ANSWERING ALL YOUR YOUTUBE QUESTIONS! CONTENT PLANNING, TAXES, BALANCING YOUR SIDE HUSTLE, & MORE! Q&A PART 2
Hey guys! Welcome back. Welcome to part 2 of my Q&A. Today I’m tackling all of your Youtube related questions! If you missed part 1 of my Q&A featuring your blogging, Instagram questions- check it out here! I narrowed the questions down depending on if I got similar questions, so make sure you read them all for my answers. EThanks for sending in all your amazing questions!
Q: “DO YOU PREFER INSTAGRAM OR YOUTUBE?”
A: OK. Tough question. I love them both for different reasons. I love Instagram to share more bits and pieces of my everyday life. I also love to get creative with my posts and stories- you guys know I’m all about photo editing and creating interesting content. It’s a huge outlet for me! Youtube is similar in that way, It’s just way more highly produced and structured. Instagram and Youtube are both apart of my job, but I’d like to think Youtube is my job JOB and Instagram is just an extension of it. To get more specific, I spend the bulk of my time on Youtube. I decided instead of trying to gain followers on Instagram, I’d focus on gaining subscribers on Youtube and allow them to naturally get led to my Instagram from my channel. Make sense?
Q: “WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO START A CHANEL?”
A: Fun fact- before I had my Youtube channel I had this blog! And one day I decided I wanted to do a post on “How I Curl My Hair”. Photos weren’t going to cut it, so I filmed it! Just like that, a hair tutorial was my first Youtube video and it grew from there. Sure it took me a while before I was consistent and could call myself a “YouTuber” but I just went for it and I’m so glad I did!
Q: “WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STAY ACTIVE ON YOUTUBE WITH A 9-5?”
A: You have to make the absolute most of your weekends/days off! If you work M-F 9-5, girl you better be up on a Saturday morning filming your video for the week! I know a lot of people say they want to do Youtube but don’t have time because they work full time. But.. if you REALLY want it, you’ll make it happen. I use Ashley Brooke (one of my fav Youtubers) as an example often- she worked a full-time corporate job when she started her channel and she still uploaded 3 TIMES A WEEK! Like, I can barely do that now, so hats off to her. What I’m saying is, there’s always a way to make it work if you want it to.
Q: “WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS TO START A YOUTUBE CHANNEL? PROGRAMS, TOOLS, ETC.”
A: I’ve been using the camera that I have now ever since I started my channel and I think it’s a great tool if you’re just starting out on Youtube. I have the Canon Rebel T5i and It’s a great, user-friendly camera. If you can’t afford a camera right now but you want to start a channel- use your phone! Many people do and if that’s what’s holding you back just do it. Some content is better than no content!
As far as programs go, all you need is iMovie. You DO NOT need to purchase fancy editing software when you’re just starting out because you aren’t even going to know how to use it yet, so it’s just waste. You gotta learn the basics first and iMovie is perfect for that.
For tools, I recommend any type of tripod for your camera and a basic ring light if you can afford it. This is the one I use here. If you can’t afford the ring light, no biggie. Just film your videos in front of a window with good natural lighting. Moral of the story here is, don’t let the things you think you “need” hold you back from going for it. You can figure things out along the way while you save for the gear you want in the future.
Q: “WHEN YOU PLAN OUT YOUR VIDEOS, DO WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY OR DO YOU JUST BULLET POINT YOUR KEY THOUGHTS?”
A: I write down basically everything! I create a whole video outline to keep me on track. I am SUCH a talker so if I don’t I’ll literally go on and on about the same thing LOL. It also depends on what I’m filming though- if I’m filming a clothing haul, I don’t typically do an outline. Those are more in the moment videos because it’s pretty easy to stay on track when I’m just showing clothes. If I’m filming a “how-to” video, like an Instagram editing tutorial- everything is very planned out so that I can make sure I’m saying everything that needs to be said.
Q: “HOW TO SEARCH OPTIMIZE YOUR YOUTUBE VIDEOS?”
A: Your title and thumbnail are KEY. Using the correct wording and titles on your videos are major because it will help your discoverability. I try to think about, “if someone was to search this video, what would they type in?” Something else to think about is getting your videos suggested on other videos. That’s a huge part of getting discovered! For example, if I’m posting a fashion haul- in my title I will include a few of the stores featured, “Spring Fashion Try on Haul! 2019 Topshop, H&M, Forever 21, & more!”. So that if someone is watching a video featuring Topshop clothing, my video will be suggested in the sidebar.
Now that your videos are getting suggested, you have to make sure your thumbnails are just interesting. You can be on someones suggested all day, but they won’t feel the need to click on your video if your thumbnail is lame. Having a photo compelling enough that someone wants to click on is a huge part of getting views + subscribers.
There is a lot that goes into search optimization and it can get confusing the more I go on. Google is a great resource to look up articles that simplify it a bit for beginners. Google is your best friend if you’re just starting out.
Q: “HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO BUILD A FOLLOWING ON YOUTUBE AND WHAT ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD?”
