Let’s Play! How to Start a Successful Video Gaming YouTube Channel

Let’s Play! – The Tips and Equipment Required To Start a Video Gaming YouTube Channel

Video gaming is popular. Very popular! The level of excitement conjured up by video game enthusiasts is unparalleled and it seemingly grows more and more each day. People are playing video games everywhere and with various devices, according to their preferences. There are people who solely enjoy playing old video games on retro gaming consoles, as well as folks who jump on the first opportunity to play the latest and greatest in new games. While some games are limited to online play only, most people prefer to play video games on home video game consoles, PCs, laptops, handheld game consoles, tablets, and mobile devices. Did you know that gamers can make money by playing video games on their own video gaming YouTube channel?

If you search online, there are thousands of video gaming YouTube channels that publish videos about playing video games on a daily basis. Some of these “let’s play videos” receive millions of views. In turn, this enables the video creators to become wildly rich simply by doing the activity that they love the most. It’s no secret – video gaming is huge on Youtube. In fact, videos of people playing video games are so popular that Google acquired videogame-streaming service website Twitch for one billion dollars!

But why are so many people creating this type of channel? What’s the appeal?

Well, not only is Youtube gaming a great way to engage the community, but it can also be very lucrative. Pewdiepie, Youtube’s most popular gamer, and the highest earning YouTuber, reportedly makes a whopping 12 million dollars per year, just through his video gaming YouTube channel alone. And according to a recent report by the Global Games Market, worldwide revenues from Let’s Play video game videos are set to reach up to $107 billion within the next year.

If you want to make money playing video games, you can do exactly that by creating a video gaming YouTube channel. But, remember that it will take a lot of effort to make your YouTube video game channel popular. It takes dedication and hard work to make your channel popular on YouTube, thereby gaining numerous views for your videos.

5 tips for starting a successful video gaming channel on YouTube.



1. Brand Your Channel

Branding is the most important thing you can do if you want to succeed on YouTube. Without proper branding, you will not be able to differentiate your channel from the millions of other channels that are available. How do you create a unique brand for your video gaming channel? You have to give your channel a catchy name, something memorable. You also need a good, recognizable logo and a snazzy cover picture. Since you are intimately familiar with the vision of your channel, it is preferable that you design your channel logo, picture, and the video introduction yourself, as opposed to hiring out this task.

Unfair YouTube Bans: How Businesses and Creators Can Avoid Them

2. Publish Videos Every Day

Once you’ve established your brand, it is the time for you to focus on your business. Your business is to create consistent content for your channel. Make a goal to publish at least one video every day for your channel. Since you love video game, it will not be too difficult for you to do so. For example, you can simply record yourself playing your favorite game for 10 minutes. That is enough to provide initial content to your channel. The more content that you create, the more popular your channel will become and the more opportunity that you will have to monetize it.

3. Offer a Variety of Content

To keep your channel fresh and interesting for your audience, you need to publish more than one type of content on your channel. You need to offer a variety of different types of videos and there are many other ways to make money on YouTube. This is important to attract as much interest as possible from a varied audience and get more views for your YouTube videos. For instance, you can publish a “Let’s Play” video every Monday while publishing video game reviews every weekend. In this way, people will keep coming to watch your videos because you are offering them a variety of content that they can enjoy.

4. Always Ask Your Viewers to Subscribe

Remember: It is important to ask your viewers to subscribe at the end of every one of your videos, as well as in your video descriptions. Your ability to build subscribers to your YouTube channel will determine the popularity of your channel. The best thing about YouTube is that the more popular your channel becomes, the more it will attract viewers to your videos. The more subscribers that you have, the more people will subscribe to your channel. So, make sure that you continuously encourage people to subscribe to your channel, so that they can watch the latest videos as they are uploaded to your channel.

https://videotoorder.com/blog/build-youtube-channel-subscribers/

5. Offer Free Prizes for Special Events

It is always great to give a free prize to your viewers on special events. Not only it will keep your channel subscribers happy, but it will also give your channel more clout. For instance, you can give a free prize when you reach a certain number of subscribers, during specific holidays, at the release of certain big-name games, and so on. When you give value to your subscribers, they will reciprocate by continuously returning to your channel. If their perceived value is high enough, they will likely recruit their friends to support your channel, as well. This way, you can profit more from your video gaming YouTube channel.

Everyone wants to make money with a hobby that they love. If your passion is video games, then why not create a video gaming YouTube channel and start making money? The tips listed above are just a few of the many ways you can turn your passion into profit. Of course, not everyone is going to earn as much as Pewdiepie, but if you want even a fraction of the pie, then you’re going to have to get set up with the proper equipment.

