"2024 Approved  Understanding YouTube’s Income Opportunities Beyond Advertising"

"2024 Approved Understanding YouTube’s Income Opportunities Beyond Advertising"

Joseph Lv13

Understanding YouTube’s Income Opportunities Beyond Advertising

Video site YouTube, owned by Google, is one of the biggest money makers for the internet giant. YouTube has changed how content creators share their work, becoming a multi-billion dollar business.

So how does YouTube pay you? It’s simple. YouTube pays you when you watch videos, view ads, search, etc. YouTube also pays you when you are a part of a video’s revenue.

In this article, we’re going to walk you through our 4-step process to outline to illustrate exactly how youtube pays you. First, let’s see the minimum eligibility requirements to join Youtube Partner Program.

  1. Emma Chamberlain - $12 million
  2. Roman Atwood – $14.5 million
  3. JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI) – $15 million
  4. Stevin John (AKA Blippi) – $16 million
  5. Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye) – $16 million
  6. David Dobrik – $20 million
  7. Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya) – $20 million
  8. Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal – $20 million
  9. Lilly Singh – $20 million
  10. Preston Arsement – $20 million
  11. James Charles – $22 million
  12. Evan Fong – $25 million
  13. Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast) – $25 million
  14. Daniel Middleton – $35 million
  15. Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier) – $35 million
  16. Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie) – $40 million
  17. Logan Paul – $45 million
  18. Dude Perfect - $50 million
  19. Jake Paul – $60 million
  20. Ryan Kaji – $100 million

Part 1: When does youtube pay you [threshold to meet]

As a YouTuber, do you feel like you’re always struggling to reach some “threshold” where YouTube finally starts rewarding your efforts with some financial reward? You came to the right place; here’s a list of Youtube minimum criteria to reach the threshold.

1. 1K subscribers

The first requirement to monetize your channel is to increase your subscribers to at least 1000.

2. Follow all the YouTube channel monetization policies

These policies are a collection of documents containing all the policies, guidelines, and terms that apply to the YouTube Partner Program and advertising programs.

3. Availability in your region

It would be best if you were in the listed countries where Youtube Partner Program is available.

4. Strike free channel

Remember to avoid any strikes if you are planning to monetize your channel.

5. 4,000 watch hours

To qualify as a creator with a sustainable audience, you’ll need at least 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months in your channel.

6. AdSense account

You’ll need to ensure that you have a Google Adsense account set up and ready to go. Without an Adsense account, the video isn’t eligible to be monetized.

Part 2: How Do You Get Paid on YouTube?

We know that making money from YouTube can be challenging but not impossible. We’ll help you figure out how to get paid. Whether you want to create your videos and monetize them or you want to take advantage of the huge pool of talent. We’ll show you what the impact of the Youtube Partner program is on the revenue of YouTube channel owners:

Video length

One of the most noteworthy characteristics of a YouTube video is its length. A longer video provides a greater amount of information, which means a greater likelihood of the viewer actually watching it to completion.

Ad Quality

The two main qualities that differentiate high-quality YouTube ads are relevance and timeliness. It would be best if you tailored the ad to what’s happening within the video to be relevant. For instance, an ad about a new study may be relevant if the video is about health or science. The ad should also be timely. If you’re looking to get more revenue out of your channel, the quality of your ads should be high.

Number of clicks each ad receives

The number of times your video ad is shown is an important factor in how much it makes. You can increase your ads’ revenue potential by increasing the ad’s number of clicks. Advertisers use this metric to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns, which is why optimizing the number of clicks your ads get is so important.

Ad Blockers

And there are two problems with ad blocking. The first is that it cuts off revenue. The second problem is that it reduces user engagement. Ad blocking decreases the amount of time that users spend watching videos. Youtube videos that rely on advertising to generate revenue may decrease their income.

Bonus: See how much you can get by YouTube Pay Calculator

Calculating your potential earnings from YouTube is a great way to see if it is worth your time to start a channel and create videos for certain niches. It can also help you set realistic expectations for the average earnings you can expect.

A YouTube pay calculator is a simple way to estimate how much money you can make from your YouTube channel. These calculators will help you better understand how much money your youtube channel is making. Based on your view count, engagement and various other factors, it can help you to calculate your earnings from a YouTube Video or Channel.

1.Daily Video Views

drag the slider to calculate earning

Drag the YouTube Video Views Slider right or left based on your daily video views. It’s important to set your Estimated Click-Through Rate based on your channels. All that combined, you can view your monthly estimated earnings potential in seconds.

2.YouTube Channel Analytics

enter youtube channel url

This tool only requires your channel URL. Copy and paste the URL and click ‘Check.’ You’ll get a short report of your channel that includes your total subscribers, the last 90 days’ progress, and an estimated earning per video.

3.Youtube Money Calculator

total earnings by channel and video

The Youtube money calculator will show you the exact profit you are earning per day and will let you track your earnings daily, weekly and monthly. You can use the youtube money calculator to see if you should stop or continue your videos. You will also get to know how to improve your income.

How does YouTube send you money? Illustrate the mechanism

To receive money from Youtube, you must have an AdSense account linked with google and your Youtube channel. Let us find out how YouTube sends you money. Follow the steps mentioned below:

  • Connect your AdSense account to your Google account and YouTube channel
  • Make sure monetization is enabled.
  • Check out the different kinds of video and ad formats you can monetize.

The videos and the ads you’ll put on your channel will get you money from Youtube in your AdSense account. When you have earned $10 in ads using your AdSense account linked to your Google account, Google will send you a confirmation email. Once all the verification has been done, Youtube will send you money in your AdSense account.

Part 3: Top YouTube Earners in 2022

When you think about the top YouTube earners, most name recognition is due to big-name influencers like PewDiePie and T-Series. Both these Youtubers, and the rest of the big names like Emma Chamberlain, Ryan Higa, Markiplier, and Hannah Hart, have significantly impacted the world of YouTube by becoming some of the best at what they do.

