How to Start & Grow a YouTube Channel in 2024 *Zero to 200k + My Journey*

Summary

In this inspiring video, Izzy, a Cambridge graduate and doctor, shares her journey to amassing 200,000 YouTube subscribers in just one and a half years. She offers practical advice on starting and growing a YouTube channel, emphasizing the importance of content value, emotional resilience, audience engagement, production quality, and the potential for scaling through outsourcing. Izzy debunks the myth of finding a niche too early, encourages creators to launch before feeling ready, and stresses the significance of learning through doing. Her personal anecdotes and tips provide a roadmap for aspiring YouTubers, highlighting the transformative impact of the platform on her life.

Takeaways

• 😀 Starting a YouTube channel can significantly change your life, and there's no better time than now to begin.
• 🚀 The channel hit 200,000 subscribers in one and a half years, transforming the creator's life in various aspects such as mindset, finances, and friendships.
• 📈 Videos are overtaking traditional media formats, with YouTube receiving billions of visits and hours of content watched daily, indicating a great opportunity for new creators.
• 🔍 The myth of finding a niche early is debunked; it's better to start making videos on topics you enjoy and let your niche find you.
• 🎯 Focus on creating content that provides value through education, entertainment, tutorials, comfort, or information to attract and retain viewers.
• 🤔 It's crucial to balance search-optimized and browse-optimized content to ensure consistent views and potential for virality.
• 💪 Emotional readiness involves starting before feeling ready and viewing the initial start as the primary goal, learning and improving as you go.
• 🧘 Maintaining equanimity is key to dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of YouTube analytics and viewer feedback.
• 📹 Engaging thumbnails, titles, and hooks are vital for click-through rates, while the first 30 seconds of a video should strongly retain viewer interest.
• 🎥 Production value starts with the gear you have, prioritizing good audio quality over video quality, and using proper lighting to enhance your content.
• 🔧 As your channel grows, consider scaling by outsourcing tasks like video editing and thumbnail creation to maintain content quality while managing time effectively.

Q & A

What is the main takeaway from the video according to the speaker?

The main takeaway is that starting a YouTube channel can completely change your life, and there is no better time than the present to begin.

How long did it take for the speaker's channel to reach 200,000 subscribers?

It took the speaker one and a half years of uploading videos for the channel to reach 200,000 subscribers.

What are the two key things needed to grow on YouTube according to the video?

To grow on YouTube, one needs to get people to click on their videos and then keep them watching.

What is the speaker's advice on finding your niche on YouTube?

The speaker advises that finding your niche is a bit of a myth and suggests starting by making videos about topics you enjoy, as your niche will find you over time.

What is the importance of search optimized and browse optimized content in YouTube growth?

Search optimized content ensures views over time through searches, while browse optimized content is designed to go viral or catch the algorithm's attention for more immediate exposure.

How does the speaker suggest dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of starting a YouTube channel?

The speaker suggests starting before feeling ready, learning as you go, maintaining equanimity, and not letting emotions affect the consistency of video creation.

What are some practical tips for creating engaging thumbnails and titles?

The speaker recommends coming up with at least five ideas for thumbnails and titles and choosing the one that resonates the most, focusing on creating clickable and engaging content from the start.

How does the speaker address the issue of camera confidence for new YouTubers?

The speaker suggests pretending to talk to someone you know well to feel more relaxed, and practicing regularly to improve over time.

What is the significance of the first 30 seconds of a video, and how should it be utilized?

The first 30 seconds, also known as the hook, is crucial for showing the viewer why they should keep watching and providing the value proposition of the video.

What advice does the speaker give regarding the editing style for better engagement?

The speaker advises to keep the A-roll tight by cutting out pauses, use B-roll to show rather than tell, and interrupt patterns every 7-10 seconds to keep the viewer's interest.

What are some of the hardware and software recommendations the speaker provides for YouTubers?

For hardware, the speaker suggests starting with what you have and upgrading audio quality first. For software, they mention DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere for editing, and platforms like Thematic and Epidemic Sound for royalty-free music.

How does the speaker describe their journey and growth on YouTube?

The speaker describes a gradual growth trajectory with an initial slow start, a period of consistency, and then a significant increase in subscribers after some videos gained traction with the algorithm.

What are the YouTube Partner Program requirements mentioned in the video?

The requirements are having 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 valid public watch hours on the channel in the past 12 months.

What was the speaker's initial reaction to receiving their Silver Play Button plaque?

The speaker felt a mix of excitement, nervousness, and a bit of imposter syndrome, but overall was overwhelmed with the realization of their accomplishment.

What is the speaker's approach to handling a busy schedule while maintaining their YouTube channel?

The speaker blocks out time in their calendar, uses a well-organized Notion kanban board for video workflow, and separates planning and execution to make the most of their available time.

What was the speaker's experience with their first YouTube video?

The speaker felt nervous and found it challenging to talk to the camera, but they told themselves to start and accept that the first video might not be perfect, with the mindset of improving in subsequent videos.

What advice does the speaker have for those considering starting a YouTube channel?

