{"id":12212,"date":"2017-06-01T10:53:10","date_gmt":"2017-06-01T15:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=12212"},"modified":"2019-04-12T10:26:34","modified_gmt":"2019-04-12T15:26:34","slug":"become-professional-youtuber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/become-professional-youtuber\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Become A Professional YouTuber"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"YouTube<\/figure><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Make a Career on YouTube<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You know a career path is mainstream when Forbes starts ranking its highest-paid members, and that\u2019s what happened to <\/span>professional YouTube stars<\/span><\/a> in 2015. The news that Swedish videogame vlogger Felix Kjellberg (aka <\/span>PewDiePie<\/span><\/a>) grossed <\/span>$12 million<\/span><\/a> last year raised some eyebrows and sparked a fresh wave of interest in making YouTube videos for a living.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand the Economics of YouTube<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

YouTube seems like a platform that lends itself to on-a-shoestring success, but there are expenses for video creators beyond the costs of a camera, microphone, editing software, and computer equipment. YouTube reportedly takes a 45% cut of content creators\u2019 ad revenues; the Patreon donation platform takes a 10% cut of tips left by viewers; and sponsored content can pay well but could cause a drop in subscribers. (Even Kjellberg has spoken publicly about the <\/span>challenges<\/span><\/a> small creators face on the platform.) <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is possible to make money on YouTube, but it requires realistic expectations, hard work, persistence, and a real love for what you\u2019re doing. Here are some things to consider as you\u2019re starting out.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a Channel Topic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Video game, comedy, and beauty vlogs are consistently among the most popular on YouTube. These topics dominated 2015\u2019s list of the <\/span>world\u2019s most popular YouTubers<\/span><\/a>. If one of these is your field of interest, the good news is that there are huge numbers of viewers interested, too. The downside is there\u2019s plenty of competition for their attention.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

[bctt tweet=”Want to be a professional YouTuber? Top genres include video games, comedy, and beauty vlogs.” username=”hostgator”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other topics can do well, too. <\/span>Lindsey Stirling<\/span><\/a>, uniquely skilled in playing the violin while dancing, was on the Forbes 2015 list. A quirky topic can be a selling point, and there\u2019s often less competition from other vloggers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select a target audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Professional YouTuber Mah-Dry-Bread explains in the<\/span> video below that income streams vary depending on your audience. Adults are more likely than kids are to use Adblock while watching YouTube, which means creators don\u2019t get ad-network credit for those views. Adults are more likely to use Patreon to donate to YouTubers. Beyond adults-vs-kids, you\u2019ll want to develop your audience-member persona in more detail and pay attention to who your early subscribers are to help focus your content.<\/span>
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