Hundreds of hours of research and 73 pages of notes—that’s what it took for Aprilynne Alter to multiply her YouTube subscriber count by 12 times in 30 days!

By the time you finish reading this post, you’ll know how she did it, too. More importantly, you’ll have actionable steps that you can use to boost your subscribers and grow your channel on YouTube.

There’s a lot of competition on YouTube — Is it worth it?

To understand this in context, let’s look at some facts first. YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine. It’s also the top streaming platform. Hundreds of millions of creators jump onto the YouTube bandwagon yearly—but only a tiny percentage succeed.

Is it worth investing the time to become a better YouTube Creator?

Absolutely—and the numbers confirm my thinking, too. YouTube’s 4.95 billion monthly active users eclipses Netflix’s 40 million. And according to SocialBlade, YouTube has over 61 million creators. The platform has one of the best creator programs in the world, and it has a growing collection of high-quality, free resources. If you put in the time and energy, I believe YouTube can open up incredible opportunities for you and your business.

As a YouTube Creator, I always leap at the opportunity to learn from others in this space. In the past, we’ve gained wisdom on The Smart Passive Income Podcast from more prominent YouTube creators like MKBHD and Sean Cannell. But this time, I wanted to speak to an up-and-rising YouTube creator. We liked what Aprilynne was doing with her YouTube channel, so we invited her to the show.

Listen to Aprilynne on The Smart Passive Income Podcast:

12x YouTube subscriber growth in four weeks

Aprilynne grew her YouTube channel from 1,000 to over 12,000 subscribers in four straight weeks.

And yep—those are real numbers. As I write this post, I see that her channel has over 52,047 subscribers. But that’s not why I’m sharing Aprilynne’s lessons with you. Here’s why I think her approach is worth examining:

Like most internet-based platforms or social media, YouTube is rapidly evolving too. And that’s why Aprilynne’s learnings are very relevant—because everything you’re about to learn is based on what she discovered by doing in the last six months.

Adding tens of thousands of new subscribers to a brand-new YouTube channel isn’t easy. Aprilynne doesn’t have a background in media or video either—in fact, she previously quit a career in finance! She also had a challenging experience with her first YouTube channel.

She’s also achieved this without creating too many videos—her channel has just twenty-four videos as I write this. It’s evident that Aprilynne’s success comes from careful research—she’s been studying the best YouTube creators. Take a closer look, and you’ll see the results of her study: four out of the twenty-four videos have over 200K views. And one of the four videos has over 800K views!

So, what did Aprilynne do differently with her second YouTube channel?

When I spoke to her on the podcast, it all started to come together. So, without further ado, let’s get into Aprilynne’s four-step process for YouTube subscriber growth. Implementing these four steps will definitely help you grow your YouTube channel fast. So get ready to take notes because this one is super actionable!

Ready to learn YouTube the smart way?

The All-Access Pass community has the courses (like YouTube From Scratch!), resources, support, and accountability you need.

Learn More About the All-Access Pass

Aprilynne’s four-step process for YouTube subscriber growth

What you’re about to learn is simple to understand, but it can be hard to implement if you miss the details, so pay close attention. Here are Aprilynne’s four steps:

1. Start with the Packaging
2. Focus on the Intro
3. Pay Attention to Your ENTIRE Audience
4. Preplan Like a Boss

These steps may appear self-explanatory, but let me walk you through each one of them step-by-step.

1. Start with the packaging

“If you think about what goes into the success of a video, it’s around 50 percent the packaging,” says Aprilynne.

Packaging is about the three critical elements of a YouTube video:

1. Idea
2. Title
3. Thumbnail

Aprilynne realized she spent 99 percent of the time creating the video and just one percent on the packaging. I like the word packaging because it is something we experience every time we buy physical products at a store—packaging is what you see before you experience a product.

It’s the same with videos, too—people experience the above three elements before they watch the actual video. And if they aren’t clicking on your video, then the video might as well not even exist.

Start with the idea—what do you want to communicate to your audience? How would you describe your video in one line?

Once you’ve nailed your packaging, it’s time to move on to step number two.

2. Focus on the intro

Aprilynne spoke about this on the show, but I learned everything else from this step in this video on her channel. Here are four specific tips from Aprilynne on this:

2.1. Focus on the first five seconds

The first five seconds play a massive role in deciding the success of your video. That’s because YouTube looks for a match between your packaging and what you say in the first five seconds. For example, if your video is about “how to create killer thumbnails,” make it clear in the first five seconds.

Second, it also helps the viewer decide whether to continue watching. Promising “killer thumbnails” and discussing your new backyard vegetable garden in the first five seconds is not a good idea.

2.2. Keep the intro length short

The intro is the time you spend at the beginning of the video, including the first five seconds. Keep the intro to anywhere from ten to about forty-five seconds—not more than a minute.

2.3. Nail the setup

“Setup” refers to three essential elements: curiosity gap, context, and input bias. Here’s what you want to do to nail your setup:

1. Create a curiosity gap: In simple words, give your viewers enough to want more. This topic deserves an entire post, but here's a great post from Descript.
2. Establish context: Tell your viewers what the context is. If your title includes “killer thumbnails,” tell them if they are thumbnails for YouTube videos or podcasts in Apple Podcasts.
3. Input bias: This is based on human behavioral psychology. It refers to the idea that the more time, effort, and money you spend on something, the more you'll value it. In the context of this post, one way of doing this is to tell your viewers how much effort you put into researching the stuff they are about to learn. If you want to dig deeper, read this great HubSpot article about how MrBeast uses input bias in his videos.

2.4. Front-load the stimulus

Keep changing the visuals fast in the first few twenty-odd seconds. According to Aprilynne, MrBeast changes visuals at the beginning of his videos every 1.4 seconds. Mark Rober does it every 1.6 seconds.

3. Pay attention to your ENTIRE audience

This post is about YouTube subscriber growth. Everything I’m sharing in this article is based on what Aprilynne uses to create what she calls “banger videos.”

These videos help you reach new audiences, and they do that without ignoring your audience—casual and core viewers included.

In other words, make your videos appealing to your subscribers, but don’t ignore folks who aren’t subscribed. Design your videos also to pull in casual YouTube viewers who don’t (yet) know who you are.

4. Preplan like a boss

Most folks script and then shoot. There are two problems with this.

First, this can put a lot of pressure on the editing process. You might realize while editing that you needed product footage or a second camera angle.

Second, the jump from scripting to filming can clip your creativity. In other words, you may now stick to the script and ignore other perspectives.

That’s why Aprilynne annotates her videos after scripting. She lays it all out before the camera starts to roll, mapping every scene, every shot. Here’s how she breaks it down:

“I used to film everything and then edit. Now, I script it, go through it line by line, and annotate what I want on screen. So I separate it into talking head footage, B roll that I film, screen shares, and visuals I make. And so I plan all of that out beforehand. It makes filming a lot easier because I know for my talking head portion, which [lines] I need to say to the camera, what I can just read—which is a lot easier.”

