Starting your own YouTube channel can be both rewarding and challenging at the same time. In this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of starting a YouTube channel based on my experience. I will also be outlining what equipment and tools you will need for more successful video-making.

To begin with, you will need to prepare and plan. Equipment, video editing, learning software programs for your branding and channel theme. Also, if you have never spoken on camera before there is an element of bravery for you to take the plunge and go for it.

If you have never done something like this before, you may feel insecure. Maybe you feel that you are not qualified or good enough to be on camera. Perhaps you doubt that you can be confident or compare yourself to others, thinking that they have something you don’t. Maybe you are worried about what people think about you.

Well, the fact is that successful speakers had to start at the beginning…and they probably weren’t too confident either. A person who speaks confidently on camera has had lots of practice. So, even if you aren’t confident in the beginning, the more you practice, the better you will become. Also, everyone is unique and brings different qualities to the table, so it would be a fallacy to compare yourself to another person.

If you have something that you want to share with others and that drives you more than trying to make money, then YouTube is definitely for you!

I think too many people get stuck on making money or getting subscribers on YouTube, but I don’t think this should ever be the primary motivation to start a channel. Besides, if you tried to continually make content you didn’t have a passion or strong interest in, you would probably get bored quickly and wouldn’t be able to stick to it.

I believe that sharing your passions and interests should be your primary motivation when starting a YouTube channel.

Pros and Cons

The Pros

Reason 1: Sharing Information

The main reason why I wanted to start a channel was to share with others information that I had gathered throughout the years. I started the Spirit Being Life website 15 years ago and was writing articles to share with people, but it was not until recently that I wanted to push myself further and create videos to share. Videos can create a significant impact because people can see who you are and better read your intention in comparison to the written word. It’s able to clarify who you are.

Nothing gives you the greatest satisfaction knowing that you were able to share knowledge with someone and that you were able to uplift, inspire, and create magic in their lives. Also to motivate them to greatness in some way.

YouTube is an excellent platform to be able to connect and share with people around the world. Technically, YouTube is the second-largest search engine, after Google, and more than 122 million people access YouTube daily through its website and mobile apps! Potentially, you will be able to share your message with a very large audience.

This life is so short, doesn’t it make sense and feel great to be able to leave this world knowing that you made a change for the better, to help other people on their journey as well as your own?

Reason 2: Building confidence

One of the things I love about creating your channel is that it builds you as a person. If you aren’t used to talking in front of the camera, creating videos will begin to develop a skill that you didn’t have before. Whether you are shy or just not very confident in front of the camera, creating videos will push your boundaries, practice your communication skills, and therefore build your inner confidence. The more you do something, you are bound to get better at it and feel more comfortable in your skin.

With the right attitude, you begin to work on yourself.

When you play yourself back on a video or audio, you become your own ‘science experiment’. You begin to observe yourself in ways you haven’t before. You begin to ask questions such as: Do I look comfortable on camera? Am I being authentic? Am I getting my point across? Am I clear and concise? Am I engaging and exciting on video? Do I articulate myself successfully?

You begin to notice your weak points and begin to work on yourself to improve your abilities. You strive to become more articulate and learn more about words their meaning and their pronunciation. All of this creates a more intelligent, stronger, and more sociable you. You will be able to take this new you into all other areas of your life for improved confidence in relationships and social interactions.

Another aspect of confidence-building is learning to not be so perfect. Because of time constraints and uploading deadlines, you can’t afford to spend too much time on one video. Small mistakes are allowed because after all, how much time do you have to retake videos? If you are too perfect, you will never get your videos out! This is especially true if you are creating most of the content on your own.

Reason 3: Creative Outlet

YouTube is an excellent platform to make videos about what you love and share it with other people around the world. It makes it free and easy for anyone to start their channel. You can make videos in the comfort of your own home, without making too many changes.

Making videos pushes you to be creative, especially when you are striving to upload videos once a week. Finding engaging content that is also in alignment with the theme of your channel can be tricky, especially when you have to research and create articles or posts to connect the video to.

I love to research and discover more about a certain topic, even if I am completely new to it. I enjoy writing articles and turning them into videos even if the process is time-consuming and challenging. I genuinely find this process fun.