The speaker advises to stick with it, bring value to the viewer, and show personality to stand out, emphasizing that growth can take time and the algorithm needs time to recognize the value of the content.

What was the hardest part of the speaker's YouTube journey?

The hardest part was the initial phase when nothing was growing, and they were just starting out, as it required overcoming the challenge of beginning and learning how to make videos.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Starting a YouTube Channel: A Life-Changing Decision

The speaker emphasizes the transformative potential of starting a YouTube channel and the importance of seizing the moment. They share personal experiences of growing their channel to 200,000 subscribers in a year and a half, highlighting the impact on their mindset, finances, and social connections. The video promises practical advice for beginners and those looking to grow their channel, covering emotional, technical, and managerial skills required for success. The speaker introduces themselves as Izzy, a Cambridge graduate and a doctor in London, and outlines the video's agenda, which includes discussing the best time to start a channel, key advice areas, personal growth, and monetization strategies, and answering community questions.

05:01

🌟 The Art of Growing a YouTube Channel: Tips and Myths

This paragraph delves into the intricacies of growing a YouTube channel, debunking the myth of finding a niche too early and suggesting that creators should make videos on topics they enjoy, allowing their niche to emerge organically. The speaker shares their journey and the importance of creating a balance between search-optimized and browse-optimized content. They also discuss the significance of competitive advantages in content creation and the development of a unique style by drawing inspiration from other YouTubers. The paragraph concludes with the recommendation to experiment with various topics early on and to learn continuously through the process of video creation.

10:03

🎥 Mastering the Emotional Aspects of YouTube Success

The speaker addresses the emotional skills necessary for sustaining a YouTube channel, advocating the importance of starting before feeling ready and stepping outside one's comfort zone. They discuss the value of viewing the initial start as the primary goal rather than immediate success, and the necessity of learning and improving with each video. The paragraph also touches on the importance of maintaining equanimity, or emotional balance, amidst the unpredictable nature of video performance on YouTube. The speaker shares personal strategies for coping with the emotional rollercoaster of YouTube analytics and the importance of decoupling emotions from video outcomes.

15:04

🔍 Optimizing for Algorithm Success: Engagement and Production

This section focuses on optimizing videos for the YouTube algorithm by improving click-through rates and watch time. The speaker stresses the importance of creating clickable thumbnails and titles, as well as the significance of the first 30 seconds of a video, often referred to as the 'hook'. They also discuss the development of camera confidence and presentation skills, sharing personal tips for appearing more natural on camera. The paragraph concludes with advice on editing for engagement, including maintaining a tight cut, using b-roll for visual interest, and incorporating pattern interrupts to maintain viewer interest.

20:04

🛠️ Gearing Up: Equipment and Software for YouTube Production

The speaker discusses the importance of production value in YouTube videos, starting with the hardware or physical equipment used for recording. They emphasize that the best gear is often what is readily available, such as a smartphone, and that upgrading audio quality should be prioritized over video quality. The paragraph also covers the significance of good lighting and the use of software for video editing, recommending specific programs like DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere. Additionally, the speaker advises on the use of royalty-free music to avoid copyright issues and provides resources for thumbnail creation, video editing collaboration, and link creation for YouTube videos.

25:05

📈 Scaling Up: From Solo Creator to Team Player

The speaker shares their personal experience with scaling their YouTube channel, which includes outsourcing certain tasks due to their demanding full-time job as a doctor. They discuss the process of working with a video editor and using tools like frame.io for revisions. The paragraph also touches on the speaker's journey, including the growth of their channel, their initial struggle with consistency, and the eventual takeoff in viewership. The speaker reflects on the milestones they've reached, such as opening their Silver Play Button plaque and the emotional impact of this achievement.

🤔 Reflections and Future Plans: A YouTuber's Journey

In this paragraph, the speaker reflects on their journey to 200,000 subscribers, expressing feelings of surrealism and imposter syndrome. They discuss their initial intentions for starting the channel, the unexpected growth, and their commitment to creating valuable content. The speaker also shares their approach to balancing YouTube with a busy schedule, including time management strategies and the importance of planning and execution separation. They conclude with a Q&A session addressing questions from their audience about their first video experience, growth strategies, passion development, and the challenges faced during their YouTube journey.

Keywords

💡YouTube Channel

A YouTube Channel is a platform for creators to upload, share, and monetize video content. In the video, the creator emphasizes the transformative potential of starting a YouTube Channel, illustrating how it can change one's life by impacting mindset, finances, and social connections. The channel's growth to 200,000 subscribers exemplifies the impact and reach that can be achieved through consistent content creation and audience engagement.

💡Algorithm

The Algorithm in the context of YouTube refers to the system that suggests and promotes videos to viewers. The video discusses how to 'feed the algorithm' by focusing on click-through rates and watch time, which are key metrics the algorithm uses to determine a video's visibility and success. The creator advises on creating compelling thumbnails, titles, and hooks to capture viewer interest and keep them engaged.