Go deeper with YouTube growth

If you want to start a YouTube channel, my YouTube From Scratch course—which I created with my friend and videographer Caleb Wojcik—is the perfect place to start. Two of my YouTube channels have collectively clocked over 200 million views and over a million subscribers—I put everything I learned from growing these two channels into the course.

YouTube From Scratch—and our entire course library—are exclusively available in the All-Access Pass and Pro communities. My team and I created them to help you find like-minded creators and establish accountability on your entrepreneurial journey. It’s the best way to grow as an entrepreneur online, so check it out today!

The post How to Rapidly Grow Your Subscriber Count as a YouTube Creator appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

I’ve built two successful YouTube channels, one in the area of business and entrepreneurship, and the other related to my passion for collecting Pokémon cards. Over time, each has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

It didn’t happen overnight, but it wouldn’t have happened at all if I hadn’t started somewhere (learning a lot of lessons on the way!). 

And creating your own YouTube channel is definitely not just about the money. In addition to the income potential, a YouTube channel can help you:

• Find a global audience and grow your reach and influence
• Build your brand and establish your credibility as an authority in your niche
• Network and collaborate with other creators, brands, and businesses
• Provide a creative outlet for your ideas, skills, and passions

If that has your interest piqued about how to start and grow a successful YouTube channel of your own, you’re in the right place!

What to expect in this guide to starting your own YouTube channel

I’m about to share a detailed, step-by-step approach to starting your YouTube channel in 2024—one that’s designed to help you reap all the benefits of a YouTube channel mentioned above.

By the end of this guide, you’ll have the info you need to start a channel from scratch in the right niche, one you can grow and eventually monetize.

The guide is structured into three parts:

Laying the Groundwork: Choose a niche and define your brand

1. Choose your YouTube channel’s niche
2. Research your YouTube niche’s competitors
3. Develop your brand on your YouTube channel

Setting Up Your YouTube Channel: Create your account and publish your first video

4. Create your YouTube account
5. Set up your YouTube channel
6. Verify your YouTube channel
7. Record your first YouTube video
8. Create a great title and thumbnail for your YouTube video
9. Publish your first YouTube video

Creating a System for YouTube Success: Measure, schedule, monetize, promote, engage, and collaborate

10. Pay attention to your YouTube channel’s analytics
11. Create a trailer for your YouTube channel
12. Come up with a list of video ideas
13. Create a content calendar for your YouTube channel
14. Promote your YouTube videos
15. Improve your YouTube channel’s SEO
16. Engage with your YouTube channel’s audience
17. Monetize your YouTube channel
18. Upgrade your equipment
19. Organize your videos into playlists and sections
20. Take advantage of other YouTube video formats
21. Collaborate with other YouTube creators
22. Stay up-to-date with YouTube trends and algorithm changes
23. More resources for starting your YouTube channel
24. Conclusion and FAQ

Let’s dive in!

Laying the Groundwork

Before you create a YouTube channel and start publishing videos, you’ll need to get clear on your channel’s purpose, as well as its look and feel.

1. Choose your YouTube channel’s niche

Choosing your niche is the first and most important step in starting a successful YouTube channel.

As I often say: the riches are in the niches.

Your niche is the topic or category that your channel will focus on.

You can build a YouTube channel that supports your existing business, or if you’re starting from scratch, choose a niche based on an interest, passion, or area of expertise.

It’s important to narrow your YouTube channel’s focus down. Going too broad at the start means more competition and a much harder time getting seen. In fact, this was a problem my initial YouTube channel had and why it didn’t grow for years. People were confused: was it for podcasters or for affiliate marketers? Was it for people learning video or learning how to speak on stage?

Once I got clear on who the channel was for, growth happened much faster. For more about the trial and error of finding a niche on YouTube, check out these episodes of the SPI Podcast:

• 621 with superstar creator Emily Baker
• 595 with Matt Giovanisci of Swim University
• 730 with yours truly on how I picked a niche for my Deep Pocket Monster YouTube channel

2. Research your YouTube niche’s competitors

Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s important to research your competitors. This means looking at other channels that create similar content. By analyzing competitors, you can see what’s working well and what you can do better. You can also use this information to create a unique value proposition for your channel that sets you apart (see #3 below)

Here are a few tips to help research your YouTube competition:

• Search for relevant keywords and topics in your niche and explore the channels that rank high in search results.
• Check out the videos YouTube suggests on the home page, as well as on the right-side column when you’re on a video’s watch page
• Look at the channels your target audience is subscribed to by checking their subscription feeds
• Use (paid) third-party tools like vidIQ or TubeBuddy to get insights into channel stats, viewer demographics, and top videos
• Attend industry events or conferences to learn about popular creators in your niche
• Look for channel mentions and recommendations in your niche from blogs, email newsletters, social media, and online communities

A simple competitive analysis trick: Not all videos on YouTube have this, but many have a graph located above the timeline. This is a retention graph and shows you what parts of a video were the most replayed. Paying attention to this retention graph is a great way to learn what a particular audience already likes and enjoys on other channels.

3. Develop your brand on your YouTube channel

Your brand is what sets you apart from your competitors. It includes your channel name, logo, and overall style. Take some time to develop a brand that reflects your niche and personality. This will help you build a consistent image across all of your videos and make it easier for viewers to recognize your channel.

The name and appearance of your channel encompass your brand, and in the beginning, you’ll have to make some choices (that are not permanent and can be changed later). Over time, your brand also becomes your voice, and the types of videos you create for your specific audience.

Speaking of the look of your brand, your brand styling may include things like fonts or the colors you use. Check out the Charli Marie logo in the below example and the purple motif that repeats throughout her channel and videos:

Your brand can be based on your theme, and your channel artwork can be based on the advice that you know you’ll be offering, like the  Dad, How Do I? channel.

You’re also going to want to come up with a slogan for your channel. You can think of this as your channel’s value proposition — a concise statement of the benefits people will get from your content. The slogan for my YouTube channel is “Make more money. Save more time. Help more people.” It’s what all of my content on that channel is geared around.

Similar to step #2, research other channels (not just those in your own niche) to get inspiration for how brands look and feel on YouTube.

Here are a few more resources on branding:

• What Is Branding: Definitions and Why It’s Important
• Branding and Marketing: What’s the Difference?
• The SPI Beginner’s Guide to Branding

Setting Up Your YouTube Channel

Now that you’ve laid the groundwork, it’s time to create your YouTube account and publish your first video!

4. Create your YouTube account

To create a YouTube channel, you’ll first need a Google account. If you don’t have one already, create one now by going to the Google Account sign-in page at Accounts.Google.com/signin.

Click Create account, and you’ll be prompted to enter your name and create a username and password for the account. 

Once you have a Google account, go to YouTube and sign in with your new account credentials.

It’s as simple as that!

5. Set up your YouTube channel

Setting up your channel is also easy. Here are instructions for creating your channel on the YouTube website; the steps are similar on the YouTube mobile app.

Once you’re logged in, click on your profile icon in the top right of the page and select Create a channel.Add your name and handle, then click Create channel.

