How to Be Successful on YouTube

Co-authored by Timothy Linetsky and Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: October 17, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to structure your YouTube account and behavior for success. While your definition of success may vary, you can generally achieve YouTube success by streamlining your content, following specific guidelines for your videos, uploading with engagement in mind, and interacting with the YouTube community.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Cleaning up Your Channel

1
Determine your definition of success. Being successful on YouTube can range from gathering a certain number of subscribers to making money; before you set out to optimize your YouTube channel for "success", you should know exactly what you need to accomplish in order to meet that goal.
- Subscriber success is usually a matter of promoting your videos as aggressively as possible. It will take time, but you can usually build up your subscriber base in this way.
- Monetary success is a bit trickier on YouTube, as you'll need to reach a lifetime video view of 10,000 and verify your account before you can start earning money.
- Keep in mind that success on YouTube is still largely contingent on luck. You can do everything correctly and still not gain subscribers or amass channel views due to YouTube's algorithm.
Expert Answer

Q

When asked "What's your definition of success?"

Timothy Linetsky
Music Producer & Instructor
Timothy Linetsky is a DJ, producer, and music educator that has been making music for over 15 years. He is a certified Ableton trainer and creates educational YouTube videos focused on producing electronic music. He has over 90,000 YouTube subscribers.

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Answer from Timothy Linetsky:

Timmy Linetsky, a popular YouTube musician and DJ, says: "Success for me would be to come up with a cohesive album and to play shows and share that with the world. And then as far as teaching, I love helping as many people as I can with their music and with their artistic expression. But more than anything, my personal definition of success would be to be the best person I can be to the people around me. Music is great, being on YouTube is great, but more than anything is that it's pretty great being a good person."
2
Figure out your content area and audience. If you don't already know what genre your videos belong to or who they're for, you'll have a hard time sticking to a specific content area, and your subscriber base won't grow due to having no real niche. Figuring out the what and the who of your videos will help streamline and focus your content.
- Once your videos begin to fit a specific pattern, you can make micro-improvements to them to help them continue to fit your audience as it grows.
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3
Create a channel if you haven't yet done so. If you don't already have a YouTube channel, you'll want to set up a new YouTube channel for success by doing the following:
- A unique, easy-to-remember username which summarizes your content
- An eye-drawing profile picture
- A concise but complete explanation of your channel's purpose
4
Remove dissonant videos from your channel. If you have a channel which you've had for a while, you might want to delete the videos from your channel. This will help prevent confusion if viewers stumble across your older content while looking for your new-and-improved stuff.
- You don't have to delete your old videos if they fit your content area and production value.
5
Link directly to your subscription box. Any time you paste your channel's web address somewhere (e.g., in a video's description box or on social media), you can add a tag at the end of the address to link directly to the Subscribe button. Anyone clicking the link will be prompted to confirm that they want to subscribe to you:
- Open your channel's page.
- Select the URL in the address bar.
- Copy the URL by pressing Ctrl+C (Windows) or ⌘ Command+C (Mac).
- Paste the URL somewhere by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ Command+V (Mac).
- Remove the "?view_as=subscriber" section from your channel's address.
- Type ?sub_confirmation=1 at the end of your channel's address.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Creating Videos

1
Stick to making videos which align with your content area and audience. Deviating from your established formula may cause you to lose subscribers. Remember that your viewers are on your channel to see a certain type of content.
- On the other hand, if your current videos aren't receiving much in the way of engagement from your audience, it may be time to change things up.
2
Make sure that your videos engage viewers throughout. Since YouTube changed their algorithm in late 2017, creators are rewarded for the length of watch time rather than individual views. This means that engaging viewers all the way through a 15-minute video will be more lucrative than losing them at the halfway point.
- An easy way to ensure that users are engaged throughout the video is to minimize filler content. If you have to transition from one topic or point to another, keep the transition brief and in line with your content.
3
Try to lengthen your videos. While you shouldn't add filler for filler's sake, if you have exceptionally short YouTube videos (e.g., under three minutes), you may want to increase the length by one or two minutes where possible.
- Ideally, your videos will be between 8 and 12 minutes.^{[1]
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- This is especially important if you're trying to make money while operating with a small initial subscriber base.
- Don't extend your videos if your content persuasion clearly relies on short, punchy content (e.g., Tasty videos).
4
Determine when users stop watching. Knowing when users are losing interest in your videos can help you change your video layout, especially if your videos all follow a specific format. You can see the point at which users stop watching your videos by doing the following:
- Click your profile icon in the upper-right corner of YouTube.
- Click Creator Studio
- Click ANALYTICS on the left side of the page.
- Look at the "Average view duration" section on the right side of the page.
5
Use video cards to direct viewers to your other content. Adding annotations with links to your other content will both keep your audience aware of your other content and encourage longer viewing sessions.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the video player with annotations, as this can be annoying and unconvincing.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Optimizing Video Uploads