A: I’ve had my channel for 3 years now! I have not experienced consistent growth until the past year and a half. It was a slow build at first and I was okay with it because it gave me time to add a decent amount of content to my channel. For the first year, I was off and on. Posting every other week or once a month, that didn’t help my growth. I decided I was going to commit to posting twice a week for a while and that helped me a lot. All in all, I decided posting once a week was better for my style of content considering the amount of time I spent on each upload. If you’re just starting out, I recommend that you guys try uploading multiple times a week for a while. More videos= more views= more subscribers.
Refer to my last answer from the previous question for more tips on strategically building your channel and gaining views.
Q: “HOW DID YOU LEARN HOW TO EDIT VIDEOS?”
A: It’s all trial and error. I’ve always been tech-savvy, but video editing was new for me. You have to just learn along the way. I’m sure there are online classes you can take to learn but like, who has time for that? (Lol). I recommend starting with iMovie and getting comfortable with that for about a year. THEN upgrade to Final Cut Pro. Like I said above, do not start with Final Cut Pro! You will be lost and it’s better to start with the basic programs. There’s no secret that I have for editing my videos, you just learn tricks as you go along.
Q: “DO YOU TYPICALLY USE MUSIC IN YOUR VIDEOS, AND IF SO WHERE DO YOU GET SONGS FROM?”
A: Oh what fun it is to find upcopyrighted music for your videos. It’s one of the biggest pains that comes with creating Youtube videos. I get most of my music on SoundCloud from independent artists that usually include “upcopyrighted” in their titles. I can’t lie, it’s still a struggle and takes me a while to find songs that I actually like. One artist I love is Joakim Karud.
Q: “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO START VLOGGING?”
A: HEHE. I really want to, soon! I am planning on buying a vlog camera at some point this year. Starting to vlog on my channel is actually one of my 2019 goals. Might sound silly but it has been requested by many of you guys! They’re also my favorite type of videos to watch right now so I think it would be super fun. Stay tuned!
Q: “HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR CONTENT CALENDER? HOW MANY MONTHS OUT?”
A: At the moment, I have my videos planned out until the end of March. I will be further planning out to April sometime next week. That’s typically how far out that I’ll go. I love to have my content planned out for peace of mind, but I don’t go too far out because I always want to keep my ideas fresh. If I didn’t have a filming schedule, every week I’d be stumped on what to create. You have to plan those kinds of things out in the moments that you’re feeling inspired and creative.
Q: “HOW DO TAXES WORK WHEN YOUR GETTING PAID BY YOUTUBE? DO THEY OFFER INSURANCE?”
A: Must you remind me about taxes? Haha just kidding. But really. Taxes is one of the least fun things about Youtube. But, it’s not only a Youtube thing. When you have a channel you’re considered “self-employed”, just like owning your own business or working as a freelancer. Taxes aren’t taken out of my paychecks so once tax season comes around I owe money. Instead of living it up with my tax return, I’m crying in the corner. Kidding again. (lol). They do not offer insurance because I don’t work for Youtube. I don’t have a boss, I am self-employed. You have to get your own insurance and pay your own taxes. Girlboss sh*t.
Q: “WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING OUT IN YOUTUBE AND BUILDING THEIR OWN BRAND + BIZ?”
A: Be consistent! I cannot stress that enough. Like all things in life, consistency is KEY. No one is going to subscribe to your channel if you have one video from 4 weeks ago. They’re going to subscribe if you show up every week like you say you will with fresh, new content. Not only will it create an incentive for people to subscribe, but it will help your discoverability. As I said above, more videos= more views= more subscribers.
If you need some help staying motivated or just need business advice in general, one word- PODCASTS. I cannot recommend listening to podcasts more, It’s definitely where I have learned most of what I know about this space. It’s such an amazing FREE resource that has helped me immensely. I have a blog post with all my favs (including business advice/motivational) here.
Q: “DO YOU USE ANY FILTER/LUT ON YOUR VIDEOS?”
A: I don’t. I have looked into using one but haven’t found one that I like. I love the idea of all my videos having a cohesive color tone but for now, I just try to accomplish that by using the same settings and lighting every time I film. If you know of any good luts, let ya girl know!
Q: “WHAT ARE SOME YOUTUBE VIDEO IDEAS THAT DON’T REQUIRE A LOT OF MONEY?”
A: You don’t have to spend ANY money to make a Youtube video. When I first started I did a lot of videos like, “Wardrobe Must-haves”, “5 Things Every Girl Needs in their Closet”, etc. All of those videos were created with items are already owned and it didn’t cost me a dollar to make. The same thing for styling videos, I typically created outfits with pieces I already had in my closet. If you think you need to purchase items every time you make a new video, you’ve got it all wrong. You have to be resourceful and creative with what you already own.
To this day, I make videos that don’t cost me anything to create. Like my Instagram tutorial videos, no supplies are needed. I just give advice and share how I’m creating the content I’m creating. You can apply these same tips to whatever niche you are in. Ya’ feel me?
Q: “WHERE DO YOU GO FOR INSPO? HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH NEW VIDEO IDEAS?”
A: These days, I love asking my subscribers what they want to see. Whenever you comment a video request or DM me, I make a note of it. For inspo, I love Pinterest, following cool Instagram pages, and just watching other Youtuber’s videos! I am constantly inspired by other’s content and it sparks ideas of my own.
Thank you so much for reading! Xx
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