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Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

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101–110 of 141 posts

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#101

Make sure every one of your videos starts with "What's up YouTube" and also includes such phrases as "don't forget to like and subscribe" and "check out my Patreon". (/s) On a more serious note, my feeling is that cutting out "fluff" content like that is something I'd really appreciate.

Similar overdone thing is the same intro music in every video. I hate it when I find someone's channel I like, so I start watching lots of videos - which all have the same intro. Gets old fast.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#102
Make sure you present yourself as attractive as you can be. If you look attractive, people will generally assume you must know what you’re talking about compared to someone ugly looking with bad lighting.

And this goes for any profile pics or thumbnails you use, etc. Look attractive in them. Use a filter if you must.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#103
Made a YouTube channel 12 years ago.

But stopped making videos after 2 years, really regret it now. It was a completely different scene back then. I would have dropped out of high school and pursued a YouTube channel if I knew it would be this big.

It was really interesting to think about what kind of videos to make and was always excited to check the view count every day. Precious time.

For anyone curious, the channel: https://m.youtube.com/@MrUsukhbayar

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#104
post #40

Decide if you want to try to generate revenue at some point, or if you are just doing it for the fun or passion of it. If the former, you'll need to play the YouTube games, invest time in editing, improving technique, studying analytics, sticking to a schedule. If the latter, post videos, have fun, hack at it... but don't expect more than 100 views on a video. It can be fun either way, it really depends on your outlo…

Goal is to build online presence and create impact.

YouTube is incredibly crowded these days. There’s probably better places to pursue those goals.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. The creator should slow down when writing , but they should not waste the viewer's time when speaking. I don't want to hear someone's ramblings unless they're really someone special.

Rambling and speaking slowly are very different things.

Yes exactly! Speaking slowly without a reason to do so is very painful for the listener. If what they have written is worth slowing down for, I'm all ears.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of it is just "is the can the string is attached to 3" from the speaker or 3'?" A mediocre mic placed 3-6" from the mouth is going to almost always sound better than any price of mic placed 5' away, except in sound treated studios with excellent technique and strong post-processing.

“ means inches and ‘ means feet in case anyone else needs to know because I had to look this up

Is this just a US thing? I thought this was common knowledge.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#107
post #93
post #20

Try to stick to a schedule. That's something I've personally struggled with a lot, and it's something that the more successful channels I follow have usually done better with. People like to know when new uploads will be posted, and YouTube likes to push videos that people check out quickly after their initial airing. Because of that, it's probably best not to try and post daily (or multiple times a day) unless you c…

Changing can work. If you scroll back to the start of a lot of popular providers and you'll find the originally produced very different stuff. Even established channels can change. Eg JillBearup[1] used to post videos about science fiction, fantasy, movies. About 8 years in she started a new hobby and posted a few videos about stage fighting that were popular and then pivoted to costumes and fighting in movies. Rough…

or Scott Manley, who 5+ years ago was making videos about the video game Kerbal Space Program, and now makes space news videos that typically have 150,000 or more views.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#108

I used to be a full time dev / R&D engineer. Now I basically do the same thing on YouTube (youtube.com/stuffmadehere). The difference now is my R&D-ing is directed at early stage prototypes that I think are interesting / instructive, rather than what is best for an actual business, useful, or profitable. Youtube is interesting because theres a constant source of numeric feedback on how you are doing (views / subscrib…

Joined 2020. 4m+ subscribers. Seriously impressive.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“ means inches and ‘ means feet in case anyone else needs to know because I had to look this up

Is this just a US thing? I thought this was common knowledge.

It’s (mostly) just a US thing to measure in feet and inches, so most people don’t learn the shorthand for feet and inches.

Re: Ask HN: Advice on starting a YouTube channel?

#110
post #98

I used to be a full time dev / R&D engineer. Now I basically do the same thing on YouTube (youtube.com/stuffmadehere). The difference now is my R&D-ing is directed at early stage prototypes that I think are interesting / instructive, rather than what is best for an actual business, useful, or profitable. Youtube is interesting because theres a constant source of numeric feedback on how you are doing (views / subscrib…

Your content is extremely prolific, good work! I think your thumbnails specifically do a great job of selling the content. Having a focus on numbers can definitely be caustic; at the end of the day it's about the whims of hundreds, thousands, or millions(!) of people, and even the algorithms in charge of leading them about. If you make good content, you'll be appreciated for that content regardless of what the number…

His content is incredible. But prolific? He's posted three videos on his main channel in the past year.
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