Starting a YouTube in 2024? Here’s How to Get Started As a YouTube Creator

Sadly there is no magic pill or solution for YouTube success. It takes trial, error and dedication. That’s not to say it’s all bad! There’s no better time to start, so if you’re thinking about starting a YouTube channel, here are some things to consider.

Is it too late to start a YouTube channel?

Definitely not! Now is as good a time as any. Better yet, you can now use tools like TubeSpanner to help you! You can also look at different channels and learn from them. Plus there’s so much information out there to help teach the dos and don’ts of YouTube and how to do things like use a camera or edit a video!

                                 How to Use TubeSpanner to Grow Your YouTube Channel

YouTube recently hit over 2 billion monthly active users. There’s an audience out there, and they are spending a lot of time watching video content, especially on YouTube. 

Want to start a YouTube channel? Just do it! Get started. No more worrying. Sometimes the hardest part is getting started. 

                                  A Beginner's Guide to Creating a YouTube Channel

Starting a YouTube channel

Before you start your channel, ask yourself these questions. Once you have the answers, things will be a lot easier.

• Who is your channel for? Remember, you can’t reach everybody - so narrow your audience down.
• Does your channel solve any problems? E.g. your channel is for people who want to start skateboarding. Your videos could include what boards to buy, what people need to get started, breaking down different tricks etc. 

The next thing you need to do is make a plan! It doesn’t need to be super in-depth, but once you have the answers to the above, you should have some idea of your next steps. 

But where do you start? The answer is research! Here are a few things you can research:

• Keywords - what are people using in their video titles? What are people searching for? 

Tip: Search in YouTube. For example, you can enter best *insert your niche here* and YouTube will give you suggestions.          

 

• Do competitor research. Who else is out there talking about what you want to do? What does their channel look like, how long are their videos etc? Learn from watching other videos in the same niche. 

Tip: Use the TubeSpanner browser extension whilst you’re on YouTube to make notes!     
 

Now you have some video ideas! If you’re struggling with titles why not use our AI title inspiration tool? This will generate title ideas. Once you have those, you can plan out your content calendar for the year.

Finding the Time

Create a schedule you can stick to! You might be casual about YouTube, it might be a side hustle kind of deal. Whether you’re serious about it or you’re not going all in, be realistic.

If you can create a video every week, that’s great! If it’s something you’ll do on the odd trip or now and again, find a schedule that works for you. However, if you want your channel to grow, you need to take it seriously. So decide what you can commit. 

If you’re not sure, that’s fine. Make a few videos first (they don’t have to be about your niche). Once you’ve made some videos and considered everything, you can decide whether YouTube will be a serious or casual thing for you. 

Following a Process 

Next up, you’ll want to consider your process. What does it look like from start to finish? If you stick to this when creating your videos, it will make it easier to get into things, and you’ll have more structure. 

We would recommend being fluid with this. Things may change, but it’s good to have an idea of each step. If you’re new to it all, why not make a few videos to begin with - let’s say three? Once you’ve made these videos, circle back and look at the process. What did you do? How do they look? What can you learn from everything? 

What’s a process and what does it look like?

It will be different for everyone, but generally, there will be some crossover. Put simply, it’s steps you follow every time. Your process may look something like this:

Come up With a Plan

You’ve planned your video, written the script, done your research, created a rough storyboard and now you’re ready to go. You know when you’re recording, when you’re editing and when the video is due to go live. 

Creating the Perfect Video Title

You’ve done your keyword research, you can see what’s popular on YouTube, you know what people are searching for and you’ve created a great video title. It’s so important to create a great title so people know what they’re about to watch. 

If you're struggling with title ideas. Why not use our title generator? Enter a few details and we’ll generate several suggestions for you.

Craft a Great Thumbnail

Your video is ready, you have a great title and you’re almost ready to publish. Next up is the thumbnail! You want to create a thumbnail that stands out from the rest. Something that feels like you!

Have a look at other channels, and see what stands out to you. Think about what would make you click on a video. You can use this as inspiration when you’re creating your own. 

Why not use our thumbnail editor or one of our templates to create something that helps viewers know what your video is about? 

Nail that Video Description 

Nailing your video title and description is so important. It helps YouTube know what a video is about, but more importantly, it helps a viewer know. So if they are searching for a video about when and how to change skateboard wheels, they’ll know they’ve found what they are looking for. 

                                      How to Write an Effective Video Description

Publish your Video 

Once everything is ready and you’re happy with your title, thumbnail and description, you’re ready to publish. This step is fairly simple, it’s what comes after that’s important. 

Next, we promote! But most importantly, it’s time to learn. Here you check out the analytics, see which of your videos has performed the best and see where you can improve.

Share your content

YouTube likes it when you send people to their site from other places. Say, for example, if you have a newsletter, social channels or a website. You don’t need those things, they are something to consider as you grow, but posting on your social media is a great start! 

Skills YouTubers Need

You’re not going to be amazing overnight. Everything takes time. Now, you might already have some experience in video editing, or maybe writing, but there’s a lot more to being a content creator. Here are some of the skills you might use:

• Writing
• Animation/design
• Video editing/editing
• Storytelling
• Research

There are so many skills you’ll need to be a successful YouTuber. Now that may seem a little intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be! These are all things you will improve in time. 

TubeSpanner is here to help you with the above. From AI scriptwriting to thumbnail editing, there’s so much you can do with TubeSpanner to take the pressure off. You don’t need to be amazing at everything. Our tools are designed to help you improve, grow and know what to do next.   
 

Finding Your Niche and Connecting with an Audience

Once you’ve published a few videos, chosen your niche and begun to learn, things can grow from there. But how do you choose a niche?

Think about a niche in two ways: 

• Who you want to target
• What value you can give your audience

What makes you different from existing channels creating the same content? You need to figure out your interests. What are you knowledgeable about or good at? What are your strengths? Do you have any advantages? And last of all, who could you help with those things?

Example: You’re a bike mechanic who has been working in the industry for years. You know your stuff. You also know that people struggle with certain things, such as bleeding brakes. You start a YouTube channel teaching people how to fix their bikes at home. 

People generally watch videos for three reasons; entertainment, inspiration or education. Think about that when you’re planning your videos! 

Growing your YouTube Channel

The main thing is to keep going! So many people give up after posting a few videos. You’ll need to create processes, use tools like TubeSpanner and keep learning in order to grow. 

Once you get better, you’ll pick up new things. You’ll discover what makes you stand out and what you can offer. It will all get easier with time. Use your time wisely, learn as you grow and give it a try!

All you need to get started is a phone. If you want to make it happen, don’t put it off. When you’ve created your channel, don’t forget to sign up for a TubeSpanner account! Get to know the tools and use them to your advantage!