In the resources section, you will find all the
tools I've recommended throughout this book.

Once you've gathered all this data, it's time to decide which
benchmarks you will set for your channel. Allow that to
influence the KPI's that you'll set in the coming months as
well. How will you know if your channel is doing well?

The data collected from channels in your niche can help you
figure out what a good audience engagement should be. You
can continue using analytics to track growth month over
month. Many of those basic data sets you will find in the
 UNDERS TANDING YOUR A UDI E N C E | 55

YouTube analytics dashboard. However, if you'd like some‐

thing more robust to help you with analytics, consider
investing in tools such as Tubular Intelligence, which allows
you to see what's trending on YouTube as well as how your
videos are performing. You can also get BuzzSumo, which is
quite popular nowadays and has a YouTube Analyzer. This
tool can help you find the right keywords, get a list of the
most popular videos for your niche, analyze specific videos,
or keep an eye on competitor channels.

Find my audience Tool

This is a new tool by "Think With Google" that I've played

around with and found it extremely useful. It will help you
get an overview of where your audience might be hanging
out on YouTube, which channels they are likely watching,
and what they might plan to buy.

Once on the site (www.thinkwithgoogle.com/feature/find‐

myaudience), you can begin by taking a tour. There's a
"Take a tour" tab on the top right corner, which walks you
through how the site works. I recommend signing in with
your Gmail so you can save the detailed information you
gather. For example, I typed in "In-market" for my audience
preference, and then chose the category of sports and fitness.
With that, I learned that there are three YouTube audiences
who are researching or planning to purchase sports and
fitness related products or services. The three groups are
56 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

fitness products and services, outdoor recreational equip‐

ment, and sporting goods. When I clicked on fitness prod‐
ucts and services, I found the top YouTube channels people
shopping for fitness products and services are likely to be
watching. Jeff Nippard (2.14M), Body project (1M+), Sydney
Cummings (706K), Muscle & Strength (816K) are the
channel names that popped up.

The tool also revealed some of the top products and services
most relevant to my audience, including Activewear, video
games, etc. This is valuable information for someone setting
up his or her fitness channel, wouldn't you agree?

Now you can have access to the same so that your channel
can reach the right audience with the right message and
offers based on their preferences.

A CT I VI T Y #4 : T HE CHA N N E L S O N YO UR
CHO SE N N I CHE

It's time to implement all that we've learned. In this activity,

you will complete researching between five to ten
competitor channels using the tools I suggested.

Identify what makes these channels popular.

Identify some of the gaps, if any, or think of what
you could do differently and better.
 U NDERS TANDING YOUR AU D I EN CE | 57

Read as many comments as possible so you can see

how the channel interacts with their audience. This
is also a great opportunity to gain content ideas
because you will find questions, concerns, or even
requests from the community that you can leverage
on your own channel.
Record as many of the detailed metrics I shared
earlier as you can. If you do it manually, then do the
best you can. Otherwise, use tools like Social Blade,
BuzzSumo, and Tubular Intelligence. Once you've
done this extensive research, start looking for the
gaps in content and brainstorm how you can
improve on what you've seen out there. Document
every idea, no matter how trivial it may seem.
These notes will come in handy as we get into
strategy and implementation.
 5

BRANDING YOUR CHANNEL

I t's time to get to the fun and creative part of

setting up your channel. Now that you know
what your channel will be about and whom you'll be
creating content for, we need to create the different graph‐
ics, artworks, and other necessary pieces so that your
channel can instantly attract potential subscribers. That's
where branding comes in.

WHY Y O U NE E D T O BR A N D

You'll find different definitions of what a brand is in today's

digital world. I want to keep things super simple, so here's
how we will approach this branding concept.

Branding is about taking the best aspects of you and recreating

them online so that people can have a real sense of who you
 BRANDING YOUR CH A N N EL | 59

are and what you stand for the moment they land on your
YouTube channel. It's a lot harder to make a great first impres‐
sion online, so by giving your channel an identity that's true to
you, there's a higher chance you'll bridge that gap better and
use technology to reinforce relationships rather than hinder.

Branding has become extremely important on YouTube

because you need to stand out and attract the right attention
from the right people. Social media has also become very
dominated by alluring aesthetics. Like it or not, if your
channel doesn't look appealing to the audience you wish to
attract, it will be tough gaining momentum. Most impor‐
tantly, I emphasize branding a lot on YouTube because it is a
social platform built around the concept of community at
the end of the day and sharing knowledge and ideas. That
means there's a strong need for s sense of belonging for the
people hanging out there. Your branding does wonders
when it comes to creating a signpost with your core identity
written all over it, and that helps your "tribe" recognize and
connect with you.

How do you go about establishing your brand?

That cannot be rushed. It is a natural growth process that

will get better as you create content and interact with
community members. However, a few key questions will
enable us to start the journey of branding your YouTube
channel. Ask yourself the following:
60 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Who am I, and how do I want to be known on

YouTube? For example, a speaker, digital marketer,
life coach, etc.
What kind of voice do I want to build on YouTube?
For example, funky, laid back, humorous, formal,
etc.
What kind of vocabulary, personality, and verbiage
will I use? For example, think of Gary Vee. His
language and vocabulary are very distinct. You
want to figure out what yours is.
What emotions, experience, and benefit do you
want your tribe to have as a result of consuming
your content?
What colors and design will you be using to
stand out?

These are just a handful of questions you will need to answer

as you build your brand. In this chapter, I will walk you
through the key elements and how to set each one up.
Follow along, and by the end of this, you will have your
channel ready for launch.
 BRANDING YOUR C HAN N E L | 61

SE T T I NG U P YOU R N E W YOU T U BE
CHA NNE L

If you already have a channel set up, you may skip this
section if you like, but I still encourage you to go through it.
To get started, you first need to sign up for a Gmail account.
If you already have an account with Google, then head over
to youtube.com and click on the Sign In button on the top
right corner.

If you're creating the account for the first time, you will be
asked to choose whether you're creating a channel for your‐
self or a business once you sign up. You will have the option
of creating a personal brand or business brand, depending
on your objective.

You will need to fill out the details such as your name, the
name you want to use for the channel, and then choose to
verify the account. Later on, you can also choose to add a
channel manager if you've set up a business channel. To
verify your channel, you will need to give a mobile number
where a text or voice message will be sent with a code. Once
the code is entered and accepted, YouTube will let you
upload videos longer than 15 minutes, add custom thumb‐
nails, do Livestream, and so much more. So please make sure
you do this as fast as possible.
62 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Once this is done, you can head over to your channel dash‐
board, and you'll see a blank canvas for you to add your
creativity and personality to. This is where the fun begins. If
you have other social media profiles or websites you'd like to
add to the main dashboard, you can add them here. For now,
the most essential step is to add the artworks and graphics
that will personalize your channel and make it more
appealing to your ideal audience.

Channel Images

Let's pick out the main image elements for your channel.
Even if you're not a design expert, you can still create incred‐
ible images without spending a fortune or hiring expensive
graphics designers. Tools such as Canva, PicMonkey, Word
Swagg, Picktochart are just a few of the tools you need to
add to your toolbox. These software products are either free
or low cost and require little to no experience in graphics
design. My preferred is, of course, Canva, which has a free
and pro version. With Canva, you can design epic looking
images in a matter of seconds, from your channel art and
logo to your thumbnails, and so on.

Hire a professional to create your graphics.

You can also hire a professional to create your channel art if

you have a little budget to spare. Websites such as 99designs
are great for outsourcing, but you can also go to Upwork or
 BRANDING YOUR CH A N N EL | 63

Fiverr and hire someone for as little as $5 as long as you

know exactly what you want.

Once you have the main channel image, it's time to

brand your new channel. Here's how:

Sign in to your YouTube studio and from the left menu

select Customization. Use the tabs to customize your
channel by changing the profile picture, banner image, and
video watermark. This is also where you'll have the ability to
change the layout.

For the profile picture, YouTube recommends uploading a

JPG, GIF, BMP, or PNG file of 800 X 800 px. It can be
square or round that renders at 98 X 98 px. Don't use
animated GIFs for this.

For the banner image, you need a minimum dimension of

2048 X 1152 px, with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The file size
must be 6MB or smaller. If you go with the minimum
recommended dimensions, make sure that the area for text
and logos is 1235 X 338 px. Larger images may get cropped
on specific devices because the banner comes across differ‐
ently depending on whether it's being viewed on desktop,
mobile, or TV displays.

For basic channel info, you also can personalize what is

displayed by adding or removing the information you want
to be shared with the public. If you want to have a different
64 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

name from your Google Account, you will need to create a

brand account. This would be different from your personal
Google Account, and it will make it easier to give other
people (team members) access to your YouTube channel
without sharing your Google Account details. It's also great
if you know you'll want to have multiple channels in one
account. For influencers, I highly recommend getting a
Brand Account because of the flexibility it offers. The best
part is, you get to call your channel whatever name you like.

Channel Layout

You can customize your channel so that new viewers and

potential subscribers can see your channel trailers, certain
featured sections, or a featured video when they first land on
your homepage. Channel trailers are great because they offer
the new visitor a preview of your channel and what you're
all about. It's a great way to make a positive first impression
and really connect with your audience. Setting up a trailer
video is easy. Just select Customization and then "Layout."
Once you see "Video spotlight," click ADD and select the
video that you want to make the trailer. Hit publish and
you'll have your very own trailer. Making a great video
trailer is important, so keep reading to learn how to create
an epic video that leaves your audience wanting more.

If you don't want to have a trailer for the homepage, you

could also feature a particular video. Some YouTubers place
 BRANDING YOUR CH A N N EL | 65

their most-watched video as the first thing a new visitor sees

so they can immediately receive value and see why everyone
else has subscribed to that channel. So don't feel pressured to
create a trailer; even a high-value content piece will work
just as well.

A CT I VI T Y #5: CR E A T E YO UR CHA N N E L

Now that you have all the basic elements of setting up your
channel, it's time to implement what you've learned. Before
you get into the next chapter, I want you to decide what
kind of a channel you want to set up and then get to work
coming up with the design, image profile, and logo if neces‐
sary. Then head over to YouTube and create your channel.
Feel free to explore the different menus in YouTube Studio
and also read the community guidelines they offer. Section
four of this book will cover more on how to navigate
YouTube Studio, but I don't want you to wait. Create your
channel now.
 III

CREATING YOUTUBE
VIDEOS
 6

CREATING QUALITY CONTENT

T his section of our book focuses purely on

creating amazing content that will get you
views and subscribers. For creatives, this is probably the
most exciting part of their YouTube channel management.
But why invest time learning how to create quality content?

Your content will stand out more if it's of better

quality than your competitors.
Quality content is usually so packed with value that
a new audience can't help but want more of what
you're creating, which will lead to more
subscribers.
With great content comes the potential of going
viral.
Quality content will serve you for years to come.
70 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

We call it evergreen content only because once you

create it, the number of views, engagement, and
potential business grows overtime. I have a video
that's three years old and still brings in new
business inquiries.

WH A T E X A C TL Y IS QUA L I TY C ON TE NT?

Simply stated, quality refers to the experience of the user.

You can have lots of bells and whistles on your video, but if
the users have a poor experience, then it won't matter. That
content will be considered a flop. Quality includes all the
technical aspects of video, including audio quality, visual
quality, editing quality, and the quality of the actual script or
content being shared. For example, you need to think about
whether the video will be HD or 4K. Then, ask yourself, are
the colors, right? Is the lighting, right? Is it sharp and crisp?
Is the audio good? Was it edited in a way that makes sense
and tells a story? These are a few examples of objective qual‐
ity, and the best part is that they are measurable and easy to
control on your part.

However, we also need to think about subjective quality.

This is what we really care about as human beings, and it
will directly influence your channels' growth. It includes
things like making it relevant, interesting, and engaging to
the end-user.
 CREAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 71

According to a Google report, "when people are choosing

what to watch, relating to their passions is 1.6X more
important than whether the content has high production
quality." [Source: Google and OMG, U.S., "Personal Prime‐
time" Study, n=3,200 respondents, Oct.2018. I'm sharing this
with you to let you know that both objective and subjective
quality matter. And while the objective is easy to measure
and control, the emotional quality will ultimately determine
how well your channel does in the long run. We want to
make sure you have the best chance of winning the hearts
and attention of your potential subscribers. The best way to
do that is to combine the technical aspects of video produc‐
tion with world-class content that resonates with the
targeted audience. You need to come across as relatable, and
the stuff you put out should be focused on providing value in
some way, shape, or form—more on how to do that in the
unfolding chapters.

TH E D I F F E R E N T KI N D S OF VI D E O
C ONTE NT

Growing your YouTube channel does not have to be

daunting or complicated. You just need to know which types
of content people love to watch and create more of those
types. Here are the top ones.
72 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

How-to and Tutorials

Behind-the-scenes video content.
Interview and Q&A
Pranks
Vlog
Product reviews
360
User-generated content
Webinar
Presentation
Livestream

How-to and Tutorials

Most of the famous YouTubers you might know have gotten

that rise to stardom through this category of content.
Millennials are exceptional at creating this type of video
content. It performs well because people love watching
videos, and they absolutely love watching actionable
insights. When I say stardom - I mean serious riches and
stardom. Some YouTubers have gone from zero to earning
over $50 million just by creating awesome tutorials.

I love this type of content because you're not limited by

anything, and you can be as creative as you want. As long as
you understand your audience's values and create lots and
lots of free content around it, you can't go wrong. It can be
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y C ON TE N T | 73

tutorials on anything under the sun. This is the age of infor‐

mation, and people love to learn. Just make sure the tutorials
are actually high quality with the intention of helping, not
making a sale!

Behind-the-scenes video content

These types of videos are great for companies and for solo‐
preneurs. They are firmly rooted in raw storytelling for
branding purposes. What do I mean by that? It's about
revealing what you stand for, the culture you're building as a
team or organization, and it pulls back the curtain on your
brand to allow customers and potential buyers to forge a
connection with your brand. It goes from being an imper‐
sonal operation to real human beings with emotions, frus‐
trations, ambitions, and personalities. If you have a remote
team, get creative about how to record and edit funny
behind-the-scenes content. If you fly solo, perhaps you can
show a behind-the-scenes or sneak peek video about an
upcoming project. A great example of this type of content
can be found on Mind Valley Academy or even Vistaprint.

Interview and Q&A

These types of video content are great for authority build‐

ing. Suppose you can get influences, experts, or even celebri‐
ties to come and answer your questions. In that case, you'll
start to attract the attention of the people who resonate with
74 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

that information. This type of video content allows you to

connect with and align your brand with inspiring people and
thought leaders. It also helps you look more trustworthy
since you're hanging out with and getting answers from a
respected voice.