Now you must be wondering who the richest YouTubers are. We rounded up the top of the richest YouTubers in 2022. Read on to see which YouTube celebrities are worth the most.

20. Emma Chamberlain – $12 million

Emma Chamberlain, a vlogger and a social media personality, has a net worth of $12 million. Her personality has amassed over 11.8 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views.

19. Roman Atwood – $14.5 million

Roman Atwood became famous with prank videos on his YouTube channel back in 2009. He started another channel, “RomanAtwoodVlogs”, which now has over 15.5 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views. Total of all his endeavors is a staggering net worth of $14.5 million.

18. JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI) – $15 million

KSI is number 18 on our list, with a net worth of $15 million. In 2009, he created a new channel under the name moniker KSI. Now his channel has about 23.7 million subscribers and over 5.8 billion views.

17. Stevin John (AKA Blippi) – $16 million

Blippihis is a fun character for kids who make educational videos for them. His channel is available in several languages and has over 16.4 million subscribers, leaving Stevin with a net worth of $16 million.

16. Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye) – $16 million

This Irish YouTube personality has a vlogging and video games channel. This year, he has over 28 million subscribers and makes about $300,000 per month, making his net worth around $16 million.

15. David Dobrik – $20 million

David, a viral social media star, has gathered 18.2 million subscribers and over 8 billion views. His combined followers from different social media platforms are over 45 million. David’s other business endeavors and social media success explain his worth of $20 million.

14. Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya) – $20 million

Nastya is an eight-year-old Russian girl who, in just a few years, has become one of the known children’s YouTubers in the world. Nowadays, she has over 110 million subscribers combining her six channels with over 42 billion views. In 2017, she partnered with Yoolato to monetize the content. It was worth it – Radzinskaya is now worth a massive $20 million.

They are Best known as the comedy duo Rhett and Link, one of the best comedy channels on youtube. Their YouTube channel has made them a combined $20 million fortune thanks to the success of their TV show Good Mythical Morning, which currently has around 17.5 million subscribers and over 7.8 billion views.

12. Lilly Singh – $20 million

Lilly Singh has comedic sketches featuring other YouTubers and celebrities in her YouTube videos. She released his first YouTube video in 2010, and his comedy sketches have attracted more than 14 million subscribers. Her total worth is $20 million.

11. Preston Arsement – $20 million

Preston Arsement has made it to Forbes magazine as one of the most paid internet entrepreneurs of 2022. His channel PrestonPlayz has attracted 21 million subscribers; now, he has a net worth of $20 million.

10. James Charles – $22 million

James Charles is a makeup artist who started by making YouTube videos about makeup tutorials and has since made a career. His makeup collection and clothing line business, along with youtube tutorials, made him a fortune of $22 million.

9. Evan Fong – $25 million

Evan Fong started the channel VanossGaming, which produces gaming videos on YouTube. His channel was launched in 2011 and now has over 25 million subscribers and over 7 billion views. His career as a star in computer animated series and directory in games made him an estimated worth of $25 million.

8. Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast) – $25 million

Jimmy’s YouTube career started in 2012 at the age of 13. With over 100 million subscribers and more than 22.5 billion views on his multiple channels, this social media king is in a league of his own. MrBeast, who can afford to give away $1 million in a single video, has a net worth of $25 million.

7. Daniel Middleton – $35 million

Daniel Middleton has made millions from his gaming YouTube channel DanTDM. He’s got 26 million subscribers and 10 billion views. This man also amassed a fortune of more than $35 million and set many world records in the most popular games.

6. Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier) – $35 million

Mark’s channel is one of the top 100 most subscribed Youtube channels. His career as a writer, actor, director and producer made him a fortune of $35 million.

5.Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie) – $40 million

Pewdiepie channel is often among the most subscribed channels on YouTube, and today it has around a whopping 111 million subscribers and over 28.2 billion views. Despite some setbacks, he still earned a staggering net worth of $40 million.

4. Logan Paul – $45 million

Logan is one of the most popular YouTubers of today’s generation. His channel of 23.6 million subscribers, along with successful merchandise and boxing career, make a total worth of $45 million.

3. Dude Perfect - $50 million

Dude Perfect is an entertainment, sports, and comedy brand that creates high-quality entertainment content that makes a whopping net worth of $50 million. Their channel boasts over 58 million YouTube subscribers.

2. Jake Paul – $60 million

Logan’s little brother Jake Paul started his content creation career at 16. His Youtube channel got hit early, and now he boasts over 20.4 million subscribers and 8.1 billion views.

1. Ryan Kaji – $100 million

You don’t normally meet a 10-year-old with a $100 million fortune, but Ryan Kaji is a rare exception. Ryan’s toy reviews have attracted more than two million subscribers and more than 50.7 billion views.

Part 4: Alternative ways to earn more money from YouTube

Some people think they can’t make money from YouTube…but that’s not true. You can make good money from YouTube, even as a newbie. It just takes some persistence and hard work to make that happen. We’ll show you some alternative ways to make more money on YouTube.

Make Good Content Continuously

Making good content that people love to watch repeatedly is a great way to earn more money. The key is improving the content continuously every week, month, or year.

Creating content that is both entertaining and informative helps people to make decisions. An audience can get a lot of information from the video, but if it is not of good quality, it will not have a good impression.

Bonus: Spice up your videos with Wondershare Filmora

A powerful video editing software can help you a lot. With an impactful editor software like Filmora, it allows you to add titles, music, and transition effects to give your video more visual appeal.

total earnings by channel and video

The current most popular video editing software application on the market is, hands down, Wondershare Filmora. Editing is incredibly easy with Filmora. Even the most inexperienced user can create a compelling, professional-looking video with Filmora in minutes. With Filmora’s video creation tools, anyone can easily edit, add effects, change text, and even make voiceovers. Filmora’s intuitive interface is a dream for non-experts as well. Some of its unique features include:

Stock Media

A royalty-free stock media, smart templates, and visual effects plug-ins will help you add more variety to your videos.

