As years continue, more and more people are creating channels and becoming YouTubers. And so as this continues every year more people ask if they should start their channels. Whether it be to try and earn some extra money, to create funny content for people to enjoy, or just to express themselves, lots of people take the step to finally create a channel.
Anyone who wants to start a YouTube Channel should. While it will take a long time before you begin to start making revenue, starting a YouTube channel is a great idea. YouTube is a great way to share a talent or skill, or even just to entertain others.
So for those who still aren’t certain if they should start their own YouTube channel, below are some of the facts that explain some of the pros and cons for anyone who is considering entering the world of YouTube. I will also share the basic steps that one takes to set up a channel of your own.
Cons of Starting a Channel
YouTube is the long game
For those who are considering entering YouTube to make some quick, extra cash, this is not likely to happen. When creating a YouTube channel for monetization, it is more like a marathon rather than a sprint. Along with taking a long time for your YouTube channel to be profitable, YouTube also has some guidelines that must be followed in order to make any money.
The first of these requirements is that the owner/creator of the channel must be 18 years old or older. Thought they can have a guardian who handles their finances as well if they aren’t 18. Then for the different revenue types, there are different requirements. First, the content must be ad-friendly to get advertising revenue.
To have channel memberships and merchandising shelves available for your channel you must have at least 1,000 subscribers but the more the better.
Ever-increasing Competition
YouTube each year is becoming more and more popular. Already it is the second most visited site in the world just after Google. And while a majority of the visits to YouTube are to watch videos, there are over 37 million different channels with many creating videos every day. So because of all the channels that already exist and the new channels that are made each day, it can be difficult to stand out from the rest of the crowd when you create your videos.
There are many different channels created each day by different businesses and individuals, so when starting it may feel like you are trying to claim digital real estate. And so how can you set yourself apart from other channels that cover the same or similar topics? The first step is to understand that it will take a while, but if you find a creative way to present your topic, over time you will attract people as subscribers.
High learning curve
The last major con is that it is hard to become a YouTuber because of the number of skills that you need to learn and develop. When starting YouTubing you are in charge of creating the idea, filming, editing, your background, and many other factors that all take place during the creation process. However, this can also be overcome in time. As you produce more videos you will learn what you have to do to be most successful.
Another aspect that you have to learn is all of the YouTube analytics and how to use them to your advantage. Things like views, likes, dislikes, shares, viewer age, gender, and location can help give information to help creators understand what they should do to become most successful, however, this takes a lot of time to understand and learn.
Pros of Staring a Channel
Freedom
As a YouTuber, you have the massive benefit of a lot of freedom within your life. Not only are you your own boss, but you also are in charge of everything that is being produced. You are free to create any form of content you want and can show that to your audience however you desire as well.
Being a YouTuber can be thought of like a blank canvas. Each day you get to decide what you are going to do with it. Since you are in charge of your channel you choose how much time you spend on each video and how often you upload videos. This also means that when you begin to make revenue, you are also in charge of how often you make money.
Community
Within YouTube, you also will be entering into an entirely different community. As your channel grows you will not only get to interact with different people through the comment sections but you might even collaborate with other YouTubers as well. Many other YouTubers that you meet and interact with can help you inspire different ideas and together you can help grow your channels.
You can also meet people within the community and help each other become better with the complex process that is creating videos. Slowly you will develop a community of those that have helped you and people that you are helping all while exchanging inspiration for different videos.
YouTube is becoming mainstream
While YouTube isn’t fully mainstream yet, it is quickly becoming so. And for those who are considering, now would be a good time to start a channel, this is one of the most ideal times. While the majority of YouTube watch time takes place on the YouTube app and their computers as well, as new TVs are made, YouTube is becoming more available as a TV option.
So soon as people continue to leave classic broadcasting television, YouTube will become more and more mainstream as a television option. So those who enter into YouTube now have the potential for massive growth as it becomes a more available TV option. YouTube has noticed this as well and has created YouTube TV as another option for those who are leaving cable television and so a massive opportunity is available for those who are willing to put in the effort.