A good interview requires planning ahead but don't make it

come across as too polished and scripted out. It should be
natural and intimate so your potential subscribers can fuller
immerse themselves in that experience and come out feeling
like they know you and your guest better. As the inter‐
viewer, you need to ask powerful questions, direct the inter‐
view in the best direction, and make it as meaningful as
possible for the user. I love interviews because you can
create lots of evergreen content and never run out of ideas
or topics. You can even give exclusive access to your audi‐
ence if you can tap into well-known influencers and celebri‐
ties. There's a lot of power in leveraging this if you know
how to do it right. A great example is Lewis Howes's "School
of Greatness."

Pranks

There's a huge and hungry audience waiting for you on

YouTube if you enjoy pulling off pranks. These types of
video content are mostly for entertainment. As the creator,
you would either prank a friend or stranger and capture it
on film. Of course, you need to make sure the pranks are
 CREAT ING QUALIT Y C ON TE N T | 75

subtle enough to avoid offending anyone. What you're

looking for is to make people laugh and disrupt their day or
their thought patterns. Some people have been extreme and
created a lot of controversies, and it seems to have worked.
Still, I strongly urge you to avoid that because, based on
what I've seen, people enjoy funny pranks, not offensive or
extreme pranks.

Vlog

These are video blogs. They are usually raw and require
minimal cost production. All you need is a unique brand
voice and a personality that resonates with your target audi‐
ence. Most vlogs are off-the-cuff and unpolished. All you
need is a smartphone or webcam as equipment. I encourage
you to have some kind of a script or bullet point to ensure
your content is concise and well thought out. As a video
influencer, you could do daily vlogs sharing your day at
work. Think of this as documenting your journey. What‐
ever you're in the trenches trying to build, share it with the
community, and you'll start to see a tribe joining you on the
ride. I suggest checking out Gary Vaynerchuck's "Daily Vee"
for inspiration on this type of video content.

Product Reviews

This type of video content is similar to how-to content. It's

meant to be insightful and focused on helping, not selling a
76 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

product. Consumers flock to YouTube every minute of the

hour, looking for help along their purchase journey. They
want to know which product is best, how it works, and
whether it will be good value for their money. A product
review can help answer all those questions. However, I
would recommend doing product reviews once you've estab‐
lished some credibility and trust with your audience because
they need to trust you before following your advice. Affiliate
marketing partners up very well with product review videos.
But again, you will need to walk that fine line of helping
your audience make the right decision, not just selling them
something because you're making money. By the way, you
don't even need to talk about products in your niche. For
example, if you're a personal trainer, you could talk about
the best running shoes or home workout equipment - even
if they aren't directly related to you. Bringing that level of
service and customer-focused value to an audience can cause
someone to trust you and even end up hiring your personal
training services. Think creatively about which products you
review and have the intention of bringing value.

360 or VR content

360 degrees videos are the latest alternatives we have as we

move closer toward a full virtual experience. Yes, we still
have a long way to go, but people dig 360 content as it is
immersive and puts the users in the centre of the action
 C REAT ING QUAL IT Y C ON T EN T | 77

allowing them to pan around the room with their smart

device. In other words, this type of content focuses more on
bringing an immersive and exciting experience to the end-
user. Don't think you need to be fancy or have a huge
company to make these types of videos work for you. Exper‐
iment and see if it matches your brand and personality.

User-generated content

This type of video content will work once you have a

growing customer base. If you have an existing business,
then find creative ways to get previous or existing
customers to create social content. Something sharable that
sells for you. User-generated content has become massive
on social media. It's a great way to get free testimonials,
demonstrate your credibility, and gather new leads because
people love to see social proof. Most social media users say
that UGC is the most authentic type of content, and they
want to see more of it. So whether you're just starting out
and need time to build a customer list or already have
people who can create this for you, come up with a plan and
incentive to make people want to record short videos
talking about how great your brand is. Wondering how to
get started? Consider running a contest on YouTube and
other social media platforms. Encourage people to send
over videos of themselves using your product. Or you can
start a campaign for your brand and products and create a
78 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

trending hashtag, then ask people to use it as much as

possible.

Webinar

Did you know you could host webinars on Google hangout?

It's simple and easy to navigate. This type of video content is
extremely valuable for an audience that loves to learn. It can
exponentially grow your YouTube channel because you can
offer webinars and share them on your channel. Just make
sure it's educative and actionable information. Since the
pandemic in 2020, we've seen a massive spike in virtual
webinars, so now people are accustomed to learning online.
If you don't want to use Google Hangouts, you can do Zoom
webinars and then upload the recording to your YouTube
channel. Think of webinars as a free live event. An opportu‐
nity for your potential subscribers to learn something valu‐
able from you and begin the purchase journey as well. It can
be a solo webinar, or you could invite a roundtable panel
discussion with several gurus in your niche.

Presentations

Ever heard of Ted Talks? Of course, you have! These are a

form of presentation content, and as you know, they
perform really well on YouTube. A presentation type of
video content (even if it's not a Ted Talk) can work really
well because it combines the excitement of a live event with
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 79

a virtual webinar's practicality to create something

compelling and shareable. You could be on the other side of
the planet watching a presentation from someone you could
have never met. Of course, if you want to do Ted Talks, you
can do that too, but I think there's a long process of making
that happen. If you're going to leverage this type of video
content, I encourage you to start by giving as many presenta‐
tions as possible at different locations. The size of the audi‐
ence doesn't matter. Just make sure the presentation itself is
excellent and that you capture the whole thing on video.

Livestreaming

The last type of video content we will discuss is Live stream‐

ing, which was added a few years ago. Since then, there has
been increasing demand across all social platforms, including
YouTube. People love interacting in a Livestream, and it is
expected to become a $70.5 billion industry by 2021.
YouTube gives you the ability to participate and enjoy a
portion of that success. The best part about live streaming is
that you can do it on any category, niche, and subject matter.
Niches such as cooking, self-improvement, motivational
speeches, DIY arts and crafts, makeup routines, dance chore‐
ography, workout routines, yoga, meditation, etc. can all
perform great on the Live stream.

Why does this work so well? It comes down to the fact that
people love the suspense of Live video. They can't resist the
80 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

urge to tune in because they don't want to miss out on

getting new gossip, learning something new, or connecting
with someone they admire.

Studies have shown that live streams generate up to 10X

more engagement than regular videos. Neil Patel said that
live video broadcasts receive 600% more engagement than
regular posts. So what are you waiting for?

You can be completely unknown today, but if you create

great content, you can become a YouTube superstar in no
time using any of these content types.

W HY Y O U NE E D A SO LID VIDE O CO NT E NT
ST RAT E GY

Creating a well thought out video content strategy is a must

if you want long-term success. Here's the thing. It will take
time to build up brand authority or a robust library that
keeps drawing in traffic. That's okay. Instead of fussing
about the daunting work ahead of you, focus on creating a
simple and easy to execute system that you can follow.
Ensure the plan you create is also flexible because you'll need
to adjust things as you grow.

Why do you need to come up with a clear strategy? Because

if you don't, you're going to end up disheartened and feeling
like you're not making any progress. That will likely cause
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 81

you to give up too soon. It's also going to be really hard to

measure and monitor your growth if everything is random.
Posting a piece of content idea that comes to you every once
in a while will not bring you the growth you need. Trust me
on that. And more importantly, I want to help ensure you
never run dry of content ideas. The more precise and well
planned out your strategy, the easier it will be to keep
producing even when you go through a dry spell.

So how do we go about creating your strategy? I borrowed

some insights from Think With Google, who share many
relevant ideas on winning big on YouTube. They interview
and run case studies on some of the biggest brands in the
world. Think Johnson & Johnson, Nike, and even Marvel
Movies. It's only wise to listen to the advice they have to
offer on how to approach building fantastic content on our
YouTube channels. We may not have the resources or
money to create at the level of these giant corporations. Still,
we can implement the same principles driving their success.
A simple framework I have learned from my time studying
those case studies is to Create + Collaborate + Curate.

T HE 3 C'S FO R A SIM PLE AND E FFICIE NT

CO NT E NT ST RAT E GY

Create
82 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Your strategy should include a detailed brainstorm of the

titles, keywords, lessons, or subject matter your videos will
cover over a certain period of time. We can call this a video
content plan. For this section of your strategy, you will need
to research the top-performing content in your niche
market and then make a list of what you will create.

You can have a monthly content plan or a 90-day content

plan depending on your preference. I recommend starting
with a 30-day content plan to avoid overwhelm. Then
decide whether you'll batch these videos together, so you
shoot once or twice a week. If you're bold and committed to
being on camera a lot, you can also shoot, edit, and publish
on the same day. I recommend giving yourself enough
leeway for any emergencies, equipment glitches, and even
enough editing time.

If you plan on releasing one new video daily, the above

options can all work well. If you're releasing more than one
video a day, then you definitely need to batch your video
recordings to allow ample editing and personalization time.
Remember, the quantity must not compromise the quality of
your video content.

Collaborate

The best way to build up your library and grow your brand
on YouTube is to create strategic partnerships. There should
 C REAT ING QUAL IT Y C ON T EN T | 83

be a section on your content strategy for collaborations with

peers and other YouTube influencers. The great benefit of
partnering up with others in your space is the increased
exposure your channel gets.

Make sure, however, that the agreement is mutually benefi‐

cial. I would recommend creating an outreach campaign
once you've hit your first 1K subscribers. And when you do,
begin with those most likely to agree to this partnership. For
example, asking someone with 3 million subscribers to
collaborate with you when you only have 1K followers may
not yield any positive results. Unless you're willing to pay
them handsomely, these categories of YouTubers will be out
of reach at first. But if you started reaching out to influ‐
encers with between 5K - 30K subscribers, they are more
likely to want to work with you as long as you can prove
how valuable the experience will be.

When you collaborate, you co-create the video content and

then cross-post on each other's channels for maximum expo‐
sure. Not only will you be adding to your library, but you'll
also bring value to a new audience that didn't know you
existed.

For example, there's a YouTuber with a channel on physics

experiments and how to apply it to everyday life. She collab‐
orated with a guy who has a channel purely for testing out
and reviewing tech gear. Their collaboration involved using
84 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

physics to see whether the iPhone 11 Pro could withstand a

massive hit without breaking. The video was entertaining
and cool to watch, plus we learned a lot about Vacuum and
how powerful nature is. Even the iPhone isn't built to with‐
stand the powers of Mother Nature. I share this simple
example to show you what's possible with collaborations.
You can find the video on both channels, and now, the tech-
savvy geeks who didn't know about the physics channel got
a chance to subscribe and follow "Physics Girl." That's the
power of a good collaboration.

Curate

The last C we want to add to your content strategy is one

that involves curating content. This isn't content you create.
Instead, it comes from existing customers, subscribers, and
loyal fans that want to praise you and your brand. That's
why this part of your content comes when the channels
begin to mature because it's likely you're starting from
scratch, and that's okay. Just know that you will be able to do
this type of content at some point, and it'll really boost your
credibility and authority. Fans and customers love sharing
their experiences, stories, and opinions. Getting this type of
content won't be too hard, especially if you're regularly
running contests and giveaways. Think of it as a way to
invite your audience to help you tell your story on YouTube.
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y C ON TE N T | 85

A content strategy doesn't need to be perfect, but you must

have one. With these three different areas, you also want to
know what metrics and measurements of growth you'll be
going after. As a beginner, here's a simple template I would
encourage you to follow.

Write down the big goals and the little goals that
lead up to that big one.
Write down whom the content is for.
Write down the influencers your audience follows
on YouTube.
Write down the experience you want the audience
to have and how the content should impact them.
Write down the expected milestones and principal
return on investment (ROI) that you expect.

HO W T O PLAN AHE AD W IT H Y O UR
CO NT E NT

The more thought you put into your video content before
hitting that record button, the better the quality and perfor‐
mance. Whether you're doing a technical how-to or a daily
vlog, it's essential to plan ahead. How much planning you do
is entirely up to you. Some people want to script out every
word. Others need to have a vague idea of the main message
they want to pass on before shooting. There's no wrong or
86 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

right here. Your personality and experience with being on

camera does influence how you will plan your video content.
Still, I will share a few best practices below.

Keep in mind that the first place to start, as stated earlier, is

with a documented content plan. It can be two weeks, thirty
days, sixty days, or even a ninety-day plan. If you're one of
those who cannot start thinking too far ahead, then opt for a
weekly program. Sit with your journal or a Google docu‐
ment and plan out the video content topic, title, and key
points you'll create over the specified period. You can also
use a content calendar for this. If you approach your content
planning from the perspective of creating a viral video or a
single piece of content that will make you an overnight
sensation, then you will fail. Those are short-term rewards
that have nothing to do with growing your channel or
brand. Instead, focus on creating consistent content that will
engage your audience. The sweet spot to hit is that point of
intersection between what your brand stands for and what
your audience care's about.

Researching content topics

If you have an existing customer base or a following in

another social media platform, you can create a question‐
naire asking your existing fans what they'd love to learn
from you. Social media users are very interested in sharing
opinions and offering suggestions. If you don't have any
 CREAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 87

followers, then take a look at your competitors and peers.

Subscribe to their channel on YouTube; see what's working
and where the gaps are. Read all the comments on their
most engaged posts. These are all great places to get new
title ideas and topics.

Once the research is done, it's time to get specific and

decide on the types of keywords you'll focus on. If your
channel is more educational and informative, you'll need
more informational keywords. But if the content focuses
on selling, you'll need more transactional keywords inte‐
grated into your video content, title, descriptions, and
tags.

A content plan should be integrated with your calendar

using software like Asana, Buffer, etc. You can also create
your own using a spreadsheet. All you need to have in the
columns is the publish date, title/description, status (in
progress, completed, delayed), type of content, main
keywords.

HO W T O ST RUCT URE T HE VIDE O

CO NT E NT - A SIM PLE T E M PLAT E

Map out the first 15 seconds.

Outline the key points
88 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Use the proven formula H.I.C.C (Hook Intro

Content Call-to-action)

Hook

The hook is the thing that will grab attention and get people
to watch the video. Include it at the beginning of your video
within that 15-second window, so people don't click away.

The intro always helps the audience understand what you're

going to cover, why they should listen to you or care, and
also a bit about yourself as the host.

Content

This is the meat of your video. All the value goes into this
section, and it should take up the most time because you will
be giving people what you promised at the beginning of the
video. For example, if you're a personal trainer, this part
would be the actual workout to get my abs tight.

Call-to-action

Always have a call to action at the end of each video.