AI Portrait

Remove backgrounds from photographs with great accuracy, plus includes 80+ artificial intelligence portraits and photo editing stickers.

Green Screen

The green screen doesn’t just change your background but creates special effects, too.

Keyframing

It helps your videos look more energetic with smooth animation.

Color Correction

Add or make your own stunning 3D LUTs with color correction.

Join Affiliate

Affiliate marketing is a relatively easy way to turn YouTube viewers into customers. You can join many successful affiliate programs, but if you’re looking for the most money, go for the ones that offer a recurring commission.

Get Brand sponsorships

If you’re wondering if getting brand sponsorships for Youtube is worth the money, the answer is a resounding yes. Sponsorships on Youtube generate tons of views and even more engagement than ads do.

But brands tend to sponsor only content deemed relevant to the brand. So if you want to be a sponsored content creator, you must get to know your audience first and then build out your social media strategy around the products you sell and the messages you want to communicate.

Hot FAQs on YouTube channel monetization

1. What if I don’t meet the program threshold?

While trying to meet the threshold, focus on making content that will stand out from the competition and build your channel.

2. If I meet the threshold, do I automatically get into the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)?

No, the Youtube team will review every channel that passes the threshold. You cannot apply to join the YPP if your account has any active Community Guidelines strike. Plus, your channel must follow Youtube policies and guidelines.

3. How much money does 1 million views make?

For every one million views a YouTube video gets, a YouTuber can make upwards of $5000, based on Forbes’s estimated pay rate of $5. However, these are estimates, and the amount YouTubers earn from Youtube varies wildly.

Final Words

This article is a pretty good overview of the “how” of YouTube monetization, though we would also add that it can take a while to build up a following on YouTube if you’re starting. You’ll want to ensure that you put enough time and effort into your videos.

Your content must be unique so your viewers will want to stick around and engage with you. And lastly, if you’re looking to monetize your YouTube channel, focus on building your channel and growing your audience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Part 1: When does youtube pay you [threshold to meet]

As a YouTuber, do you feel like you’re always struggling to reach some “threshold” where YouTube finally starts rewarding your efforts with some financial reward? You came to the right place; here’s a list of Youtube minimum criteria to reach the threshold.

1. 1K subscribers

The first requirement to monetize your channel is to increase your subscribers to at least 1000.

2. Follow all the YouTube channel monetization policies

These policies are a collection of documents containing all the policies, guidelines, and terms that apply to the YouTube Partner Program and advertising programs.

3. Availability in your region

It would be best if you were in the listed countries where Youtube Partner Program is available.

4. Strike free channel

Remember to avoid any strikes if you are planning to monetize your channel.

5. 4,000 watch hours

To qualify as a creator with a sustainable audience, you’ll need at least 4,000 public watch hours within 12 months in your channel.

6. AdSense account

You’ll need to ensure that you have a Google Adsense account set up and ready to go. Without an Adsense account, the video isn’t eligible to be monetized.

Part 2: How Do You Get Paid on YouTube?

We know that making money from YouTube can be challenging but not impossible. We’ll help you figure out how to get paid. Whether you want to create your videos and monetize them or you want to take advantage of the huge pool of talent. We’ll show you what the impact of the Youtube Partner program is on the revenue of YouTube channel owners:

Video length

One of the most noteworthy characteristics of a YouTube video is its length. A longer video provides a greater amount of information, which means a greater likelihood of the viewer actually watching it to completion.

Ad Quality

The two main qualities that differentiate high-quality YouTube ads are relevance and timeliness. It would be best if you tailored the ad to what’s happening within the video to be relevant. For instance, an ad about a new study may be relevant if the video is about health or science. The ad should also be timely. If you’re looking to get more revenue out of your channel, the quality of your ads should be high.

Number of clicks each ad receives

The number of times your video ad is shown is an important factor in how much it makes. You can increase your ads’ revenue potential by increasing the ad’s number of clicks. Advertisers use this metric to gauge the effectiveness of their campaigns, which is why optimizing the number of clicks your ads get is so important.

Ad Blockers

And there are two problems with ad blocking. The first is that it cuts off revenue. The second problem is that it reduces user engagement. Ad blocking decreases the amount of time that users spend watching videos. Youtube videos that rely on advertising to generate revenue may decrease their income.

Bonus: See how much you can get by YouTube Pay Calculator

Calculating your potential earnings from YouTube is a great way to see if it is worth your time to start a channel and create videos for certain niches. It can also help you set realistic expectations for the average earnings you can expect.

A YouTube pay calculator is a simple way to estimate how much money you can make from your YouTube channel. These calculators will help you better understand how much money your youtube channel is making. Based on your view count, engagement and various other factors, it can help you to calculate your earnings from a YouTube Video or Channel.

1.Daily Video Views

drag the slider to calculate earning

Drag the YouTube Video Views Slider right or left based on your daily video views. It’s important to set your Estimated Click-Through Rate based on your channels. All that combined, you can view your monthly estimated earnings potential in seconds.

2.YouTube Channel Analytics

enter youtube channel url

This tool only requires your channel URL. Copy and paste the URL and click ‘Check.’ You’ll get a short report of your channel that includes your total subscribers, the last 90 days’ progress, and an estimated earning per video.

3.Youtube Money Calculator

total earnings by channel and video

The Youtube money calculator will show you the exact profit you are earning per day and will let you track your earnings daily, weekly and monthly. You can use the youtube money calculator to see if you should stop or continue your videos. You will also get to know how to improve your income.