💡Engagement

Engagement in the video script pertains to the interaction between the content creator and the audience. It is highlighted as crucial for the success of a YouTube Channel, with the creator discussing the importance of maintaining viewer interest through the first 30 seconds of a video, known as the 'hook', and throughout the video by eliminating unnecessary pauses and filler content. Engagement is also fostered through responsive and interactive content that resonates with the audience.

💡Niche

A Niche, in the context of YouTube, refers to a specific topic or area of interest that a channel focuses on. The video script challenges the common belief that one must find a niche before starting a channel, suggesting instead that creators should make videos about topics they enjoy, allowing their niche to 'find them' over time. This approach allows for organic growth and authenticity in content creation.

💡Monetization

Monetization on YouTube involves earning revenue from the platform, typically through ads, sponsorships, and other income streams. The video mentions the requirements for joining the YouTube Partner Program, which includes having a minimum of 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past year. Monetization is portrayed as a significant milestone, marking a channel's growth and potential for generating income.

💡Content Value

Content Value refers to the worth or usefulness that a video provides to its audience. The video script emphasizes the importance of offering value through education, entertainment, tutorials, comfort, or information. This value proposition is crucial for attracting and retaining viewers, and it is a key factor in the algorithm's promotion of content.

💡Search Optimized

Search Optimized content is designed to rank high in YouTube's search results, making it easily discoverable by users looking for specific information. The video script suggests a balance between creating search optimized content, which garners consistent views over time, and browse optimized content, which aims to go viral or trend on the platform.

💡Emotional Skills

Emotional Skills, as discussed in the video, are the internal capacities needed to manage the emotional challenges of creating and maintaining a YouTube Channel. These include the ability to start before feeling ready, maintaining equanimity in the face of varying outcomes, and dealing with the emotional rollercoaster that can come with the territory of being a content creator.

💡Production Value

Production Value in the video script refers to the technical and aesthetic quality of the video content, including the use of proper gear, lighting, and editing techniques. High production value can enhance viewer experience and contribute to a channel's credibility and appeal. The creator shares insights on prioritizing audio quality, using effective lighting, and choosing the right software for editing and music.

💡Outsourcing

Outsourcing in the context of the video means delegating certain tasks related to the YouTube Channel to external parties. As the channel grows, the creator may not have the time or skills to handle all aspects of content production. The video mentions outsourcing video editing and using platforms like frame.io for revisions as strategies to maintain content quality while managing a busy schedule.

💡Growth Trajectory

Growth Trajectory refers to the path of development and increase in subscribers or viewership over time. The video script describes the creator's own growth trajectory, which started slow and then took off, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of growth on YouTube and the importance of consistency and value creation in attracting an audience.

Highlights

Starting a YouTube channel can completely change your life, and there's no better time than now.

The channel hit 200,000 subscribers in one and a half years, changing the creator's life in multiple aspects.

Key advice for starting and growing a YouTube channel includes emotional, technical, and managerial skills.

Video as a format is dominant across platforms, with YouTube seeing billions of visits and hours of content watched daily.

The myth of finding a niche is debunked; creators should start with topics they enjoy and let their niche find them.

Content should balance search-optimized and browse-optimized strategies for long-term and viral potential.

Competitive advantages are essential; make videos in areas where you have authority and unique insights.

Emotional skills for YouTube include starting before feeling ready and learning continuously.

Maintaining equanimity is vital for dealing with the emotional rollercoaster of YouTube success and failure.

Engagement engine focuses on click-through rate and watch time, with strategies for thumbnails, titles, and video hooks.

Camera confidence and presentation skills are crucial for connecting with the audience.

Editing style impacts engagement; a-cut should be tight, and visuals should support the narrative.

Production value involves the right hardware and software, prioritizing audio quality and proper lighting.

Scaling a channel may involve outsourcing editing and other tasks to maintain quality and efficiency.

Monetization on YouTube requires meeting subscriber and watch hour thresholds to join the Partner Program.

Personal journey includes overcoming initial challenges, embracing the creative process, and managing a busy schedule.

The creator's experience with the first YouTube video involved nervousness and a steep learning curve.

Growth and consistency advice emphasizes patience, value creation, and showcasing personality.

Passion and love for creating content come from finding enjoyment in the process and focusing on fun.

The hardest part of the YouTube journey was the initial growth phase and the psychological challenges.

