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Ask a tech expert: Do you have advice for starting a YouTube channel?
I want to document walking my city’s 100-mile hiking trail system on YouTube. I tried with an old GoPro, and the footage and sound were so jumpy. Any ideas?
— Albert in Texas
How fun! Use your iPhone to record the footage instead. The newer iPhone models have excellent cameras that capture high-quality video and sound. You could also invest in a stabilizer or mount to keep the phone steady while walking.
As for editing the footage, there are a variety of software options available. iMovie is a free editing software that comes pre-installed on iPhones and is user-friendly for beginners. There are also more advanced software options like Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro, but these require a purchase and may have a steeper learning curve.
In terms of hardware, you may want to invest in a good-quality microphone to ensure clear sound, especially if you plan on doing any voiceovers or interviews along the way. Here’s one I like.
Once you have quality footage, you can put it on your YouTube channel. Don’t know how? I’ll show ya.
How to create a YouTube channel
You’ll need a Google Account to like YouTube videos and subscribe to channels. If you want to upload your videos, you need a YouTube channel on top of that.
- Sign in to YouTube on a computer or your mobile phone.
- Tap your profile picture, then Create a channel.
- Tap Create Channel on the menu that appears.
- Review the details (with your Google Account name and photo) and confirm to create your channel.
What’s next?
Your channel name is the official title that people will know you by. If it’s a personal channel, you can name it after yourself. If you are focused on a topic, you can work that into the name. While you can change your channel name, it’s not a good idea to do so often.
Think about how your channel will grow before thinking of a name. You want it to stay relevant. Make it catchy, and keep it simple if you can. You want people to remember your channel and make it intriguing for newcomers.
Put some thought into your cover picture. Like your channel name, you want it to be relevant while attracting attention. For example, if your channel is for kids, you may not want to use the same picture you would to target an adult audience.
Describe your channel in the About section. Tell a story about how you started or why you created the channel. Share your goals with the audience and give detailed information, but don’t go on too long.
Put contact and relevant business information in your About section as well. And don’t forget to leave contact information and links for your audience to learn more.
YouTube sees more than 2 billion monthly logged-in users and 500 hours of content is posted every minute. What makes your channel or business unique from the others? Watch similar content to get some ideas and create your content from that inspiration.
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Tags: accounts, Apple iPhone, computer, editing software, Google, hiking, iMovie, microphone, Target, tech, video, videos, YouTube
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