Follow the prompts to set up your channel name, description, and profile picture. Be sure to fill out all of this information accurately and completely. This will help your channel appear more professional and attract more viewers.

Want to customize your channel branding? Go to Channel customization and click on the Branding tab, where you can:

• Update your profile picture if you haven’t already (needs to be at least 98 pixels square).
• Add a banner, the image that appears at the top of your channel page (at least 2,048 x 1,152 pixels).
• Add a video watermark (150 x 150 pixels) that will show up in the right-hand corner of all your videos.

6. Verify your YouTube channel

This step is quick but very important if you want to upload videos that are more than 15 minutes long, add custom thumbnails, or use live streams on YouTube!To verify your channel, go to Youtube.com/verify. You’ll be asked to enter a phone number, and YouTube will send you a verification code via text or phone call. Note that your phone number can be linked to no more than two YouTube channels per year.

7. Record your first YouTube video

Now it’s time to create your first video. You don’t need expensive equipment to get started. Your smartphone camera or laptop camera will do just fine.

Choose a topic that you’re passionate about and start recording. Don’t worry too much about making it perfect — your first video is just a starting point.

It’s going to take time to see results. When YouTube megastar MKBHD was on the SPI Podcast, he said that his first 100 videos were for less than 100 subscribers. Today, he has over 18.9 million subscribers and counting.

Filming and editing videos can often derail the excited first-timer, but I definitely recommend you push through and learn as you go. If you’d like some direct help and to join a community while building a YouTube channel with others, I recommend checking out the SPI All-Access Pass, which gives you access to all of our courses (including YouTube from Scratch) as well as access to a community and my team to guide you along the way! For even more support, membership in our SPI Pro community gives you access to Experts in Residence like video wiz Caleb Wojcik.

Start your YouTube channel the smart way.

The All-Access Pass community has the courses, resources, support, and accountability you need.

Learn More About the All-Access Pass

8. Create a great title and thumbnail for your YouTube video

Titles and thumbnails are incredibly important: they’re the first things people see before they watch any part of your video!

Choose a title that captures attention, but don’t get over-the-top and clickbaity. Some “bait” is important, but whatever you choose for both your title and thumbnail, make sure you deliver on the promise. 

There are a lot of resources for creating great thumbnails. I recommend checking out my video on quickly creating thumbnails as a starting point. 

As a reminder, it’s not going to be perfect, and you can always change your title and thumbnail later. Do your best, then move on to the next step.

Tip: a great tool for creating thumbnails is Canva! Canva has a lot of templates specific to YouTube thumbnails that you can choose from.

9. Publish your first YouTube video

Hitting publish can be scary, but it’s the only way to learn what works and what doesn’t. Hit publish and be proud of the fact that you created something and shared it with the world! It’s like planting a seed: it’s now where it needs to be to have a chance to grow and thrive.

In most cases, you’re not going to get a flood of views right away, and sometimes YouTube needs time to find the right audience for your videos. That’s why the next phase is important—creating a system that helps you consistently create great video content your audience will enjoy and takes the guesswork out of growing your channel.

Creating a System for YouTube Success

If you want to grow your YouTube channel, you’re going to need to create a system. The steps below will help take the guesswork out of what to create and when to publish it, monetizing your channel, engaging with your audience, and the other keys to sustainable success on YouTube.

10. Pay attention to your YouTube channel’s analytics

Paying attention to your analytics helps you improve over time and understand exactly what’s happening with your videos, good and bad. You can find this info by going to the Engagement tab and clicking on Analytics. 

Here are the two most important metrics you want to pay attention to:

• Click-through rate: This is an indicator of how many people click to watch your video compared to the number of impressions (people who saw your video title and thumbnail) your video had. In other words, are people liking the title and thumbnail enough to click through? Shoot for a 5 percent or more click-through rate. Anything below that, you can always make improvements over time.

Average view duration: This is how long a person watches an individual video. The longer you can keep people watching, the more likely YouTube will serve your videos to more people. Pay attention to your retention graph, which can show you how sticky your video is. This can be found in the engagement tab in your analytics.

Holding the attention of your audience is a huge factor in the success of your videos and your channel.

Your analytics will also tell you what days and times people are most engaged with your videos. You can use this data to determine the best times to publish new content. 

11. Create a trailer for your YouTube channel

A trailer is a short (usually less than two minutes) video that gives people a taste of your channel before they dive into your content.

Your trailer doesn’t have to be fancy—it can simply be you introducing yourself and your channel, explaining what your channel is about, what kinds of content you create, and why viewers should subscribe. (Remember your value proposition!)

Once the trailer is ready, upload it to your channel as an unlisted video. Here’s how to specify it as your trailer:

• Sign in to YouTube Studio.
• From the left menu, select Customization and then Layout.
• Under Video spotlight, click ADD next to Channel trailer for people who haven't subscribed, and select a video for your channel trailer.
• Click Publish.

12. Come up with a list of video ideas

To maintain consistency with your new YouTube channel, you’re going to need a pipeline of great content. Here are some tips to help you come up with ideas for new videos so you never run out of inspiration.

• First and foremost, focus on ideas that fit your niche—use your slogan or value proposition as a guide to make sure your video ideas match your channel’s purpose.
• Take inspiration from frequently asked questions in your niche or field of expertise.
• Cover trending topics or news related to your niche.
• Share personal stories, experiences, or behind-the-scenes looks into your life/work.
• Analyze or react to other popular videos in your niche.
• Interview or collaborate with other creators or influencers (see #21).
• Repurpose existing content like blog posts and podcasts into videos.
• Poll your audience directly and review comments on your existing videos (see #16) to learn what people want to see.
• Look at search data (like Google Trends) to find popular keywords and topics, and review your channel analytics (see #10) to identify video types that perform well with your audience. 
• Create tutorials, how-to guides, or product reviews or comparisons related to your niche.

13. Create a content calendar for your YouTube channel

Consistency is important on YouTube. As best as possible, you’ll want to publish videos on a regular schedule. 

Create a content calendar to plan out your videos in advance. This can help you stay organized and ensure that you’re uploading new content on a regular basis. Your content calendar can include the topics of upcoming videos, the date you plan to upload and publish them, and any other relevant information. Pay attention to your analytics (see #10) to determine the best days and times to publish new content.

Choose a frequency that works for you and the time you have available to create and upload videos. If you have the ability to create more, especially early on, that will help you more quickly refine your workflow and what works and what doesn’t for your particular audience. But be careful about overextending yourself and burning out to the point where you no longer come out with videos on a regular basis. It happens more often than not.

14. Promote your YouTube videos

Promoting your videos is an important part of growing your YouTube channel. Share your videos on social media, embed them on your website or blog, and collaborate with other creators to reach a wider audience. You can also use YouTube’s built-in promotion tools, like paid ads and featured videos.

The YouTube Community tab is a useful tool (previously only available to creators with large followers, but now open to all) that lets you engage with your subscribers outside of video uploads. You can post updates, polls, and other content directly to help foster a closer community, build brand awareness, and promote your YouTube content.

And of course, don’t forget to encourage viewers to like your videos and subscribe to the channel!