Summarize what the video was about; especially if it was
informational or educational, and then ask them to take
action. Even if it was purely an entertainment video, you
could still add a call to action by asking your audience to
subscribe, like, share, or comment on the video.
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 89

Keep your video structure super simple by following the

above structure until you get the hang of things. Then you
can get a bit fancier.

CO LLAB O RAT ING W IT H O T HE R CRE AT O RS

IN Y O UR NICHE

As I said before, a strong content strategy always has a

section for collaborations. The smart YouTubers understand
the importance of leveraging this tactic. Still, you should
know there are some advantages and disadvantages to using
this method.

Pros:

Collaborations are completely free, so it's a great

way to tap into an existing audience without
spending money.
Gives you exposure to a new audience, which can
be extremely beneficial for a young channel.
Enables you to create more content.
The quality of content improves because you
always learn so much from these types of
partnerships, especially if done with someone who
has been around a lot longer than you.
It's a powerful way to establish connections and
build real relationships with people who share your
90 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

passion and a desire to serve an audience. Some of

these collaborations might even turn into new
lucrative opportunities.

Cons:

While I don't believe in disadvantages when it comes to

creating collaboration because every experience has some‐
thing to teach us (even those that don't work out), I can
share a few things to become aware of.

It will require a lot of upfront energy to get these

relationships started. You are 100% responsible for
getting their attention and making them interested
in your offer.
You will need to do many follow-ups when going
after your list of potential collaborators.
You might experience lots of rejection, and that's
okay. Learn to handle these situations.

When doing collaborations, make sure you give and serve

first. Don't be overly self-promotional. Most importantly, be
authentic. The only way you're going to resonate with a new
audience and have them interested in checking out your
channel is if you are fully authentic, so don't try to "fake it"
or "fit in." This will ensure you get the most out of that
experience. I would also encourage you to go into it open-
 C REAT ING QUAL IT Y CO N TE N T | 91

minded and focused on having fun. It doesn't matter how

many people end up subscribing. Learn to take your mind
off metrics and data and just be a passionate creator. That
will make the influencer you're working with also appreciate
the experience, as he or she will see you care more about
serving the audience than getting subscribers, and that
might lead to more collaborative opportunities.

HO W T O MA KE S URE YO U NE V E R RUN O UT
O F GRE A T ID E A S

You'll hear many content creators talk about going through a

"dry spell," and at some point, you might find yourself expe‐
riencing the same. So let's talk about how to handle these
situations. The worst thing to do is force yourself to get on
camera when you feel completely drained of value and
inspiration.

I usually encourage my clients to take a day or a week away

from the spotlight and reset. Sometimes the pressure
becomes too much and causes our creative juices to stagnate.
However, my advice only works if you already have enough
content in the pipeline to allow you that "off-time." That's
why I encourage you to batch your content creation and
schedule them ahead of time. At a minimum, one week
ahead. Some people prefer to schedule it a month in
advance. Whichever frequency you choose, make sure you
92 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

have enough ready-to-go content so that you're not rushing

or banging your head against the wall because it's Monday
morning, and you have nothing to post.

To help ensure you avoid running out of ideas, here some

best practices.

Once a week, sit with a Google doc and write down

all the titles you would like to create content for.
Always carry a pen and notepad or train your Siri
to be on the alert for when ideas come to you as
you're running errands, working out, driving, etc.
Some of the best ideas come to us when we least
expect.
Download an app such as Evernote to help you
capture screenshots, save and bookmark links that
inspire you as you browse the Internet. You might
come across an article or video that stirs up your
creative juices, and there's nothing worse than
trying to find that link (days later) on your long
browser history.
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y C ON TE N T | 93

A S IMP LE F O RMULA T O GE T O V E R 10 0
V ID E O CO NT E NT ID E A S IN LE S S T HA N
20 MIN.

Content Topic Generators

These are your easiest source of inspiration and content

ideas. In less than twenty minutes, you could have content
for a whole month. The list of content generators continues
to grow, so be sure to keep checking for new ones. How it
works is that these software apps use the most popular title
formulas and fill in the blanks with your specific terms and
keywords. Check out

1. Portent Content Idea Generator

2. ContentIdeator
3. Content Strategy Helper
4. Hubspot's Topic Generator

Buzzsumo

Head over to Buzzsumo and type in the keyword you want

to talk about. What you'll see is a breakdown of all the most
popular content based on social shares. It's a great way to
know what people love, and when you find articles that are
doing well, a video version of the same will likely perform
great. With their free version, you're limited to a few
94 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

searches, but it should be enough to get your juices flowing,

and you can see what's done well in the recent weeks,
months even a year ago.

Ubersuggest

This tool gives you a lot more than content ideas. It also
shares keywords ideas and tells you which content is doing
well based on search volume. It's a great way to see the top
ranking sites and the content making them rank so high so
you can leverage those titles as well.

Answer The Public

This tool helps you find all the questions people commonly
ask about the keyword you type in. In just a few seconds,
you can have an abundance of content ideas and similar
keywords, all organized in an easy-to-read diagram that you
could easily download. The tool offers keyword alternatives
like comparisons and prepositions, as well as related
phrases.

Quora

Quora is a trendy Q&A platform that has gained lots of trac‐

tion in recent years. Head over to the forum and type in
your keyword or topics that you want to be an authority on.
Then look at all the questions asked in your niche and pick
the ones people are most interested in. You can tell by the
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y C ON TE N T | 95

number of followers and the number of upvotes for the top

responses.

Once you find a hot question, shoot a video with your best
answer. Be as educational, informative, and helpful as you
can in that video and try to be comprehensive with your
reply so that when people click to watch the video, they can
immediately see the value you bring and hopefully
subscribe.

But you're not done yet.

Once you've published the video, head back to that original

question in Quora. Answer it with a few words explaining
your thoughts and letting people know you've shot a video
with a more detailed answer. You can link the video here to
drive traffic directly to your YouTube video. I recommend
keeping a spreadsheet with the list of questions and a direct
link, so it's easy to find them again once you've shot the
video. It also helps you keep track of how performance
because you can check once a month to see if people
responded and voted you up. It's impossible with Quora to
run out of ideas because you don't need to come up with
any. Just find questions you can best answer on video.

Other forums where your readers hang out.

Aside from Quora and Answer the public, you can also check
forums like Yahoo, Reddit, or specific industry forums
96 | Y OUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

where your audience most likely hangs out. You want to find
questions, problems, complaints, or inquiries that people are
bouncing back and forth in these forums.

Online Groups

These include Facebook groups, LinkedIn, Twitter Chats,

Instagram Pods, etc. People get together to discuss interests,
topics, or even complain about products or services that
might belong to your competitors. Look for groups that
don't allow lots of articles sharing to avoid spammy ones.
The best groups or pods are those that have lots of questions
and answers.

Industry Publications and Blog Comment

Sections

Most people don't realize what a goldmine it can be to spend

half an hour going through your favorite publication's
comment section. Suppose you're a personal trainer or dieti‐
cian, and you want to come up with amazing content. By
browsing through big online blogs such as Bulletproof and
other health publications, you're likely to come across a lot
of great ideas from their readers. Sometimes readers will
even ask questions or raise concerns over something
confusing that wasn't covered. Those are the gaps your
video content should fill. The demand is there, and your
content can be the solution.
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 97

YouTubers You Follow

I already asked you in an earlier chapter to make a list of

your top competitors. These are the people who are already
crushing it in your niche. You need to be subscribed to their
channels so you can learn and get inspired by them. Perhaps
one of your competitors created content six months ago
that's now a little dated, or maybe they only shared a brief
overview of the topic. Still, you can go deeper and create
something even better. That's your ticket to growth and
value-adding.

Social media influencers you follow as well as

those who follow you

With this hack, you want to research all your top social
media profiles to see whom you follow or who follows you
that shares great content. Take a look at what they engage
with and see if there are any topics you can add to your
content planner.

Webinars

Most people don't think about this when first getting started
but given how popular webinars have become, it's a great
place to get content ideas. Check out popular websites in
your niche. Research the top influencers in your industry
who usually do webinars and follow them to see topics they
98 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

keep running webinars on. The most popular webinar titles

would also be great for video content.

HARO (Help A Reporter Out)

Help a reporter out is a great place to see trending topics,

and it can be an opportunity for your brand to be featured.
When you share your expertise on the platform, a reporter
can pick up your story and share it with the world giving
you free publicity. But I am sharing this platform with you
because by being on it, you get a glimpse of what people are
looking for in terms of topics and stories.

Google

Google can show you trends (go to Google Trends) or

related searches from the search bar as long as you have your
keywords right. By clicking on the tabs labeled "Video," you
can also see the top-ranking videos in your niche, which
would also indicate what area to focus on. Google also added
a section called "People also ask," - which is great to find
more questions relating to your topic or keyword. All these
are great spots for coming up with fresh and relevant
content.

Self-help magazines

There's a reason why magazines like Men's health and

Cosmo are so popular. These magazines tend to have
 C REAT ING QUALIT Y CO N T EN T | 99

extremely clickable titles. They know how to give people

what they want. I have a friend who first opened my eyes to
this little trick. Now I use it all the time. Whenever I am in a
store, I always look for the magazine section to quickly
browse through some of these popular magazines. You can
do the same. Just take a quick snapshot of the titles that most
resonate with you and add your own industry's words.

Amazon

Amazon is another excellent hack because it is an endless

ocean of content. You can create a lot of "how-to" content or
answer questions left in the comment section of books,
apparel, or whatever else your niche focuses on. Since there's
a book written on almost every topic under the sun,
consider browsing authors in your industry and look for
bestsellers. Then open to read the table of contents for title
ideas. If you really want to hit a vein of gold, invest some
time going through the comments people leave and compile
them into more content ideas. Although this might take a
little longer than twenty minutes, it'll be worth your time,
and you will end up with ideas that last you a year.

DO Y O U NEE D A S C R I P T ? YES O R NO ?

While it would be easier to give a yes or no answer... the real

answer is - it depends. As the content creator, you get to
100 | Y OU TU B E P L AY BO OK 2 0 21

determine what's wrong or right for you. There is no one-

size-fits-all in this scenario because some people swear by
script writing and teleprompters. In contrast, others would
rather die than script out their content. You can start with
either and see which fits best. Still, suppose you're a
complete newbie. In that case, I encourage you to practice
scripting or, at the very least, create bullet points and
prompters to assist you as you build confidence in front of
the camera.

If you already know scriptwriting is not for you because

you've tried it for a while and it didn't pan out, no matter
what you did, then please skip over to the activity section
of this chapter. But if you're still unsure and feel your
confidence is still lacking, a script will be the best way to
go. It can be as simple as having a bullet point on a sheet of
paper dangling next to your camera, where you can easily
read the main points. Or get a teleprompter and write out
a killer video script. Remember, this isn't a movie screen‐
play. You're creating something for a social network, so the
flow of it will have to be different. Here is a guideline to
follow:

One. Get the basic elements right.

As we said before, you have a fifteen-second window on

YouTube to grab the attention of your potential subscriber.
If you miss that window, the user is likely to click away, and
 CR EAT ING Q UALITY C ON T EN T | 101

we don't want that. So prioritize the hook and flow of the

content.

Create a basic model for your script that can be explained in

1min. Breakdown the main points so you can easily commu‐
nicate your message without losing the viewer. People need
to understand your concept quickly.

Make sure the audio is of excellent quality. Audio matters a

lot! If you're going to add background music, make sure it
doesn't overpower or disrupt your voice. Don't you hate it
when you can't hear what the guy says in his cooking video
because of the loud music? Don't do that to your audience.

Two. Have a strong point of view.

At the end of the day, your YouTube channel is supposed to

show what your brand stands for. It's essential to have a
clear point of view and confidently express it. People who
struggle to share their opinions boldly rarely do well on this
platform. Since we've gone through exercises in earlier chap‐
ters to determine your channel's identity and your target
audience, be sure to authentically and confidently speak your
opinion about the topic you cover.

Three. Pacing.

When writing out the script, be sure to pace yourself accord‐

ingly. Don't add too many filler words or create awkward
102 | YOUT UBE PLA YBOOK 20 2 1

silence in your content. Let it flow naturally as though

you're sitting with a friend in Starbucks having coffee. And
please don't be like those late-night infomercials guys who
barely breathe between sentences. Don't rush yourself just to
meet a certain deadline. Pace yourself, keep a steady tempo
that is true to your personality.

Four. Include lots of emotional words and triggers.

Do you know why a video prank of a teenage daughter

scaring the crap out of her mom performs better than a
reporter talking about inflation? Simple. Emotional content
will always get more views because people can relate to it
more.

Five. Be clear, concise, and conversational.

Whether you create a detailed script or an outline, it's

crucial to come across as conversational and concise. To help
ensure you do this, I would encourage you to avoid writing
very lengthy sentences when scriptwriting. Videos don't
require too many words because onscreen visuals accom‐
pany them, so you don't have to worry about using big and
complex sentences. If anything, stick to terminology and
sentences that a 6th grader can easily follow.

Example template to follow:

 CR EAT ING QU ALIT Y CO N TE N T | 103

The first fifteen seconds of your video make or break your

chances of winning a potential subscriber, so make your
introduction short, sweet, and attention-grabbing. Introduce
yourself and the topic at the beginning of the script, and
please remember to add a strong hook.

When it comes to scripting this part out, make sure the very
first few lines contain the hook to keep people tuned in.
Follow it up with a clear breakdown of what the audience
will learn by the end of the video.

Example: Are you freaking out because it's just a few

weeks to your wedding day, and you still haven't shed
those extra pounds for your big day? Fear not, because by
the end of this video, you'll know exactly what to do to
drop at least ten pounds in the next five days without ever
hitting the gym! I'm Jenny, and for the past fifteen years,
I've been helping couples look hot for their big day and
that special honeymoon week. Let's get you lean and ready
to enjoy your special day now!

Main Content and Ask an engaging question

Once the intro is done, script out the main content. This is
the meat of the video. I often like to include questions to
keep the viewer's attention. Something simple that gives a
yes or no answer should do it, and it's a great way to
encourage people to comment. In this section, script out
104 | YOUT UBE PLA YBOOK 20 2 1

word for word what you're going to teach. Going back to the
example I just shared, scripting out this section would
require Jenny to write out exactly how the viewer will shed
those ten pounds within five days. What are the steps?
What secret hacks or ingredients should the viewer know
about?

That is also where a story would come in handy. Suppose

Jenny has experienced this process of transformation. In that
case, she can talk about how she did it and managed to shed
that weight before her special day. Perhaps it's one of her
clients who has an incredible transformation story that could
be interjected here with a few before and after snapshots.
Storytelling will keep the viewer glued to the screen and give
them a glimpse of how powerful this solution is.

