How To Start A Gaming Youtube Channel – 8 Fail-Proof Steps!

With the significant growth of online video games over the past two decades, an increasing number of individuals are choosing to pursue a career as a YouTube gamer.

Some of the most popular gaming YouTube channels generate millions in revenue. If you aspire to become a professional YouTube gamer as well, read our guide on starting a gaming YouTube channel.

In writing this guide, I have taken into account several factors that are crucial for giving your gaming channel the best possible start.

The factors to consider include the importance of selecting the right game and audience, identifying a niche within an already popular game (such as speedrunning or discovering easter eggs), and utilizing the gameplay to generate unique content.

Finally, this guide will provide you with insights on how to leverage the YouTube algorithm to your advantage and create your own recognizable online persona.

1. Choose Your Video Game(s)

While some YouTube gaming channels opt to cover multiple games to engage a broader gaming community, I recommend starting with one game. This approach will help you grow a successful YouTube gaming channel more quickly than if you record several games simultaneously.

It will also enhance your understanding of the game, which will benefit you in the long run, particularly if you plan to create guides or tips and tricks videos that are highly popular today.

Additionally, selecting a single video game to begin with simplifies the process of creating gaming content, which will aid in attracting viewers and enhancing audience retention.

In my opinion, selecting the right game to start with is arguably the most crucial aspect of establishing a successful YouTube gaming channel. While it may be tempting to play Fortnite or another popular game, there are benefits to choosing a game that has fewer YouTube gamers already producing content about it.

Ultimately, it also comes down to personal preference. You cannot create quality gaming content if you do not enjoy the game itself, so choose something you can play for days on end.

Most YouTube influencers who play video games on their channels began as passionate gamers before turning their hobby into a profession, and there is no reason you cannot achieve the same success as these other YouTubers.

We understand how important it is to choose the right games, so we have compiled lists of the best roleplaying games, best horror games, cross-platform games, and best games to stream overall.

2. Choose Your Target Audience

When starting a YouTube gaming channel, selecting your target audience is crucial. While your audience will primarily consist of individuals who play the games you are live streaming or creating videos about, there are still numerous factors to consider.

Not everyone plays games for the same reasons, and not all popular games attract the same communities. This implies that many gamers have distinct preferences as a group, which you should consider when you start posting content.

Just as music videos have genres, we can confidently say that gaming videos on YouTube have their own as well. In addition to standard walkthrough videos and regular gaming footage, gaming videos encompass tips and tricks, humorous content, guides on significant updates, and much more.

Each of these genres is distinct enough to appeal to a different subsection of the audience, which means there are numerous strategies you can employ to make your YouTube channel stand out from the competition. You will need to do this if you want to succeed.

3. Find a Niche

The next aspect to consider when creating your YouTube account is identifying a specific niche that sets your channel apart from others.

This can be achieved in various ways, such as selecting a unique and captivating name that encourages first-time viewers to click on your videos, or providing content for your YouTube gaming channel that stands out from what is typically available.

Some gaming YouTube channels completely forgo the idea of starting with a single game and instead choose to play as many games as possible, creating reaction videos that include relevant commentary.

Creating unique content for your channel can be achieved in various ways. For instance, individuals often produce how-to guides that outline the pros and cons of new games after playing them for a while, discussing features such as graphics, gameplay, pricing, and more.

This type of video has gained immense popularity due to the freemium monetization model used by modern games. Few people enjoy games that feel like they require payment to win. Consequently, it is far less stressful to watch one of these videos than to begin playing a game and discover such issues for yourself.

Ultimately, I believe that discovering a niche requires thorough research. Before creating your own channel, explore YouTube to see what other gamers are watching. This will greatly assist you in starting to produce your own videos.

4. Understand YouTube’s Algorithm

To ensure your channel grows after its creation, you must be familiar with YouTube’s algorithm.

Several key factors influence which videos appear in searches or on someone’s recommended list, increasing the likelihood of being discovered by potential viewers.

A significant portion of this falls under SEO (Search Engine Optimization). SEO is a process that encompasses all the actions a content creator can take to enhance the visibility and accessibility of their product online.

The first step is to select an effective title for each of your videos, as this will increase the likelihood of them appearing in searches. Although clickbait titles can be beneficial, they are typically used by already established channels to draw in even more viewers.

Instead, you should focus on creating simple titles that resemble what a gamer might type into YouTube’s search box. For instance, if you are playing Grand Theft Auto, a video titled “All the GTA Games Ranked from Best to Worst” could be a strong choice.

Additionally, you should avoid creating videos with the same title as an existing video, as YouTube is likely to rank yours lower in the search results than the older one.

Similar to finding a niche, understanding the YouTube algorithm requires thorough research, along with trial and error, to achieve success.

5. Create a YouTube Personality

Most people visit YouTube to have fun, particularly when they want to watch game footage. To make the most of your experience, you should develop a unique personality that helps you stand out in the best possible way.

Being funny and goofing off during your live stream or video can be a great idea, as it is well-known that when someone laughs, others tend to join in.

Therefore, if you want to create a lighthearted and humorous YouTube channel, it is a fairly safe choice.

