How To Become Famous on YouTube

It is not quite clear as to when it became possible to have a legitimate career as a “YouTuber”, but it is a fact. There are many talented people around the world who make their living being “YouTube Famous”. Having read over a dozen bios of famous “YouTuber’s,” I found one thing in common with them all. Each and every popular “YouTuber” started creating and uploading videos starting between 2007 & 2008. Therefore it took at least 2 years to build communities and followers. Each “YouTuber” had an internal drive and passion for creating quick video content because he or she wanted to share their humor, wit, talent, and personality with the WORLD! The “YouTuber” represented themselves as a BRAND to share with their friends and families at first, never intending on making a career. Now many “Famous YouTuber’s” are seen more often than your average sitcom actor (info-graphic @ left). Understanding that the “YouTuber” is the Brand is the very first step! Learning how to shoot and edit video is the second.

How to Become Famous on YouTube:

1. Chose a descriptive username that is easy to remember.

2. Optimize the Channel Page with an original, interactive and attractive design to best represent YOU, the Brand.

3. Include links to additional locations & Social Networks to supply navigation to the viewer to learn more about YOU, the Brand.

• Keep these networks personal, current and as engaged with the community as possible.
• Twitter, DailyBooth, Facebook, iTunes, and Myspace (yes, Myspace) are favored amongst eager YouTube viewers & publishers. Circulating video links with these accompanying social networks is the most effective way to cross pollinate & promote your videos and increase the number of views.
• Be sure to include links for “SUBSCRIBE” to the channel in as many areas as possible. (The KPI of success on YouTube is the number of Subscribers a Channel has or the combined number of Subscribers a YouTube Celebrity has on multiple running channels.

4. Include all possible information including contact info (personal email & phone numbers), mailbox address (for product reviews), Agency & Business Inquiry information, and links as to where viewers can find merchandise to buy (if applicable).

5. Plan a video tone/ technique and release schedule.

The super famous DeStorm releases his new videos on Fridays and MysteryGuitarman uploads his new short videos on Tuesdays & Thursdays. Both “YouTuber’s” announce their schedule at least one time in every video. DeStorm also begins every video with a friendly and musical; “Hey World!”. Viewers will quickly become familiarized with consuming these videos & look forward to checking their YouTube subscriptions on the days their favorite “YouTuber’s” upload new videos.

6. Create a brand persona, similar to your own, that is compelling & interesting for viewers.

Being attractive is helpful but obviously not required. MysteryGuitarMan always wears black sunglasses in his videos for fun & mystery. Every video contains hundreds of comments saying “Take off your glasses!” or “It’s not sunny in your apartment!”

7. Create merchandise to be able to sell on affiliate websites and your own site.

DaveDays has taken his YouTube fameto create his own personal website where he blogs, sells music and merchandise. Even trendy, PHYSICAL stores like Hot Topic are currently selling YouTuber merchandise. You can currently find Dave Days & MysteryGuitarMan t-shirts in the mall!

Why You Want to Become Famous on YouTube:

1. Earn money & free products for video reviews or “haul’s“.

Example: Popular Hauler juicystar07 reviews a shopping trip to Forever21 and describes the sales, each piece of clothing and overall shopping experience with her equally bouncy “YouTuber” friend. The “frosting on the cake” here is that this video haul was featured on Good Morning America for a segment they call Girls Gone Viral.

2. Meet & collaborate in videos with your favorite celebrities IRL!

Example: Dave Days hugs Miley Cyrus, plays Rock, Scissor, Paper with Weezer, and saving the best for last…. Poses with Demi Moore in a Bikini!

3. Propose to your girlfriend in front of the whole world or simply just Score a Girlfriend!

Example: MysteryGuitarMan proposes to his girlfriend in a YouTube video seen world wide & DeStorm has a beautiful girlfriend.

4. Get Paid

Anything else I’ve missed here?

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