What’s It Like to Be a YouTuber?

What’s It Like to Be a YouTuber? Advice for a Newcomer

Contrary to popular belief, being a YouTuber is difficult. Yes, YouTubers can make money and it can become a full-time job, but it’s not like that for everybody. A lot of YouTubers do it for fun, a side hobby of sorts, and just like to make videos about things they enjoy or are doing during the day. But whether you’re thinking of becoming a YouTuber for the fame or fortune or just looking for something on the side to do, it takes a lot of hard work, determination, commitment, and time. 

When describing what it’s like to be a YouTuber, I like to tell people it’s stressful. It’s time-consuming. Not only are you coming up with ideas for videos and trying out those ideas to see if they work, but you’re also finding the time to film and edit them. Even if you do film a video, there’s a chance you could end up hating it later, think that no amount of editing in the world will change that and scrap the entire video altogether. Staying on top of the biggest trends and news is always a “must” if you are in a community that may require you to talk about how your favorite author is coming out with a new book, or how you need to stream the hottest new video game before other people. As a BookTuber, I’m always trying to keep up with news of new movie adaptations and new releases.

Another thing is engaging with your audience and other people who post the same types of videos you post if you are in a community in Youtube. This means making your personal social media public instead of private or making an entire new profile just to interact with your viewers, if you feel comfortable. This not only gives you a chance to communicate with your followers what they did and did not like about your latest video if they didn’t already divulge that on the comment section, but you can also take their criticism or comments and apply it to your next video. While this part of being a YouTuber isn’t necessary, and can be invasive as all social media is, it is a good way to connect with others. Connecting with other people who have similar videos and becoming good friends with them can also be a good idea. For instance, I’ve met many other BookTubers just by creating a new Twitter specifically for my Youtube channel.

But, what about the money? The followers? How fast will they come?

The short answer to that is that time will tell. The long answer is that everyone’s channel grows at a different rate. Everyone will be eagerly waiting for that notification that you have a new subscriber and hope to see that follower count skyrocket with monetization ads not even six months since your YouTube debut. As someone who has been on Youtube for years with a very small amount of subscribers, I can say it is frustrating. Hours of hard work put into planning, making and editing your videos and money spent on a good camera feels wasted.

Youtube isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme, even though people think it is. They see how quickly some of their favorite vloggers were able to quit their jobs and have Youtube become their career and even get brand partnership deals. They see the subscriber count and think, “I can do that easily.”

Well, that can be a possibility. It might take only a few months or it might take years. It all depends on how much effort and time you’re willing to put into your channel. Patience is key in these situations. Fame, money, and subscribers don’t just happen overnight. I’d recommend whether you plan on YouTube being a career or a hobby to make a plan. Write down a list of video ideas, make a schedule, and just remember you don’t need to have the highest quality camera or the best editing software to make videos. But, the most important thing to remember is that you should have fun. Have fun vlogging your day, streaming your favorite video game, or trying on new makeup and how you feel wearing it. Remember that it will take time, but the most important thing that viewers will see is you enjoying yourself and enjoying being on Youtube.

Go on, make your videos, and have fun!

Image by Lukas Bieri from Pixabay