For detailed step-by-step instructions on how to create a channel, from registration to registration and adding your first video, see the article “How to create a channel on YouTube.

Technical nuances:

• The channel name is tied to the name/surname of your Google account, so to change the channel name, open your Google account and make changes in it;
• you can create more than one channel in your current account-no need to create separate accounts;
• if you plan to connect official monetization in the future – avoid content for children, since 2019 there are restrictions on such channels, for example, they can disable the chat function and donations in it or prohibit the display of personalized advertising.
• For a full list of restrictions, see Google Help;
• stick to one topic – jumping from topic to topic is bad for promotion;

Security basics (how to protect your YouTube channel from hacking):

– Set up two-factor authentication – when logging into your account or Gmail, you will need to enter a password that will come to your phone linked to your mailbox.

– Specify your cell phone in the channel settings.

Where to begin – the concept of the channel

We’ve covered the technical points above, but that’s not enough for a successful blog- you need an idea. First, you need to think through the concept of the channel in full: what it’s going to be about, the name of the channel, what you are going to fill it with, and what sections it is going to have.

1. Topic. What the channel will be about.

What topics will be popular in 2020-2021:

• Tic-Tac channels;
• Political topics and news channels (always in demand);
• channels on earnings;
• social videos;
• animated videos and cartoons;
• show business channels;
• Challenges;
• any entertainment topics;

Important: in addition to topics, the quality of the material, the quality of the shooting, the charisma of the author of the blog are important. The right choice of subjects helps to solve only part of the problem. For example, SNAILKICK has no clearly defined subjects, on his channel, everything is solved by charisma and quality editing.

In general, it is impossible to say that some niches have an advantage over others, and if you start a channel on a certain subject, it will be 100% successful. Tik-Tok channels are taking off now only because this social network is megapopular, but in a year there may be a new application and everyone will switch to it. Channels about politics and showbiz are popular because there are constant events in these areas that grab the public’s attention.

You can think of over 100 topics on YouTube and each one has its own audience.

Fact: Some writers take topics they know and are interested in. Others take what they think is in demand, what’s trending, and what will be easier to monetize. Successful bloggers try to combine all these factors. You should not take up a subject you are not interested in just because you think you can make money on it.

Proper choice of subject matter consists of three important things: you are interested in it, the viewers are interested in it, you are knowledgeable in it.

2. Name.

The name of the channel also affects its popularity. It must reflect the essence of the channel, be not too long and be remembered. It should also not infringe on someone else’s copyrights and repeat the name of an existing channel.

Options for the name:

• Your real first and last name;
• alias;
• play on words – ITBeard;
• abbreviations and acronyms – ND Production, BSU;
• key word in the title – INTERIOR NALITY, Open Psychosomatics;
• a word or phrase reflecting the channel’s theme (it may also have a keyword, but this is not obligatory) – Rumors, RAMusic;
• A stable expression or excerpt from a quote – Let’s Talk?

3. content – what to shoot, the pitch.

You have to choose a topic that you can create content on for a long time – months or years. Then you need to decide on the format (we’ll talk about them below).

Tips:

• Put out the first 2 videos, and then make a content plan for a week to a month;
  after the first videos, figure out how much time you spend on writing, shooting and editing – based on this, decide how often
• you want to release new videos;
• use a task-planner like Trello or Google Calendar – this will help you control your work on the channel;
• It’s better not to make your videos too long, the most popular videos last up to 10-15 minutes, but it all depends on the audience reaction to your videos;

Important: earlier advertising in the middle of the video was allowed for the videos 10 minutes and longer, but at the end of July 2020 this rule has changed – the required length of the video was reduced to 8 minutes.

• When creating a video, focus on the interests of your target audience – work with comments, ask questions, ask what topic your new video should be about;
• you can use Yandex.Wordstat keyword search service to choose your topic.
• Come up with your own unique feature, which will distinguish you from other bloggers.

