Well, I Did It - I Started Another YouTube Channel
A New Hobby
I started a new hobby about 5 months ago. Initially I started it just to do it. Without going into details, it's very video-oriented, so I started a YouTube channel to share my videos with other people involved in the hobby like they have done with their videos.
Progress So Far
To date, I have posted 47 YouTube videos. What I love about this niche is it's very easy for me to create the videos with minimal editing. I haven't had great success as of yet, but I'm seeing things move in the right direction.
I have four subscribers so far, my most watched video has 2,200 views, and I have a total of 34 watch hours. It's a far cry from the 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hour YouTube Partner requirements, but I'm not too concerned about that. One thing about this niche is that I'm actually enjoying creating the videos and posting them whereas other niches I wasn't as motivated.
Last night I finally got around to adding affiliate links to the description of my videos. I only added them to the videos that had a decent amount of views. I suppose I could go back and add affiliate links to them all, but I don't think it would do much good.
Most of the initial views come from people already in the niche that I'm sharing the videos with. They're likely not going to be the ones clicking on my links and purchasing stuff. The videos that take off are likely going to be the ones where I might get commissions.
Things To Do
I registered and installed WordPress on a domain for this niche about 5 months ago. Now I just need start writing content for it such as product reviews. A little bit more effort than creating the videos, but I think it will help me make money. After I get the reviews written, then I'll be able to put a link in the video descriptions and embed the relevant videos on my site.
Even though I haven't written content, I've been documenting various things I've done in the niche and taken lots of pictures to use with my content. Now it's time to put them to use.
The Other YouTube Channel
My other YouTube channel I've had for far longer, almost 11 years now. I used to make about $150/month from it. About half was ad revenue and half was from affiliate commissions when people will follow links to my website to my reviews, click through to the merchant site, and purchase products.
Unfortunately, I was focused on my W-2 job/career and I didn't keep on adding content to it when I should have. Additionally, I think it stopped receiving ad revenue when YouTube implemented the partner requirements. It currently has 847 subscribers and 373 watch hours even though I haven't posted a video in over seven years. It has a total of 1.3 million lifetime views with about half of those views coming from a single videl.
Logically, I think I should start making videos for it. I don't think it would take much to push me over the 1000 subscriber mark and I think once I started creating more videos my watch hours would shoot way up.
Ultimately, I think I'll start posting videos to it again, but I think it took this new hobby to get me back into even posting to YouTube again.
Final Words
With this new hobby I'm mainly in it just for the fun. I'm not trying to build a business out of it, I'm just doing it for the enjoyment. At the same time, I'm going to do what WA teaches here to monetize it. I might as well set myself up to make money with it since I'm already doing the work of posting YouTube videos and interacting in forums related to my niches. It's only a little extra effort to set myself up for the possibility to make money with it.
Recent Comments
19
Congratulations Thomas. I'm sure you can revive your older channel and make it to the Youtube requirements.
I hope so! I don't see how I could make it any worse by adding new videos. We'll see what happens.
Sounds like you have some good stuff to work with. Keep at it and all the best! You will get there.
Good morning Thomas,
It sounds like you have been working hard and taking action, which is fantastic.
It's great that you have started a second YouTube channel and that you are looking at it as almost a hobby! My guess is that you will probably do quite well with it as you are so relaxed about it. So in other words, your videos probably have a very good feel to them which viewers will probably like.
Regarding affiliate links, I would have thought it may be worth putting them on every video. You never know who's going to click on the links!
It's great that you have lots of viewers on your old channel, it would be great if you could get it to a thousand subscribers! I'm sure you can, especially if you start adding more content again.
I have two YouTube channels, I guess my oldest channel is a similar age to yours. I have around 550 subscribers on that channel and about 74 subscribers on my newer channel. Everything takes time!
I wish you every success with your online business.
Roy
I must admit I'm' not in front of the camera for the videos on the new channel. I'm definitely front and center for the videos on the old channel. It seems a relaxed attitude would help with the old channel.
You do bring up a good point about the links. I may have to re-evaluate and do that instead.
I'll definitely need to start adding content and see what happens to the subscriber count. I noticed that I have gained and lost subscribers. I'm thinking posting new content may help me not lose as many subscribers.
I've been avoiding another niche because I didn't want to spread myself to thin, but maybe a new niche is what I need to get back into the saddle and moving forward again.
Good morning Thomas,
Thank you for your reply, it's appreciated.
I must admit most of my videos are with me sharing my screen with a small picture in the bottom right-hand corner. I find this much easier than talking to the camera directly, but it is something that I am working towards! I believe the more we do something better we get.
Someone I know who is highly successful on YouTube always says, "start messy" it's much better than doing nothing at all! So I think we are doing something right!
Like all of us, I am still learning, but from what I understand the more we post and the more regular we post the better. So for example, if we can post every week on a Monday it is better than posting 10 videos all at once and then nothing at all for three months.
I don't know if you have looked at Roope's profile he is quite an expert on YouTube. He posts daily now and his channel is really growing. The main thing is that he is consistent, this is something that I am not. Mainly due to my off-line business being quite seasonal and also being quite busy at times with the off-line business. I think vaguely touched on this in my last blog post. Consistency is key!
https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/roopekiuttu
Wishing you a great day.
Roy
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Very well done, Thomas, and sometimes when we view things as a hobby, they can rapidly turn into money-makers, my friend!
Jeff
It would be great if it made money, but at the same time I've heard people can start to dislike their hobby when they turn it into side hustle or business.
I'm going to try to stick to it as a hobby first and making money with it secondary. This way I don't put a bunch of pressure on myself for something that was supposed to be a hobby.
That second paragraph is exactly why I think that you will eventually make some money in it, my friend!
My 31 year locksmith business started out by me needing to replace some keys that I lost, and the old locksmith I went to allowed me to make my own after some instruction, after that, the rest was history! This is just one example!
Jeff