How does YouTube send you money? Illustrate the mechanism

To receive money from Youtube, you must have an AdSense account linked with google and your Youtube channel. Let us find out how YouTube sends you money. Follow the steps mentioned below:

  • Connect your AdSense account to your Google account and YouTube channel
  • Make sure monetization is enabled.
  • Check out the different kinds of video and ad formats you can monetize.

The videos and the ads you’ll put on your channel will get you money from Youtube in your AdSense account. When you have earned $10 in ads using your AdSense account linked to your Google account, Google will send you a confirmation email. Once all the verification has been done, Youtube will send you money in your AdSense account.

Part 3: Top YouTube Earners in 2022

When you think about the top YouTube earners, most name recognition is due to big-name influencers like PewDiePie and T-Series. Both these Youtubers, and the rest of the big names like Emma Chamberlain, Ryan Higa, Markiplier, and Hannah Hart, have significantly impacted the world of YouTube by becoming some of the best at what they do.

Now you must be wondering who the richest YouTubers are. We rounded up the top of the richest YouTubers in 2022. Read on to see which YouTube celebrities are worth the most.

20. Emma Chamberlain – $12 million

Emma Chamberlain, a vlogger and a social media personality, has a net worth of $12 million. Her personality has amassed over 11.8 million subscribers and over 1.5 billion views.

19. Roman Atwood – $14.5 million

Roman Atwood became famous with prank videos on his YouTube channel back in 2009. He started another channel, “RomanAtwoodVlogs”, which now has over 15.5 million subscribers and 5.5 billion views. Total of all his endeavors is a staggering net worth of $14.5 million.

18. JJ Olatunji (AKA KSI) – $15 million

KSI is number 18 on our list, with a net worth of $15 million. In 2009, he created a new channel under the name moniker KSI. Now his channel has about 23.7 million subscribers and over 5.8 billion views.

17. Stevin John (AKA Blippi) – $16 million

Blippihis is a fun character for kids who make educational videos for them. His channel is available in several languages and has over 16.4 million subscribers, leaving Stevin with a net worth of $16 million.

16. Sean McLoughlin (AKA Jacksepticeye) – $16 million

This Irish YouTube personality has a vlogging and video games channel. This year, he has over 28 million subscribers and makes about $300,000 per month, making his net worth around $16 million.

15. David Dobrik – $20 million

David, a viral social media star, has gathered 18.2 million subscribers and over 8 billion views. His combined followers from different social media platforms are over 45 million. David’s other business endeavors and social media success explain his worth of $20 million.

14. Anastasia Radzinskaya (AKA Like Nastya) – $20 million

Nastya is an eight-year-old Russian girl who, in just a few years, has become one of the known children’s YouTubers in the world. Nowadays, she has over 110 million subscribers combining her six channels with over 42 billion views. In 2017, she partnered with Yoolato to monetize the content. It was worth it – Radzinskaya is now worth a massive $20 million.

They are Best known as the comedy duo Rhett and Link, one of the best comedy channels on youtube. Their YouTube channel has made them a combined $20 million fortune thanks to the success of their TV show Good Mythical Morning, which currently has around 17.5 million subscribers and over 7.8 billion views.

12. Lilly Singh – $20 million

Lilly Singh has comedic sketches featuring other YouTubers and celebrities in her YouTube videos. She released his first YouTube video in 2010, and his comedy sketches have attracted more than 14 million subscribers. Her total worth is $20 million.

11. Preston Arsement – $20 million

Preston Arsement has made it to Forbes magazine as one of the most paid internet entrepreneurs of 2022. His channel PrestonPlayz has attracted 21 million subscribers; now, he has a net worth of $20 million.

10. James Charles – $22 million

James Charles is a makeup artist who started by making YouTube videos about makeup tutorials and has since made a career. His makeup collection and clothing line business, along with youtube tutorials, made him a fortune of $22 million.

9. Evan Fong – $25 million

Evan Fong started the channel VanossGaming, which produces gaming videos on YouTube. His channel was launched in 2011 and now has over 25 million subscribers and over 7 billion views. His career as a star in computer animated series and directory in games made him an estimated worth of $25 million.

8. Jimmy Donaldson (AKA MrBeast) – $25 million

Jimmy’s YouTube career started in 2012 at the age of 13. With over 100 million subscribers and more than 22.5 billion views on his multiple channels, this social media king is in a league of his own. MrBeast, who can afford to give away $1 million in a single video, has a net worth of $25 million.

7. Daniel Middleton – $35 million

Daniel Middleton has made millions from his gaming YouTube channel DanTDM. He’s got 26 million subscribers and 10 billion views. This man also amassed a fortune of more than $35 million and set many world records in the most popular games.

6. Mark Fischbach (AKA Markiplier) – $35 million

Mark’s channel is one of the top 100 most subscribed Youtube channels. His career as a writer, actor, director and producer made him a fortune of $35 million.

5.Felix Kjellberg (AKA PewDiePie) – $40 million

Pewdiepie channel is often among the most subscribed channels on YouTube, and today it has around a whopping 111 million subscribers and over 28.2 billion views. Despite some setbacks, he still earned a staggering net worth of $40 million.

4. Logan Paul – $45 million

Logan is one of the most popular YouTubers of today’s generation. His channel of 23.6 million subscribers, along with successful merchandise and boxing career, make a total worth of $45 million.

3. Dude Perfect - $50 million

Dude Perfect is an entertainment, sports, and comedy brand that creates high-quality entertainment content that makes a whopping net worth of $50 million. Their channel boasts over 58 million YouTube subscribers.

2. Jake Paul – $60 million

Logan’s little brother Jake Paul started his content creation career at 16. His Youtube channel got hit early, and now he boasts over 20.4 million subscribers and 8.1 billion views.

1. Ryan Kaji – $100 million

You don’t normally meet a 10-year-old with a $100 million fortune, but Ryan Kaji is a rare exception. Ryan’s toy reviews have attracted more than two million subscribers and more than 50.7 billion views.

