Solent University

Southampton

Can you make a living from YouTube?

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Any more questions or tips for YouTube strategies, video or how a degree might help you go into social content? I'm here until Friday.

Solent University

Southampton

Reply 41

Axolotls

First of all, thanks for starting this thread! Secondly, what are your thoughts about the many YouTubers who struggle with the isolated aspect of working at home/ the workload of regular blogging? Do you think because of the largely unregulated aspect of Youtube - or the many presumptions people have around it - people may find it harder to seek help or talk about their more negative experiences becoming a Youtuber? :smile:

Reply 42

Solent University Guest Lecturer

Official Rep

Original post by Axolotls

@Axolotls My pleasure, Axolotis, it's been great to have a good chat with you all.

The isolation side of the job has been highlighted by YouTubers and YouTube in recent months. They know that if their stars get burnt out, there will be fewer videos being made and fewer people on their site watching them. It's great that they are thinking about this because filming and editing in a studio all day can be very isolating for many people. So, now we're aware of this problem it's time to try to combat it.

My advice to anyone starting out:
- Don't burden yourself with deadlines that are too hard to enforce. You don't NEED to post daily or even weekly. YouTube's Content Creators channel has someone from YT saying that weekly uploads don't have to be the norm for every channel.
- If you want to try a daily vlog, why not just do it for a month? That way you're not setting yourself up for burn-out. Your audience will be happy with what you're doing for them anyway. I make videos which have a lot of research/production values (and I have a full-time job) but I think my audience understands and they appreciate the effort that goes into making each video.
- If you are filming/editing/uploading every day, make sure you're getting time away from your studio/office. Go for a walk, meet up with a friend, make a tea/coffee.
- If you're a successful YouTuber, think about hiring in help. You could pay for a freelance editor so you can chill in the afternoon? Hire a manager so they can plan your diary. You want to be able to enjoy your success.

Hope that helps! :smile:

Reply 43

ANM775

So I heard a good tactic to get some extra views is to leave a witty/funny comment on someone else's video and then people will get curious and come to your channel.

So I decided to try this and was shocked today when I went back to the comment and noticed it had got over 200 likes and 1 comment.

Out of all that, [looking at my analytics] not one of those people has bothered to view my channel. Yes, my channel was unrelated to the video I commented on, but some people should have at least got curious and clicked on my channel?

What am I supposed to do? literally be thirsty and drop an actual link?
can't even do that tbh as a lot of channels block links...

Reply 44

Solent University Guest Lecturer

Official Rep

Original post by ANM775

@ANM775 I'm kind of glad you've thought of this because it means you're looking to promote your work rather than sitting back and thinking people will watch it of their own accord. Maybe you're being too subtle in your approach but you also don't want to spam and you can't keep RTing and posting the same video from your social channels. I've seen some good quality channels which haven't fulfilled their potential because they haven't got enough eyeballs on their work to show YouTube that it's good content so you should put in this extra marketing effort.

So...do post on forums which are relevant to your audience/video. I've found Reddit has helped kick-start a couple of my videos, as has TripAdvisor (I have a travel channel) so you might look to showcase your work on a site that's on a similar topic. @ accounts on Twitter and join FB groups which are on your subject...if you've done a good job those who are passionate about it will watch and share.

Once you have got enough eyeballs on it, your watch time will increase and this is when YouTube will start suggesting your videos itself. They'll make it come up as a suggested video, make you autoplay, put you on the side panel and also on some peoples' homepage. Can you think of anyone better to promote you on YouTube than YouTube?!!! This will really help your video get even more traction and send those numbers soaring!

Good luck, hope some of that helps!!

Reply 45

username3942526

Yeah someone I use to go to school with has made it very big on youtube. If you motivate yourself to consistently post content then why not.

Reply 46

Solent University Guest Lecturer

Official Rep

Original post by ساره

Yeah someone I use to go to school with has made it very big on youtube. If you motivate yourself to consistently post content then why not.

Absolutely!!! Just make sure you have something else to fall back on. Why not go into a job/career/degree course that might help your YouTube skills or subject matter?!

Reply 47

Solent University Guest Lecturer

Official Rep

Great to chat to you all this week. I won't be checking this thread anymore so if you have any questions, you can get in touch via social media: Twitter: twitter.com/davidreillytv or the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/lifeofreillytv

GOOD LUCK!!!! :smile:

)

Reply 48

Fullofsurprises

Even if you can earn good money on YouTube, it's likely to be only temporary. It isn't a secure way to earn money, as YouTube make constant arbitrary changes to their operating model, to their algorithms and also to the terms and conditions of payment, which they control 100%. So a 'contract' with YouTube is like a flea having a contract with an elephant.

Reply 49

Yukikobestgirl

it's so hard to make a living from youtube but it's definetly possible albeit only for the few.
Youtube's having monetisation issues recently so it's getitng harder but if your ocntent hits that sweet spot and the algortihm favours you you definetly can.

Reply 50

-Eirlys-

Debate & Current Affairs Helper

Original post by Solent University Guest Lecturer

YouTube will be 15 years old next February. What started out as a place for cat videos and tutorials on how to fix your kitchen sink has become a multi-billion-pound industry. Becoming a ‘YouTuber’ is the top career aspiration by school-aged children according to recent surveys; not an astronaut, doctor or teacher! It seems that a whole generation may have online video aspirations but can you make a living from YouTube? Is it as easy as your favourite vloggers make out? What skills and personal qualities do you need to make it? Will university help or hinder your career chances? Let’s discuss!!

My name is David Reilly and I’m a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at Solent University in Southampton. I have worked at ITV News for nearly two decades but I recently started researching YouTube by creating a channel which earned two national awards and over a million views.

It's certainly possible, but it's not easy to get your feet off the ground. Many famous Youtubers, I feel, got there by accident (thinking of Pewdiepie) and it was a case of right place, right time. He often seems surprised at his own success and he's also honest about some of the difficulties of running a channel. Youtube doesn't seem to be supporting their best Youtubers either. They were recently banning a Youtuber's followers and refused to reinstate any of those accounts because they spammed emojis in a chatroom.

Starting a successful channel now seems a lot harder than it did when Youtube was just getting started. You need to have your own niche, a good entertaining personality, the time to produce and edit videos to a high standard regularly - a lot of self discipline! Having a degree could give you credibility if you wish to make a channel regarding your degree topic, but I don't think it's important for making a channel.

Reply 51

GatoMessi

Tell me Davis Reilly, I wish to learn how to use U-tube, making WordPress, making a Vlog - Sports & Travel (maybe fashion too), so what course should I take from your Solent University? Sports Journalism? What else?