15. Improve your YouTube channel’s SEO

Did you know that YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine? If you want to grow your channel, making sure your content shows up in search results is going to pay dividends.

Here are the biggest keys to improving your videos’ search rankings—many of which are covered in this guide!:

• Do keyword research (using a tool like Ahrefs’ YouTube Keyword Tool) to choose keywords relevant to your video topic and incorporate them into your titles, descriptions, and tags.
• Write compelling titles and descriptions that accurately reflect each video’s content.
• Include closed captions and transcripts to improve accessibility.
• Maintain consistent branding with channel art and thumbnails that grab viewers' attention.
• Engage with your audience by responding to comments and encouraging shares.
• Promote your videos on other platforms like social media.
• Analyze your video analytics to identify high-performing content and optimize your strategy accordingly.

Consistently publishing high-quality video content that’s targeted to your niche is crucial for YouTube SEO success.

16. Engage with your YouTube channel’s audience

Engaging with your audience is crucial for building a community around your channel. Respond to comments, ask for feedback, and create videos based on your audience’s interests and requests. This can help you build a loyal fanbase and keep them coming back for more.

A question lots of first-time YouTubers face is whether to leave comments on or off on their videos. The benefit of turning them off is that you’ll save time not having to moderate or respond, as well as avoid potential spam comments. But in my opinion, you’re missing out on a lot of potential benefits if you do this! By allowing viewers to comment on videos, you’ll have a chance to learn from your audience about what they’re looking for, as well as establish a direct rapport with them. It’s a little more work for you, but it’s definitely worth it!

17. Monetize your YouTube channel

Once your channel has grown, you may be eligible to monetize your videos. This can include earning money from ads, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. To monetize your channel, you’ll need to meet YouTube’s Partner Program requirements. This includes having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. Once you meet these requirements, you can apply to join the Partner Program and start earning money from your videos!

There are a few more things to keep in mind as you dive into monetizing your YouTube channel:

• Meeting YouTube's monetization criteria (1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months) to be eligible for ads.
• YouTube offers a number of ad formats (skippable, non-skippable, overlay, etc.), and you’ll need to choose the optimal one for your video types.
• Your content will need to follow YouTube's advertiser-friendly guidelines—or you’ll risk demonetization.
• If you’re planning on doing paid promotions, you’ll need to make sure you’re complying with laws on disclosures for these kinds of promotions.
• You’ll need a solid understanding of your audience demographics so you can target relevant advertisers or sponsorships.

18. Upgrade your equipment

Although you can definitely get started with just your smartphone or computer camera, once your channel starts to take off and generate some income, consider upping the ante on your video tech.

• Camera: A new camera is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you’re looking to upgrade your YouTube setup. Thankfully, there are lots of options to suit any budget. Here are two recommendations:
  • Budget: Sony Alpha ZV-E10
  • Better: Canon EOS R5
• Microphone: Just as important as a camera is a microphone, and you can make a big difference in your viewers’ experience by dropping some coin on a decent mic.
  • Budget: Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB
  • Better: Shure SM7B
• Tripod: A tripod can help you stabilize and position your camera whether you’re recording in your home studio or vlogging on the go. I’m biased, but my favorite option here is the Switchpod, which I co-created with Caleb Wojcik.
  • Budget: Switchpod
  • Better: Also the Switchpod, although the Manfrotto Befree is an excellent option too. 
• Lighting: Great lighting can make the difference between a run-of-the-mill video experience and a truly engaging, immersive one. To be honest, picking the right lighting gear can be a little complicated. I suggest checking out Caleb Wojcik’s lighting guide for some recommendations that’ll work for your budget and lighting needs.
• Editing software: The free iMovie software that comes with every Mac is a great option for most of your editing needs. But as you look to incorporate fancier edits and effects into your videos, you’ll want to upgrade to paid software like Final Cut Pro or Premiere.
  • Budget: iMovie
  • Better: Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere

19. Organize your videos into playlists and sections

As your channel grows and you start producing more videos, you’re going to want to organize your content so your visitors can easily navigate your channel and find what they’re looking for.YouTube’s Featured sections allow you to categorize videos into different buckets that show up on your channel’s home page. On my Deep Pocket Monster channel, I’ve helpfully sorted my videos into categories.

Here’s how to sort your videos in YouTube Studio:

• From the left menu, select Customization and then Layout.
• Under Featured sections, click ADD SECTION. From here, you can add a new section to display videos in a given category, such as popular videos, live streams, and playlists.

Speaking of playlists, they’re an especially useful way to group your video content according to different criteria. Here’s how to create one:

1. Go to the watch page of a video that you want in the playlist.
2. Click More, then Save, then Create new playlist. Enter a name for the playlist.
3. Select your playlist's privacy setting (if it's private, only you can view it).
4. Click Create.

Do this for each category of video you’d like to create. You can then add each playlist to a section on your channel’s home page so viewers can see your videos, neatly sorted for their convenience!

20. Take advantage of other YouTube video formats (live streaming, Shorts)

In addition to the regular “bread and butter” videos YouTube is known for, you can also create live streams and Shorts. I definitely recommend you acquaint yourself with these formats and consider incorporating them into your workflow.

• YouTube live streams: Live streaming is a great way to connect and interact with your audience in real-time, build trust by presenting an unfiltered view of you and your brand, and collaborate with other YouTubers and experts (see #21). You can also save live streams as regular videos on your channel for viewers to access later. Check out SPI Podcast episodes 502 and 704 to learn more about going live on YouTube.
• YouTube Shorts: As you probably guessed, these are shorter (less than 60 seconds) videos. These bite-size videos can help spur excitement about your channel and drive more views of your longer content. Because of the length constraints, Shorts are typically quicker to create and edit, making them a great option for commenting on trends and newsworthy topics. You can even repurpose bits of your longer content into Shorts.

21. Collaborate with other YouTube creators

Collaborating with other creators can be a great way to reach new audiences and create high-quality content. Reach out to other creators in your niche and propose collaboration ideas. This can help you build relationships and grow your channel. You can also participate in YouTube collaborations like tags and challenges to reach a wider audience.

22. Stay up-to-date with YouTube trends and algorithm changes

YouTube’s algorithm is constantly changing, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and updates. Follow industry blogs, attend conferences, and engage with other creators to stay informed. This can help you stay ahead of the curve and create content that performs well on the platform.

My favorite channel for this is YouTube Creators, which is run by the YouTube team itself. I also enjoy Sean Cannell, Roberto Blake, and ChannelMakers for updates, too!

23. More resources for starting your YouTube channel

Before we sign off, I wanted to share a few more resources to help you in your YouTube journey:

• My How to Create YouTube Videos playlist has advice on things like having great camera presence, improving your video production workflow, and other tips for starting off your YouTube adventure on the right foot.
• Our YouTube From Scratch course shows you how to start a YouTube channel and create valuable video content that attracts the right audience and generates revenue (even if you’re scared of video). It can be accessed as part of the All-Access Pass
• In SPI Podcast episode 771, I chat with video professional (and SPI Expert in Residence) Caleb Wojcik about how to consistently create videos to grow your business.