When you research a topic, the information gets embedded and imprinted into your mind a lot more than any other way. It’s a great way to retain information and become more knowledgeable in your chosen field.

Designing your channel and videos

This has got to be another one of my favorite aspects when it comes to starting your own YouTube channel – the design. I love design, communication design is one of my interests. I studied it at university, but back then I never really had a true appreciation for it. It was only years later that I realized how much I enjoyed designing. I have worked for a newspaper creating advertisements for businesses in the past, but the greatest experience is when you get to design for your channel. 

The challenge with starting the Spirit Being Life channel is learning how to use software to be able to edit your videos and make them look great. Having prior knowledge of Photoshop and Illustrator helps. I have mucked around with Adobe Premiere Pro in the past and I have had to learn DaVinci Resolve from scratch using online tutorials. I find Resolve an excellent choice in editing videos. The free version has a lot of inclusions on its own. I also use Canva to create my thumbnails and banners for the channel and social media.

I understand that this can be a huge stumbling block and con for people who find it difficult to learn editing and designing, and who aren’t so tech-savvy. So, for some, this would be a con, for me, it’s a pro.

The Cons and Drawbacks

Reason 1: It’s time-consuming

This has got to be one of the biggest cons when starting your channel. It takes time…and a lot of it. From brainstorming your videos, writing scripts, taking photographs and videos, editing, and finally publishing content.

I have adapted and integrated video-making into my daily routine and schedule. I am surprised that I can integrate making videos into my busy life as a mum with a couple of home-schooled kids to raise and dogs and animals to look after. With enough motivation and passion, I am finding that it is possible. I am constantly thinking about my next video and brainstorming ideas on the go. This takes up a lot of my ‘thinking space’ throughout the day.

Reason 2: Finding a niche

The most successful YouTube channels generally niche their content to one theme. I have found this challenging for the Spirit Being Life channel because I/we have a lot of interests and different topics to talk about. To express all of these interests into one channel and one general theme can be tricky. This is why people have multiple channels, although, with time constraints at the moment, I can only focus on one. We’ll see how things progress, perhaps multiple channels in the future are a possibility?

Reason 3: Staying motivated

You need support to make the channel work so you can stay motivated to keep going and consistently upload videos.

Starting a channel can be tough and as with any new endeavor, problems do arise. It’s a fact that many YouTubers face challenges that lead them to quit within their first year. A significant number of new creators stop uploading content due to factors like burnout, lack of growth, and the demands of consistent content creation. For this reason, you must have family and friends around you that support your channel.

The reality is that you may not see growth for quite a while, even if you have put tons of work into your videos. So, the more people who support and back you through the tough spots, the more motivated you will stay to make videos.  Surround yourself with the most supportive people that encourage and uplift you. It will be a lot easier if you start a channel with a partner or friend who can share the load and help you with lighting, equipment, photography, editing, scripting, etc.

Reason 4: Buying Equipment

To start a channel, you need good equipment to ensure your videos look and sound great. That includes a camera, studio lights for indoor video making, a tripod, and a good microphone. The con to this is that there is an upfront cost, but it is worth it in the long run to make your videos sound and look like quality.

I am happy to have purchased equipment because I can also use the equipment to elevate my family photos and videos as well as my channel videos. So, at the end of the day, you can’t lose out on any of the equipment purchases.

I have struggled most with achieving the best indoor lighting experience and have yet to create a comfortable and clean looking go-to studio space that I am happy with.

I have set up a green screen to create some of the documentary-style videos on Spirit Being Life. Green screens work best with good lighting and keeping simple shapes within the frame. I have found that adding chairs and other objects creates a challenge when trying to create a clean video image.

Lately, I have been making more videos outdoors because of better lighting conditions, the best place to shoot outdoors is when there is no direct sunlight on the face and body. Overcast days are always best. I usually use a wireless mic (my trusty Rode Wireless GO II), especially on a windy day. My camera has good audio on its own but when it gets windy it will most likely distort the sound. Best to use a wind muff where possible.  

Conclusion

I hope I have outlined a few points and given you some sound advice to help you plan and bring to fruition your YouTube channel. Are you ready to take the plunge? So, if your passion for making videos is more important to you than the time and effort that is required, then by all means go for it! If you don’t start today, then when will you start? Time waits for no one. Good luck.