Part 4: Alternative ways to earn more money from YouTube

Some people think they can’t make money from YouTube…but that’s not true. You can make good money from YouTube, even as a newbie. It just takes some persistence and hard work to make that happen. We’ll show you some alternative ways to make more money on YouTube.

Make Good Content Continuously

Making good content that people love to watch repeatedly is a great way to earn more money. The key is improving the content continuously every week, month, or year.

Creating content that is both entertaining and informative helps people to make decisions. An audience can get a lot of information from the video, but if it is not of good quality, it will not have a good impression.

Bonus: Spice up your videos with Wondershare Filmora

A powerful video editing software can help you a lot. With an impactful editor software like Filmora, it allows you to add titles, music, and transition effects to give your video more visual appeal.

total earnings by channel and video

The current most popular video editing software application on the market is, hands down, Wondershare Filmora. Editing is incredibly easy with Filmora. Even the most inexperienced user can create a compelling, professional-looking video with Filmora in minutes. With Filmora’s video creation tools, anyone can easily edit, add effects, change text, and even make voiceovers. Filmora’s intuitive interface is a dream for non-experts as well. Some of its unique features include:

Stock Media

A royalty-free stock media, smart templates, and visual effects plug-ins will help you add more variety to your videos.

AI Portrait

Remove backgrounds from photographs with great accuracy, plus includes 80+ artificial intelligence portraits and photo editing stickers.

Green Screen

The green screen doesn’t just change your background but creates special effects, too.

Keyframing

It helps your videos look more energetic with smooth animation.

Color Correction

Add or make your own stunning 3D LUTs with color correction.

Join Affiliate

Affiliate marketing is a relatively easy way to turn YouTube viewers into customers. You can join many successful affiliate programs, but if you’re looking for the most money, go for the ones that offer a recurring commission.

Get Brand sponsorships

If you’re wondering if getting brand sponsorships for Youtube is worth the money, the answer is a resounding yes. Sponsorships on Youtube generate tons of views and even more engagement than ads do.

But brands tend to sponsor only content deemed relevant to the brand. So if you want to be a sponsored content creator, you must get to know your audience first and then build out your social media strategy around the products you sell and the messages you want to communicate.

Hot FAQs on YouTube channel monetization

1. What if I don’t meet the program threshold?

While trying to meet the threshold, focus on making content that will stand out from the competition and build your channel.

2. If I meet the threshold, do I automatically get into the YouTube Partner Program (YPP)?

No, the Youtube team will review every channel that passes the threshold. You cannot apply to join the YPP if your account has any active Community Guidelines strike. Plus, your channel must follow Youtube policies and guidelines.

3. How much money does 1 million views make?

For every one million views a YouTube video gets, a YouTuber can make upwards of $5000, based on Forbes’s estimated pay rate of $5. However, these are estimates, and the amount YouTubers earn from Youtube varies wildly.

Final Words

This article is a pretty good overview of the “how” of YouTube monetization, though we would also add that it can take a while to build up a following on YouTube if you’re starting. You’ll want to ensure that you put enough time and effort into your videos.

Your content must be unique so your viewers will want to stick around and engage with you. And lastly, if you’re looking to monetize your YouTube channel, focus on building your channel and growing your audience.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Jumpstart Your YouTube Venture: Top Equipment Choices

YouTube Equipment Starter Guide For Beginners

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

0

If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA

The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:

What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber

1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)

2. Good continual auto focus while recording video

3. Good focus priority through face recognition

4. Touch to focus

5. Good low-light performance

6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket

7. optical image stabilization

8. good battery life

Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.

Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras

Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen 4K Price
Yi 4KAction Camera Yi 4K February2017 Action Camera No Yes $169 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixA900 Nikon A900 February2016 Compact Flip Up Yes $399 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixB500 Nikon B500 February2016 SLR-like (bridge) Tilting No $250 (MSRP)
PolaroidCube+ Polaroid Cube June2015 Action Camera No No $99 (MSRP)
SonyAlphaa5100 Sony a5100 August2014 Mirrorless Flip Up No $450 (MSRP)
Polaroid Cube Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots.
Yi 4K Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that.
Nikon B500 Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features.
Nikon A900 Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions.
Sony a5100 Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best.

Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras

If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen Mic Port Price
CanonEOSM50 Canon M50 February2018 Mirrorless Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOSM100 Canon M100 August2017 Mirrorless Flip Up No $
CanonEOS RebelSL2 Canon SL2 June2017 Compact SLR Fully Articulated Yes $
CanonEOS RebelT7i Canon T7i February2017 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOS80D Canon 80D February2016 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $$
Canon M100 Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode.
Canon M50 Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe.
Canon T7i Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen.
Canon SL2 Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps.
Canon 80D Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video.

Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS

A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!

When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.

The Wide-Angle Lens

Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.

Optical Image Stabilization

You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.

For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .

Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD

Tripod Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.
Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE

Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.

Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics Top Shotgun Mics Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics
Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2

To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!

Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES for YouTube Starter

Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:

  1. Arkon Tripod Mount
  2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
  3. RODE VideoMic Me
  4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
  5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
  6. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .

Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT

Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.

The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.

Daytime Light Bulbs Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light.
On-Camera LED Light On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job.
LED Ring Light LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see.
Softbox Video Light Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light.
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights.

If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .

Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER

After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.

Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.

The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:

Computers for YouTube Starter

  1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
  2. Dell XPS 15
  3. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .

Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES
OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99

YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO

Music Libraries

Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:

ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES
Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library Premium Beat Audio Jungle Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound

Sound Effects

Free Sound Effect Sites

  1. Filmstock Sound Effects
  2. Freesound
  3. PacDV
  4. Sound Bible
  5. Sound Gator
  6. Sounds Crate
  7. Zapsplat

author avatar

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

0

If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA

The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:

What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber

1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)

2. Good continual auto focus while recording video

3. Good focus priority through face recognition

4. Touch to focus

5. Good low-light performance

6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket

7. optical image stabilization

8. good battery life

Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.

Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras

Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen 4K Price
Yi 4KAction Camera Yi 4K February2017 Action Camera No Yes $169 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixA900 Nikon A900 February2016 Compact Flip Up Yes $399 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixB500 Nikon B500 February2016 SLR-like (bridge) Tilting No $250 (MSRP)
PolaroidCube+ Polaroid Cube June2015 Action Camera No No $99 (MSRP)
SonyAlphaa5100 Sony a5100 August2014 Mirrorless Flip Up No $450 (MSRP)
Polaroid Cube Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots.
Yi 4K Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that.
Nikon B500 Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features.
Nikon A900 Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions.
Sony a5100 Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best.

Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras

If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen Mic Port Price
CanonEOSM50 Canon M50 February2018 Mirrorless Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOSM100 Canon M100 August2017 Mirrorless Flip Up No $
CanonEOS RebelSL2 Canon SL2 June2017 Compact SLR Fully Articulated Yes $
CanonEOS RebelT7i Canon T7i February2017 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOS80D Canon 80D February2016 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $$
Canon M100 Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode.
Canon M50 Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe.
Canon T7i Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen.
Canon SL2 Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps.
Canon 80D Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video.

Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS

A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!

When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.

The Wide-Angle Lens

Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.

Optical Image Stabilization

You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.

For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .

Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD

Tripod Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.
Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE

Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.

Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics Top Shotgun Mics Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics
Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2

To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!

Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES for YouTube Starter

Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:

  1. Arkon Tripod Mount
  2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
  3. RODE VideoMic Me
  4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
  5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
  6. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .

Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT

Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.

The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.

Daytime Light Bulbs Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light.
On-Camera LED Light On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job.
LED Ring Light LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see.
Softbox Video Light Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light.
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights.

If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .

Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER

After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.

Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.

The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:

Computers for YouTube Starter

  1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
  2. Dell XPS 15
  3. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .

Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES
OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99

YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO

Music Libraries

Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:

ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES
Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library Premium Beat Audio Jungle Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound

Sound Effects

Free Sound Effect Sites

  1. Filmstock Sound Effects
  2. Freesound
  3. PacDV
  4. Sound Bible
  5. Sound Gator
  6. Sounds Crate
  7. Zapsplat

author avatar

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

0

If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA

The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:

What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber

1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)

2. Good continual auto focus while recording video

3. Good focus priority through face recognition

4. Touch to focus

5. Good low-light performance

6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket

7. optical image stabilization

8. good battery life

Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.

Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras

Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen 4K Price
Yi 4KAction Camera Yi 4K February2017 Action Camera No Yes $169 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixA900 Nikon A900 February2016 Compact Flip Up Yes $399 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixB500 Nikon B500 February2016 SLR-like (bridge) Tilting No $250 (MSRP)
PolaroidCube+ Polaroid Cube June2015 Action Camera No No $99 (MSRP)
SonyAlphaa5100 Sony a5100 August2014 Mirrorless Flip Up No $450 (MSRP)
Polaroid Cube Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots.
Yi 4K Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that.
Nikon B500 Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features.
Nikon A900 Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions.
Sony a5100 Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best.

Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras

If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen Mic Port Price
CanonEOSM50 Canon M50 February2018 Mirrorless Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOSM100 Canon M100 August2017 Mirrorless Flip Up No $
CanonEOS RebelSL2 Canon SL2 June2017 Compact SLR Fully Articulated Yes $
CanonEOS RebelT7i Canon T7i February2017 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOS80D Canon 80D February2016 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $$
Canon M100 Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode.
Canon M50 Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe.
Canon T7i Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen.
Canon SL2 Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps.
Canon 80D Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video.

Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS

A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!

When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.

The Wide-Angle Lens

Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.

Optical Image Stabilization

You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.

For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .

Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD

Tripod Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.
Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE

Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.

Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics Top Shotgun Mics Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics
Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2

To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!

Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES for YouTube Starter

Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:

  1. Arkon Tripod Mount
  2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
  3. RODE VideoMic Me
  4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
  5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
  6. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .

Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT

Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.

The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.

Daytime Light Bulbs Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light.
On-Camera LED Light On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job.
LED Ring Light LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see.
Softbox Video Light Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light.
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights.

If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .

Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER

After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.

Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.

The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:

Computers for YouTube Starter

  1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
  2. Dell XPS 15
  3. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .

Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES
OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99

YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO

Music Libraries

Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:

ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES
Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library Premium Beat Audio Jungle Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound

Sound Effects

Free Sound Effect Sites

  1. Filmstock Sound Effects
  2. Freesound
  3. PacDV
  4. Sound Bible
  5. Sound Gator
  6. Sounds Crate
  7. Zapsplat

author avatar

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique

Feb 19, 2024• Proven solutions

0

If you want to start creating videos and uploading them onto YouTube, you’ll need to have access to some basic equipment. This guide will go over everything you’ll need to be a YouTuber.

Table of Contents YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuberBest Cheap Vlogging CamerasBest Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS The Wide-Angle LensOptical Image Stabilization YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO Music LibrariesSound Effects

Part 1: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: CAMERA

The best camera for beginners is the one you already have. Most smartphones these days already come equipped with a powerful camera that can record HD videos. If you still want to add a camera to your equipment list as a beginner YouTuber, you should look for a camera with the following eight qualities:

What To Look For In A Camera As A YouTuber

1. Fully articulated screen (flip screen)

2. Good continual auto focus while recording video

3. Good focus priority through face recognition

4. Touch to focus

5. Good low-light performance

6. external mic jack, hot/cold shoe bracket

7. optical image stabilization

8. good battery life

Check out my full list of 10 Things To Look For In A Vlogging Camera to understand the importance of these camera features.

