Nobody Told Me This Would Happen When I Started YouTube

I started taking YouTube seriously back in July 2016 and uploading one video a week. There is a lot of advice out there for budding YouTubers, vloggers, and video creators, but there are some things nobody told me would happen.

25  Things That Nobody Told Me Would Happen When I Started YouTube:

1. I started off with loads of enthusiasm, but when I couldn’t even get friends and family to watch I lost confidence.
2. You’ll cringe so bad at yourself when you watch yourself back later. Sometimes straight away, sometimes months down the line. That’s normal but unnecessary.
3. You’ll get excited when you think you’ve got your 1st person who loves your videos, only to realise it’s a spam comment and they say the exact same thing to everyone. In fact, for a while, your only comments will be from a friend or a spammer.
4. Vlogging is fun, but embarrassing too. Oh, the looks you’ll get. Some will want to know what your up to, others will think you’re a bit nuts and most of them will just think you’re a bit vain.
5. People will talk about you and your videos behind your back. Most people won’t get it or see the point.
6. Most people won’t give a crap about your videos. Harsh, but true.
7. Some people really will. You need to focus your attention there or you’ll end up on a downward spiral.
8. When you start to take it really seriously and try to learn to edit, it will take you forever to finish one short video. One 5 minute video that looks pants could take 12 hours to do, no joke!
9. Technology will fail you at some point. Probably a lot. When you start trying to make videos it will require different computer specs to run efficiently. Sometimes you’ll spend ages only for it all to glitch and you’ll want to cry.
10. You’ll have ridiculously late nights editing a video to get it finished on time.
11. You’ll have a newfound respect for other YouTubers. You always loved them, but now it’s a whole new scale.
12. However hard you thought it would be, you need to triple it and then some.
13. You’ll be so bad in the beginning and for a while after. It takes a long time to master your style.
14. Your self-esteem will be up and now. If a video goes well you’ll feel amazing, if it doesn’t you’ll feel pretty pants and question your probability to be a successful YouTuber.
15. You’ll want to quit over and over again and think you don’t have it in you.
16. You’ll wish for that lucky break, where your channel just takes off.
17. At some point or another, you’ll take it personally that people you know don’t watch your videos, comment, or subscribe.
18. You learn to laugh at yourself for taking it so seriously. You’ll stop caring about looking silly.
19. People will say they have subscribed to you when they haven’t (spammers again). They are just hoping you subscribe back and have no intentions of watching your videos. If you do subscribe back they’ll most probably unsubscribe to you now they have your subscription. People will say ‘sub to sub’ constantly. Never ever go there.
20. Sometimes people’s comments will seem sincere, but when you reply back to thank them they’ll then ask you to check out their channel. It’s just another spammer, but one who’s got a bit more tact.
21. If you get YouTubers who regularly check out your videos and leave genuine comments about your actual videos, then you should definitely return the favour. This is how you make real YouTube friends. Pay it forward.
22. It’s fun if you allow it to be. Stop worrying about the views, subscribers, and the fact you think you’re not that good at it. What your learning is valuable even if you don’t see it.
23. You’ll forget to enjoy it. You should enjoy it, it’s pointless otherwise. Have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously.
24. You’ll have to remind yourself to always be true to yourself. It’s tempting to do videos that are popular, but you need to just be you. Not everyone will like it and that’s OK.
25. You’ll learn personal life lessons as well as technical skills. This is priceless.

Don’t take life too seriously (must remember this myself),

Kirsty x