What to shoot for a YouTube audience

The channel can have a main section or several playlists. What to shoot bloggers (choose your format):

• a vlog about their life;
• travel blog;
• how-to’s and master classes – these channels usually have a lot of views and subscribers;
• Challenges;
• disclosures – example: the “Border Guard” channel;
• reviews and reviews;
• unboxing;
• educational content;
• a channel about myths, history, inventions;
• videos about your hobbies, where you show the process and tell interesting facts – fishing, auto, martial arts;
• a searcher’s blog – abandoned houses and villages, searching for antiquities, searching with a metal detector (examples:
• Russian Secrets, In Search of the Treasure by Vlad);
• a blog about construction and repair;
• blog, where you do something with their own hands, and you do not have to shoot a video, like a tiphak, you can just show the
• process and the result;
• streams;
• interviews;
• sketches;
• experiments;
• planning – for example, how to live on 1,000 rubles a week;
• recipes;
• Tops – a channel with selections.

What to shoot for

You can start with a minimal investment. For example, you can shoot your first videos with a smartphone camera. If you have an iPhone, that’s great, there are bloggers who shoot all their videos on an iPhone camera, and the quality of the videos is not inferior to those shot on expensive cameras. For example, the Red Lamp channel uses two iPhones for shooting.

Some bloggers shoot video on an external webcam, but you need to pick up a good resolution. A good webcam is Logitech Webcam HD Pro C920 (you can pick up another one from Logitech).

You need a tripod monopod for your smartphone.If you’re not taking pictures indoors, you can use a selfie stick.

Lighting. The most budget-friendly option is a selfie ring Led. By the way, nowadays they sell rings with built-in holder for your phone, so you can save on a tripod.

Background. If you’re shooting indoors, the background can be a wall in a room, a closet, a table with objects. If you live in an old apartment and don’t want to show the furnishings, you can shoot against a solid background.

Sound. You need a good microphone and preferably an external sound card.  You can also use a crotch microphone instead of a stationary one.

You will also need video editing software. The choice depends on the complexity of the montage. If you just want to merge fragments, make simple color correction, add titles and bottom third, linear editors like Movavi or Premiere Pro will do. You can also use online video editors. The price, respectively, will depend on the software you choose.

How to promote your channel

Basic ways to promote your channel, checklist:

• Optimize your channel and video – use keywords in the title and description, add tags and hashtags.
• SEO-optimize YouTube videos.
• Make attractive covers for your videos.
• Use video seeding on social media.
• Determine the best time to post videos.
• Include a link to the channel on all social networks and on the website (if you have one).
• Encourage viewers to be active by liking, subscribing or commenting.
• Buy advertising for your channel (optional).
• Use special services (optional).
• Hold contests on your channel (optional).

Analytics at

You can also promote yourself thanks to the algorithms of the video hosting. What indicators YouTube pays the most attention to when promoting your video in search and recommendations:

CTR. How many times users opened the video after showing the cover.
Audience retention. How many minutes viewers watch the video, which videos they watch to the end, at what point they close the video.
Depth of viewing. YouTube is interested in keeping viewers on the video hosting site as long as possible. A good signal to algorithms if your videos are watched one by one, go to your channel, subscribe, click on the bell to receive notifications about new videos – in short, interested in your channel’s content, not just one video.

You can analyze these three basic metrics in Creative Studio in the Analytics section. This will allow you to work out an effective promotion strategy.

How to earn on a blog

The main ways to earn income from your channel:

• Read more about all the ways to make money on YouTube in our article – on what, how and how much you can earn.
• Most often channel owners earn income from several sources, such as monetization + advertising or advertising + affiliate or advertising + their merch.

Conclusion

To become a successful blogger on YouTube – you first of all need to work hard – to find an interesting topic, prepare content, create and design a channel, as well as the videos themselves, conduct optimization, promote your videos everywhere you can and, finally, go for monetization.

It is important to remember that there is no magic button – it can take a long time from creating a channel to receiving the first money, but it is worth it.