Furthermore, aspects such as your visual appearance can influence your ability to attract and retain viewers and subscribers. Some video games have large cosplay communities, which means that streaming your live performance in a cosplay outfit might engage the audience.

Likewise, wearing wigs, makeup, or merchandise from game developers can make you appear more relevant to those who randomly encounter your channel.

Conversely, some individuals choose to maintain a casual appearance and rely on humor and charisma to engage with their audience. This approach can also be effective, as it encourages people to view you less as a serious figure and more as just another gamer enjoying their favorite games.

In my opinion, developing a YouTube personality largely depends on the type of audience the game attracts. You should aim to appeal to that specific group, which means you need to understand the community first.

For this reason, I recommend that before launching a YouTube gaming channel, you spend some time watching and analyzing similar channels, as this will provide you with a smoother start for your own.

6. Improve Your Skills in Your Game(s)

Playing video games at a high level is challenging; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, especially if you are playing multiple games.

As a result, anticipate that the process of learning the games to the extent that you can create guides and how-tos will be a significant time investment, potentially taking weeks or even months.

Although this may be avoided if you are solely a reaction video creator, you are still likely to become engrossed in the games themselves and play them extensively.

Ultimately, playing games is enjoyable, and you can attain significant success by live-streaming the fun you are experiencing and inviting others to join you.

Few things online bring people more joy than watching their favorite YouTube gamers revel in the moment, whether they are shouting at the enemy team in all chat or pumping their fists in satisfaction after conquering a particularly challenging mission.

The gaming community has a distinct mentality that encourages you to “get good.” If you are serious about starting a YouTube gaming channel, you should be ready to invest time and effort into it.

7. Work with High-Quality Equipment

Creating high-quality videos necessitates the use of a variety of equipment, including both software and hardware, to simplify your video recording and editing process.

First, you will need a method to record what is happening on your screen. Most streaming platforms already have a solid broadcasting system in place, so that should suffice.

Next, you will need a webcam and a microphone, preferably a standalone model. There are many options available for both of these accessories, and you will find several guides on our website to assist you in selecting the best ones.

The same applies to video editing software. There are several options available, both open source and those behind a paywall, with significant differences in quality among them. I recommend trying a few options to determine which one suits you best.

Additionally, depending on the device you are using to stream games, you may need a capture card for OBS. This hardware enables you to record videos and gaming moments on devices like the Nintendo Switch, which might not be possible otherwise.

Of all these elements, the most crucial is your digital camera. A video camera serves as the centerpiece of any streamer’s or content creator’s equipment. Therefore, I recommend being particularly careful when selecting the right one as you begin your YouTube gaming channel.

8. Be Patient

Last but not least, the key to starting a YouTube gaming channel, or any successful YouTube account in general, is patience.

Subscribers do not appear overnight, nor should you expect them to. On the contrary, this process typically takes several months, after which your subscriber count should continue to increase at a slow but steady pace.

In other words, launching and expanding a YouTube gaming channel is similar to starting any other business. While it can occur overnight, this is typically not the case.

This indicates that you will probably need to invest significant time and effort before revenue from YouTube ads begins to flow in.

You can significantly speed up this process; however, if you effectively encourage viewers to subscribe to your YouTube channel and like your videos, these actions will increase the likelihood of your videos being suggested by the YouTube algorithm.

Ultimately, I recommend allowing yourself at least six months to determine whether your YouTube channel is successful. These endeavors require time, but they can be incredibly enjoyable and profitable with the right equipment and mindset.

What to Consider When Starting a YouTube Channel?

Have a solid plan in place beforehand

The difference between dreaming of becoming a successful YouTube gamer and actually achieving that dream often lies in having a well-thought-out plan for what you intend to do.

Because of this, before starting a channel, you should take the time to develop an idea and a strategy for making it successful.

Additionally, ensure that you can dedicate real time and effort to developing the channel and expanding it, as competition with other channels is intense, particularly in the beginning.

Investing in Quality Equipment

Although I have already addressed this, I think it deserves further emphasis. Having the right tools for capturing and editing your videos can significantly impact the success of a YouTube channel.

As a result, if you are serious about creating the best YouTube gaming channel, you should definitely invest in high-quality equipment that is comparable to that of established YouTube gamers.

Fortunately, budget-friendly yet high-quality options are much more abundant today than in the past, so acquiring a good set of gear shouldn’t require a significant investment. Our website features several guides to help you find the best equipment for your needs.

Having Fun

Most importantly, the primary reason many people choose to pursue a career as a YouTube gaming content creator is to enjoy themselves while working.

To achieve this, you should concentrate on creating a channel that revolves around activities you already enjoy. If you are the kind of person who explores remote forests in Skyrim, pursue that.

If you are a highly competitive MOBA gamer on the brink of going pro, showcase your plays to the world. Record footage and create guides, and the audience will appreciate them!

Ultimately, there is little more I can say about this specific topic, other than that you alone understand what aspects of gaming on YouTube you enjoy the most. Therefore, you should strive to maintain that feeling while growing your channel.

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