Get your first 1,000 subscribers BEFORE 2020

If there's a milestone I love seeing people hit, it's getting started on YouTube. But let's be honest. You want to get subscribers! That's one of the best ways to build your confidence when it comes to video and YouTube. This week, we're digging into how you can get your first 1000 subscribers BEFORE 2020.

Know Your Audience

I know you're multipassionate. You want to talk about a million things. I get it! But there's something to be said for narrowing down your focus. In fact, Sean Cannell says it best.

"The riches are in the niches."

This is 100% the truth. You're not going to get meaningful subscribers by creating content that is all over the map. Instead, you get subscribers by tuning into one particular niche and creating content specifically for the people interested in it. So really, the big question is "who is your content for?"

Don't be afraid to get specific, either. Maybe you're a chef. Instead of focusing on food preparation in general, maybe focus on creating amazing desserts. This niching helps you build strong authority and will bring subscribers to you.

Set Up Your Channel

Luckily, this step is an easy one! But honestly, just because it's easy doesn't mean it's not important. You need to take time to set your YouTube channel up properly so that your audience can find you. You'll want to focus on three areas.

Banner- This is the large image at the top of your channel and will really be what gives the first impression. You'll want to make sure that you keep it simple, include a photo of yourself and even share your value proposition.

Icon- Don't let this name fool you. There shouldn't be any illustrated icon here! Instead, this is where you'll add a photo of yourself. You may feel tempted to add your logo or something else but the simple truth is people want to see your face. People don't connect with logos, they connect with PEOPLE.

About Section- We can't forget this important part! This is where you'll dig into who you are, what the channel is about and even add some keywords!

Research Your Content

One of the best things you can do for your channel is research the content you put out. Instead of just creating content for the sake of creating, research what content is popular in your niche.

You can do this by putting your browser in the incognito mode and searching your topic ideas to validate them. You want to see that there are videos that have higher view counts than subscribers.

Once you find those videos, take some notes. How are they opening the topic up? What types of titles are being used? How about thumbnails?

Prep Your Camera Set Up

Don't get hung up here. You don't need a ton of equipment to be successful. All you really need is a camera and good lighting. In fact, if you have a smartphone or an iPhone, you're already working with a quality camera!

Lighting is honestly the most important thing and can make or break a video. Try filming in front of a window or using daylight balanced bulbs. It's important to use daylight-balanced as they'll be more cool and blue than a standard bulb, which registers as very yellow.

Create a Schedule

Consistency is key to bringing in subscribers. And being consistent without a schedule is nearly impossible. Create a schedule for your content. And I don't just mean when your content will come out but even when you're going to film.

I like to set aside the first Tuesday each month to film my content. This means I have all of my content done and don't have to worry about when life gets in the way.

Script Your Videos

Going into filming with a game plan will make life so much easier for you! But don't worry, you don't need to memorize everything in order to script.

Instead, create strong hook. Viewers make the decision to watch or click away in the first 3-5 seconds of a video. This means really hooking them is so important.

You also want to create a strong ending and call to action. This is going to keep them on your channel and watching.

Film the Video

Friend, here's the truth. You have to just start. Don't wait for everything to be perfect to start filming. Instead, schedule a day and do your best. And don't worry if it comes out perfect! After all, perfect isn't done and perfect won't get you subscribers.

Instead of trying to film straight through, film chunks at a time. This will give you time to check your script and seem more natural and the pauses make editing a bit easier. Speaking of which...

Edit Your Videos

Now I don't mean you need to do anything crazy. In fact, I'm saying the opposite! Keep it simple. For now, edit out the pauses and any mistakes you make. You can add different elements later but simple is best in the beginning.

Final Cut Pro is my editing program of choice but iMovie is a great place to start!

Create a Thumbnail

When you're filming, you'll want to make sure to do something special. Take a still photo of yourself. Or a few really! This is going to be your thumbnail for YouTube.

You really want to take time to create an eye-catching thumbnail because thumbnails encourage clicks. Use a picture of yourself, minimal text and colors that will stand out while also staying in brand.

Upload

You've done all this work, now it's time to upload! Uploading a video can take time depending on your internet speed, time of day, length of video, etc. While it's uploading this is a good time to add all of the necessary details. You'll want to add a description, tags, a title, and and end screen.

Your end screen is SO important. This is going to be what sends people to other videos on your channel, which really encourages a subscribe! If you're brand new, don't worry! You can just add a subcribe button!

Promote it

This isn't a case of build it and they will come. Instead, promote your content. Share it with the world. You can use the platforms you're already on. Share it on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, even Pinterest.

If you're brand new to business or YouTube, don't be afraid to share with your friends and family. They'd love to support you.

Be Consistent and Analyze

You can't film a video here and there and expect it to grow your channel. Instead, post a video regularly. You don't have to post every day or even every other day. The name of the game on YouTube right is quality. Focus on putting one high quality video out every week and that'll help!

Once you've been posting for a bit, take time to analyze your channel. What's working? What's not working? Tweak as you go!

Dig into these steps and you'll subscribers come to your channel!