by Jane Rutherford

Created on: July 12, 2008

Ever since 2005 when YouTube launched what is now the most popular video site, it also helped promote a significant number of Internet celebrities. The quality of those celebrities varies, from Chris Crocket to Jennifer Rose to Michael Buckley. Right now YouTube has millions of viewers all around the world. And while getting publicity is more difficult it's still quite possible to achieve.

Getting started with YouTube is very simple. You need an account and a camera capable of capturing both images and sound (a simple webcam will do as long as you get the right amount of light). With that ready, all you need now is an idea.

There is a variety of content you can broadcast. From original content like YouTube webseries (an example of such content is WatchTheGuild or smosh) to your commentary on the current events in a niche of your choice (like WhatTheBuckShow) to your personal vlog (like PaperLillies or LucyinLA).

Before deciding on content, you should ask yourself what it is you want to achieve. If you want to promote your ideas and talent, original content and witty commentaries might be the best choice for you. But if you want to promote yourself, your personality and opinions, you might want to give vlogs a try.

When you decided on content it's time to get started. Make sure your very first video is more than just a general hello' and that it's well edited. After all, it's going to be a very first video that you'll present to the public. Take time to tag your video properly as tags are what will allow the viewers to find your video among all the others.

With content already online you have to take care of two equally important things. Subscriptions and the layout of your Channel. To make sure you have as visible as possible, you should subscribe to channels that are similar to yours when it comes to content, as well as those people who you find interesting and worth watching. If they become friends with them it will be that much easier to get additional promotion, especially if they mention you in their videos.
As for your channel, you need to remember that it's often the first thing people see when they click on your nick on YouTube. So you need to make sure that they can access all the best videos you made and at the same time learn something about you. Personalities are what keeps people interested.

And last but not least, to get views on YouTube (like with any other network site) you need to be active. You need to comment on other people's videos and add videos you love to your favorites. It's like with commenting on other people's blogs. When you actually comment with something significant and share more than just few words of feedback, the author) and other readers of that comment) will at some point click on your name and see what you have to offer. Which (with quality content) can result in your channel getting more subscribers.
And that's the point, right?

Learn more about this author, Jane Rutherford.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.