Transcripts

if there's only one thing you take away

from this entire video it's that

starting a YouTube channel can

completely change your life and there's

no better time than the present moment

to get started

[Music]

so maybe you finally decided to take the

plunge and start that YouTube channel

this year today we'll be going over all

the golden nuggets of advice that I wish

that I had had at the start there's

actually so much more to growing a

YouTube channel than initially meets the

eye so in this video we will break down

a practical roadmap to help you start or

continue your YouTube Journey this

channel recently hit 200 000 subscribers

after one and a half years of uploading

videos which actually kind of blows my

mind a little bit and it's completely

changed my life in terms of mindset

finances friendships and more I've made

friends with Incredible people from all

across the world and I've learned to

develop my own voice and creativity if

you're interested in key advice for

starting and growing a YouTube channel

or you're just curious about my own

journey and the emotional Technical and

managerial skills that it takes then

keep watching this video if you're new

here my name is Izzy I'm a Cambridge

graduate and a doctor working in London

firstly I'll talk about why now is the

best time to start your YouTube channel

and also the overarching principles of

how blowing up on YouTube even happens

secondly I'll break down the five key

areas of advice and skills that you need

to build up in order to be able to start

and grow as successful YouTube channel

this will include some practical advice

that you can literally apply immediately

from things like handling the emotional

rollercoaster of doing YouTube finding

your Niche maintaining engagement and

figuring out what gear and equipment you

need Etc thirdly I'll go over my own

Journey with YouTube in terms of growth

and monetization finally I'll answer

some questions that you guys ask me on

Instagram and Discord feel free to

follow me over there if you'd like to

get involved with this kind of thing in

the future so this video is a bit of a

three in one of YouTube advice a silver

Creator award unboxing and also talking

about my personal journey to 200 000

subscribers let's get into it so why

should you start a YouTube channel now

there's literally no time like the

present to start video as a format is

blowing up across all platforms

including YouTube tiktok Instagram

especially shorts but also long form

content there are 22.8 billion monthly

visits to the site and 1 billion hours

of video content watched every single

day on YouTube which is actually insane

like I can't even get my head around

that number of hours videos overtaking

traditional formats of information such

as newspapers was reading traditional

teaching and traditional entertainment

in terms of its rate of growth one thing

you may have heard commonly is that it's

already saturated but people were saying

that literally 10 years ago and if you

ever considered doing it it's worth

giving it a shot because you'll never

know if you don't try and I'm a firm

believer in living life Without Regrets

so once we've decided we want to start a

YouTube channel how do we actually blow

up we see all these videos going viral

getting millions and millions of views

how can we achieve that ourselves well

there's actually only two things that

you need to achieve if you want to blow

up on YouTube or any of the other video

platforms if I'm honest if you boil it

down to the basics growing on YouTube

takes only two things you need to get

people to click on your videos and then

you need to get them to keep watching

your videos if you can do those two

things successfully then you're

literally onto like a winner winner

chicken dinner combination and the

algorithm will notice and your videos

will blow up of course the tricky part

is actually getting those two things to

happen our attention is our most

valuable resource so of course when

somebody's watching a video they want to

be getting value back from it either

through education entertain tutorials

Comfort information

Etc so let's go through how we can

optimize for both of these by going

through the five key areas of advice the

first area is the content value and the

myth of the niche firstly let's address

niches because I know that you guys are

thinking about it everybody when they

think about starting YouTube is thinking

oh what should I make videos about

finding your Niche before you start is a

little bit of a myth in my opinion

there's a few ways that you can go about

this if you really have a specific Niche

that you really want to go for then of

course gun free but if you're not sure

what your Niche is immediately you don't

need to force yourself to Niche down

artificially before you even start I

sure didn't and I didn't know what I was

going to make videos about when I

started my advice on this is to start

making videos about topics that you

enjoy or interested in and your Niche

will find you after you've tried out a

few topics you'll gain a better

understanding of what works well for you

in terms of what you enjoy making and

also what performs well in terms of the

algorithm and the audience and what they

want to see from you it's almost like

this ikigai Venn diagram of what you

love making what you're actually good at

making and what the world really needs

to see from you and what the audience is

wanting to see the main thing here is to

not stop reviewing and reflecting on how

your videos are doing and what kind of

topics you're enjoying but don't stop

actually doing the thing if you're

really stuck then one thing that can be

helpful is instead of thinking of your

Niche think of your audience and often

the audience that you would be targeting

is actually maybe often yourself from a

few years ago so for example if I was

making videos for Izzy a couple of years

ago maybe like 20 year old Izzy then

what would she benefit from what kind of

videos would be helpful for her and then

I can often make those videos quite well

because I've gained that wealth of life

experience since then I'd also say that

while deciding what kind of videos to