Ready to find join your people and level up?

Like you, we're online entrepreneurs who crave connection, direction, and support from people like us.

Join the SPI Community Today

24. Conclusion and FAQ

Starting a YouTube channel can be a fun and rewarding experience. By following these steps, you can create a successful channel that reflects your passion and personality. Remember to stay consistent, engage with your audience, and always strive to improve. Happy YouTubing!

FAQs:

1. Do I need expensive equipment to start a YouTube channel?

• No, you can start with just your smartphone camera or your laptop’s built-in camera. As your channel grows, you can invest in more equipment.

2. Can I monetize my channel right away?

• No, you’ll need to meet YouTube’s Partner Program requirements before you can monetize your videos, which includes having at least 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months

3. How often should I upload new videos?

• Consistency is key on YouTube, so aim to upload new videos on a regular schedule that works for you. Quality is important, however, so do your best to create great videos that your audience can enjoy.

4. Can I collaborate with other creators outside of my niche?

• While it’s possible, collaborating with creators within your niche can be more effective for reaching your target audience.

5. How long does it take to grow a successful YouTube channel?

• There’s no set timeline for success on YouTube. It can take months or even years to build a loyal audience and monetize your videos. Keep working hard and stay committed to your channel!

The post How to Start a YouTube Channel in 2024 appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

After publishing a video on my Pokémon YouTube channel, Deep Pocket Monster, this happened:

This was one of hundreds of comments, within hours, that mentioned crying or tearing up. Here’s another:

Why is this important?

The truth is, this is not about the tears. The tears are a byproduct of what really matters, and a huge, game-changing lesson that I want to teach you about content creation.

It was certainly game-changing for me. When you do it right, this can happen:

This video has since become the best-performing video I’ve ever published across both of my YouTube channels.

325k views in less than 24 hours and the #3 top trending video in ALL of YouTube.

I’ll tell you why this happened. Let’s get unstuck.

The Story

In early 2020, I caught a series of tweets from my good friend, Ryan Deiss, founder of the Traffic & Conversion Summit. His company is widely known for super tactical and data-driven strategies in the digital marketing space. This series of tweets, however, was new to me.

This is the part that caught my attention the most:

He went on to share a simple strategy to entertain and hold people’s attention: make people laugh, and make people cry. If you can do that, you’ve connected on a human level — more than any surface-level content could ever do.

This spoke to me a lot, so much so that later in 2020, when I decided to start Deep Pocket Monster, entertaining my audience was my #1 goal. Even if I’m educating them, I still aim to entertain in the process.

And it’s working. 

In the video I referenced above (here’s a link in case you want to watch it) I take viewers on a rollercoaster ride as I attempt to complete an entire set of Pokémon cards in only 48 hours. This set — which has 237 cards — is a well-known but rather expensive set to complete. To make it even more challenging, I’m in a location I’ve never tried looking for cards in before.

To add to the stakes, if I didn’t complete the set in time, I’d have to give the entire binder of cards that I collected away.

There’s ups, there’s downs, there’s twists and turns, but me and my producer, Dan Patrick Norton, pieced the right story together, one that anyone could follow, even if they know nothing about Pokémon. 

We wanted to connect on a human level, so we added comedy and drama into the mix, too…

(Spoiler coming…)

In the end, we painted a picture of defeat, coming oh-so-close to victory. Right when you think it’s over, it turns out a few characters we met along the way had gone out of their way to find what I needed and seal the victory for the team. 

It’s a story that anyone can relate to: feeling defeated, only to have someone help you when you’re down — and if you happen to watch it, there’s a chance you might get choked up a little, too.

And now, with over a million views and counting, this video continues to introduce new people to the brand, add more people into the community, and generate more ad revenue, too.

Your Call to Action

In an upcoming piece of content, explore how you can go from surface level to entertainment level. 

Don’t be someone you’re not (it’s important to be yourself!) but craft a story that has something at stake — something to potentially lose.

Teach, yes, but showcase the hardships and the comical things that happen along the way. 

And finally, study. Study the art of storytelling and entertainment. When you watch a video on YouTube, or a TikTok that captures your attention, ask yourself, “why?”

Get good at it, because as more and more information continues to bloat the internet (and our attention) it’s the creators who find their own special way to entertain who are going to stand out, gain superfans, and survive.

I hope you enjoyed this 5-minute read! To get more like it every week (again, totally free), sign up below!

The post How I Made a #3 Top Trending YouTube Video appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

Starting and growing a YouTube channel can be incredibly overwhelming and confusing. But if you get it right, it can also be incredibly rewarding.

Here are 5 episodes from the archives of the Smart Passive Income Podcast that’ll show you what’s possible on YouTube, whether you’re an online video veteran or thinking of starting your own channel. Learn from these YouTube pros—in their own words—some of the unexpected keys to their success.

1. From Med Student to Passive Income — Ali Abdaal's Incredible Success Story & YouTube Tips

Listen to SPI 503.

Ali is a doctor who’s also a YouTube star in the making. He joins Pat to share his story and what he’s learned about nailing it on YouTube, including how to build relationships, staying sane in a sea of snarky comments, and the importance of B-roll.

Ali’s key insight for YouTubers

One of the crucial ingredients in Ali’s recipe for success? Learning on the job, and getting his lousy first videos out of the way as quickly as possible:

Your first 50 videos are going to be absolutely terrible, and so the sooner you can make those first 50 videos, the better you'll get.

Ali Abdaal, Ali Abdaal

2. How Powerhouse YouTuber Marques Brownlee (AKA MKBHD) Grew His Massive Brand

Listen to SPI 352.

Marques Brownlee is an absolute maven when it comes to YouTube. Along with great advice on everything from creating collaboration videos to a successful mindset, Marques breaks down what it's like to build a team, how he manages his production workflow, and how to create the kind of following he’s built—we’re talking 15 million plus.

Marques’ key insight for YouTubers

Part of the reason Marques was able to create such a world-beating channel is that he didn’t go in with the goal of massive success—he just wanted to create content for the love of it:

When I started, it wasn't with the goal of making it a career, and the views per video and things like that didn't necessarily matter. So I was able to decide, whether there were views or not, that I was going to keep making videos anyway.

Marques Brownlee, MKBHD

3. The Right Formula to Win on YouTube with Derral Eves

Listen to SPI 459.

YouTube master strategist Derral Eves breaks down his formula for success on YouTube, from researching other channels to testing titles and thumbnails, and unlocking explosive growth by mastering the algorithm.

Derral’s key insight for YouTubers

Derral wants YouTube creators everywhere to understand the vital importance of “recon and research”—diving deep to find the trends and video-making tactics that will help your videos perform better:

Probably one of the most underutilized things for content creators, is they just create, and they don't really research a little bit to see what trends are out there. And they miss opportunities all the time.

Derral Eves, Derral Eves

4. How to Build a YouTube Brand that Makes an Impact with Tim Schmoyer

Listen to SPI 368.

