How to Become a YouTuber in 2022 [The Ultimate Guide]

Do you want to get famous and make money? Do you want to become a YouTuber? Here’s a complete guide to help your dream come true. Check it out...

How to Become a YouTuber in 2022 [The Ultimate Guide]

You quickly check your phone and scroll through some exciting PewDiePie or Marshmello vlogs. But as soon the vlog completes, you start to dream of being famous. Well, you can! But there is a small reality check for you. Being a YouTuber seems all fun and games until the word "successful" gets added before it. There is a massive pool of vloggers out there!

There are more than 37 channels that upload 500 hours of video every minute. Why would anyone specifically choose to consume your content?

You might be pretty good at content creation. But there's a load of these already.  Why would anyone stop binge-watching Brooklyn 99 or The Office to watch your YouTube videos? Gaining those million subscribers is much more than just creating quality videos. It is just not about the hard work!

Want to know all the secrets? Here is a detailed guide with all the steps you can take for building a successful YouTube channel.

Step 1. Choose a niche you’re passionate about

2021 is all about content. There is a massive set of audience for every possible type of content out there. Sit and write down on a piece of paper all the niches you’re passionate about. What is the kind of content that ignites you? Can you create fashion content for the rest of your life? Does travel vlogging sound thrilling enough to get you out of bed and shoot every day?

If you have two to three options in your mind, pick the most scalable one. But whatever it is, make sure your brand is all about your natural personality. Be authentic and genuine in front of the camera. People are going to love it.

Don't create "DIY makeup for a date night" if you’re least interested in "Beauty" just because it's trending. Don't create comedy content; just because it usually works, if you know you’re not particularly funny. Go with the one you relate to the most.

successful youtuber pwediepie

Here's the famous channel of PewDiePie by a Swedish YouTuber called Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg. He shares video game commentaries and satirical vines. He won several awards and held the record of being the most subscribed channel. It has 109M subscribers with over a 27billion+ views.

So no matter what your channel is about, you need to be passionate about growing and creating content!

Step 2: Zone in on a goal

Why do you want to create your own YouTube channel all of a sudden? Think about it! Is it the money? Is it the fame? Are you attracted to the Instagram-worthy, lavish lifestyle of influencers? Or is it purely out of your passion for creating content?

Chalk out a plan accordingly. If you want your YouTube channel to sustain your lifestyle or help you achieve your financial goals, focus on increasing your subscribers and cracking more brand deals. If you are craving a loyal fan base, figure out ways to grow your views and comments.

Don’t be all over the place! Be specific and figure out your USP.  If your goal is to educate people, stick to tutorials or informative "how-to" type content. If you want to entertain your audience, do it.

youtube influencer

A fashion and lifestyle vlogger Zoe Sugg uploads behind-the-screens glimpses of her daily life and speaks candidly about her anxiety issues. It sets her apart from the other lifestyle and fashion creators and makes her audience feel connected with her. Once you zone in on a particular goal, your chances to achieve it automatically spike.

Step 3: Research the target audience and the YouTube stars they follow

Great content is not born by chance! Depth research is the key. You might have a lot of original ideas in your mind for your new video. But how do you keep these ideas flowing? How do you know which of these ideas for your new vlog will work and which one might turn out to be a "massive flop-show"? Here’s the best way to not run out of ideas and create content that your audience needs - start researching more about your target audience!

Suppose you want to create motivational content. Search for the best YouTubers in this niche with a massive following. Can you figure out what can be similar? Implement them in your video too. But don’t forget to add your unique touch to it.

youtube target audience

If all of them talk about meditation, you can include it in your videos. But take it a step further by mentioning a specific type of meditation, such as guided meditation like Tara Brach does. Tara, an American psychologist, has a channel dedicated to mindfulness series with 168k subscribers.

You can even use handy tools like Google Trends or Quora to find ideas.

Step 4: Create the YouTube channel

You’ve planned enough - let’s jump into action! Start creating a YouTube profile. Remember, you need to focus on the visuals too. Use tools like Snappa or Canva to create an inviting channel icon and banner. Spice things up with an aesthetically pleasing visual style for video thumbnails. You need not go all "extra" and "fancy.” Just maintain a consistent color theme and font style so that your audience can recognize your channel.

Invest in good video editing software. Some of the great options are Windows Movie Maker or iMovie. There are more affordable yet quality tools like Corel VideoStudio or Filmora.

You don’t need a DSLR. A high-quality camera and a decent microphone will do.

youtube channel bon appetit


Check out Bon Appetit, for example. Their banner is super clean with eye-popping color and easy-to-read font. Their edited thumbnails give summary peeks of the videos with the recipe name and hosts. Strive for the same.

Step 5: Brainstorm and create top-quality YouTube Videos

So you’ve figured out the basics, here comes the main game. How do you effectively brainstorm and generate creative and catchy video content ideas? Create quality content for every range of your target audience. Let’s say you are a travel content creator; then you can create videos such as "5 best luxury resorts" and "5 most affordable places to visit".

Grab a cup of coffee and scribble in your notebook or digital planner the ideas that you feel your audience will connect with and find intriguing enough to stick until the end.

For example, let’s say you’re a food blogger, and your jam is fancy cocktail ideas for dinner parties. Avoid doing the same thing everyone is, like showing the same ten cocktails. Experiment and figure out new twists. Or at least a new ingredient in the same old cocktail style. Stand out among the massive pool of creators. Most importantly, have a content plan.