make you should consider a balance

between search optimized and browse

optimized content search optimized

content is something that people would

search for in the YouTube search bar

it's pretty self-explanatory this

essentially means that it's content that

will continue to get views slowly over

time because people are constantly

searching for it at a fairly flat rate

usually browse content on the other hand

is more designed to go viral or to Hitch

up onto the algorithm and once the

algorithm identifies a video that's

performing well then it will put it up

on the browse page for more and more

people and then that will get your video

out in front of an audience I found that

early on when starting a YouTube channel

it's better to focus a little bit more

on search topics but occasionally throw

in a couple of kind of browse Style

videos that are optimized to go more

viral rather than just being a search

video this type of explore and then

exploit model has been really helpful

for me because actually when I started

making videos I thought you know what

I'm just going to learn how to make

videos by making videos about kind of

things I'm interested in and I happen to

make one video about learning Chinese

because I'd been spending hours and

hours a day learning Chinese so I

thought oh why not just make a video

about it since I've spent so long

thinking about this that video actually

turned out to be the video that first

really gained traction on my channel and

it wasn't what I'd expected at all so I

highly recommend you try out a few

different topics while you're starting

out early on remember that no one's

really watching your channel that much

when you start initially so just feel

free to throw out a couple of things out

there fling the proverbial spaghetti at

the wall and see what sticks and through

the process of making all these videos

you're also learning how to make a good

video so now having debunked the myth of

the niche we also want to actually

consider what our competitive advantages

are these are things that make you

unique and give you a Unique Edge in

your content for example if I try to

make videos about how to become a

corporate lawyer that would be pretty

pointless because I don't actually have

any competitive advantages in that space

I'm not a corporate lawyer I don't

really know a huge amount about it I

just need the basics but on the other

hand if I made a video about how to

become a doctor in the UK's National

Health Service which I currently am then

that video would be so much easier for

me to make I would have authority in the

area and I'd be able to convey the

information accurately because I'm

actually in it and I have those

competitive advantages in that space the

final tip in this category is to watch

other YouTubers that you enjoy and get

inspired by their videos to then create

your own unique style it's okay to

initially start out making videos that

are quite similar to ones that you've

already seen out there that will just

help you get going but with each video

you make try to infuse some of your own

individuality into it and try to make it

a little bit more your own because

actually being your own unique voice is

what will help make you stand out as an

individual on you the second pillar of

advice is all the emotional skills

around starting and then sustaining a

YouTube channel the first point is that

you need to start before you feel ready

you need to be outside your comfort zone

you need to push your work out there

even though you feel like it's a

horrible and not perfect and not what

you'd actually want to push out there at

all one tip that helps me is instead of

thinking of success on YouTube as the

Big Goal think of Simply starting as

being the goal this will help you just

take one step in the right direction and

start to dip your toes into the whole

world of making YouTube videos this also

means that you need to learn as you go

along so each time you make a video each

time you sit down to work on your

YouTube stuff try to learn something new

and build on your craft you don't need

to have the perfect gear or the perfect

camera confidence or the perfect script

or the perfect Niche or the perfect

thumbnail to get started on YouTube Just

Launch ugly and launch while it's still

rough around the edges and you'll learn

it every single time that you make a

video the best way to learn is by doing

and this is backed up by numerous

psychological studies and just work on

improving a little bit maybe learning

one or two new things each time you

iterate and don't forget that perfect is

the enemy of good sometimes for me once

the video is even finished I've got the

thumbnail I'd actually feel some

resistance or fear to pressing publish

maybe because I didn't feel like the

video was as good as it could have been

but it's actually always worth hitting

upload and taking the plunge because you

can always improve on your next video

and who knows because some of the videos

that I thought were kind of a bit bad

actually brought the most value to

people and have been the best performing

the second key emotional skill is to

learn to maintain Equanimity Equanimity

can be defined as an evenness of mind

even in the face of stress this means

that whether things are going well or

whether they're going badly or whether

nothing's happening at all you have a

place of emotional balance and stability

that you can come back to this is

essential because YouTube can really be

a roller coaster of emotions when you

first start out it's quite likely that

not many people will be watching your

videos you'll be wondering oh I'm

putting in all this effort but nobody's

even watching them and that doesn't feel

good when we feel like our efforts are

going unrewarded but keep going because

you never know when the algorithm could

pick up a video so I personally try to

train myself to remain equanimous

whether or not the outcome is good or

bad so that means I don't let myself

feel too happy if things are going well

and I don't let myself feel too sad if

they're not going well decoupling my

emotions from the performance of my

videos and how my YouTube channel is

