So we discussed the topic of why you need a Youtube channel in yesterdays post. If you missed it you can read it here. Basically if you are a blogger and you want to earn extra income and appeal to a wider audience you NEED a Youtube channel. There are so many people who could discover your blog if you create a channel. Bigger audience equals a more successful blog. So lets get started on what you actually need to start your Youtube channel.

Let me preface this post by saying I have searched high and low for every piece of information regarding these topics we are going to cover and let me tell you I have wasted so much time and effort and created sub par videos due to my lack of knowledge in the beginning. I am rounding up all of these things because I made mistakes in the beginning. I bought the wrong lights, camera, and so much more. Learn from my mistakes!! I wish I would have had someone to write a NO BS post like this to get me started with my channel.

LETS GET STARTED!!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

• CAMERA
• MICROPHONE
• TRIPOD
• LAPTOP/DESKTOP
• SOFT BOX LIGHTS
• RING LIGHT
• MOVIE EDITING SOFTWARE
• MEMORY CARD

Now that might seem like a lot of things to have to get and Im here to tell you it is. Its expensive and theres no getting around any of these items. To create a succesful channel that is not using a camera on your phone to record videos you need each and every item I list in this post. If you can’t afford these items then save your money!! Don’t start out buying the cheaper version of the things I mention because in the end you WILL WASTE MONEY. Let me repeat I WASTED MONEY ON THE CHEAP STUFF. I wish I would have saved my money and invested in things that would make my videos look like they should. Its your brand and your name behind these videos so make an effort!! Just trust me when I tell you these things are what you need to buy to make a successful channel. I will also say that of course there are more expensive items and better versions of the things I mention but Im sure most of the people reading this dont have the budget to spend 5k on a camera and lights. Lets be real. If you do then go for it!!

 

WHAT CAMERA YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

• CANON 70D – I started out with the Canon Rebel. The camera was ok but had no flip out screen and I couldn’t see if I was in focus. It also was just an ok camera nothing special. The 70D is autofocus so that means when you move it keeps your face in focus. It has a flip out screen so I can make sure Im in frame and has wifi which isn’t that big of a deal but when it comes to blog stuff it helps. The quality of video is great which helps when you are trying to create a video people actually want to watch. Most of the Youtube community that has a following uses or suggests this camera. DO NOT GET THE KIT!! Only purchase the body of this camera. The lens that comes in the kit is crap.
• CANON 80D – The Canon 80D is also a great camera. I little better resolution (24 vs 20) than the 70D which makes for the main difference in the two cameras. If you have the extra money than I recommend getting the 80D. It still has autofocus too which is great.

  MAKE SURE YOU BUY AN EXTRA BATTERY TO WHICHEVER CAMERA YOU GET!! Filming takes a ton of battery so make sure you have an extra to use when you are filming mid video and your camera shuts off. SO annoying.

 

WHAT MICROPHONE YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

• RODE VMGO – The Rode brand makes the best microphones for video in my opinion. I researched the best and this is the brand that was referred most of the time. I got this one and I love it. It is easy to use and makes your videos sound so much better. Audio is VERY important when making videos. Trust me. GET A MICROPHONE.
• RODE PRO – This is basically the pro version of the VMGO. It has a little better quality and makes the audio a little better than the VMGO. If you have the budget I would get this mic.

 

WHAT TRIPOD YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

There are plenty of tripods that will work. My only suggestion is to get one that is very well made. Don’t go cheap on your tripod. If its less than $40 then you are getting a cheap one that won’t hold your camera properly and might even break. If you’re going to buy a $1200 camera you need something strong to hold it.

This is the tripod I use.

WHAT COMPUTER YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

I dont think anyone can suggest a specific computer and be right. I will give you the tips that have helped me when choosing a computer to use for editing my videos.

• Make sure you get a computer that has plenty of space to store videos.
• The bigger the screen the better. I bought a desktop to edit my videos and its made a huge difference. You can see better because of the larger screen and it lets you catch more detail (like your eyelash popping off in the corner or lipstick on your teeth- not cute).

I use this laptop and this desktop.

 

WHAT LIGHTS YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

• NOVA RING LIGHT – When purchasing your ring light you want to make sure you check the size of the light. Mine is 18″ and it fits my camera inside of it and lights up really bright. The light size is important because the bigger the light the more it will light up. Obviously. The bigger size helps light up my background too.
• SOFT BOX LIGHTS (2) – You will need two soft box lights to put on either side of your ring light. This is the set up most people use to light their videos. You never want to make a video that is too dark. Also lets talk about shadows, those are NOT your friend. The two soft boxes will be on either side of you so will help eliminate any shadows from the sides of your face and body. The light bulbs that come with the kit are not what you need. You will have to purchase two daylight indoor/outdoor floodlights. The important part is to make sure they are daylight. Just ask the cashier to help you because this part was confusing to figure out. I got mine at Lowe’s.

 

WHAT MOVIE EDITING SOFTWARE YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

• IMOVIE (MAC) – I have used iMovie since I started editing videos. Its easy to learn. I watched a few Youtube videos and had it figured out by my second video. Ill do a post on editing later.
• FINAL CUT PRO (MAC) – The majority of your big Youtube people are using Final Cut Pro. I think its too expensive and not necessary to create a good quality video. If you are wanting to add a ton of special effects to your video then you may want to invest in this program.

 

WHAT MEMORY CARD YOU NEED TO START YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

There are so many options for memory cards. I dont know enough about them to tell you which brand is better. I will tell you that its important to make sure your memory card is 64GB. Anything smaller and you won’t be able to use it for more than one or two videos. Video takes up a ton of space on memory cards and trust me when you’re in the middle of filming and your camera says “CARD FULL” you may want to throw it out the window. It has happen so many times and its the most annoying thing. Just go ahead and get the big card. You may want to even get two while you’re at it.

This is the memory card I use.

 

I think that covers all of the equipment you will need to start your Youtube channel. I hope this was helpful and if you have any questions please comment and let me know!! I have tried so many things to make my channel its best for my budget and these items are what work for me to have a great channel. Im sure there are a ton of lists telling you what you need and what you dont need but these are things that I just can’t be without to film quality videos!!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Be sure to subscribe to my blog so you dont miss the next post on how to edit your videos!! I am going to explain my way of editing and make it as easy as possible!! Hopefully you learned something!! xoxo -A