Why you need to (finally) start a YouTube channel

“It’s too late to start a YouTube Channel.” “There are already people talking about my niche.” I don’t know the first thing about having a YouTube Channel.” Do these thoughts sound familiar? I am here to tell you to STOP talking yourself out of starting a YouTube channel, because... it’s not too late, there is only one YOU, and you can learn all the things you don’t know. This is actually the perfect time to start a YouTube channel - honestly, it’s probably easier to start and grow a YouTube channel now than it was when I originally started. Back then, people and businesses didn’t look at YouTube as a way to earn an income or market a product - that has dramatically changed now and it’s probably the best time to hop on the YouTube bandwagon. Today, I want to chat about why you need to finally start a YouTube channel. Let’s dive in.

The platform is missing your voice.

As I mentioned, the reason it doesn’t matter that there are already people talking about your niche is that there is only one YOU. You aren’t talking about your niche on the platform, and therefore the platform is missing your voice and your perspective. Sure, there might be others talking about the same topic, but by just being your authentic self, you have already differentiated yourself. There are many different ways you can set yourself apart from the rest. This might simply be your point of view or maybe tie in a unique theme or interest you have.

For example, I have been working on a little redesign of my Katie Steckly branding and though I consider myself a digital marker that shares the knowledge and confidence you need to grow as a creator, I am also a travel enthusiast who, if I could, would spend the majority of my time in my renovated van (named Vanjie). Because of my love for travel and adventure, I use that as a theme for my branding. You might hear me use words like adventure and journey in my branding, as well as include travel or adventure-themed imagery in my designs and doodles.

It’s all about setting yourself apart and finding your hook and voice. What makes your content yours? Take a little time today to think beyond your niche or topic - think about who you are as a person. What do you like and enjoy? What makes you smile or feel inspired? Can you incorporate that into your branding somehow? Once you figure out what makes you, well ... you - hop on YouTube and search your niche, does that already exist with that splash of your personality and the theme you created surrounding your brand? Probably not as likely.

Become an authority in your niche.

Another reason you should start a YouTube channel this year is so you can become an authority in your niche. Even if you have already built an audience on another platform, say Instagram for example, long-form videos are a great way to provide a lot of value, which will just enhance your chances of being viewed as a leader in your niche. Sharing your expertise for free on a platform like YouTube will also help to build know, like, and trust with your audience.

Building authority within your niche is critical for building a successful, long-lasting brand. Not only will this gain the trust of your audience, but it can open up sponsorship opportunities, help you sell your products and services, and more.

Reaching a new audience.

Maybe one of the biggest reasons you should start your YouTube channel this year is to expand your reach. YouTube is not simply a website or social media platform; it is a search engine. YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google - which means you can leverage their existing audience to build your own community.

Business growth is dependent on increasing the number of potential people you have access to, right? With YouTube, not only can you build an audience right here on the platform - but you can also lead them to your email list, your Instagram, and other platforms as well. As someone who loves chatting about growing on Instagram, one of the best ways to grow your Instagram audience is by growing on a platform like YouTube first and sending them to your Instagram.

YouTube videos are evergreen.

When you make a post on Instagram, it normally has a shelf life of about 1-3 days, right? It’s rare you will get much engagement on an Instagram post you made a month ago - YouTube is completely opposite. Every time you post a video on YouTube, you have the potential to get views now, 6 months from now, or even years to come. YouTube videos are considered evergreen, which is really a play on the well-known evergreen trees, like a pine tree. They don’t drop their leaves and can survive throughout all seasons, just like a YouTube video. If you go to my YouTube channel and sort my videos by “most popular” - the top video was posted almost 3 years ago and has 1.5 million views. It is still getting 58.9 views PER HOUR, 3 years later. In this video, I might have mentioned a lead magnet, my Instagram account, and who knows what else - which means I am still getting traction from a video I made in February of 2019.

A starting point for repurposing content.

If you have been following me for a while, you know I talk a lot about repurposing content and what I call cornerstone content. This is content that is longer from and high value - a YouTube video would be considered “cornerstone content”. Though the video is a big-time commitment in your content creation process - it is so worth it to invest in because it will allow you to power through the rest of your content creation process, and repurpose so much content across several different platforms. There are countless opportunities to repurpose your video for social media. Some examples would be making a graphic carousel, story, photo, or reel highlighting the biggest takeaways from your video content. You could create a tweet graphic, quoting a memorable section of your video, or create a meme that references a relatable problem you mentioned. You could even create Pinterest Pins, a Tweet, or a TikTok based on the same video content. You can go beyond that and create a weekly newsletter and a blog, both of which summarize your video. You can see, the list of repurposing opportunities is endless.

Creating more revenue streams.

Okay, let’s be honest - there are usually two reasons that most people start a YouTube channel or business in general. One, they love helping people by educating, inspiring, or motivating them. Two, they are trying to build a profitable business, so they can lead a life they love. YouTube is an amazing platform for creating new revenue streams for your brand and business. Let’s chat about the different ways you can monetize your YouTube Channel.

Google Adsense: With YouTube, once you hit 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours, you can monetize your channel. This just means, you can allow ads to appear at the beginning, middle, and end of your videos - and YouTube graciously allows you to pocket some of that ad revenue. Depending on the brand and video topic, you will get x amount per 1,000 views. Some of my videos generate $25-$30 per 1000 views, and I get half of that!
Affiliate Marketing: This is where a company or brand will provide you a very small commission by recommending their products. There are large affiliate programs, like Amazon Affiliate or RewardStyle. But you can also become an affiliate directly with companies or brands you like. If you love a brand or product, just Google the brand name - followed by "affiliate program", and it will usually take you to their affiliate page if they have one. With affiliate marketing, this is a long-term game. I would recommend having affiliate links in ALL of your YouTube descriptions, having these easily accessible for your audience is the best way to create a steady income stream using affiliate marketing.
Brand Sponsorships: This is a partnership between creators and brands, sometimes referred to as a brand deal. As your channel grows, some brands might reach out to you directly or you can reach out to them. Once you have a small audience, you can start pitching to small brands. In the early stages of your growth - you would probably have a hard time landing deals with large brands - but there are so many small brands out there who would love the opportunity to work with someone with a smaller audience, especially if you already established your authority on YouTube and have a target audience with high engagement. You can actually download my free pitch template I use to reach out to brands at www.katiesteckly.com/pitch.
Products and Services: This one might seem obvious, but YouTube is a great place to share your own products and services as well. If you create a product that solves a problem your YouTube audience has and start mentioning it in your videos, this can potentially provide you sales now and in the future. As mentioned earlier, YouTube videos are evergreen content, so even if your growth might be slow now - what if you have a video blow up a year from now where you mentioned your $10 digital product, you might suddenly have a huge influx in sales.

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If these 6 points didn’t convince you, I don’t know what will! If you would like more podcast episodes on the topic of YouTube, let me know. Also - once you get started on your YouTube channel and have been posting for a few months, we would love to do a YouTube audit for you. Just head over to the Creatorly Media website, www.creatorlymedia.com/audits, and we can provide you with an expert opinion on your channel once the time comes!