doing allows me to make videos I

actually enjoy and also not get too

caught up in the whole roller coaster

that's going on over in the algorithm

this is so important because video

performance is often really out of our

own control and it's really hard to

predict what's going to happen all you

can control is making another video that

will hopefully be valuable to one person

and improving each time you iterate it's

that whole balance between input and

output and trying to let go of the

outcome is a way to feel happier and

more sustainable on YouTube the third

pillar is the engagement engine so this

is all about the algorithm and how to

feed the algorithm its favorite snacks

which are click-through rate and watch

time there are literally so many more

variables I think there's like a 30 plus

variables that are fed into the

algorithm but these are two that we can

look at as creators to understand how

things are going firstly a clickable

thumbnail and title is essential if

nobody clicks on your video because the

thumbnail and title don't look

interesting enough to click then they

won't ever see the great content that

you've made and the Fantastic video that

you've put so much effort into making

try to come up with at least five ideas

for a thumbnail and title for a video

and choose the one that resonates the

most for you secondly you really want to

focus on the first 30 seconds of a video

also known as the hook this is the start

of the video where you need to show the

viewer that the video they've clicked on

is actually the kind of video that they

want to watch you need to provide your

value proposition early on and what

you're going to talk about in the video

so that they know what's coming up so

these first 10 to 30 seconds is so

important to show the viewer why they

should keep watching just a note about

the thumbnails titles and the hook it's

not about creating click bait or

creating hooks that make false promises

what you want to do is you want to

convey the real value that your video

has because ultimately if you make a

click bait thumbnail on title and hook

people are going to realize quite

quickly that the video doesn't have the

value that they want and they will click

off the next important thing is camera

confidence and presentation when you're

looking at a camera you should ideally

try to look into the lens So currently

I'm looking directly into the lens but

one mistake I used to make early on and

is really common in people starting out

on YouTube is that they actually look at

the viewfinder so I don't know if you

can tell the difference between me

looking at the viewfinder versus me

looking into the lens directly but by

looking into the lens it creates this

feeling that actually I'm looking

directly at you rather than looking off

somewhere into space I got a lot of

questions on Instagram about how I

managed to talk to the camera with

confidence and actually this is

something I really struggled with in the

beginning and it's so natural to

struggle with it because it's so

unnatural to be sitting in your room

alone in front of a camera and talking

into this like black hole a tip that I

found worked really well for me was I

pretended that I was talking to someone

I knew really well so I'd pretend I was

talking to my sister or to my mum and

then I'd just be able to relax more into

it and I would just imagine okay I'm

just filming a video for my sister well

I'm just filming a video for my mom hey

and that kind of thing and that would

help me to relax in front of the camera

and gradually over time through repeated

practice and iterating over and over

again you will naturally become come

better at it the final point in

engagement is the editing style and you

really want to make sure that the a cut

is really tight so the a cut is

essentially the talking that goes on in

the video you don't want any long pauses

or arms and R's cut these right out in

the edit and get rid of them because

they will just add a sort of slowing

down to the pace of your video and make

your audience feel like they're wasting

their time because it kind of is a waste

of time the next point in editing is to

show don't just tell so if you're

talking about an item for example if I'm

talking about my plaque then maybe I can

actually grab my plaque and be like hey

this is my plaque look at my plaque or I

can put b-roll of the plaque so

basically I kind of put a clip of me

filming this over the main cut of the

video and that makes it more engaging

because video inherently is a visual

source of information which means that

actually we can hear things but we can

also see things and my face I don't

think it's particularly interesting so

if I put other b-roll or pictures or

images or texts on screen then that can

help visually engage by showing rather

than just telling the final point about

editing for engagement is pattern

interrupt so every seven to ten seconds

you want something new going on on

screen whether that's text or b-roll or

something along those lines just to keep

it engaging and to keep the viewers

interest peak the fourth pillar is

production value so this means both the

hardware and the software so firstly

Hardware in terms of the gear and

Equipment the best gear is the gear that

you actually have you can even start a

YouTube channel just with your phone it

has a camera it has a microphone and if

you have a window with natural light or

some big lamps in your room then you've

got your camera microphone and your

lighting if you want to upgrade

something then audio quality is actually

much more important than video quality

so upgrade audio first with by getting

an external microphone next you should

consider your lighting and then your

camera usually in that order but

depending on which one is the limiting

factor if you have an external

microphone then put it as close to your

mouth as possible so actually my

microphone is right up here

just out of shot that's my microphone

there this gives you the best chance for

picking up the best audio quality and

it's why podcasters for example have

their microphones literally like right

up to their face I've made a little

notion page with the links to gear of