1
Use high-quality equipment. When recording anything other than on-screen content (e.g., video game playthroughs), using high-quality camera and audio equipment can be the difference between YouTube success and average videos. Try to use the following:
- A dedicated camera with high-definition (1080p) recording capabilities
- A dedicated directional microphone
- Lighting
- While many smartphones also have HD recording capabilities, you'll want to stick to a dedicated camera when possible.
2
Upload at the right time. You can ensure that people are actively viewing and responding to your content by uploading during the following times:^{[2]
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- Monday through Wednesday — Between 2:00 PM EST and 4:00 PM EST.
- Thursday through Friday — Between 12:00 PM EST and 3:00 PM EST.
- Saturday through Sunday — Between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.
3
Upload consistently. It doesn't matter whether you upload 12 times per week or once per week—just make sure you're uploading at approximately the same time for each upload. Your subscribers will come to expect this kind of consistency, so make sure you honor their time.
- For example, if you establish a routine of uploading once every Tuesday and Thursday, don't randomly jump around to other days.
- Uploading more than 7 times per week isn't recommended, as doing so will both flood your subscribers' subscription boxes and invariably lower the overall production value of your content.
- If you have to miss a day, make sure to update your subscribers both on YouTube and in linked social media.
4
Use keywords in your title. Clickbait is often frowned upon, but generic titles don't stick out enough to draw the eye. Knowing what your video is about and generating a title based on appropriate keywords will help search engines and viewers alike find your videos.^{[3]
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- You can use the free Keyword Tool (https://keywordtool.io/youtube) to determine which keywords best fit your content area.
5
Don't neglect the thumbnail. The most successful YouTube creators use distinct thumbnails for their videos. Your thumbnail should include a clear visual preview of the video's content, a word or two, and other eye-catching details (e.g., an image of your face or an explosion).
- Avoid placing controversial or suggestive content in the thumbnail.
6
Fill out the description box. The description box is one of the most important parts of your video, as it allows you to add context, accessibility features, and more to your video. Your description box should have most (if not all) of the following:
- A description of the video
- A message to your viewers (e.g., a catchphrase or a thank-you)
- Time-stamps
- Links to social media, a Patreon account, and/or other channels
- Tags

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Interacting with the Community

1
Respond to comments on your own videos. Once you start gaining comments on your videos, you can interact with a few people per video by replying to their comments, engaging in a conversation, and/or liking their comments.
- Many viewers will appreciate your interaction and view it as an incentive to visit the next video.
2
Implement viewer suggestions. While you don't have to take every suggestion which comes your way, making popular tweaks to your content will both show viewers that you read their comments and demonstrate that you value their opinions.
- If you don't want to take suggestions from your viewers, you can also try doing a contest with a reward or shouting out different subscribers at the end of your video.
3
Comment on other people's videos. YouTube is a social platform, and much of the support you'll find comes from other users just like you. Commenting on these users' videos will help the users while making your channel more visible.
- Keep your comments polite, sincere, and non-spammy.
4
Link social media to your channel. Social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram all allow your viewers to see a different, non-YouTube side of you. While subscribers often enjoy this intimate peek into your private life, having social media pages for your YouTube channel also means that you can reach more people outside of your YouTube channel.
- It's also good to have social media accounts in case you have to update subscribers outside of YouTube.
5
Add a link to a Patreon. Many YouTubers rely on subscriber support from Patreon, which is a service that allows subscribers to pay a small monthly donation to you. Patreon is less invasive than asking for donations via PayPal or similar, and it allows you to reward your subscribers based on how much they donate per month.^{[4]
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- This is also a great way to begin making money when you haven't yet hit the 10,000 lifetime channel views mark.
6
Respond positively to the work of others. No one likes negativity, and reacting to other people's works with anything other than positivity can be detrimental to your career. There are various beneficial and caring ways to go about being positive, including the following:
- Responding to popular videos with genuine praise
- Creating exciting content that relates to other videos
- Giving positive, constructive feedback when asked
- Avoiding asking for favors, subscribers, or channel views
7
Be respectful. Don’t expect anything from anyone on YouTube. The less cocky you appear, the more likely you are able to achieve success.
- Remember to be respectful with people's time as well. Don't upload filler or meaningless content just for the sake of uploading.

Community Q&A

Question

Do you need a microphone for good audio or just a camera along with a tripod?

Community Answer

It depends. If you are recording your video from your laptop, you can use your built-in microphone for good audio. However, if you're using any camera DSLR or not, you'll want to use a microphone or a lavaliere. If you want to use a lavaliere, don't go and buy one because they can be expensive. Find a do-it-yourself video on YouTube on how to make a lavaliere out of your Apple earphones, as that is a cheap and easy way to get great quality sound.
Question

How much money should I spend on making and editing a video?

Community Answer

When you're first starting out, don't spend a lot on them. You can easily make videos for free and edit them with iMovie or other low-priced or free software. If you're getting hundreds of thousands of views, you can monetize your videos and spend any money on upgrades you want then.
Question

What if we need school and can't make videos on weekdays?

Community Answer

If you really want to start YouTube seriously, you need to have a schedule that's consistent, regardless. Make enough content each weekend to cover a few weekdays and schedule these for uploading at regular weekday times.

Warnings

Plagiarism and copyright abuse will often result in a strike against your channel. Unless you're criticizing a video and thus showing parts of it under fair use, avoid using other people's content in your videos.

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Always follow YouTube's guidelines, as failing to do so can result in anything from demonetization of your video(s) to channel deletion.

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Avoid showing instances of terrorism, nudity, or abuse in your videos.

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