Best Cheap Vlogging Cameras

Below are the best cheap vlogging cameras that you can get for under $500. They all record at least 1080p HD video and all but the Sony Alpha a5100 come with optical image stabilization (if you want OIS with the Sony a5100, you’ll have it get it in the lens).

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen 4K Price
Yi 4KAction Camera Yi 4K February2017 Action Camera No Yes $169 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixA900 Nikon A900 February2016 Compact Flip Up Yes $399 (MSRP)
NikonCoolpixB500 Nikon B500 February2016 SLR-like (bridge) Tilting No $250 (MSRP)
PolaroidCube+ Polaroid Cube June2015 Action Camera No No $99 (MSRP)
SonyAlphaa5100 Sony a5100 August2014 Mirrorless Flip Up No $450 (MSRP)
Polaroid Cube Best cheap vlogging camera under $100: Polaroid Cube+ Even before GoPro released their GoPro Session, Polaroid was the first to come out with a 1.4-inch, cube-shaped action camera, small enough to mount on a bike or a helmet. This camera has built-in magnets so that you can attach them to metal surfaces. This action camera is water-resistant, shock-proof, and weather-proof. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps with its wide-angle lens. You can connect this camera with your phone to preview and take your shots.
Yi 4K Best cheap vlogging camera under $200: Yi 4K At $200, you can record 4K videos with the Yi 4K action camera. Like many other action cameras, this camera is small, durable, and shoots through a wide-angle lens. You won’t be able to take this camera underwater though because it isn’t waterproof. You’ll need to buy the right accessories for that.
Nikon B500 Best cheap vlogging camera under $300: Nikon B500 The Nikon B500 gives you a non-interchangeable zoom lens so that you have more control over how you compose your shots. This camera records full HD 1080p videos at either 30 or 25 fps. You can only set its ISO as high as 3200, so it’s not going to perform the best in low-light conditions. The tilting LCD screen does not have touchscreen and cannot be fully flipped up or flipped to the side, it only tilts. For a camera in its price range, the Nikon B500 offers a lot of features.
Nikon A900 Best cheap vlogging camera under $400: Nikon A900 The Nikon A900 not only comes with a non-interchangeable zoom lens, but it can also record videos in UHD 4K quality. Like the Nikon B500, the A900’s ISO goes only up to 3200, making it a weak performer in poorly lit conditions.
Sony a5100 Best cheap vlogging camera under $500: Sony a5100 Among the cameras listed in our top cheap cameras list, the Sony a5100 is the only one you can interchange lenses with. All Sony E-mount lenses are compatible with this camera. This camera can record up to 1080p videos at 60 fps. Out of all of the above top cheap cameras, this one also auto focuses the best.

Best Entry-Level and Mid-Range Vlogging Cameras

If you have a bigger budget to work with, the following vlogging cameras are great options:

Camera Release Date Camera Type Flip Screen Mic Port Price
CanonEOSM50 Canon M50 February2018 Mirrorless Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOSM100 Canon M100 August2017 Mirrorless Flip Up No $
CanonEOS RebelSL2 Canon SL2 June2017 Compact SLR Fully Articulated Yes $
CanonEOS RebelT7i Canon T7i February2017 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $-
CanonEOS80D Canon 80D February2016 Mid-size SLR Fully Articulated Yes $$
Canon M100 Best entry-level mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M100 The Canon M100 is a small and powerful camera that can shoot full HD (1080p) videos up to 60 fps. The touchscreen LCD of this camera flips up so that you can see yourself as you vlog in selfie mode.
Canon M50 Best mid-range mirrorless camera for vlogging: Canon EOS M50 The Canon EOS M50 can shoot UHD 4K videos at 23.98 fps. You can also record 120 fps slow-motion videos at 720p. Unlike the M100, which only has a flip up screen, the M50 has a fully articulated screen, so you can use this camera in selfie mode, all while using an on-camera shotgun microphone attached to the camera hot/cold shoe.
Canon T7i Best DSLR camera for daily vlogging: Canon EOS T7i The Canon EOS T7i is a great DSLR camera for daily vlogging. It can record full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps, it can create HDR and time-lapse movies, and it also has a fully articulated screen.
Canon SL2 Best entry-level DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS SL2 The Canon EOS SL2 delivers a lot of power at a low price. This DSLR camera can capture full HD 1080p videos at 60 fps.
Canon 80D Best mid-range DSLR camera for vlogging: Canon EOS 80D The Canon 80D is an exceptional mid-range DSLR vlogging camera with many features. Coming with a 45-point all cross phase detection autofocusing and a dual pixel CMOS AF system, the camera is great at finding the right focus while recording video.

Part 2: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LENS

A lot of compact cameras already come with the lens as a part of the camera body. When it comes to these kinds of cameras, you won’t have to worry about which lens is right for you since the decision has already been made for you!

When you start looking into bigger cameras, though, you’ll have to think about which lens you want to shoot with.

The Wide-Angle Lens

Every YouTuber should have a wide-angle lens. With this kind of lens, you can fit much more of a scene into your camera frame, including your own face when you’re just an arm’s length away from your camera. This is especially important for YouTubers because most YouTubers have to operate their camera on their own, without the assistance of an additional camera person.

Optical Image Stabilization

You should also look for a lens with optical image stabilization if you’re shooting a lot of your YouTube videos handheld.

For more information on camera lenses, check out my Vlogger’s Guide To Camera Lenses .

Part 3: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: TRIPOD

Tripod Tripod If you plan to film yourself talking in front of the same, unchanging background for an extended period of time, it doesn’t make sense to film yourself handheld the entire time. You’ll just end up tiring your arm out and adding distracting shakiness to your footage. A tripod is a great solution to this problem. You can set up your framing once, press record, and leave your camera in its fixed position while you talk with both hands free.
Joby GorillaPod SLR-Zoom Joby GorillaPod With Ballhead When you film yourself handheld, it’s difficult to keep your arm higher up so that your camera shoots down at an ideal angle. You may also notice that a lot of your arm gets into your shot, which you and other viewers might find distracting. Holding your camera up by a GorillaPod, however, can give you the extension you need to get that higher angle shot more easily, all without so much of your arm getting into your shot.

