Today, I am celebrating twelve years of making videos here on my YouTube channel! So I wanted
to share with you some of the tips and lessons I've learned along the way, in case you're
also a creator or you're thinking about becoming one.
Make videos that make you happy. Whether it's to relive a fun vacation that you went on,
help you be less homesick when you're away at college, or teach someone how to do something
you love, making positive videos can be a great way to cheer up yourself and others.
There's something so wonderful about knowing that you've made someone smile and at the very
least, you can look back at those videos and enjoy the memories associated with them.
Don't be afraid to make lots of different kinds of videos. One of the ways that I've
managed to stay interested for this long is by starting lots of new video series, experimenting
with new formats, and just making whatever video I'm most excited about at the moment.
A lot of people feel like they have to start a whole new channel if they want to try making
videos on a different topic, and you can totally do that if you want to, but I've always
felt like it's okay to test out something different here or there. It is my channel,
after all. And you might be surprised by the response! Remember that your audience is growing
and changing as much as you are. And you need to be happy with what you're making too.
Try out new skills and don't get discouraged if you're not great at them right away!
There's only one way to get better at all of the various skills associated with making
video content so jump in and get some practice. I didn't have any kind of video production
education until last year when I got into YouTube NextUp, so everything else for my
first 11 years on this channel, I just figured out on my own and improved over time. If you're
new at this and you're feeling inadequate compared to some of your favorite YouTube
channels, scroll back and see what they were posting when they first started! And if you've
been making videos for a while like I am, it can help to go back and rewatch some of
your older stuff to see just how far you've come.
If it fits with your format, try asking a question in every video! One thing that I
love about social platforms like YouTube is that they are not one-sided. Use your videos
to start conversations and get to know the community around them! Which brings me to
my next tip, which is reply to people. Even if it's just to thank them for a
nice comment or answer one of their questions, cultivating the community around your content
can be one of the best things about making videos. And don't just stay in your own
comment section - watching creators who are similar to you and commenting on their videos
can be a really great way to make friends! Comment sections can be toxic sometimes, but
I feel like adding some thoughtful and kind comments into the mix can help to counteract
that. And you never know who will read one of your comments, relate to it, and click
through to your channel because of it! One of my former networks actually found me because
I was leaving lots of thoughtful comments on a bunch of their partners' channels.
Make friends on the platform. Whether they're watching your videos, making similar content
to yours, or attending the same in person events like VidCon, you probably have a lot
in common. Plenty of people will tell you that cross promotion and collaboration are
really important for channel growth, but they're leaving something out - that it can be lonely
making content at home by yourself and it's not always a completely rewarding experience.
Having people to talk to and learn from who actually get it can be so important for your
emotional well-being. I value the friendships I've made over the last 12 years here so
so much, whether we've collaborated on a video or not. Actually, a lot of times we'll
be together for a whole weekend and then laugh when we realize that we didn't film anything
at all. And that kind of relationship can be so wonderful. Sometimes I feel bad about
asking to do a collab, so we just spend time together and that's okay too.
Value what you bring to the table. It can be so easy to sell yourself short, to undercharge
potential sponsors, and to let people get you down. What you do is important because
you have the power to make someone's day better, to teach them something new, and to
remind them that they are not alone. Yes, there are occasionally things that you can
learn by listening to your critics, but a lot of the time, they're probably just echoing
the things that you already know and feared about your own inadequacies. Don't let them
convince you to stop trying.
The algorithm will change. The culture will change. The technology will change. But at
the end of the day, your channel is yours and it can be whatever you decide. I'm not
usually interested in jumping in on trending topics or creating controversial content that
will get me seen by more people. I know that the current algorithm rewards long-form daily
videos but I also know that I can't create quality content that quickly. So I make what
I am most excited about when I can manage to get it done, and eventually some of the
people who get excited about those things too have been able to find me. Sometimes things
I make catch on. Usually they don't. Opportunities come and go. Last year, I got chosen for YouTube
NextUp after applying three times, but also VidCon didn't invite me back after doing
performances and panels there for four years. But I'm still here after twelve years because
I like expressing myself creatively through video content and I love the community I've
found here. I do have to remind myself of that sometimes and I've taken breaks when
I've needed them, but you've been here for me when I'm ready to come back. And
for that, I am truly grateful.
I know that things are very different now than they were when I first started back in
early 2006, so if you are a creator too, tell me the most important thing you've learned
through making YouTube videos! And if you're not a creator (yet at least), tell me what
kinds of videos you'd want to make if you were. I hope that maybe this inspires you
to give it a try!
Thanks for a wonderful 12 years (so far) and I'll see you soon.
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