Tim Schmoyer has been racking up views on YouTube since he first started making videos in 2006. As he learned along the way and now teaches others, YouTube is not your normal search engine, and it requires you to think about your audience a little differently. It’s all about unlocking the power of story, and making your audience feel like the main character.

Tim’s key insight for YouTubers

Tim is all about videos that tell stories. He helps his clients devise powerful story-based videos by having them first answer seven guiding questions:

One, who is the character? Two, what do they want? Three, why can't they have what they want? Four, what is at stake? Five, who or what comes along to help them? Six, how do they ultimately get what they wanted? And seven—the whole point of the story—how are they changed as a result?

Tim Schmoyer, Video Creators

5. The Story of Matt D'Avella and His Rise to YouTube Fame

Listen to SPI 447.

Matt is a master storyteller who was able to go from $97k in student loans to debt-free with a thriving YouTube channel. He explains how he found his voice in front of the camera, and his process for creating videos with tons of views.

Matt’s key insight for YouTubers

Matt’s simple but oh-so-important advice to all YouTubers? Be yourself.

Where I started to come into my own on YouTube was when I stopped trying to copy other people, and I started to say, ‘All right, let me lean on my strengths and what I do really well, and let me focus on that more, and also what I enjoy.” Because I didn't really enjoy turning on the camera and trying to riff and try to come up with something great, because the final product wasn't as exciting, and the process wasn't as enjoyable.

Matt D'Avella, Matt D'Avella

Our Newest Course: YouTube From Scratch!

If you’ve been thinking about starting a YouTube channel but haven’t taken action yet, we've built a brand new course just for you: YouTube from Scratch!

YouTube from Scratch distills Pat’s video expertise into an easy-to-follow, step-by-step course. He’ll take you all the way from choosing your niche and evaluating the competition, through choosing an angle and topics for your channel, branding, publishing your first video, understanding analytics, and monetizing your channel.

If you’re ready to start publishing and monetizing on YouTube, head to SmartPassiveIncome.com/youtubefromscratch.

The post 5 Inspiring Podcast Episodes to Get You Amped for Success on YouTube appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

I’ve had a YouTube channel since 2009. But for most of that time, I didn’t really take this platform all that seriously.

That all changed in February 2018.

Since then, I’ve jumped into the deep end with YouTube, treating it like a primary platform for a lot of my content. In this post, I want to share with you why I made this big shift, and how it’s worked out so far.

Getting Serious About YouTube: The Experiment

In the time I’ve been in the YouTube game, I’ve scaled new heights … and occasionally fallen flat. Some of my videos have done very well, getting over 500,000 views. Others have barely made a mark.

Until recently, though, I didn’t consider YouTube one of my primary platforms. Instead, it was more of a repository, a place to publish when it made sense to make a video out of something. Pre-2018, I was using YouTube like a lot of other entrepreneurs who aren’t primarily focused on this channel for their business.

Mostly, I created the occasional tutorial or demo video for products I use and love. Sometimes I’d get even more serious about creating a video that would get a lot of attention, like my original How To Start a Podcast series, or my series on How to Start an Email List. They performed very well, but for whatever reason, I never paid much attention to YouTube as a strategic channel, as a place where I should be consistently uploading high-quality content.

But when I attended VidSummit in October 2017 (the same conference that birthed the idea of the SwitchPod), I realized I had a massive opportunity to publish content on a platform with millions and millions of viewers who had not yet come across my content or my brand.

After doing a little more research on YouTube, I saw that a number of people were creating content aimed at similar target markets to mine, but the videos themselves (in my humble opinion) were not up to par.

In a lot of cases, the content in these videos just wasn’t great. But more disturbingly, a lot people were using videos to lure people into buying things that promised more than they could deliver—trying to capture the attention of hopeful dreamers and leading them to purchase programs that, based on reviews I’ve read, were just NOT good. It was all about the money for these content creators.

I figured I could do better. I decided that I was going to get serious about YouTube. So in February 2018, my videographer, Caleb, and I decided to give it a shot for a solid year to see how it would go.

The Video Production Hamster Wheel

We started off hot, publishing about five videos a week for about two months in order to—per the advice of many other YouTubers—kick-start the channel. And it seemed to work. I started to pick up a lot more views than I’d ever had. I was growing at a rate of about 200 to 400 subscribers per day.

But five videos a week was really difficult to keep up with, and after the initial honeymoon period, we started to find ourselves trapped in a content-creation hamster wheel. We’d finish one video, then immediately need to figure out what we were going to be shooting about next.

When you find yourself stuck on the hamster wheel, what can often happen is the quality of the content begins to degrade. It also started to feel like I was fishing for topics because I was just publishing way too much.

Because of the hamster wheel, another important aspect of YouTube I failed to appreciate early on was the importance of community and engagement. I was recording so much that I didn't have a lot of time to connect with people. I did (what I thought was) my best by leaving comments on my videos and encouraging people to comment themselves, and even doing things like offering “pins” to anyone who commented within the first hour. But this was really as far as I went in terms of engaging with the YouTube community.

It wasn’t until later that I started to see the full “people potential” this channel offered (more on that in a minute).

On YouTube, Success Is Unpredictable

But it wasn’t all downside. Several of my videos did extremely well. There’s the one I published on February 27, 2018, called “How to Make Passive Income Online (3 Legit Models From Someone Who Made $5+ Million Online.”

As of this blog post, it has more than three quarters of a million views. Meanwhile, other videos that I spent just as much, if not even more time on, have fewer than ten thousand views under their belt. Some are below five thousand.

It's just the nature of the YouTube beast, and one of the most frustrating things about it. There’s simply no perfect formula to create videos that will be seen by lots of people. You can succeed with one video, then create another one using the same approach, and it’ll perform completely differently. You’re at the whim of the YouTube algorithm, and the unpredictable preferences of its viewers.

This is one of the hardest things about YouTube—but one of the cooler things too! Because at any moment, any one of your slow-moving videos could get picked up and begin to pop. For instance, one we recorded back in February 2018, “How to Record and Edit a Podcast on Audacity (Complete Tutorial),” recently started to pick up steam because of the interest in podcasting now, and just cracked over one hundred thousand views.

More Work Does Not Always Equal More Success on YouTube

There’s also a balance you need to find when it comes to how much work goes into making each video. Some of the videos I’ve recorded with other entrepreneurs are a case in point, like a series called “Tactics in a Tesla,” starting with Sean Cannell on March 13, 2018. I also recorded Tesla videos with people like Amy Landino, Roberto Blake, and several others.

A couple of those videos did well, but others didn’t. And they were pretty difficult to produce.

The videos were recorded inside my Tesla while I was driving and picking up interviewees. We used HERO cams, and it was a full production, much more so than most of the videos I recorded in my regular studio. For most of the Tesla videos, the added production hassle just didn’t pay off in terms of views.

YouTube Wants You to Double Down on What’s Working

The other big challenge I encountered was that it seemed like YouTube was essentially telling me what videos to create. I felt like the platform was trying to gradually constrict me into a niche where I’d only be talking about money and passive income.