different price ranges and also what

exact gear I currently use don't forget

lighting because lighting actually makes

a huge difference to how well even the

same camera can perform in certain

conditions take a look at these two

pictures of the same camera with just

different lighting and you can see a

crazy difference the second point in

production value is software I often get

asked about what kind of software I use

to make my videos in terms of video

editor when I started out I used DaVinci

Resolve which is free to download and a

really powerful editor with amazing

color grading really like

loads of features more features than I

could ever learn how to use other

options for great video editing software

include Final Cut Pro and also Adobe

Premiere but those cost a little bit of

money depending on your budget music for

YouTube videos should ideally be royalty

free which means that there's no

copyrights controlling the music and you

won't get a copyright strike on your

video if you do use copyrighted music

then you can get a claim on your video

which basically means that it could get

demonetized or taken down or maybe the

actual owner of the music will actually

take the AdSense Revenue themselves

rather than you getting anything for

your video there are two recommendations

I'd have for this if you want to get

something for free then I'd recommend

thematic it's what I used when I was on

a student budget and had like no budget

to spend on YouTube but if you can spend

a little bit more I would highly

recommend epidemic sound which is what I

use now it's a subscription service and

honestly it's much better than thematic

it has so many more options in terms of

genre and style of music and the search

function is way more powerful as well so

that's worth it if you can afford it if

you want a free trial of epidemic sound

for I think 30 days then click the link

down below if you've outsourced your

editing with a video editor then a

really helpful website is frame.io which

is really good for doing revisions for

videos a website called canva is

excellent for making thumbnails I make

all my thumbnails on canva another

website called thumbs up.tv is really

good for checking your thumbnails and

how your titles will look Etc and

finally for creating links that are like

deep linked to YouTube videos you can

use something called link twin I'll

leave links to all of these down below

and a couple more because I think I've

forgotten some off the top of my head

the fifth pillar is scaling and

Outsourcing so once you've started to

get your YouTube channel off the ground

you may want to actually Outsource some

of the video editing or thumbnail

creation or some parts of the process

that you either don't have the time or

skills to do to the same level so for me

personally as I'm working full time as a

junior doctor in London that I barely

have time to even sleep and eat let

alone edit my own videos so I of course

do all the scripting and ideation and

filming of my videos and then I work

with a video editor who edits my videos

and then we'll go through a round of

revisions in frame.io before getting the

final result which you are looking at

right now I have a whole bunch of tips

around this but I won't go into this in

too much depth because I don't want this

video to get too long so now I'll talk a

little bit about my Journey on YouTube

and how everything started and how I

grew and monetization just in brief just

in case you guys are curious I

personally took the part-time YouTuber

Academy live course which helped me to

get my YouTube channel going taught me a

lot about how the whole YouTube thing

works with personalized feedback on my

videos and it also linked me up with a

whole bunch of YouTuber friends to share

the journey with and be accountability

buddies so if you want to learn more

about starting and scaling a YouTube

channel as a part-time side hustle you

might want to check out the course I've

added a link Down Below in the

description in case you're interested

okay so this is my channel currently I

have 207 155 subscribers if I go to

Lifetime so I started my channel just as

a kind of viewer way back in like 2014

just started watching YouTube but I only

actually uploaded my first ever video in

June 2021 that's when I officially

started YouTube so as you can see when I

started in June 2021 I had a couple of

subscribers from just sort of friends

and family and that kind of thing

and just gradually slowly slowly gained

a couple of subscribers as you can see I

only had a couple hundred subscribers

for a really long time and I was just

growing very slowly over time so then in

2022 grew a little bit more I started a

podcast with my really good friends Rory

and Matt I'll link their channels down

below and some of my videos including my

Mandarin videos started to gain a little

bit more traction and started the

promoted in the algorithm after having

been searched for for ages because they

initially started out as search focused

videos and people were searching for

them over time they'd gained views over

time and then the algorithm had gained

enough evidence to realize actually they

could put it on browse people who are

interested in learning Chinese then I

started to actually be consistent on

YouTube for a couple of weeks and in

August I actually started to really take

off and then it's been this sort of

Wiggly growth trajectory since then

until the present day in terms of views

this is what the grapher looks like you

can see I started uploading a couple of

videos early on over here some of my

earliest videos are quite funny to look

back on now and after I published these

videos in a row then there was a little

uptick of growth and then a real uptick

over here until terms of monetization

there are two requirements that YouTube

has for joining the YouTube Partner

program the first is having 1 000

subscribers and the second is having 4

000 watch hours on your channel in the

last one year I personally hit this

requirement on the 22nd of March 2022

and I started making a couple of pennies

per day for my YouTube videos which was

really exciting at the time

[Applause]