When scripting your content, be conversational, don't use

big words, and make it short and punchy. The more succinct
you are, the easier it will be to edit the video, and the more
engaging it will be for the viewer.

Summary and call to action

In this last part, as you bring the video to an end, I suggest

you do a quick recap of all the good stuff they learned. That
is especially important if you're teaching something. Other‐
wise, summarise the main idea and tie it back to your main
objective if there's a specific action step like downloading
 CR EAT ING QU ALIT Y CO N TE N T | 105

something, signing up for an event or program, etc. When

you have softer CTAs, you can actually sprinkle them
throughout the video, such as "before we jump into the
main secrets I want to share, let me remind you to hit the
subscribe button so you never miss another cool video like
this one." In the end, you can also say, "If you liked this
video, then give it a thumbs up and share it with a friend."

A C T I VI T Y # 6 : CR EA T E A N D S C H E DU L E
Y OU R C O NT EN T

Now that you've learned how to plan your content and

where to find great ideas, it's time for action. Create a list of
the video titles you will be shooting over the next 90 days.
Get your content calendar out and start brainstorming and
researching using the various hacks you learned in this chap‐
ter. By the end of this exercise (before starting the next chap‐
ter), you should have ninety potential video titles mapped
out on your content planner. Schedule a time to create, edit,
and publish each content on a calendar. Don't worry if you
just got a panic attack when I mentioned video editing. Yes,
it can be a daunting process, but the next chapter two chap‐
ters are designed to ensure you have an easy and fun time.
For now, let's put some ideas on our planner and prep
ourselves for success.

Pro Tip:
106 | Y OU TU B E P L AYB OO K 202 1

If you want to stay focused and on-point with your content

planning, fill out this simple statement, and let it direct your
focus on content ideas. Keep this statement in mind, print it,
and stick it where you can see it often, so you always stay
relevant and interesting to your ideal audience.

Complete the following:

The video content I produce helps my brand accomplish ...

[name goal]... and ...[name goal].... by providing ...[adjec‐
tive]... and ...[adjective]... content that makes...[name
emotion].... feel...me emotion]... or...[name benefit]... so that
they can... [Name benefit]...
 7

RECORDING YOUTUBE VIDEOS

R ecording your video should be as easy as

switching on the camera and pressing the red
button, right? Well, that's true, but there's a lot more that
goes into recording. Lots of things have to be prepped
beforehand. It's known as the pre-recording phase. Many
items also have to take place once you're done recording (the
post-production phase). Both the pre- and post-recording
phases affect the video's overall result; so don't skip over this
or the upcoming chapters. This chapter will focus on what
you need to know and do to be camera-ready and produce
amazing videos. So before you hit that record button, let's
cover some best practices and also the type of equipment
you'll need to make your YouTube channel successful.
108 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 20 21

TH E O NL Y E Q UIPMEN T YOU N E E D TO G E T
S TA RTE D

Video production can be costly; I won't lie. Some of these

YouTubers have invested tens of thousands in having the
recording studios, equipment and crew you see on their
channels. I created this book with the simple intention of
helping the beginner who may or may not have a budget
available yet still wants to create something beautiful. If
that's you, then this chapter will ease some of your concerns.
Whether you can afford to spend a few thousand, hundreds,
or zero dollars on equipment, I'm here to show you how to
be camera ready. The essential gear you need include:

A camera that can shoot in HD

Good lighting
Great Audio
Video editing software
Camera stabilizer or mounter

Whether you're broke or have some money to invest, these

five things are fundamental to recording your video. I will
break down some options for each of these for those serious
about getting the right equipment, but even if you can't
afford a dime yet, there are some simple workarounds.

Got zero money to spend? Read This.

 REC ORDING YOUT UBE VI D EO S | 109

If you have no money to invest in equipment, consider using

your smartphone camera or the webcam from your laptop.
Most of the smartphones come with incredible video quality.
The minimum quality standard you need to go for with a
camera should be 1080p. Make sure you also have a laptop
with free editing software like iMovie (for Mac users).

Of course, you will need to mount the recording gear some‐

where, so get creative. If you can't afford a stabilizer like a
tripod, then stack some books or boxes on a desk near a
window so that you can also get that natural lighting. When
it comes to the audio, you can always use the phone or
laptop's inbuilt audio system.

This isn't going to produce top-notch quality. However, you

can still shoot pretty decent videos if you play around with a
cool background and use editing and filters. For free
graphics editing, you can use Canva, which is great for
producing attention-grabbing thumbnails.

Got some money to invest? Read This.

H E R E A R E S OME OF TH E BA S I C TH I NG S TO
C ONS I D E R I F YOU C A N I N VE S T SOME
MONE Y I NTO YOUR E QUI PME N T.

1.The Camera.
110 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Get a camera that shoots in 4K. Since it's going to be the

most critical piece of equipment, please invest to the best of
your ability. If you have no limitations with your budget,
then the sky is the limit. Your options are plenty. Quality
camcorders or webcams (if you're using a laptop to shoot)
are great for beginners. Still, if you can afford to spend a bit
more, I suggest you go for a DSLR camera. How do you
decide what to purchase? Think about your budget and the
type of content you'll be creating.

Camcorders are designed to record videos. Hence they are

the easiest to operate, light to carry around, and can handle
almost any shooting scenario, whether your vlogging on the
go or sitting in your basement studio. A good recommenda‐
tion for this would be the Sony HDRCX405, which goes for
about $198. What's great about it aside from the pocket-
friendly price is that it is full HD with an image stabilization
feature, which reduces shaking and blurring when shooting
handheld. It can shoot 1080p videos at 60fps and is equipped
with a Carl Zeiss zoom lens with 27x true optical zoom for
lossless magnification and excellent overall video quality. It
also allows you to record in MP4, which makes web uploads
super fast and convenient.

For webcams, I recommend Logitech C920 HD Pro, which

goes for about $89.99 and, of course, shoots full HD 1080p
and 720p. If you're a gamer, this will be a perfect fit for you
 RECO RDING YOUT UBE VI D EO S | 111

because the camcorder uses its own processor to encode

videos instead of relying greatly on your computer power.
That means it won't slow down your computer either,
which is great.

The most favored and highly recommended cameras for

YouTubers across all niches are DSLRs. That's what I use
too, and I'm pretty happy with the quality. I love these
cameras because of their adaptability in low light situations
and the polished video recording quality they provide. But
trust me, this is for someone willing to invest a bit more
money. There are many great options, whether you prefer
Sony or Canon, but I will share my two favorite options,
both of which are Canon Cameras. The first is the Canon
70D, and the second is the Canon EOS Rebel T5i. Both are
amazing, so do your research, and based on your budget and
content needs, pick one.

2.The Microphone

There's no way around this. You need to invest in a lapel or

an omnichannel microphone for excellent audio. Great
audio doesn't just happen automatically. Even the best
cameras need a little help when it comes to audio quality.

The microphone you choose doesn't need to be super expen‐

sive. You can get a Lav mic, which picks up less background
noise and is pocket friendly. You can something decent
112 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

starting from as little as $30 on Amazon. If you want to

invest a little more, then here are some great options.

Get a USB microphone. These mics have become pretty

popular with YouTubers because of their ease of use and
sound quality. They are also pretty affordable. If you want to
go, this route consider getting the Logitech Clear Chat
H390, which goes for around $39.99. It's super easy to use
and provides a clear, crisp sound. You could also go for
Audio-Technica AT2020USB Plus, which goes for $149.
What's great about this is that it allows self-monitoring
through its built-in headphone jack with volume control. It
offers mix control so you can blend your microphone with
pre-recorded audio.

Go for shotgun microphones if you're serious about

becoming a heavy hitter. You'll need to have deeper pockets
for these types of microphones. They work great with a
small professional camera and have shock mounts that help
reduce the noise coming from mechanical vibrations around
the mic. These types of microphones are known for
capturing crisp sounds and vocals, even if you're recording
outdoors. My recommendation if your pocket allows is to go
for Rode Microphones VideoMic Pro R, which sells at about
$299. It's a handy version that's perfect for your DSLR or
camcorder. It comes with a super-cardioid polar pattern
 RECO RDING YOUT UBE V I DE OS | 113

system and is powered by 9V batteries so that you can use it

for up to 70 hours.

The last option I want to give you is a lavalier mic, aka lapel
mic, and this is perhaps the easiest route to go. All you need
to do is discretely clip it onto your clothes or belt. It comes
in a set that includes a transmitter to which the lapel is
connected and the receiver, allowing sound to be picked up
even from great distances. If you're a speaker, you've seen
these in conferences. My recommendation is RODELink
Digital Wireless System, which goes for $399, so yeah, you'll
need a big budget for this one. The benefits make it worth‐
while because it works even from a hundred meters away
and offers the ability to select the best signal to deliver audio
that's as reliable as cable connections.

3.Lighting

Natural sunlight is, of course, one of the best lights you can
have for your video. Still, you're not at a loss if nature isn't
working in your favor as you begin this journey of YouTube
stardom. As long as you can invest in some good lighting,
even a small space in the basement can produce a high-
quality video. Your setup's mood and brightness are influ‐
enced a lot by your lighting, so here are some options to
make sure you come across looking like a professional.
114 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

The first recommendation is getting a softbox. It can

emulate the natural soft lighting from a window. If you want
to go with something subtle, this would be the ideal choice,
and the best part is the Flashpoint SoftBox goes for only
$49.95. It comes with a 70W fluorescent light unit and an
AC plug that's easy to use. You can use this kit indoors with
camcorders and digital cameras.

The second recommendation is a ring light. Ring lights are

super popular with vloggers. When its ring shape emits light
all around you, it eliminates shadows from every direction,
making you look way more attractive in front of the camera.
So next time you see those doll-like beauty vloggers - don't
envy, just appreciate their creativity and lighting system! If
you'd like a similar setup, experiment with Flashpoint 19
Kit. It uses 80W power that doesn't emit too much heat, so
you could even have it closer to you, especially if you plan on
doing close-up shots.

I would like to make one last recommendation if you need

something lightweight that can be mounted on the camera.
It's the iKan iLED-MA Micro Flood Light, which goes for
about $29.99. It can emit a dimmable wide 120-degrees
beam of bright 5000K+ Daylight with 21 1.2-watt LEDs. It
comes with a MicroUSB cable for charging and a shoe
mount that's fixed to a back holder so you can position it
vertically or horizontally once it's on your camera.
 RECO RDING YOUT UBE V I DE OS | 115

4.The Tripod Or Stabilizer

Depending on how you shoot your videos, you can opt for a
tripod or a gimbal stabilizer. They both accomplish the vital
task of keeping your image steady, which increases produc‐
tion quality. Most beginners opt for a tripod, so I'd recom‐
mend you start there too. Most of them are under $100 on
Amazon, and they work pretty well, especially if your
camera isn't too heavy. If you need something sturdy and
more durable, there are a few options out there that won't
break the bank, including the iKan E-Image EG01A2, which
is only $169. This tripod can handle most DSLRs and
camcorders and holds up to 11lbs. Extension of this tripod is
over 5 feet, making it easy to shoot from exciting vantage
points. The best part is that it can collapse down to 33inches
and weighs only 10lbs, making it ideal for travel.

For the gimbal stabilizer, I recommend the iKan FLY X3-

Plus Gimbal Stabilizer, which goes for $69.99 is perfect for
content creators who are continually shooting on the move.
Let's face it, no matter how steady your hands are; handheld
shooting will produce shaky and jarring videos. This partic‐
ular gimbal is fantastic because it has a 3-axis stabilizer
system with brushless motors that will smoothen out your
camera movements. It also has a battery life that can last up
to 5 hours! Talk about good value.

5.Video editing software

116 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Post-production is just as important when aiming for high-

quality video, so you must invest in some kind of editing
software. If you have a Mac computer, of course, you've got
the free iMovie that comes with it (Windows Movie Maker
for PC users). Still, there are other products in the market
you may want to consider.

There's a software that comes highly recommended by many

of my peers, and it has a free version that a beginner can use
to test out. It's called Hitfilm express. It has professional-
grade VFX tools. They claim it's perfect for beginners,
gamers, or any creative who doesn't have a budget. It might
be worth checking out.

Adobe Premiere Elements 18 is an alternative many videog‐

raphers promote. Of course, you need a budget for this and
some skills, so give yourself time to learn how to use it best.
If you'd like something a little easier to work with, I can also
recommend Camtasia, which will be about $199. It's pretty
easy to navigate and versatile. The learning curve is short, so
if you're not too crazy about graphics and editing, that
should sort you out. Need more software options? Keep
reading this book as I cover more alternatives in an
upcoming chapter.

For those who want to get really fancy, add the following
equipment.
 REC OR DING YOUT UBE V I DEO S | 117

6.Digital Recorder

If this is the first time you hear the term "digital recorder,"
don't worry you're not alone. We've all had to learn what it
is and why we need it. Usually, only the pros get this type of
fancy equipment because they want to elevate that sound
quality. At first, I was hesitant to invest in it, but after using
it for a few years, I can't believe it took me so long to get it.
A digital recorder is super useful because it enables you to
transform any environment into a studio-like effect. If you
like crisp, high-quality sound, this is going to be a worth‐
while investment. I especially recommend it if you'll be
doing many interviews. A great one to start with is a Zoom
H4N pro. It's handy, easy to carry around, and will last you a
while.

7.Teleprompter

Another fancy piece of equipment you could get is a

teleprompter to help you flow better with your script. It will
ensure your message is on point and save you hours of
filming and editing. Nowadays, there is a wide range of
variety that can work with a camera or a smartphone.
Amazon should have plenty of options to pick from, but you
can always check out Caddie Buddy, which is pocket friendly
and functional.

8.Get a studio backdrop

118 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

The last fancy equipment you can get is a studio background.

If you're planning to have an indoor set up with minimum
movement, consider getting a green screen, or whatever
studio backdrop fits your budget. Some of these can be quite
costly, ranging thousands of dollars, so do some research
first. When I'm shooting, I just opt for a natural background
in my home with a bookcase in the set showing some of the
awards I've received over the years. Nothing fancy. For my
personality and audience, it works. But suppose you want to
go for something flashy. In that case, you can check out this
inexpensive backdrop I found on Amazon for $58 called
Slow Dolphin Fabric Video Studio Backdrop Kit.

One last recommendation I can make here is getting a large

banner created with your branding. Depending on the size,
it could be anything from $100-$500, but when designed
well, it can be a great way to reinforce your brand and make
you look super professional.