Step 6: Optimize videos for SEO and acquiring subscribers, and publish

The YouTube algorithm is complex. But the best part is that the audience uses this platform a lot to discover new content. Follow these simple steps to enhance the chances of people discovering your YouTube channel:

  1. Begin with keyword research. When you type terms related to your niche in the YouTube search bar, look at the suggested searches. You can also use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, or SEMrush. Figure out the most popular and competitive keywords in your niche.
  2. Think of an attractive and catchy channel name that resembles your brand. If the name is already taken, head over to Fameswap to check if the account is available for sale.
  3. Make sure you fill the About Us section clearly. It’ll help your audience grasp your niche. It should be engaging and readable enough. Break big chunks of text into smaller blocks. Try to include your researched keywords in it.
  4. Create short and power-punched titles for your videos. Include a crucial keyword at the beginning of the title.
  5. Create a video description of around 200-300 words. Keep it relevant and crisp. Include your best keyword around 3-4 times for search engine optimization.

After you prepare your video, you can upload and publish it. After that, observe the analytics next. How is your audience responding? How can your second video be better than the first one? Think about all of this.

Step 7: Be consistent for more subscribers

You are excited about shooting 2-3 weeks, but suddenly you wonder if it’s even worth it. It is always hard in the beginning when you get fewer views and subscribers. The trick is to develop a schedule and swear by it. Fix days and time to upload your videos.

best time to post on YouTube

Your audience knows exactly when to expect your content. Also, stay on track and organized about content creation. An ideal YouTube video editing and uploading time is between 2 pm - 4 pm. Most of the views are garnered in the evening, giving you enough time for the upload.

Putting out a new vlog every day is great, but it can get a bit hectic when you do not have a separate editing team. So instead, make a weekly plan and follow it. Try to edit the videos as soon as possible or hire a freelancer.

Step 8: Promote the videos on your YouTube channel

Cross-promotion is the best way to get more people to subscribe to your YouTube channel. Promote it across multiple channels like Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms. If you can afford it, advertise your videos with paid ad campaigns on social media channels, as well.

Share a short clip of your YouTube video on your Instagram story. It will attract the attention of your audience. Also, add the link to your YouTube channel in your profile bios. You can build your subscriber base in no time. Just keep posting short-form content based on your videos on those platforms.

Share your YouTube channel on social media

Now that you know that you’re supposed to promote your videos across social media platforms, create a marketing strategy. Here are some plans you can implement right away:

  • Make your social media followers anticipate what your next video will be. Release short trailers, teasers, and glimpses frequently.
  • You can even shoot completely separate, original, and short promotional videos for your vlogs and upload them on different social media channels.
  • Build that relationship and connection with your audience by posting funny and candid, raw, behind-the-scenes videos on your social media channels. Be as authentic as possible.
  • Host attractive contests and giveaways for promoting your YouTube videos on social media. Gift creative merchandise to the winners. You can even plan specific hashtags for your videos.
  • Engage and communicate with your audience in your stories and comment sections of the other social media channels.

Reach out to successful YouTubers and social media influencers

Do you know what people love to see the most these days? Collaborations between their favorite creators. Network with content creators in the same niche as yours and ask them to join you in your videos. A simple mail with a friendly subject line requesting collaboration will work. You can even team up with them in their videos.

The followers of the influencer or YouTube creator you are working with will discover you. It will automatically push the number of subscribers. You can either perform challenges together or make a guest appearance in their videos or vice versa or brainstorm other creative ideas.

buzzfeed youtube influencers

Buzzfeed constantly creates crossover videos with famous brands for marketing purposes. They have tons of challenges and chat posts, so their audience keeps coming back for more.

Run ads promoting your YouTube channel

You have used all your organic strategies, but how do you scale your YouTube channel and make it more profitable? Run paid ad campaigns for your channel. Set a particular budget, create your Ad video, and target your niche audience.

Make sure Ads are relevant to the audience that is already searching. Customize it according to the demographics, location interests, and changing preferences of your audience base.

Step 9: Brainstorm ways to make money and implement them

Do you wonder how to make money on YouTube? Here are a few ways to  monetize your YouTube channel:

  • Pre-roll ads or in-stream advertising, and even bumper ads can be a good source of income. You get paid each time someone clicks your video when the ad plays.
  • You can reach out to brands in your niche or other related niches for a sponsored ad. Let’s assume you have a travel vlog; you can connect with brands selling bikes and cars for endorsement or product placement. You can even place Amazon affiliate links on your video descriptions. You will receive payment per sale.
  • Make sure your videos are aligned with the advertising guidelines of YouTube and fulfill other conditions. Head over to your YouTube account and click on the Monetization section from the creator tab to apply for the program. You can earn membership perks, money through ads, and even cool features like Super Chat.
  • Think about what merchandise you can sell to your audience. The merchandise must be relatable to the content you create. For example, if you are a gaming channel, you can sell video games and gaming consoles.
  • You can make your videos available exclusively on YouTube Premium. The higher views you have on your videos, the more revenue you’ll get from the membership fees.

Step 10: Pay attention to data

How do you know if your audience is liking your YouTube videos? Check out the statistics from the YouTube Analytics section.

youtube analytics


Monitor data like watch time, traffic sources, playback locations, demographics, audience retention, devices, and others. You will get an idea of what kind of content your audience enjoys and the ones they hate.

Use these statistics to bring better changes to your content. Do not overwhelm yourself with much data! Just analyze the statistics that matter. Use it to build a solid content strategy.

That’s a wrap

Now that you know almost everything about YouTube content creation, start taking baby steps. It won’t be a cakewalk. But preparing an advanced day-wise plan and sticking to it will prove effective. Put in the work every single day and become the next big YouTube star.