So, you want to start a youtube channel...

Before you even THINK about starting a Youtube channel, you need to ask yourself "What types of videos do I want to make?"

Are there certain Youtubers you enjoy watching? Do you have any hobbies?

If your goal is to become an overnight superstar, it's not going to happen. It takes years to grow your channel and be successful.

But if you want to do it, then DO it! I have been making videos for many years now and still enjoy it.

Here is the link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/LizLovesMakeupx3/

My tops tips to getting started:

1) Good lighting: Don't film your videos at ten o'clock at night when it's dark outside. Natural light is your best friend but if you can't film during daylight hours, I recommend the following lighting kit. It costs around $50 dollars on Amazon.

What about a ring light? I don't have one yet because I don't film a lot of in-person videos, mine are generally top-down facing but these again are a costly investment.

2) Camera: You do not need the newest, most expensive camera on the market to make good quality videos. Shoot your videos with whatever camera you currently own, even if you are using your iPhone or a point-and-shoot camera to start.

My current camera is the Canon Rebel T3i. My sister upgraded her camera over the summer and I bought it off her for a relatively decent price. I also use the lens that cam with the camera. Another very expensive part of getting a DSLR camera is the camera lens. They can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars.

The DSLR camera is great if you know how to use it. My sister taught my some tips and tricks to get started. You also will need to invest in a memory card, I personally use a 64GB card.

Another tip of advice, get a camera with a FLIP-OUT screen. It is immensely helpful if you don't have somebody helping you film videos.

3) Tripod: If you have a big camera, like me, you will need a good tripod. A stack of boxes or piles of books will not be sufficient. I am using a cheap tripod I picked up on Amazon for under $50 dollars.

4) Editing Software: I recommend when starting a channel to use the editing software that comes on your computer. If you have Windows, it is Windows Movie Maker. If you have an Apple, it is iMovie. The professional softwares, Final Cut Pro and Sony Vega, costs hundreds of dollars and you might not have that type of money when starting out. Heck, I don't have that type of money :)

5) End-slates and thumbnails: These are very important because they will help bring the viewer back to your channel to watch the other content you have uploaded. It will also bring in new viewers. I make my thumbnails and end-slates using Picmonkey. It has a free option and a paid option, which gives access to additional fonts, graphics, extra. You don't need any Adobe products to make your graphics!

6) Tags and description box: Similar to above, these help surface your videos to other audience members. I haven't mastered this art but it's similar to when you post a picture on Instagram and you use hashtags.

6) Having the right intentions: Make sure you are genuine in your videos. Nobody likes watching a fake. You should be passionate about videos and it will show through when you are filming. Like I said, this is not a get rich fast business.