B E ST PRACT ICE S FO R RE CO RDING Y O UR

VIDE O S

Make sure your video has a purpose.

Don't just shoot a video because you heard the topic is

trendy or because you promised your audience to post
daily/weekly. Each piece of content should be planned ahead
 REC OR DING YOUT UBE VI D E OS | 119

of time. It should also serve a purpose. So ask yourself ques‐

tions like, "what does this video want to accomplish? Is it
views back to my website? New subscribers? More
comments, likes, and shares?

I encourage you to get laser-focused on one specific target.

Make the video valuable and relevant.

Your video needs to add some kind of value to your audience

and potential subscribers. Whether you're a comedian,
gamer, vlogger, stylist, personal trainer, or coach, make sure
the content you put out is relevant and useful. If you're an
entertainer, make sure you entertain and leave the viewer
feeling renewed and amused.

Do what it takes to have great audio.

You might not have the budget for investing in expensive

equipment, but you can still produce good quality audio. If
people can't hear you well, it doesn't matter how many
filters and post-production software you use.

Always have a teaser at the beginning of the video.

Any type of video content you create should always have a

tease at the beginning promising a specific result if someone
watches the video all the way through.

Have a call-to-action at the end of each video.

120 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 20 21

Many YouTubers shy away from this because they are afraid
of seeming pushy, but the only way people will turn into
fans, customers, and subscribers is if you ask them to take
action. Always ask them to do something if they received
value at the end of the video and enjoyed watching your
content. It can be a simple as subscribing or leaving a
comment for you. You can ask the viewer to like, share, or
DM as well. Or you take it a step further and can ask them to
head over to your website to download something for free.

Lighting is so important if you want people to

view more of your videos.

If people can't see you or hear you clearly, you won't retain
their attention for very long. So equally as important as
investing in good sound quality is having the right light. I
shared lots of alternatives for lighting equipment earlier.
Even if you can't invest in any, you can still create something
that looks good if you stand in front of a large window. The
more natural sunlight falls on your face as you record, the
better the image quality will be.

# 1 T IP FO R ALL B E GINNE RS

The best advice I could give you is to shoot one video a day.
It's the number one tip for all beginners who want to thrive
on YouTube. If you ask any seasoned content creator, they
 RECO RDING YOUT UBE VI D E OS | 121

will insist that you train yourself into the habit of creating at
least one piece of content daily. Why? There are several
reasons.

The first thing this will do is raise your confidence ability to

shoot great videos. The more you practice using your equip‐
ment, experimenting with different angles, lighting, sound,
and content topics, the easier it becomes, and the more
natural you appear on camera. The second reason you want
to shoot a video each day is to enable you to re-watch your‐
self and quickly pick up the mistakes you tend to make.
Check your body language and posture. Notice how well you
get into the flow and tempo of your script.

One last reason is that shooting videos daily ensures you

have lots of content available, increasing your posting
frequency. The more you can create a consistent publishing
schedule whereby potential subscribers realize they can
receive fresh, relevant content from you daily, twice, or
three times a week, the more likely they are to subscribe and
keep checking your channel for the latest stuff. It will build
that connection and sense of community with your audience
really fast. With all that said, I ask you to consider chal‐
lenging yourself to attempt to create a video each day for the
next 30 days. There are many "Video Challenges" and
contests on social media groups today that you can join.
Even without joining a group challenge, if you are serious
122 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

about becoming a YouTube superstar, you can commit to

yourself, block out time on your calendar over the next 30
days and begin.

Shooting techniques for beginners

Whether you're going to use a smartphone, camcorder, or a

DLSR camera to shoot your videos, here are some tips that
will give you that professional look even if you're a total
amateur.

Tip #1: Always shoot landscape.

By landscape, I mean horizontally instead of vertically. That

is especially important to remember when using your
smartphone.

Tip #2: Use the overlay grid if you have it on your device
and observe the Rule of thirds.

The Rule of thirds is something all pro videographers know.

It's about placing your head slightly higher than the frame to
give yourself visual breathing and walking space when
facing the sides. Using a grid will guide you and help you
position yourself properly so that you can maintain proper
eye level with your audience. Otherwise, you will come
across looking really awkward. The viewer will struggle to
maintain eye contact as they watch you.

Tip# 3: Create stability for your camera.

 REC ORDING YOUT UBE VI D EO S | 123

You can invest in a tripod, or if doing a home video, you

could get creative and stack books to help your camera
remain still. The more still your image, the better the quality
will be. Avoid shaky filming at all costs unless you want to
come across as a complete amateur and give your viewers
and nauseating feeling in the process. If you're going to be
doing an outdoor recording with lots of movements, then
investing in stabilizers and a good tripod is necessary.

A creative bonus tip that will make you look like a pro:

If you're shooting at home or in a home office, get a flat

surface like a table and stack it with books. Place your laptop
on top of the stack and if you're shooting from your smart‐
phone, place the phone on the computer for extra support
and stability. You'll be amazed by how good the shot will be.

Tip #4: Time your shots.

I've seen several pro videographers sharing these hacks,

and ever since I started implementing them, my videos
have improved significantly. You time your shots by
ensuring there's no sudden movement or change of scenery
for about 10 seconds between each shot. That means you
need to record with that in mind. Every five to ten
seconds, you can have a different scene but never go longer
so that you can retain the viewer's attention. If you can
keep this in mind when creating your outline or story‐
124 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

board, your videos will come out looking way more

professional.

Tip #5: Keep a simple background.

It might be tempting to be fancy and outlandish with your

background, but simple tends to produce a better quality
looking video. If you're shooting from home, remove as
much clutter as possible. I also recommend shooting in front
of a plain white background. Please avoid doors or windows
where people could unexpectedly pop up and ruin the shot.
If any elements show up in your camera, make sure they add
to your story, not distract viewers from your content.

Tip#6: Be intentional with your lighting.

This has to be one of the biggest secrets for getting that

professional look and feel. If you have a budget, then invest
in the different types of lights you'll need to achieve your
desired look. If you're on a budget and can only work with
the natural sunlight and a few lamps, then get creative.
Experiment with different angles and light setup so that you
can make your equipment work for your particular space.

Tip #7: Experiment with different angles.

When shooting different scenes, I want you to create extra

creative shots to produce interesting video content. It also
ensures you have some backup or safety content in case you
 REC ORDING YOUT UBE V I DE OS | 125

need to edit out some parts of the video. Get some shots
above and below your main recording vantage point as
much as possible. You don't need to have several cameras.
Simply hit pause, move to a different angle, and hit record
following the script or outline.

Tip #8: Keep the editing in mind during filming.

You need to know where you will make cuts, add filters,
change scenes, and so on. If you have this in mind while
shooting, it will make the filming and editing process faster.

SE T AND FO LLO W A RE ALIST IC SCHE DULE

One thing you should know is most of the time, you're going
to be completely off with your timings. I cannot emphasize
the importance of setting the right expectations for yourself
and creating a schedule you will stick to. Many YouTubers
fail and give up because they didn't do a good job creating a
schedule they could stick to. Most of them underestimated
how long it would take to go through all the different
shooting phases. Unfortunately, that led to stagnation,
procrastination, and eventually defeat.

To help you avoid falling into that trap, we need to give you
direction and a strict schedule that you must commit to. I
can only offer guidance when it comes to creating your plan.
You need to customize it to suit your needs. Depending on
126 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

your lifestyle, whether you're currently working on other

projects or a job, raising a family, etc., your schedule will
match your particular case. If you're working full-time and
need to start this after working hours, your shooting
schedule and recording space and editing need to check that.
Maybe you can shoot daily after work then edit and prepare
them for publishing over the weekends. If you're flexible
enough to shoot during the day and edit in the evenings,
then make sure to build your schedule around that. Regard‐
less of your choice, understand that you will need to set a
definite time for scripting, recording, editing, and publishing
the content.

Pre-production tips:

Make sure you block out time for research,

scripting, and even storyboarding if you're going in
that direction.
Plan out the different shots and scenes that you
wish to have. I'd recommend making a shot list
and, of course, ensure that you have the location or
setup space needed for the shots as well as the
necessary gear.

How long will a single shoot take?

 REC ORDING YOUT UBE VI D EO S | 127

That will vary from person to person. If you already have

experience being on camera and you know how to use your
equipment, you might get it done in a relatively short time.
But more often than not, it takes much longer than any of us
anticipate. So whatever estimate you give yourself permit at
least 60 - 90 minutes longer.

To help minimize the time it takes, I encourage you to keep

time limits on yourself. For example, set a five-minute timer
to do all the technical set up. Also, give each scene a time
limit and allow yourself the gift of reshooting a scene twice
before moving on to the next big scene. That way, you won't
have to recreate the whole thing.

Post-production tips:

So far, we've focused most of the content on shooting. We

need to address post-production as well.

Review your script, storyboard, or outline

depending on what you're working on. This is
important to ensure you filmed everything.
Start the editing process. If you're doing the editing
yourself, you need software like iMovie, Camtasia,
or some other solution. You need to upload the
different pieces of your video to the software and
organize them in their proper order so you can
decide what to keep and what to discard. If you got
128 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

enough coverage, it would be easier to pick and

choose the perfect ones making this process faster.

If, however, you only shot once and there were many
mistakes, give yourself time and patience. Such cases will
require much refinement to get the video ready for
publication.

What elements can you add to the video?

You can photos, b-rolls, interviews, titles, sound effects,

transitions, intro and outro, music, and your logo.

Create thumbnails.

Use Canva or your preferred graphics creator software to

create a compelling thumbnail for your video. Make sure it's
attention-grabbing and that it helps the viewer know what
the video will be about. We'll talk more about how to create
epic thumbnails in an upcoming chapter.

Watch your video at least once before publishing.

Make sure you watch the video at least once with a friend or
family member so you can get some feedback if possible. If
you don't want that, watch it yourself to ensure the flow and
quality are intact.

Once you feel it's ready, export it and upload it to YouTube.

Depending on your level of experience, this entire post-
 RECO RDING YOUT UBE VI D E OS | 129

production process could take an hour, a few hours, or

several days. When just getting started, allow yourself a full
day of post-production for each video if you want good qual‐
ity. With lots of practice, that duration will significantly
decrease.

If you decide to batch post-production, then shoot videos

daily, edit them on the weekend and make sure you have
enough videos ready to go for the upcoming week.

IMP LE ME NT A T IO N A CT IV IT Y # 7: YO U JUS T
HA V E T O D O IT

It's time for you to take action and record your first videos.
Your challenge in this section is to commit to a thirty-day
video challenge. Keep yourself accountable and choose the
setup and equipment most accessible to you. Every day you
will shoot a ten-minute video that's valuable and relevant to
the viewer.

You can choose to post-produce one by one or batch them

up. But make sure the recording happens daily. By the end of
thirty days you should have thirty videos of ten minutes
each. Make sure they are of high quality technically, and that
they deliver in terms of the content value.
 8

EDITING VIDEOS

V ideo editing is an integral part of creating

awesome YouTube videos. It can be as simple
as removing unwanted footage, creating a flow, or as
complex as adding effects, graphics music, and giving a
video a particular angle. You can spend a few minutes to
several days or weeks editing, depending on your editing
goals. For beginners, I always suggest setting simple goals
and striving for progress instead of perfection. If you want
your videos to come out looking like a Marvel production in
the first few months of editing, then be ready to invest a ton
of time.

The best advice I can give is to understand the basics and to

allow yourself to grow with your skills as you continue to
shoot more videos. In this chapter, I will teach you the main
elements, share with you the tools I recommend, and walk
 EDIT ING V I DE OS | 131

you through the process of adding music to your videos.

Let's get started.

UND E RS TA N D IN G TH E BA S I C E L E ME NTS
O F V ID E O E D ITIN G

Before sharing the main elements, you need to consider

when editing, let's clarify some of the jargon you'll hear a lot
during this process.

Crop Factor

Crop factor is a number that represents the ratio of a

sensor's imaging area to that of a full-frame sensor. It's
usually 1.3-20.

Aspect Ratio

The relation between the width and height of your video is

the Aspect ratio. The most common are 4:3 (This is the stan‐
dard-definition video), 16:9(standard high definition video),
and 1.85:1(used for most U.S theatrical showings since the
1960s). If there's one thing you'll need to remember, it's
16:9, as you'll be using that one the most.

Close Up

You'll hear this term a lot, and it means shots that frame the
subject tightly. For example, if you were shooting in front of
132 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

the camera, then a close-up would be filling the entire screen

with your face.

B-roll

This is additional footage meant to either smooth out an

incongruent scene or provide more details for the story
being told. Suppose you're talking about cooking ingredi‐
ents, and you want to shift into a new scene in which you
start demonstrating. You could add a still image of the ingre‐
dients you'll be using to create a seamless transition from
your talking head to you standing behind the kitchen
counter ready to cook.

Jump Cut.

These types of cut should not be used unless you want to

come across as an amateur. They are abrupt changes
between sequential clips and often make the subject too
jumpy from one scene to the next, which is very disruptive
for the viewer.

J-Cut

Not to be confused with the other term; this is when you

place the audio from the next shot before the actual video.

Resolution
 EDIT ING VI D EO S | 133

Resolution is the actual number of horizontal and vertical

pixels your video contains. The most common are SD
640x480, HD 1280x720 & HD 1920x1080

Shot List

This is a checklist of all the shots you want to include in the

production. Shot lists help you avoid wasting time and
money, and they ensure you plan ahead.

The Rule of Thirds

The Rule of Thirds is a helpful grid used when shooting to

make your video production aesthetically pleasing. To do it
properly, separate the screen into nine sections. The Rule of
Thirds suggests that points of interest line up with the inter‐
sections on the grid.

Tilts are vertical movements made with your

camera that are fixed.
Pans are fixed horizontal movements made with
your camera. Think of them as the opposite of tilts.

The most important elements when it comes to

video editing are:

Getting the pacing of the story right

134 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Every video has a certain pace and tempo to it. Some scenes
might need to be slowed down; others might need to speed
up; and so on. When creating your video, be sure to create
some breathing room for your viewers so they can digest the
essential parts of your video. That might include changing
the speed in certain sections but make sure the transition is
smooth and gradual to avoid confusing the viewer.

Adding the right transitions and special effects

We already mentioned this earlier. Adding special effects

during the editing process, such as titles, transitions, and text
effects, is a great way to make your videos look professional,
but only if you know what you're doing. If in doubt, don't
add fancy effects. The more natural your video is (without
too many abrupt transitions and confusing effects), the
better it will look.

Choosing the right sound and music

That can include sound effects, audio background music, or

anything else you think will make the video more impactful.
Music usually adds a great atmosphere and increases that
emotional connection, especially when done right. Make
sure, however, that the music is non-intrusive and that it
doesn't repel the viewer or obscure important audio cues.