A few videos in this general topic area, such as Nine Ways to Make Money Podcasting, How to Make Passive Income with Affiliate Marketing, and 9 Ways I Earn Passive Income Online (Different Business Models), have performed really well.

At the same time, some of the videos I made on other topics—videos I consider some of the more important and impactful ones I’ve done—fell flat. For example, there’s How To Prepare for Your Next Presentation, which I published in May 2018 and has just 2,755 views almost a year later. And The Million Dollar Tweet, in which I share eight crucial lessons to start and grow a successful business has just over 7,000 views more than a year after publishing. Or 9 Productivity Hacks Using Your iPhone (To Stay More Focused), with fewer than 7,000 views nearly 400 days later.

So, some videos have done well, and others have done poorly—and not the ones I would have expected.

YouTube Wants You to Keep People on YouTube

One of the benefits of this big YouTube push was it did get me to 100,000 subscribers in mid-2018, which was an awesome milestone. It earned me a silver YouTube button as an award and a thank-you. That was really cool.

But here’s the thing. In terms of actually building my business, focusing on YouTube didn’t do much. You see, one of the things about YouTube is that the platform rewards you for keeping people on YouTube—when your watch times are high, and you have people going from one video to another instead of leaving the site.

But if you want to use YouTube to grow your business off YouTube—by capturing people’s attention with videos then guiding them to your email list or your website—YouTube’s not going to be so happy with you. Now, there are exceptions, and it’s not impossible to grow your business AND increase views and subscribers at the same time. People like Sunny Lenarduzzi are great at this, and it’s something I’m still learning how to do.

But for the 2018 experiment, I focused on not sending people back to my website. Instead, I hoped this was something they’d do automatically. There were times when I’d link to a page on my site in the video description, or mention a resource on the site in the video itself, but I never went out of my way to get people to go from YouTube to SPI.com.

Because of that, YouTube hasn’t really helped me grow my business beyond building awareness of the SPI brand. Don’t get me wrong—that’s still really important. But on the website and even on my podcast, I'm starting to do a little bit more tracking, which allows me to understand more about what's going on.

My Big YouTube Experiment = A Big Bust? No Way!

My success with videos has been hit and miss. And I haven’t been able to use YouTube to build my business by sending people back to my site or my email list. So has this whole experiment been a net negative?

Definitely not.

A couple of great things have happened for me in the past year thanks to being more active on YouTube.

First, creating YouTube videos has provided a great creative outlet. It’s allowed me to have fun with content creation again. It’s not that I wasn't having fun before, but the blog and podcasts have become a bit more of a machine. We’re always several months ahead on our content calendar, and producing each piece of content several weeks before it’s due to publish. Everything’s planned in advance and proceeds pretty much according to plan.

With YouTube, though, my creativity has opened up. It’s a visual content platform that gives us more leeway to be funny with the editing, the B-roll, and all the other elements that go into producing a video. With video, there are just a lot more options, a lot more to choose from when it comes to what you include in your video and how you try to tell a great story.

One video I had a lot of fun creating was Content Creation (5 “Sniper” Tools for Creating Winning Content), published last February. I used a Nerf gun to help me deliver the content in that particular video—check it out if you want to see what I’m talking about.

The other awesome thing about YouTube is that it’s made me much more connected to the YouTube community. I’ve met and talked to many other YouTubers since starting this experiment, and it’s great to feel a part of such a vibrant collection of people.

And even if not all of my videos have been a huge success in terms of view counts, people have been noticing what I’m doing on YouTube. When I went to the VidSummit and VidCon conferences in 2018, people actually asked me about my YouTube channel—which is something that had never happened before. Usually, when I go to shows, I get comments about my podcast, but last year I started getting noticed for my videos too.

What’s Next for Me on YouTube

I'm also starting to get into the behind-the-scenes world of YouTube’s analytics tools, which is pretty cool. YouTube provides a lot of great statistics to help you better understand your audience and how people are consuming your content. And tools like TubeBuddy and VidIQ have been essential for me as I learn more about what’s happening behind the scenes on YouTube.

One of the most interesting takeaways from this analysis so far has been that a lot of my passive income video content is recently being outdone, in terms of views and watch time, by my podcasting videos.

In fact, if you look up “how to start a podcast” on YouTube, my tutorial comes up as the number one result. That video alone has nearly 400,000 views, almost 100,000 more than the next most-watched video on that topic.

So what’s next for me on YouTube? Here’s what I’m going to do.

Now that I've experimented with YouTube for a year and have a better feel for the platform, I'm going to focus a little more on the podcasting front with my video content. This is a space that I feel nobody is really owning right now. I currently have the top podcasting videos on the topic, but in terms of a channel that's dedicated specifically to podcasting? Nobody’s claimed the top of that hill yet.

I’ve already refilmed some of my podcasting-related videos, like my podcasting tutorial and my review of the best podcast microphones.

My plan for 2019 is to take things a step further and niche down my YouTube channel to focus primarily on podcasting videos. This means more videos comparing and reviewing gear—not just microphones, but advanced stuff like acoustic panels. It means creating more videos that answer the various questions podcasters have about their craft, videos about monetizing podcasts, and a lot more. Plus, a lot of my business relates to teaching podcasting, so if this strategy is successful, it should help my bottom line too. Podcasting has been such a big part of my business, so connecting it to what I’m doing on YouTube is a natural fit.

So stay tuned for the next phase of my big YouTube experiment! I may stick with this plan if it helps me grow the channel as a whole—or I may decide it’s not working and bail out early—but for right now, doubling down on podcasting videos is what the signs are pointing me to do, and I’m excited about it.

Either way, I think I’m going to have a lot of fun with it.

So is YouTube even worth it anymore? Definitely. There’s still a lot of potential with video (and huge audiences!), and although I think the video space is pretty crowded compared to something like podcasting, if you can find your video niche and run with it, you can still make things work on YouTube in 2019.

And hey, if you haven’t subscribed to my YouTube channel yet, what are you waiting for?

The post Is YouTube Even Worth it Anymore? Life after Getting Serious about Video appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

I recently published a new video that includes some experimental video techniques that I've never used before.

After a post with that video embedded in it went live, within 24 hours I received over 100 emails from people asking how they could recreate the same effects.

Apparently, the effects made my videos look a lot more professional and it helped hold people's attention, which is exactly what I was going for.

To help answer all the questions that were asked, I'll go over each of the following for you today:

1. How to get a blurred background in your videos.
2. How to add pop-up text to your videos.
3. How to get an awesome intro / bumper for your videos.
4. How to DIY videoscribe (the sped up recording of writing or drawings that sync with your audio).

I also have a fun little blooper video that I shot with my son for you at the end of this post too

Let's get to it…

The Video

I've re-embedded the video for you below and timestamped the various techniques I was using, for your reference. You can see everything within the first 21 seconds:

(or you can watch this video on YouTube by clicking here)

• 0:05: Pop-up Text
• 0:14: Video Bumper
• 0:21: Videoscribing

1. How to Get a Blurred Background in Your Videos

If the background is blurred (also known as “bokeh”) but you're in focus, it adds a very professional feel to your videos.