so it's time to open up my silver play

button plaque or reaching 100 000

subscribers this is kind of weird this

is a little bit of a weird moment

because I feel like this is the moment

where I actually become a YouTuber when

I open this which is partly why I've

been putting this off because I feel

kind of nervous to actually hold it in

my hands and see my name on it but let's

go let's do it I'm so so grateful to all

of you watching for supporting me I

literally like couldn't have done any of

this without any of you guys drumroll

and let's go for it

oh wow that's one gone

next one gone how do I open this oh my

goodness it's packaged so securely oh

gosh a bit embarrassing if I can't

actually open it I have to ask my dad

for help

okay there we go oh my God it's

everything I'm actually so nervous I

can't even express how nervous I am

let's go

okie dokie very mysterious black box for

now

ah check this out

I got a note from Susan and now for the

main event

oh goodness I can't even get it out this

might be the most chaotic unboxing video

you've ever watched

there we go oh my God you guys

it's so shiny oh it's beautiful oh

my gosh okay this feels really real all

of a sudden honestly this has been

mind-blowing I wasn't expected to be

like this overwhelmed with just

excitement a little bit of imposter

syndrome as well just a healthy dose of

it

down

oh my God

finally gonna answer some of your

questions from Instagram and Discord I

got a lot of questions that I've already

answered in earlier parts of the video

so I'll just answer the ones that are

left how does it feel to have 200k

subscribers honestly a little bit

surreal I think at the 100K subscribers

mark it felt like oh this is actually

really getting real now before that

point I think I always told myself I

wasn't a YouTuber I was just trying to

make YouTube videos I was trying to like

not overly commit to this identity of

being a YouTuber but once I pass 100 000

subscribers and I was like okay now I

actually feel like a YouTuber I mean

I've got a plaque coming in the post did

you expect to reach 200k this soon when

did you expect to get to 200k and what

was your intention at the start no I did

not expect to reach 200k subscribers as

quickly as I did I think especially

because I've been quite inconsistent

with video uploads at the start of 2022

I actually thought that having 50k

subscribers by the end of the year would

have been unattainable when actually I

somehow achieved around 188 000

subscribers by the end of 2022. so that

was a little bit crazy for me honestly

honestly though I didn't think too hard

about whether or not I would ever get

here because I just focus really on the

day-to-day of making the videos and then

getting better and making them with each

video that I made also deep down I kind

of knew this question was a little bit

intimidating because it's not exactly

something I have much control over

directly all I actually have control

over as my input goal is whether or not

I actually sit down to actually make a

video the output of how many subscribers

or views it gets is like kind of out of

my control in a way because the only

thing I do to optimize for that is to

make good videos my main intention at

the start was honestly just to give it a

go because it was one of those things

where I don't want to live life with any

regrets and I thought you know what I'll

give it a whack and see what happens and

all of this is happening it's actually

changed my life it's actually kind of

crazy so you need to start your YouTube

channel I also knew that YouTube could

become a form of income however I

haven't really made the most of this

because I've literally declined dozens

and dozens of sponsorships because I

just want to focus on making videos what

is my plan for YouTube moving forward

I'm planning a lot of things so stay

tuned I'm currently prioritizing two

things which is firstly making great

videos for you guys that hopefully bring

value and secondly is innovating and

learning new ways to make great videos

how to make short form content

Etc and this is in the hope that if the

video is actually positive and valuable

to you guys then the videos will

automatically get views and the channel

will grow organically that's the hope

I'm still experimenting especially with

shorts so let me know down below if you

have any suggestions for short form

content or how to make shorts because

I'm still trying to get my head around

at all what got you started on YouTube

and how has it affected you throughout

your journey so I was on a gap year

between my fifth and sixth year at

University and I decided that I just

wanted to try something new it's

actually affected me and changed me in

many ways I feel like I've gained a lot

of deep Confidence from this and proved

that I can do things and I don't have to

worry about what other people are

thinking I've met and connected with so

many incredible people including you

watching this and I've learned to care a

lot less about what other people think

and what other people's judgments may be

this is overall just allowed me to live

life a bit more authentically and just

really enjoy the process to be fair

YouTube has also burned me out at times

and also been exhausting especially when

I've been juggling it with Cambridge

medicine and then now with working as a

doctor but I've also found a real

passion for just sitting down and

holding the space to actually be

creative and film a video that leads on

quite nicely on to the next question was

how did you do it around a busy schedule

how did you do it while you were

studying at Cambridge and and also how

are you doing it now while working as a

doctor honestly this is something I

really struggle with my full-time job as

a doctor has been really busy and

challenging in ways that I've never

experienced before I often get home with

very little energy to do my side hustle

so the way that I try to make time for

this is by firstly blocking out time in

the calendar having a very organized

notion kanban board for my video

workflow I can show you my notion kanman

board in another video if you're

interested just let me know Down Below

on the kanban board I also break down

the month by month plan and also break

down the steps individually that are

required to make each video and finally

separating planning and execution which

allows me to sit down and plan for the

month and then actually execute when I

actually have a little bit of free time

because mixing the two is just never a

good combination what were your

experiences with your first YouTube

video how did you plan and feel I felt

really nervous actually I found it

really hard to talk to a camera I found

it really baffling the whole experience

and I just told myself you know what is

he you just gotta start you just gotta

pick a topic write a script film it edit

it it's gonna be bad it's gonna be a bit

even if it's a bit that's fine because

you know what the next one can be good I

always have that kind of mentality like

oh the next video after this one that

I'm working on is going to be a good one

I'll just focus on making an okay video

a good enough video and then publishing

it how did you grow your channel and get

to 200k advice for anyone thinking of

starting a YouTube channel so there's

been a whole load of advice so far in

this video but my main thing is let's

stick with it because a lot of my best

performing videos actually didn't gain

traction for quite a while after they

were initially published the algorithm

needs to gain enough insight into how

well your videos are performing and

reach a level of statistical

significance where it can vouch for you

know what this is a good video but until

it reaches that point when you're only

getting a couple of hundred views on

your videos it doesn't have that

information to make that call stick with

it until you're at least past that point

and also always be thinking about

bringing value to the viewer their time

is precious and you need to respect that

make sure you also show a bit of your

personality as well as that's What Makes

You unique what advice do you have for

building passion and love for what you

are doing I'd say finding the fun in it

asking yourself how this could be fun

and leaning into that enjoyment best

life advice in one sentence take care of

yourself and remember the journey is the

destination what was the hardest part of

your YouTube Journey I'd say the hardest

part was when nothing was growing at all

and I was just starting out actually

starting was the hardest part 100 once

I'd started and learned how to make

videos then everything flowed a bit more

from there so this has probably been

quite a long video but that's all the

advice I have I hope you found this

video helpful or interesting in some

kind of way if you enjoyed it I think

you'll like this video over here where I

break down an evidence-based framework

for goal setting in order to maximize

your chances for Success the goals such

as starting YouTube or being consistent

with YouTube as always take care of

yourself and remember that the journey

is a destination I'll see you in next

video bye oh my God look at this this is

crazy so this is the video wow it's like

an actual mirror you can see the camera

that's crazy you can see the whole

camera

it's kind of trippy you know