Qualities of a Good Video

 EDIT ING VI D E OS | 135

It's important to understand the technical and subjective

things that cause both people and YouTube algorithm to
perceive your video as good quality.

A good video clearly communicates a specific message.

If it's an educational, inspirational, motivational, informa‐

tional, or entertaining video, the viewer will come out on
the other side having received that particular benefit. There‐
fore a good video must add lots of value.

High quality

Producing a high-quality video is as simple as ensuring you

follow all the instructions outlined in this book. They
include no shaky imagery, proper lighting, and sound,
avoiding noisy backgrounds, working on the script or
outline, etc.

Clean and professional looking editing

This is another vital thing to remember when going through

your post-production process. Keep things clean and simple.
Only choose the best footage and eliminate what doesn't
need to be there. Use elements like filters, music, sound
effects, and transitions tastefully. Let everything on that
video help you tell the story and pass on an easy-to-under‐
stand message.
136 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Ideal length of content.

A good quality video isn't too long and boring or too short
and unhelpful. You need to pick your ideal length and make
sure it's as long as it needs to be to accomplish the video's
purpose. We talked about giving each video a specific
purpose to fulfill. Let that be the guiding star when it comes
to determining how long your videos should be.

Attention-grabbing thumbnail and intro

Most people will never click on a video if the thumbnail isn't

enticing. And do you know that about 20% of the people
who do click on your video will exit after the first ten to
fifteen seconds if you don't do a great job retaining their
attention? What's even worse is that these people are more
likely to give your video thumbs down within that first
fifteen-second period. Therefore, you need to make sure you
have a strong intro and graphics that draw people in.

Once someone sees your awesome thumbnail and clicks to

view, you need to have a killer intro that immediately teases
about why they should watch to the end. Set expectations
right and make it feel personalized. That builds a connection
that ultimately creates trust and that sense of "this guy/girl
knows what they're doing."

Branded intro and outro footage

 EDIT ING VI D E OS | 137

If possible, I suggest you add an intro and outro footage that

aligns with your brand. This type of branded content
imprints viewers, both new and existing, with an impression
of who you are and why they should continue hanging out
on your channel. It makes you memorable, especially if you
do it right. Given how many videos are uploaded each
minute of the hour, and most viewers watch hundreds of
videos across different channels, adding this branded content
to your video will make it pop. It will increase the viewer's
chances of recalling your brand the next time they come
across your content on YouTube or elsewhere on the
Internet.

VI D E O E D I T I N G T O O L S T HA T E VE R Y
YO UT UBE R MUST KN O W

Now let's talk a bit more about editing tools that can help
simplify the post production process.

Adobe Premier Elements

Adobe Premier has been an industry leader for a long time.

It does cost a significant amount to get the software going
for about $79.99. Now, there was a time when it was the
ultimate; however, with recent advancements, many new
players offer the same or even better at a fraction of their
price.
138 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

It is still an excellent option for beginners and has many

guided tutorials to make the learning curve swift. Its simple
interface and guided edits will get you going in no time.

Adobe Premier Pro

As the name suggests, this software goes pro, and it offers

you some of the best functionality you can find in the market
today. One of its best features is the Lumetri Color tool,
which features color adjustment and manipulation that's
pretty close to what you'd get on Photoshop. It also has a
multi-cam feature, which allows you to work with an unlim‐
ited number of camera angles. The interface is easy to use
even for a beginner and comes with a monthly fee of
under $20.

Apple iMovie for Mac users.

Suppose you are a Mac user and don't wish to invest in

third-party software. In that case, you can create cool
looking videos with Apple's free editing software, which
offers various transitions, sound effects, etc. You can easily
do a montage, standard cut, J-cut, wipes, and almost every
other editing effect you can think of. It's free and easy to use
once you get the hang of it.

Apple Final Cut Pro X

 EDIT ING V I DE OS | 139

If you love iMovie and feel ready to go all the way, then this
software might be the one for you. This software comes
with all the bells and whistles and can even superimpose 3D
titles over your videos. It comes with a hefty price tag and
isn't necessarily the most straightforward interface, but if
you want to be a serious contender and produce incredible
professional videos, then you can make the transition from
iMovie to Final Cut Pro for a one-time payment of $299.99

Filmora from Wondershare

Filmora is Wondershare's standard, high quality, and easy to

use video editing software. You can upgrade to unlock more
sophisticated features. Still, I suggest starting with this one
because the design is intuitive. It has filters, overlays, motion
elements, transitions, and much more - so, basically, every‐
thing you need as a beginner. I love Filmora because all it
takes is an easy drag and drop. You can choose themes, select
free royalty music, and end up with a fun, polished video
thanks to their easy mode feature. And compared to some of
the prices I just shared, this one isn't too bad because it starts
at $59.99 for a lifetime license or $39.99 for a year.

Pinnacle Studio 21

Pinnacle Studio 21 is another great and easy to use software

with a drag-and-drop feature. It's intuitive, has a short
learning curve, and has effects like 360-degree and stop-
140 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 20 21

motion, making it stand out. It has top of the line rendering

speed and goes for a one-time payment of $129.95

Lumen5

While Lumen5 is more of an editing tool than software, I

am still adding it here because of its increased popularity. It's
great for creating fun, shareable videos, and it can even turn
your blog content into video. So if you have an existing blog,
this is a great option for you. You can create as many videos
as you want with their free version for 480p videos. If you
want 1080p HD, then you'll need to invest $50 per month.

Adding Music to Your Videos

Background music can elevate your video and help build a

stronger connection with your audience, but you can't just
throw in any song. You need to become aware of copyright
restrictions and opt for royalty-free music. You should also
choose music that supports the unfolding story or message
of the video. I bet you're wondering where to find great
music, right?

YouTube does offer some music options, and some software

come in-built with sound effects and free royalty music, but
I recommend you do some research online. Go to sites like
epidemic sound or royalty-free music to find lots of stock
music that you can use.
 EDIT ING V I DEO S | 141

Adding music to a video using Mac: Once in the

iMovie interface, you should see the Audio tab under the
main menu bar within your new project. A drop-down
menu will appear, giving you options to go into iTunes,
Sound Effects, or GarageBand. In most cases, you just need
to select iTunes and you'll see a list of all your files. Then all
you have to do is drag it down to the project timeline. If you
need to trim the song, just use the handles at the beginning
and end.

Adding music to a video using Windows: Double-

click a video file to open it and you'll see it opens in Movies
& TV. Instead of that option, right-click the file and select
Open With > Photos. You'll see a toolbar; click Edit & Create
and then select Create a video with text. You'll then see
Photos's editor screen, and in the top toolbar, there should
be a Music button. Click that and select your Music. After
choosing the file, drag your selected clip down to the story‐
board at the bottom of the screen. And when you play, you
should hear music in the background.

Adding music online: Visit addaudiotovideo.com and you'll

have the option of adding music to your video without
downloading any software. It's fast and simple. Once on the
site, click Browse under "Select video file" to choose the
video. Next, you want to choose the audio file as well by
clicking Browse. Once you've chosen both audio and video,
142 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

click on Upload and give it a few minutes. Once it's ready,

you'll see a message that says "Completed" and a download
link.

YouTube Music: If you'd like to use YouTube's Audio

library once you upload the video by clicking on the Editor
and looking for the audio row. You'll see a list of tracks that
you can listen to, and once you find what you like, just add it
to your video. If you'd like to adjust which part of the audio
is played during your clip, click the Position Audio button,
then click and drag the song's leading and trailing edges to
adjust their position.

ACT IVIT Y # 8: ST ART HO NING Y O UR SK ILL

The videos you've started creating from the last chapter now
get to experience your artistic. Your assignment is to begin
implementing all the editing techniques, hacks, and guidance
you've received in this chapter.

Remember, this is a skill that takes time and practice. As

with all things, it will get easier. I suggest you allocate time
specifically for editing your videos, whether you do one at a
time or batch a few of them together. You can choose to opt
for free software or invest in one of the many examples I've
shared throughout this book.
 EDIT ING VI D E OS | 143

Your assignment now is to open up your editing software,

upload your first YouTube video, and start editing. See if
you can add a few transitions, a title, and background music
to create an attractive flow with your video. Don't get too
fancy. Keep it simple. Once it's ready, give it to a trusted
friend or family member to watch for some helpful feedback.
 IV

MANAGING YOUR YOUTUBE

CHANNEL
 9

BEST PRACTICES ON MANAGING

YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

O ne thing about YouTube that you need to keep in

mind is that it's both a search engine and a social
networking platform. So while it's important to implement
everything you've learned so far, I also want you to be delib‐
erate with certain aspects of search engine optimization, as
that will enable your videos to perform well long-term.

Brian Dean of Backlinko is a specialist in search engine opti‐

mization, and you can learn a lot by subscribing to his
YouTube channel. But let's touch on the key things I've
learned from the best SEO guys in the marketplace.
148 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

C RE A TING V ID E O T I TL E S , D E S C R I PTI ONS,

A ND TA GS

Assuming you have a comprehensive list of the keywords

you wish to rank for in any particular video, the title,
description, and tags are the areas in which you need to
sprinkle those pre-determined keywords strategically.

YouTube Video Title has a limit of 100 characters, so you

need to use this space to build curiosity, create an emotional
response for the viewer, and still add your keyword. Aim to
place the main keyword at the start of the title as much as
possible or at least within the first 70 characters so that it's
viewable in the search results.

YouTube Video Description has a limit of 5,000 characters,

so you've got plenty of space here to clearly communicate
your message and add relevant keywords. The first three
lines are the only visible part of the description, so I recom‐
mend having your primary keyword here. You also need to
describe and sell the viewer into watching the video here.
Remember to also include the relevant URL that you'd like
people to visit after watching your video.

Throughout the description area, I'd say aim to sprinkle the

primary keyword about three times and perhaps other
secondary ones to support your SEO.
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 149

YouTube Video Tags can be up to 30 characters in length,

and you can add up to 500 characters in the tag section. Add
the primary keyword, any words that describe the video's
content, brand-related or channel-specific tags, and any LSI
(Latent Semantic Indexing) keywords you might have.

YOUTUBE TH UMBN A I L S

To get potential subscribers to click on your videos, you

need to create thumbnails that stand out and attract the
viewer. Thumbnails are also the first thing searchers will
come across on Google and YouTube search results. The
first thing you need to know is the ideal size. Google recom‐
mends 1280 by 720 Pixels with a minimum width of 640
Pixels and an aspect ratio of 16:9. It should also be formatted
as a JPG, PNG, or GIF for the best results. Make sure the file
size doesn't exceed 2MB for easy upload.

When creating your thumbnails, some things to keep in

mind are to use attention-grabbing texts, fonts, color, and
images but don't overdo it. Ensure the thumbnail is relevant
to the content people will find once they click and that it's
congruent with your brand identity.

If you're working with a graphics designer, then they'll take

care of these technical aspects, but if you're going solo, then
I suggest using Canva. They are a free graphics design soft‐
150 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

ware that requires little to no experience and even have

pre-made templates. You can also purchase their royalty-
free images for $1, and they offer a pro version that
unlocks even more features. Another tool that can help you
create awesome thumbnails is Spark by Adobe. Check out
both these online tools to find the one that suits your
objective.

U PLOA D I NG VI D E OS

Uploading videos to YouTube is as easy as signing in to

YouTube Studio, and clicking Create > Upload Video. Once
you've selected the video you've finished editing and
processing, YouTube will take over and do its thing until the
video is completely ready for publishing. The video file
format recommended is: .MOV, .MPEG4, .MP4, .AVI,
.WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes,
CineForm, or HEVC (h265)

If you want to upload a video that is longer than 15 minutes,

you will need to go through a quick verification process
where they will send you a security code through your cell‐
phone. Once your channel is verified, you can upload up to
12hours or 128GB.

You can upload up to 15 videos at a time using your

computer. And don't worry if you accidentally close the
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 151

upload page. The video is usually saved in drafts until you

finish choosing the settings.

If you want to upload high dynamic range (HDR) videos,

you can also do it directly to the platform. Viewers can
watch HDR videos if they have compatible devices or can
stream HDR videos using Chromecast Ultra to an HDR TV.
If the viewers don't have a compatible device, they will see
the video as a standard dynamic range (SDR) video.
Although HDR videos can't be edited with YouTube Web
editor once the video is uploaded, YouTube will automati‐
cally convert HDR video to SDR.

Once the video renders and completes processing, you can

add basic info, including a SEO-friendly title, description,
tags, and upload your thumbnail. You can also choose some
more advanced settings and how you want to monetize if
you're eligible. We'll be talking more about monetization
options in the last section. If you're happy with the settings
and preview of your video, it's time to share it with the
world.

CR E A T I NG A T R A I LE R VI D E O

The trailer or welcome video can be one of the most fun

activities you engage in. It doesn't need to be an expensive
production. But it will require lots of creativity and time
152 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

investment. I've seen some pretty epic trailers (check out the
Slow Mo Guys Channel Trailer to see what I mean). You can
start from scratch, or you can get a template from online
platforms like Biteable to simplify the process.

The actual process of a welcome video is super easy. Like

any other video content, you will have to create, edit,
upload, and hit publish on your channel. The only difference
is that with a trailer video, you want to head over to the
"Customize Channel" section and upload the video from
there. Once uploaded, you can add SEO-friendly data like
tags, description, and so on. The last thing you will need to
do is set the video as the YouTube channel trailer by clicking
"For new Visitors." That way, anyone who lands on your
channel for the first time will always see that video first.

Some best practices for the trailer video:

Keep the video brief and concise (under 30seconds is ideal).

Think of it like those epic movie trailers and make sure you
share all the necessary information about your channel. Your
viewers should feel like they understand what you're all
about and how they'll benefit by subscribing, but it should
still leave them hungry to learn more.

The best trailers have a great story, implement their brand

identity through the music, fonts, colors, etc. and always
incorporate a call to action.
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 153

CA T E GO R I ZI N G YO UR VI D E O S I N T O
PL A YL I ST S

YouTube playlists are a collection of similar or related videos

on a particular subject. You can create a playlist using your
own videos or curate other people's videos to get people to
binge-watch and stay on your channel. It will help with the
discoverability of your channel and increase watch time,
which, as we know, will help rank your videos higher on
search.

To create a playlist, go to Video Manager > Playlist, then

select New Playlist. Give your playlist a name and click
Create. You can also create playlists as you navigate
YouTube. This is especially important if you're curating
videos. When you find a video you'd like to curate, simply
click the plus icon to either add to an existing playlist or
create a new one. You can make your playlist public,
unlisted, or private depending on your preferences. It's also
possible to optimize your playlist for search by editing the
playlist title and description with a specific keyword and a
compelling explanation telling people why they should
watch.

