Starting a YouTube channel for food can be a fun and rewarding experience, but you have to go about it in the right way. You may be overwhelmed by the snazzy food videos on YouTube. But do not be fazed, all these vloggers had humble beginnings!
When you start your YouTube food channel, simplicity and careful planning is the key. Starting in a small way and adding on as you go along is the best way to go. You can create your YouTube channel as a hobby and even monetize it later on.
A Great Medium to Share Knowledge
By establishing your YouTube food channel, you will end up sharing knowledge. And, it isn’t a one-way street, either. You will also find that you learn a lot through your channel. Here are a few useful tips to help you get started:
1. Decide on Your Theme
Food is a huge subject. You can focus on recipes or diet and healthy eating habits. There are so many different types of diets that people follow, like Keto, Paleo, and Vegan. You can dedicate your channel to niche recipes or even exotic drinks.
If you are more adventurous, your YouTube food channel can also take your audience across the world with recipes from all over the world. Whatever you do, before you begin, decide on a theme that you will be comfortable executing.
2. Equipment Matters
Before you start shooting, you will need to invest in some equipment. You can either buy a separate camera or use a smartphone that has a camera of at least 10 MP. Although you can get someone to hold the camera for you, a tripod is a good idea.
Having the best equipment won’t guarantee automatic success on YouTube. Even though the equipment is important, there are many other things that we will discuss further. You can even borrow or hire equipment to start with.
3. Creating a YouTube Channel
In order to start working on your YouTube channel, you have to first create one. Creating a YouTube channel is easy and free. You need to have a Gmail account so create one if you don’t already have it.
You have to go to your YouTube page and find the option for creating a channel. If you don’t already have a YouTube channel, you will get a prompt for creating one. Follow the instructions and fill in the details until your channel is created.
4. Shooting Your Videos
Now for the fun part – shooting your videos – lights, camera, ACTION! But don’t get too carried away. There is much hard work involved in shooting cooking videos. From getting the ingredients together to lighting and creating a script.
If you are shooting recipe videos, there are two types you can make. Either you can show yourself cooking in the video. Or else, you can shoot a closeup of your hands cooking without showing your face.
Whichever type of video you choose, add some catchy music in the background, not too loud, though. You also have the option of doing a live shoot with a commentary and the cooking noises, or you can add a voiceover later on.
The trick is not to get overwhelmed with the entire process. With a little bit of planning, you can come up with some captivating footage. You will find that you get better in time, as you learn from making more and more videos.
5. Scheduling Your Uploads
If you create your YouTube food channel as a hobby, then you don’t need to be too bothered about when you upload your videos. But if you want to optimize your channel and perhaps monetize it further down the line, then you need to upload videos regularly.
6. Editing and Uploading
After each video, you still have a lot of work to do. To start with, you need to edit your video. This means that you have to cut out all the monotonous and repetitive parts, and speed up some of the parts. You can add text and soundtracks.
Downloading a youtube end screen template helps you create outros for your videos. Having some video editing software also helps. You can download it for free, or there are some paid versions available with enhanced features.
Now, all you need to do is upload your video and you have published a video on YouTube! Ensure that you include “like” and “subscription” buttons so that viewers can follow your videos and comment on them as you upload each one.
For more details on how to edit and upload videos visit InVideo.
7. Social Media Aspect
Once you have uploaded your video, you can share it on other social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (you can use various templates, most of them you can find here), Pinterest, and WhatsApp. You can interact with your viewers and respond to their comments and feedback.
Adding a photograph of mouth-watering food from your recipe as a video thumbnail is a good way of attracting viewers. They will be curious to know more about the food featured in the photograph.
Extra Tips to Keep on the Right Track
- Follow trends: Keep abreast of the latest developments and technology.
- Add a personal touch: Be visible in your videos and reply to comments personally.
- Optimize your title: Instead of a common title, you can think of something unique and relevant to what is in the video.
- Work on your feedback: Try to improve the quality of your videos from the feedback you get.
- Use video making software: You can download a free online video maker to improve the quality of your videos.
- Tempt your viewers: Ensure to include mouth-watering food in your videos.
- Suggest alternative ingredients: You should think globally, which means that your ingredients may not be available all over the world. For example, you can suggest using fresh cilantro instead of parsley.
- Monetize your Channel: If you register with Google AdSense, you can start taking ads on your channel and earn some money out of it. You can earn money out of the YouTube Partner Program as well.
You Can Make a Mark with Your YouTube Channel!
If you are able to create a successful YouTube channel, you will be a very busy person. The rewards of getting positive feedback from your channel can be very satisfying. If you follow these tips, you can make your mark in the online world.
If you want your project to remain as a hobby, so be it. However, if you monetize your YouTube channel, it can become a lucrative source of income for you.