Let’s take a moment to discuss the gear and equipment you need in order to start your own Youtube video gaming channel, too.

The Gaming System

The equipment for starting a YouTube video gaming channel is different than starting a typical YouTube Channel. When it comes to choosing among the best gaming platform, it’s really just a matter of preference. However, if you would like to appeal to a wider audience, then you should probably choose from the most popular gaming systems on the market today – the PS4, XBOX, and your own personal computer.

PS4

The PS4, formerly known as PlayStation by Sony, is most known for its user-friendly interface as well as it’s neat sharing features. So if you’re a beginner, then it can definitely get you started with a video gaming YouTube channel. PlayStation is the host of popular games such as Uncharted, Infamous and God of War. If you want to play online multiplayer modes, then you will have to pay for a PlayStation Network (PSN) membership of $60 yearly or $10 monthly.

XBOX

Another popular choice for Youtube gaming is XBOX. This console is known for its awesome entertainment features, network stability, and backward compatibility. Xbox is the home of Forza, Halo, and Gears of War. Microsoft’s Xbox Live Gold also charges a subscription fee of $60 yearly or $10 monthly.

Personal Computer

Many people are surprised to learn that the world of gaming is already at their fingertips. Your own personal computer can act as the ideal console. This is especially the case if you’re just starting off and are working on a limited budget. It’s flexible, powerful and offers a massive selection of games from which you can choose. Gaming PCs come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and configurations, so before you splurge, you should consider how much experience you have as a player because they do come with learning curves.

If you would like something that acts as both a PC gaming system and a big-screen TV, then consider purchasing the Alienware Alpha and the Maingear Drift. They are both compact and sleek. However, if you prefer something that you can customize and has eye-catching designs, then you should consider the Origin Millennium and Maingear Shift. These machines are massive and at any time you can pop them open and add any new component you like.

The Hardware

Elgato Video Capture

When shopping for gaming supplies, you can’t just stop at choosing a game console. Since gaming involves viewers actually watching you play your games while giving live commentary, then you’re going to need something that can record both audio and video. There are a lot of selections on the market today, but the most popular and widely used is Elgato. By connecting this piece of hardware to your gaming consoles, you can record all of your gameplay in HD quality. In fact, unlike lower-end recording devices that capture in 30 frames per second and 720p, the Elgato records in 1080p and 60 frames per second.

Headset

You should also invest in a quality headset that features a microphone. There are three essential keys in choosing the best headset: comfort, sound quality, and microphone clarity. Everything else can actually be considered a bonus. Over the ear headphones are great for sound isolation, but they can become a little hot and uncomfortable over time, depending on how long you play. On the other hand, ear but can be a more comfortable fit, though they can slip out if they are not properly fitted. Many people are impressed by the quality of HyperX Cloud Revolver.

The Software and Applications

Now that you’ve played a few rounds of God of War, Halo or World of Warcraft and you’re done recording, it’s time to edit your videos. As with game consoles and hardware, there are a lot of different video editing apps and software options from which you can choose. However, among the most popular video gaming YouTube channel celebrities, most are using Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro.

Adobe Premiere

Adobe Premiere Pro is extremely popular and is timeline-based. It is available for both Windows and Mac. If you have experience with After Effects and Photoshop then this software should be a piece of cake. It offers top-notch video masking as well as awesome transitions. Granted, this may not be the cheapest software, but it definitely adds a touch of professional quality to the finished product.

Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro is pretty famous when it comes to video editing. In fact, it has edited a lot of well-known movies and films. This software was developed by Apple Inc and is relatively easy to use. However, this program is only for Mac users.

The Takeaway

As you can see, starting your own video gaming YouTube channel is not as complicated as many people think. Most of the gaming equipment you purchase will be a matter of personal preference. However, there are a few industry favorites among them, so you definitely need to think ahead and choose wisely. Some of these things may require a learning curve, but with a little investment of time, you should be able to figure it out in no time. The most important thing is to ensure that you give excellent commentary and connect with your audience.

Sure, the right equipment can initially set you apart from the rest, but your viewers are most interested in the quality of your content.

Top 10 Ways to Make Money on YouTube

L. Scott Harrell

L. Scott Harrell is the Executive Editor of Vtrep.com. He is also a serial entrepreneur and top tier business development professional who speaks leadership, startups and digital media masterfully. Scott can be reached via email: editor@vtrep.com

Comments (1)

  • Avatar

    Clayton Guimarães Leite Pereirsays:

    May 24, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    Hello, i m from Brazil, planning starting a gameplay channel on youtube, but i don’t know nothing about the copyright, can i make gameplays without restrictions ?

Comments are closed.



Press ESC to close