Pro Tip:

If you want your playlists to stand out, consider adding an

intro welcoming the viewer and offering some tips or letting
154 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

the audience know what they can expect by going through

each video on the playlist. This can work exceptionally well
if you're creating an educational video series.

CR E A T I N G YO UT UBE ST O R I E S

If you're a fan of watching YouTube from your smartphone,

then you already know about YouTube Stories. Previously
known as YouTube Reels, these are pretty similar to Insta‐
gram or Snapchat Stories. They can only be viewed on the
mobile App. Viewers access them either from the channels
or Watch pages of their subscriptions.

The purpose of YouTube stories is to increase that bond and

connection with your community. It needs to be done in a
very informal and casual way. You need to make sure it's a
regular activity so people can get used to interacting with
you directly.

You can add an image or video to a YouTube Story. To add a

photo, tap the capture button like you would when taking a
regular photo. If you want to record a video, press and hold
the capture button until you're done recording. Stories
videos can only be 15 seconds in length, so make sure it's
short and sweet. There are plenty of editing tools available
to add elements that will help make your content more
appealing. You can also edit aspects of your recording and
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 155

even delete an existing video or image from your story. Tap

the story and tap the play segments to navigate to the video
or image. Look for the three-dot menu and tap Delete.

A PPL YI N G SE O

Now let's talk about ranking factors as well as how to apply

SEO to your videos. Throughout this book, we've discussed
the importance of using keywords strategically. As I shared
earlier, there are ranking factors that Google says are impor‐
tant. Things like relevancy, interest, and so on. I think you
will agree with me; there has to be more that we can do to
stand out.

Given that over five hundred hours of video are uploaded

each minute, we need a lot more tools and techniques to
make sure our videos get promoted by the algorithm. Here
are a handful to add to your toolbox. You already know the
basics, i.e., Keywords, title optimization, description, tags,
and producing high-quality video so let's talk about new
ones.

Watch Time

Watch time is a huge ranking factor for YouTube. It's essen‐

tially the length of time a viewer spends on your video
before clicking away. The longer a session, the more the
algorithm will favor your content.
156 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

User Experience and Engagement Level

That includes how much people comment, like, dislike,

share, and even subscribe after watching your content.
Video with higher engagement will be ranked higher.

View Count

Getting many views on your video matters. Simply put -

more views equals higher ranking, especially if you've done
your keyword optimization right.

Closed Captions & Subtitles

Adding closed captions to your videos benefits you in

multiple ways. The main two are: 1) you get crawled by
search engines faster, which can give you a significant SEO
boost; 2) you open up your content to a broader audience.
People who are not natives in your spoken language can
easily understand you, increasing the chances of more
engagement and subscription to your channel.

MA ST E R I N G T HE USE O F YO UT UBE
A N A L YT I CS

The only way your channel will grow successfully is by

combining front-end creative efforts with backend tracking
and monitoring. YouTube comes with an in-built analytics
system to enable you to track the right metrics and build
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 157

your dream business. To get started, you will need to sign in

to your creator studio and find your way to the main menu's
analytics Tab. By default, you'll see the last 28days, but you
can customize it to suit your needs.

If you enjoy data crunching, YouTube gives you the ability

to export datasets as Excel or CSV. For most of us, however,
I suggest letting the system do the manual work. All we need
to monitor and track, especially at the beginning, are:

Watch time reports

Interaction reports
Revenue reports

With watch time, you want to answer questions such as,

how long are people watching my videos, and how many
views do I have in the chosen timeframe? Is it the same as
last month? Who is watching my videos? Where are my
viewers located? What are some sources of my traffic? What
percentage of my views comes from mobile, desktop, or
elsewhere?

Interaction reports will show you things like subscribers,

likes, dislikes, comments, and sharing. You can see how
many new people subscribed and how many unsubscribed.
You can see how your audience feels about your content and
whether they are resonating with your message or not.
158 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

Monitoring comments is also important because it gives you

a sense of how active and engaged people are. Remember to
be responsive but don't get sucked into the world of troll
hunting or toxic people.

When it comes to revenue reports, this is all about the

monetization of your money. It's what you've been waiting
to hear about because your money is going to be recorded
here. In the next section, we do talk more about monetiza‐
tion and how to do it right. For now, recognize that this is
where you will come to monitor your revenue within a
given time period, including your own paid ads on
YouTube, Ads other companies are paying to display on
your videos, and other income streams like YouTube Super
Chat. The main thing to track here is the estimated income
from all Google-sold ads and the projected income from
AdSense and DoubleClick ads.

PRO M O T ING Y O UR CHANNE L O N O T HE R

SO CIAL PLAT FO RM S

It's essential to think outside the box when it comes to

growing your channel. You need to be discovered, and your
channel needs to get out of obscurity. Everything outlined in
this book will enable you to set the right foundation for that,
but you can't stop there. Social platforms like Facebook,
Instagram, Tik Tok, and LinkedIn have so much traffic.
B ES T P RA C TIC ES ON MANAGING YOUR YOUT UB E C… | 159

With a little creativity, you can help get more views on your
video. How? By driving that traffic toward your YouTube
channel. You don't need to get in front of YouTuber users
only. You can also leverage both organic and paid strategies
to promote your channel on other social platforms.

For example, you can write articles on high traffic sites like
LinkedIn or Medium and embed a video or link back to your
YouTube for free. But of course, with a little paid ads
budget, you could take it a step further. Do this by creating
an epic video ad for Facebook or Instagram that drives
traffic back to your YouTube channel for the full experience.
Once you look at your YouTube analytics and determine the
location and audience type that best engages with your chan‐
nel, invest a little money and run a highly targeted ad on
Facebook to bring in more of the same people. To learn
more and expand your traffic source strategies, please refer
to the resource section.

CO NT INUO USLY LE ARNING FRO M O T HE RS

As you can tell, this book is only the beginning. Something

easy to follow to help you gain some momentum. The
journey is long, and there's much to learn, so make sure you
continue educating yourself as the platform evolves and new
hacks come about. One way to stay up to date and learn the
best and latest hacks is by following and initiating friend‐
160 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 20 21

ships with fellow YouTube creators. You can join meetups

either locally or virtually. You can also attend events
like VidCon or Social Media Marketing World. In the
resource section, I have included links to learn more about
these opportunities.

ACT IVIT Y # 9: ST ART T INK E RING ARO UND

This chapter shared lots of technical knowledge that will

only work if you choose to apply them to your daily activi‐
ties. If you haven't worked on any previous exercises, now is
the time to do that. Once you have that video ready to share
with the world, make sure to also include the things you've
learned in this chapter, including:

Creating your thumbnail.

Uploading your video into YouTube.
Customizing and optimizing the video titles,
descriptions, tags, and any other effects you wish to
have, such as music, captions, and subtitles.
Follow a YouTube creator that you would like to
learn more from as you grow your channel.
 10

GROWING YOUR COMMUNITY

Y ouTube is all about community engagement.

If you're not willing to put in the time and
effort to build a connection with your tribe,
you won't do very well on this platform. Having read this
far, I'm confident you want to grow a channel that serves
your tribe and makes you money. To hit both targets, we
need to understand some strategies that will enable us to
draw in more eyeballs.

S O URC E S O F T R A FF I C

Do you know all the different ways your video can be

discovered on YouTube? I've mentioned several already
throughout this book, but it's worth listing them all here.
162 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

YouTube search
YouTube advertising
External websites
Browse features
Suggested videos
A particular playlist or channel page.

You need to figure this out as your channel grows so you can
refine your SEO efforts and invest in the right strategies.

US ING TH E A UD IE N C E TA B

Did you know that YouTube Analytics offers an inside

glance into your audience's behavior, location, and prefer‐
ences? This tab shows you where most of your viewers are
located, the language they speak, what they love watching
most, and their age group. To see this, you need to be signed
in to your YouTube Studio. From the left menu, select
Analytics > Audience. That will open up information on
gender, age, when your viewers are on YouTube, and other
videos your audience watched. Use this data to inform your
content strategy.
 GROW ING YOUR COMM UN I T Y | 163

E NG A G I NG YOUR A UD I E N C E

As a YouTuber creator, your job isn't done until you interact

and engage with your audience. A few things that work
really well for engaging my audience include initiating
engagement myself. That means I don't just post and wait
for something to happen. Instead, I go and find content
that's meaningful to me, and I like, comment and share that
content. I also reply to every comment, and I intend to do
that until they become too much for me to handle. On week‐
ends, I've set aside twenty minutes to go to the channels of
people who have liked or engaged with my content. I do the
same on their channel, which creates amazing rewards
later on.

Consider asking questions that benefit your community and

encourage them to interact. The bottom line is you need to
give more than you ask of your community. If you observe
highly engaged channels from YouTubers like Gary Vayner‐
chuck or Neil Patel, you'll see they always give, give, and
give before making any ask.

Pro Tip:

If you're really serious about showing your community that

you care, take a screenshot of a comment left on your video
or a video title that someone you want to promote shared
and create a video out of that featuring their content. It will
164 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

cause the person to respond immediately and even share

your video.

YOU T U BE COMMU N I T Y T A B

This is a feature YouTube designed to promote community

interaction. It's meant to help you interact even more with
your people beyond creating and publishing videos. You will
have the ability to post polls, text-based posts, and images.

This feature is meant to give your channel a different edge

and to get even more personal. You can also promote older
videos or products and merchandise. Make sure, however,
you balance the promotion and the value-adding interac‐
tions. I find it to be an incredible way to get people excited
about something you're doing. It could be the launch of a
new product, an announcement of a free webinar, or train‐
ing. I have used the Poll feature to get ideas of what to
include in my online course to make it more valuable. My
friend Jeremy uses it to give behind-the-scene sneak peek of
his latest documentary shoots, which gets people really
excited. The most important thing is to come from a place of
adding value. Give people a reason to interact and follow
your updates using the Community Tab feature.
 GROW ING YOUR COMM UN I T Y | 165

MA XI MI Z E T HE U SE OF LI VE ST R E A MI NG

What is Live Streaming? It's being able to record and broad‐

cast in real-time simultaneously. YouTube has become
pretty famous for live streams, and it is the perfect way to
retain or draw in a new audience. You will need to educate
yourself on the best equipment for live streaming, but
YouTube enables you to go live from your smartphone or
tablet, a camera, or a computer. Once you get the equipment
sorted, it takes one click of a button.

Before attempting to go live, make sure your channel is veri‐

fied (www.youtube.com/verify). If doing it from a
computer, you need to sign in to your dashboard and click
Create > Go Live. From your mobile, you will need to open
the YouTube app and click the camcorder icon on the top
right, then tap Go Live. If it's the first time to live stream,
you will need to wait for 24hrs to activate your account.
Also, note that you will need to hit your first milestone of
1,000 subscribers before live streaming from your mobile.

When it comes to the recording, you can either do it

through a webcam, mobile cam, or encoder streaming. The
easiest option is the camera on your laptop, but if you want a
more professional look and have the competency, you can
always get an encoder because the quality will be better.
166 | Y OUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

To ensure you produce the best live streams, have your

thumbnail image, an SEO friendly title, and description
ready to go. If you're ready to record from your desktop, all
you need to do is click the camcorder icon once you're in
your dashboard >Go Live > Webcam. Add a title and privacy
settings, then click More Options to add the description,
enable/disable live chat, promote something, and so much
more. Click Next. YouTube will automatically take a
webcam thumbnail photo but don't worry because you can
upload the thumbnail we just created later on. Select Go
Live, and that's it! Once you're done, you can select End
Stream.

A CHE CK LI ST F OR O PT I MI ZA T I O N

Here's the beauty of live streaming - it's live. There are no

do-overs or edits. So before you begin to broadcast, take the
following steps.

Check the audio to make sure the sound is optimal

and that people can hear you.
Adjust your lighting to ensure the audience can see
you clearly.
Keep the devices plugged into a power source. You
wouldn't want to run out of power halfway into
your rant!
 GROW ING YOUR COM MU N I TY | 167

Test your connection speed to avoid low-quality

streaming. You can run a speed test with
speedtest.net. What we are aiming for is about
10MB of data per minute.
Turn off interruptions and make sure nothing
inappropriate or confidential is in the backdrop.
Have a bottle or glass of water next to you. I also
recommend tissues or anything else you might need
in case you get a scratchy throat, cough, or sneeze.

When it comes to live streaming, timing is everything.

There's no perfect time per se, but based on your YouTube
analytics, you can make an educated guess based on your
audience interactions and behavior. If most of your audience
is global, you want to pick a time that works in multiple time
zones.

Pro Tip:

As your audience grows, you can consider running polls for

people to vote the best time for the live streaming and once
you have a winner, schedule it in advance. Give people time
to add it to their agenda and set reminders.
168 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

A CT I VI T Y #1 0 : WHA T MO VE S YO U?

Before we hit the last section of this book, it's time to start
engaging with your potential audience. You may not have
any subscribers yet (aside from friends and family), but you
can still create that momentum for engagement. Whether
your published videos have received many comments,
shares, and likes or not, you can find channels worth inter‐
acting with. Leave a comment, like, and share it. Repost it
using your Community Tab, as you learned in this chapter.
Demonstrate that you are here to build an active commu‐
nity. It all begins with you.
 V

MONETIZE YOUR YOUTUBE

CHANNEL
 11

YOUTUBE MONETIZATION
MADE EASY

F or many readers, these last two chapters

contain the answers to critical questions that
led them to purchase the book. If you have been wondering
how to make money on YouTube or what kind of money
you could make, this is where you'll get your answers. How
much money do YouTubers make? Some make zero, while
others make millions in annual revenue. The range is pretty
huge because it depends on how well the channel performs.

H O W MUC H CA N O N E EA R N O N YOU T UBE ?

The best way to approach this question is to start from what

we know YouTube pays out. We know that Google pays
68% of their AdSense revenue. Some quick mathematics will
show you that if an advertiser pays $100, Google will pay
172 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

$68 to the publisher. The rates that an advertiser pays will

vary between $0.10 to $0.30 per view, but let's go with an
average of $0.18 to make calculations easier. So on average,
your channel can receive $18 for every 1,000 ad views ($3-
$5 per 1000 video views).

While these simple numbers can help you estimate what you
can expect, realize the first dollar will be the hardest one to
earn. Building up to that momentum will require a tremen‐
dous amount of effort, but the subscribers you have, the
more people will click on your ads. The more that happens,
the more money you will make from

Google AdSense and other opportunities. So the right

answer is - you can earn as much money as you want. It all
depends on your effort and strategy.