Part 4: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: MICROPHONE

Most vlogging cameras come with a built-in microphone that gets the job done. If you want higher quality audio recordings, though, you should check out the following list of top microphones.

Top Condenser Mics For Music and Singing Top Condenser Mics For Voiceovers-Podcasts, Interviews Top On-Camera Shotgun Mics Top Shotgun Mics Top Low-Profile Lavalier Mics
Audio-Technica AT2035 Rode NT1-A AKG C214 Apogee Mic 96K Blue Yeti Rode NT-USB Blue Snowball Audio-Technica AT2020 Rode Procaster Rode VideoMic Go Shure VP83 Rode VideoMic Pro+ Sennheiser MKE 440 Rode NTG-3 Audio-Technica AT4053B Sennheiser MKH416 Rode SmartLav+ Audio-Technica ATR3350iS Sennheiser ME2

To read more about each of these microphones, check out our post on The 19 Best YouTube Microphones 2018 – Options for Music, Voiceovers, Vlogging, and more!

Part 5: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES

SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES for YouTube Starter

Using your smartphone’s camera to film your YouTube videos is a great idea since it’s light, portable, and most likely always with you. The following six smartphone accessories can help you make better YouTube videos:

  1. Arkon Tripod Mount
  2. FLII Selfie Ring Light
  3. RODE VideoMic Me
  4. Aukey Optic 3-in-1 Smartphone Lens Set
  5. iOgrapher Go for Android and iPhone
  6. Manfrotto TwistGrip System

Read about each one of these items and more in The 9 Best Smartphone Camera Accessories For Vloggers .

Part 6: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: LIGHT

Lighting for home living and lighting for filming is very different. If you try to make use of just the lights you have at home, you may find that your footage is too dark, grainy, and orange-tinted.

The solution to this problem is getting additional video lighting equipment with daytime light bulbs.

Daytime Light Bulbs Daytime Light Bulbs Your home is most likely lit with incandescent light bulbs that illuminate orange-tinted light. You can remove those light bulbs and replace them with daytime light bulbs that illuminate more of a white colored light.
On-Camera LED Light On-Camera LED Light If you need more light just in front of the camera and you need this light to be portable, LED lights that attach to your camera’s hot/cold shoe will do the job.
LED Ring Light LED Ring Light If you need more light just in front of the camera, you don’t have a lot of space, and you don’t need this light to be small and portable, an LED ring light is the best piece of equipment for you. You can position your camera inside the circular space of the ring light. This kind of light also gives your eyes the circular shaped highlight that many people like to see.
Softbox Video Light Softbox Video Light If you need more light and have more space, another piece of lighting equipment good for beginners is a softbox video light.
Umbrella Video Light Umbrella Video Light Umbrella video lights are very portable and affordable. The direction of the light from umbrella lights are more difficult to control than the light from softbox video lights.

If you’re looking for recommendations on which piece of lighting equipment to buy, check out my list of the Top 17 Video Lighting Equipment For YouTubers .

Part 7: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: COMPUTER

After you’ve recorded all your footage, you’ll need a computer to edit your video clips together. You can perform basic video editing tasks and upload your video onto YouTube with any computer less than ten years old.

Laptop computers are popular among YouTubers because their portability allows you to work on your videos from anywhere. This way, you can finish and upload your videos more frequently, which is another important part of being a YouTuber.

The following three laptop computers handle video editing very well:

Computers for YouTube Starter

  1. MacBook Pro With Touch Bar
  2. Dell XPS 15
  3. Microsoft Surface Book 2

Read more about these laptop computers for 4K video editing in The Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing .

Part 8: YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE

Download Filmora9 Win Version Download Filmora9 Mac Version

FREE VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES PAID VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARES
OpenShot Video Editor (Windows, Mac, Linux) ShotCut (Windows, Mac, Linux) Hitfilm Express (Windows, Mac) VideoPad Video Editor (Windows) Lightworks (Windows, Mac, Linux) VSDC Video Editor (Windows) Machete Video Editor Lite (Windows) Avidemux (Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD) Read more about each of these softwares in our post about The Best Free Video Editing Software for YouTube . Filmora Video Editor (Windows, Mac) - $40 one year license, $79.99 perpetual license. Free trial Final Cut Pro (Mac) - $299.99, Free trial Vegas Movie Studio (Windows) - $49.99

YOUTUBE EQUIPMENT: AUDIO

Music Libraries

Music is an important part of YouTube video creation. Here’s where you can get access to music:

ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID MUSIC LIBRARIES PAID SUBSCRIPTION MUSIC LIBRARIES
Audionautix Bensound dig.ccMixter Free Music Archive Free Stock Music Incompetech Josh Woodward Moby Gratis Musopen Purple Planet Music TeknoAXE YouTube Audio Library Premium Beat Audio Jungle Audio Network Audio Blocks Epidemic Sound

Sound Effects

Free Sound Effect Sites

  1. Filmstock Sound Effects
  2. Freesound
  3. PacDV
  4. Sound Bible
  5. Sound Gator
  6. Sounds Crate
  7. Zapsplat

author avatar

Sumia Rafique

Sumia Rafique is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Sumia Rafique

  • Title: "2024 Approved Understanding YouTube’s Income Opportunities Beyond Advertising"
  • Author: Joseph
  • Created at : 2024-05-31 13:49:34
  • Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:49:34
  • Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/2024-approved-understanding-youtubes-income-opportunities-beyond-advertising/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
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"2024 Approved Understanding YouTube’s Income Opportunities Beyond Advertising"