Unfortunately, if you're using a basic flip cam or handheld digital camera for your videos, you won't be able to get this effect.

The secret is in the lens of the camera that you use, so you're going to need a DSLR camera and an appropriate lens to get the aesthetic qualities of a blurred background in your videos.

A good DSLR camera isn't cheap, and neither is the specific kind of lens you need to get this effect (the stock lenses usually won't work as well), but if you're going to be shooting professional videos for your business, it could be well worth the investment.

I'm using a Canon Rebel T3i DSLR camera ($499.00) and a Canon EF 50mm f1.4 ($379.00) lens in my most recent videos. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through these links.]

I won't get into the technical details of how this kind of lens (with a larger aperture) works, but the most important thing to do is make sure that when you equip this lens, that you are in focus. The lens will take care of the rest.

With the Canon, you can flip the lcd screen out and around so you can look at yourself when recording, which is really nice. Move the arrows on the back of the cam until the white focus box is where your face will be—then unless you have someone to push record for you, use a remote, like this one, and you're set. [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.]

2. How to Add Pop-Up Text to Your Videos

Pop-up text are words that appear on the screen at the same time you say those words and it's a very powerful way to engage your audience and really emphasize those important points of your video.

Do it too much, and it lessens the impact—so use this technique wisely.

Here's a video explaining two methods you can use to create pop-up text on your videos:

(click here to watch the video on YouTube)

3. How to Get an Awesome Intro / Bumper for Your Videos

My biggest request was about how I added the cool little bumper, or SPI branded animation at the beginning of my video.

[Editor's note: This video is no longer available.]

I wish I was talented enough to say that I created it on my own, but I'm definitely not!

This is all thanks to SplashEO, a relatively new company that was created by my good friend Gideon Shalwick who I believe is the master of online video. If you need professional looking bumpers and other cool things to enhance your videos, SplashEO is definitely my favorite resource.

I don't know why it took 53 videos to finally consider using an intro like this, but I'm very happy with the response.

4. How to DIY Videoscribing

Videoscribing is eye-candy for video viewers.

My first experience with this was in 2010 when a viral video hit my Facebook feed—a lecture called The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.

The content was pretty interesting, but what was special was what was shown in the video as this lecture was being spoken.

I've embedded the video for you below, but I warn you—it's hard to stop watching once you start:

The sped up writing and drawing is just really really cool, and definitely keeps my attention the entire time.

I'm not an artist like the professionals who make these videos for a living, but I improvised a DIY way to get the same effect using my electronic white board technique.

I break it down for you in the video below:

(click here to watch the video on YouTube)

The Blooper Intros

And finally, as promised, I created a quick blooper video of some funny moments that my son and I had together. Good times!

I hope you enjoy these video marketing tips (and the bloopers), and have an awesome day!

Cheers!

The post DIY Videoscribing and Other Awesome Techniques to Enhance Your Videos appeared first on Smart Passive Income.

A lot of people have been asking me for a more detailed explanation about how I create my electronic white board videos, so I decided to create a video that explains it better than any blog post or podcast episode could do.

If you're not sure what an electronic white board video is, it's a video that records a person drawing on the screen, which mimics the idea of a teacher drawing on a dry-erase board or chalkboard.

Here are some videos I've created in the past that utilize the whiteboard effect:

• The Passive Income Business Model
• The Backlinking Strategy that Works
• Mastering Keyword Research and SEO Competition
• Strategies to Increase Blog Traffic Over Time
• Electronic Products vs. Physical Products
• One Sneaky Trick to Get More Twitter Followers
• What You NEED to Know about Traffic
• Passive Income Streams 101

Electronic white board (EWB) videos work extremely well because:

• They're more engaging. Unlike boring slideshow presentations, there's more movement on the screen so they'll hold an audience's attention much better.
• They're different. Not everyone publishes videos like this, and even if they know how, most will not take the time to actually do it. This is an easy way to stand out of the crowd.
• They're a fantastic teaching tool. I hope we're all in this for the purpose of helping other people achieve something, understand certain concepts or implement specific strategies. If that's the case, the EWB is a great way to produce (and consume) content much easier than a regular blog post, podcast episode, or video can, depending on the topic of choice.

Below is a video explaining the exact process:

Items mentioned in the video:

• Gimp.org (Free photoshop-like software for Mac and PC) [Editor's Note, 2023: Canva is another great tool.]
• The Bamboo Fun Pen and Tablet by Wacom [This link leads to Amazon. Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.]
• Camtasia Screen Recording Software
• Screenflow Screen Recording Software [Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.]
• OmniDazzle Screen Writing Tool

Additional Tips

If you will be doing some EWB videos, here are some additional tips I can give you so you can get the most out of your effort:

• Practice. Practice. Practice. It takes time to get used to drawing on the screen, and to talk while doing so is a whole new challenge. But, the rewards are there and after a few practice runs I'm sure you'll pick it up in no time. The nice thing, also, is that you can edit these videos, so unlike a live chalkboard or dry-erase style presentation, you can mess up and just edit those parts out later.
• Write big. The bigger the writing, the easier it is to see (duh!), so make it easy for your audience to see what you're writing about by writing big. Don't rely on them to go fill size with their screens because they're not always going to do that.
• Utilize layers in Photoshop and Gimp: If you'll be writing on top of your background image on Photoshop or Gimp, then make sure you write on a layer on top of your background layer. This way, you can easily delete the images by just turning that layer off. You could get even more ninja by utilizing multiple layers for different parts of your drawings too.

Video Tricks

A quick sidenote:

I've been experimenting with some new YouTube video techniques to increase subscribers and views.

I'd like you to check out my special ending to the EWB video, which you can go directly to by clicking the link here.

I'd love to know if you think the annotation technique I'm using works or not.

I'm following my own advice and utilizing more video for 2012, so definitely subscribe to the YouTube channel here because there will be a lot more helpful videos to come.

And lastly…

Win a Free Pen and Tablet and some Screen Recording Software Too!

Editor's Note: This giveaway is closed.

So, I have an extra brand new Pen and Tablet by Wacom sitting around (model CTL460), and I'd like to give it away for FREE! [This link leads to Amazon. Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through this link.]

I'll also throw in a copy of either Camtasia or Screenflow (your choice) so you can have the screen recording software that you need to get started.

In order to qualify to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by the end of the week (11:59am Saturday 12/17/2011) explaining what kind of videos you like to produce using the EWB technique, and why it would be beneficial for your audience.

That's it.

One entry per person, and I get to choose the winner.

I'll announce the winner on Facebook and Twitter the next day and email the winner for shipping information.

I'll choose someone who I feel will actually put this stuff to good use.

Cheers, and good luck!

Update: Congratulations to Sarah Clark for winning the Pen/Tablet & Screen Recording Software! The selection was extremely difficult—so difficult in fact I put my favorite comments into a pool and randomly selected a winner from there. I'm sorry I couldn't give more away —Congrats to Sarah, and thanks once again to everyone who participated!

The post How to Make an Electronic White Board for Your Videos appeared first on Smart Passive Income.