If you're in a niche that quickly gathers crowds like celebrity

gossip or gaming, then you'll likely start to earn money
sooner but still don't expect it to be within the first couple of
videos. In the first phase of your YouTube growth, you want
to focus on building a reputation instead of income. Then as
you get real traffic and engagement, you'll start to see the
revenue growth from a few dollars each other to hundreds
and, ultimately, thousands of dollars each month.
 YOUT UBE MONET IZAT ION MA DE E ASY | 173

TH E S I MPL E S T W A Y TO E A R N MONE Y
F R OM YOUTUBE

The simplest way to earn money from YouTube is to join

the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).

Before you can become part of this program and start

earning money, you will need an audience. Your content has
to be epic to attract an audience that engages with your
content and subscribes to your channel. Everything
discussed in this book is designed to help you attract, build,
and ultimately monetize your audience. Once you have some
momentum and you see constant growth, I recommend
applying for the YouTube Partner Program.

To qualify for YPP, you need to be in good standing with

YouTube. Your content should be considered high quality.
You also need 4,000 public watch hours within the last 12-
month period. Lastly, you will need to hit that target of 1000
subscribers. These basic requirements are vital before your
qualification can be accepted. Once you cross this threshold,
you'll be taken through a process of creating an AdSense
account and a few other simple logistics. YouTube team will
review and approve you for monetization. Besides streaming
ads, you will also have the ability to earn through channel
membership and Super Chat as long as you meet their
criteria.
174 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

A CT I VI T Y #1 1 : BE COME A YOU T U BE
PA R T NE R

This particular activity will require time, so I recommend

adding it to your planner or setting a timer so you can come
back at the designated time to complete it. Once the channel
continues to grow in the coming months, and you cross that
threshold of 4,000 watch hours within 12 months and 1000
subscribers, please submit your application for the YPP
monetization opportunity.
 12

CREATIVE WAYS TO MAKE MONEY

ON YOUTUBE

N ow that you've established a great YouTube

channel that is steadily growing, it's time to
focus on making money. If you want to start seeing income
from all your hard work, combining several revenue-gener‐
ating strategies might be the right approach.

Instead of depending on earning directly from YouTube

(YPP), which requires a specific number of subscribers and
strict watch time regulations, you can leverage other money‐
making options such as affiliate marketing, sponsorships,
etc. Let's go over the main ones now.

B E CO M E AN A FF I L I A T E

Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest and most lucrative

ways to earn an income on your channel. The best part is
176 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

that you don't even need a huge audience. In recent years,

brands have been seeking micro-influencers and social
media channels with decent size following and lots of
engagement to help promote their products.

Franck is a great example of this. He was approached by a

software company about a month ago and gave him a very
enticing offer. Franck was provided the free software to use
for six months for free and would earn a percentage for
every person who signed up and purchased through the affil‐
iate link they gave him. The best part is that Franck has 2400
subscribers! It's only been a few weeks, and he's reported
that a portion of his audience has signed up for the free trial,
and some have paid. Income is already coming in, and soon,
he will be making a projected $7k in passive income.

Affiliate marketing is simple. You have a product you believe

in and a link where you can send people. Whenever people
buy, you get a small commission. If it's a well-priced prod‐
uct, a few sales each month can earn you anything from a
couple of hundred to several thousand. I know YouTubers
who also run affiliate products from Amazon and ClickBank.
These are massive affiliate platforms that anyone can join.
But I suggest doing this once you have an active audience.
 C REA TI VE W AYS TO MAKE MONEY ON Y O UT UB E | 177

BE C OME A N I N F L UE N C E R

Influencer marketing is all the rage. Stay-at-home moms,

artists, beauty specialists, and high school students have all
turned their love for selfies into income-earning opportuni‐
ties. What is an influencer, and can you become one on
YouTube? An influencer is a person who can affect the
purchasing decisions of others because he or she is perceived
as an authority in that given niche. Influencers have strong
relationships with their audience - that's what makes them
powerful. An influencer is not a celebrity and doesn't need
to be a Kardashian with millions of followers. The size of his
or her following depends on her niche or topic. Brands are
always keen to work with influencers of all sizes.

If you can build a reputation as someone knowledgeable and

an expert in your topic through your YouTube content, you
can become an influencer. As a result, you can get paid part‐
nerships, collaborations, and sponsorships with the brands
that align with your channel. There are various types of
influencers, including mega-influencers (think Kardashians).
These are often celebrities like movie stars, musicians,
athletes, etc. To join this rank, you will need to have at least
1 million followers. Macro-influencers are a step down from
the mega influencers. These are usually up and coming B-
grade celebrities or super successful self-made online
experts. To join this rank, you'll need to have at least 40,000
178 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

followers on YouTube. Micro-influencers are the first signif‐

icant milestone I would set for you. This category of influ‐
encers are ordinary people who have gained respect and
recognition for their knowledge.

You can create a relationship with your subscribers, and

over time, they will see you as someone worth following and
turning to for advice. In this category, it's not so much about
the number of followers. It's absolutely about the relation‐
ship and engagement level. So a micro-influencer can have
between 1000 - 40,000 followers on YouTube. Franck is an
excellent example of how a brand perceived him as a micro-
influencer and offered him the chance to collaborate
through affiliate marketing. The same thing can happen to
you. The most important thing to remember as an influ‐
encer is that you need to maintain your integrity and only
promote brands you genuinely believe in.

Once you are an influencer, companies will offer you deals

and opportunities to make money because they need your
audience. Be intentional about the ones you say yes to
because your audience is more valuable than any money a
company offers. Always think long-term and ever think
about what's best for your audience.

What kind of income can you make from influencer

partnerships?
 CR EA TI VE W AYS TO MAKE MONEY ON Y OU TU BE | 179

Depending on the size of your audience and the budget of

the company or business you work with, you can earn a few
hundred bucks to shoot one video or thousands of dollars to
run a specific campaign over an agreed-upon timeframe.

Influencer marketing requires planning, strategy, and a solid

business plan so you can get paid what you're worth.

SE LL PR OD U CT S A N D ME R CHA ND I SE OF
YOU R BR A N D

Another cool way to earn money as a YouTuber content

creator is to create your merch. These can be T-shirts with
your brand, coffee mugs, calendars, art, paintings, comics,
recipes, or whatever else you can create for your niche. The
best part about this is that you get to keep 100% of the profit.
Use platforms like Shopify and Amazon to quickly set up
shop then leverage your growing audience to drive traffic to
your online store.

CR OWD F U N D YOU YOU T U BE PR OJE CT

If you're not looking to support your YouTube career with

ads, affiliate marketing, and selling merch, you could go the
crowdfunding route. Some have found it extremely success‐
ful. Unlike ads, you are giving your audience more of what
they want. The focus here is content and engagement. Check
180 | YOUT UBE P LA Y BO OK 20 21

out a channel like Hasfit, which mainly grew and still focuses
on crowdfunding. You can crowdfund your channel through
websites like Patreon or use the YouTube Sponsor Button, a
newly established feature that lets your fans support your
channel in exchange for some "perks" you give.

F A N F U ND I NG

As the word states, this is a way for your fans and

subscribers to tip and support your hard work. The more
great content you produce, the more likely you will build
fans that love and appreciate all the effort and dedication you
put in to serve them. If you want to create an easy way for
people to "tip" you, then consider checking out a site like ko-
fi.com, enabling you to receive tips or donations. You can
also create a simple PayPal button that people can use to
"buy you coffee" if they love your content and channel.
Don't forget to make it easy for people to give you their cash
by placing links on the description under each video.

SOCI A L ME D I A MA R KE T I N G O N YO UT UBE

Social media marketing uses social media platforms to

connect with an audience to market your products. You can
use social media marketing to grow your YouTube channel
and sell products or services if you get the right strategy.
 CR EA TI VE W AYS TO MAKE MONEY ON Y OU TU BE | 181

The strategy can be both paid and organic marketing efforts,

but I suggest using some paid social media advertising if you
want to see results fast.

One way you can make money on YouTube using social

media marketing is by running ads on Instagram and Face‐
book that drives traffic back to your channel. You could also
create a social media campaign offering a free lead magnet
that leads to people sharing their data with you. Once you
have that data, you can send people to your YouTube
channel to promote whatever product or service you wish to
sell, or they can be served ads through your YPP. If you'd
like to learn more about social media marketing, which is a
deep and vast topic, I suggest getting one of my other guides.

A PPL YI N G YO UT UBE O N YO U E XI ST I N G
BUSI N E SS

The benefits of integrating YouTube into your business

marketing and development strategies are too numerous to
mention. Let's start with the fact that your Search Engine
Optimization efforts will exponentially pay off when you
leverage video marketing. As the second-largest search
engine on the Internet, having your videos ranking high on
Google will drive more traffic to your website. You will also
develop an instant connection with your audience. Existing
customers and prospects will feel more connected to your
182 | YOUTU BE P LA Y BO OK 2 021

brand when you use videos to educate, inspire, and showcase

your products. We know content marketing is here to stay
because today's consumer prefers to learn about a product,
feature, or brand through sharable, informative content
instead of traditional dry ads. By choosing to create great
videos, you're serving your potential customers' needs far
better than your competitors, who might still be focused on
traditional ads. I also believe that video marketing makes it
easy for anyone with any budget to succeed because it's no
longer about throwing money at ads to manipulate people
into making a purchase. People want to feel valued, and with
video, you can show your audience that you care and that
your product or service is the best solution. I cannot think of
a better way to market to an existing or new audience than
through video content and a great YouTube channel.

YO UT UBE A D VE R T I SI N G

YouTube ads are great for attracting a customer or new

subscribers to your channel if you have the budget. Intro‐
duce your brand or business using YouTube ads, and your
channel will grow exponentially. But you can't just throw
money into this. Make sure you have a solid plan with clear
objectives before spending a dime. YouTube isn't as inexpen‐
sive as Facebook and Instagram because it's a mature plat‐
form, so the learning curve necessary to pull off a great
 CRE A TI VE WA YS T O MAKE MONEY ON Y OU TU BE | 183

campaign is steep. Luckily, they have many resources, educa‐

tional content, and even a certification process to empower
you to use their powerful advertising features. You can go
from knowing absolutely nothing about Google ads to
setting up a successful ad campaign in no time with as little
as $10 per day.

There are several options when it comes to ads. You can

create skippable in-stream ads, non-skippable in-stream ads
(including bumper ads), video discovery ads, and non-video
ads (the overlays and banners).

To advertise on YouTube, you will need to upload a video

and set it on Public or Unlisted. Then sign in to your
Google Ads account and select New Campaign. You will
need to choose your goal (sales, website traffic, brand
awareness, reach, or brand consideration. Please define
your campaign parameters and budget, target your audi‐
ence, and enter your link to hit the create campaign. And
that's it! Your ad is live and ready to bring you a new
audience.

To get the most out of your campaigns, use storytelling and

emotion to connect with your audience. Have an appro‐
priate call to action and consider using the right type of ad
for the specific goal. For example, if sales were your main
objective, I would recommend setting up a TrueView for an
action campaign. That will allow you multiple clickable
184 | YOU TUB E P LA Y BO OK 2 021

elements so viewers can click and take action before the

video ends.

It's also a good idea to stick to the recommended length and

video formats. Skippable ads should be minimum of 12
seconds and a maximum of 3 minutes (you can have a max
of 60seconds on YouTube, kids). Non-skippable ads are
15seconds (In Singapore, Mexico, India, Malaysia, and
EMEA, they allow 20seconds), and bumper ads are 6seconds.

For discovery ads, YouTube recommends having AVI, ASF,

QuickTime, Windows Media, MP4, or MPEG file format.
The video codec should be H.264, MPEG-2, or MPEG-4.
The audio codec should be AAC-LC or MP3. The aspect
ratio should be 16:9 or 4:3, and the frame rate most recom‐
mended is 30 FPS.

A CT I VI T Y #1 2 : O PT I MI ZA T I O N

You've made it to the last activity for this book. Here, it's all
about optimization. So far, you've learned how to take your
growing channel and turn it into an income-generating
machine. Take some time to decide on the avenues you will
use to earn money and set up the necessary processes. If
you're getting into influencer marketing, get a book and
learn how to pitch, sell, and win deals with brands. You'll
 CRE A TI VE WA YS T O MAKE MONEY ON Y OU TU BE | 185

need to learn how to market yourself so that brands find you

appealing.

If you're getting into affiliate marketing or creating and

selling your own products, that will require some action
steps that you need to plot and implement. Use this time to
figure out how you can take action on those activities that
will generate you money. You will also need to keep tweak‐
ing, iterating, and improving your channel's SEO. Keep
monitoring and tracking everything as you publish new
content so that your channel can turn into a profitable
YouTube business.
 CONCLUSION

You have made it to the end of this book. We've given you
lots of material and assignments to work with so don't feel
overwhelmed. Each section of this book was placed in the
specific order that you will need to follow as a beginner.

The monetization section came last with good reason. A

mistake many new YouTubers make is to focus on monetiza‐
tion too early in the game. As you put down this book, your
main work is to implement the first three sections to the
best of your ability. If you can get that done, monetization
will be a natural by-product, and you will succeed.

You will not get very far if you don't develop the right mind‐
set, discipline, persistence, and consistency necessary for this
journey. Again, let me remind you that your WHY must be
188 | C ON CL US ION

bigger than your obstacles, and the insecurities and doubts

that will pop up along this journey. Your passion and desire
to share your message, build a community, and serve others
will determine how far you can go as a YouTuber.

The YouTube platform is one of the most powerful vehicles

at your disposal in 2021, where you can be, do, give, and
share whatever you believe in. Done right, it will open up
opportunities and rewards beyond your wildest dreams.
Many have started with an idea, built a brand over a long
time, and turned a sad story into a YouTube empire. You
have the potential to do the same. All you need is a plan.
Each chapter of this book has given you that guideline and
plan from setting up the channel to thinking through and
researching content to finding your brand's identity and
posting your first video.

You have learned hacks that will save you time and energy
when it comes to editing and putting out professional-
looking videos, even if you're shooting from a basement.
What you need now is a serious commitment to your
dream. If you are ready to be a successful YouTuber, it's time
to put in the effort and reap the benefits of having thousands
or millions of people watching your content, taking your
advice, and buying things from you. Whatever your end goal
might be - a lifestyle of travel, sharing your passion with the
 CONCLU S I ON | 189

world, becoming famous, earning a six-figure income,

boosting your local business, or any other objective, the first
step is to implement the lessons this book offers.

To your YouTube success.

Brandon.
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