YouTube gaming videos have gained immense popularity in the last few years. Renowned YouTubers like PewDiePie, KSI, and Ninja have won over loyal followers due to their engaging and entertaining styles, taking the field of gaming to an international level. If you are thinking of joining them and plan on creating your own YouTube Gaming Channel, you need to have the right software/tools as well as know-how.
Here is a comprehensive step-by-step guide that can help you develop a successful YouTube gaming channel in the year 2021.
Find Your Niche
The first step to start your YouTube channel is to decide on a niche. Once you decide this, you should have a clearer idea of your channel and the style of videos you wish to create. This decision should be based on your strengths and interest as a gamer. Let us try to understand the popular niches in the gaming world to help you know which one would best suit you. You can even combine different niches and come up with a unique concept for a focused YouTube gaming channel. Let’s look at some of the niche segments below:
Walkthroughs
If you are an expert-level player for any game, you will be surprised to know that there are many people who would only dream of learning tips and tricks from you. You can showcase your expertise with the help of walkthrough videos. You can take viewers through the various levels in games like Ancient Evil or Tomb Raider. You could add relevant and insightful commentary, which will be an added bonus. Viewers will be eager to watch these videos and get help in unlocking milestones and accomplishing other important actions.
Get the Right Gear
Before making any gaming videos, you need to ensure that you have all the right gear. Let’s look at some gear below:
PC or Console
Streaming depends on the hardware that you are playing with. Xbox One and PS5, Mac and PC are the most popular choices. A computer is required to record, edit and distribute the video. A screen capture software and editing software is required to begin.
Capture Device & Software
Make sure to provide high definition visuals to your users by using a professional grade device and software for video capture. Screen recorder 4 works as a great option to stream, record, vlog, and multi-stream with others as well.
Headphones and Mics
Good quality mics and headphones are essential for a seamless gaming experience. They will help you pass on your witty insights and useful commentary to viewers.
Editing Software/Tools
All your commentary, game play and other inputs come together to make a video using an editing software. You need to invest in a professional quality software that comes with dynamic tools to help ease your task. If you are not an expert at editing, there are many simple web-based YouTube Video Editors available that will help you record and edit gameplay videos.
Breaking Records
Are you a fast player who has broken records? People love to watch players break records of their favorite games on YouTube. If you believe that you are capable of breaking world records in gaming, you have a great path to ensure success on YouTube. There is no dearth of gaming records to break. Some of the most popular ones include fastest completion of Super Mario Bros (4 mins 58 seconds) and most points earned on Temple Run.
Humor
Even if you are not the best gamer but have the ability to make people laugh, you can still create a successful gaming channel. If you fail miserably at games but have a great sense of humor, people will really appreciate it. Making other people laugh is a skill that not many have, so if you happen to have this gift, you must use it to boost views and likes.
Let’s Play
This genre gets its name from YouTubers saying “Let’s Play [any game]”. With influencers such as GameGrumps and PewDiePie, this niche has reached millions of people across the globe. This niche relies completely on the charisma and personality of the host. If you think you’ve got the talent, there’s nothing stopping you from getting ahead of the game.
Reviews
People often look for reviews before they start investing hours into a game. Review videos are like giving answers to all the questions a gamer might have about a game. Various YouTubers like UpIsNotJump and Girlfriend Reviews have developed huge gaming communities by offering informative, clear, and evidence-based reviews. So, it’s a great way to build a reputation.
Livestream
If you enjoy playing games every day, you can start live streaming them. The popularity of this niche has skyrocketed in recent years. It allows viewers to get an unedited look at the lives of their favorite YouTubers.
Plan Your Channel & Videos
Create a schedule for your channel and make sure you stick to it. Shoot for a minimum of 1-2 videos per week keeping in mind the time required to edit and produce them. Always add detailed descriptions in every video as this information is used to rank the videos on the YouTube results page. Add links to your social media accounts, so your patrons can follow you. Create high-quality thumbnails to attract people to click on your video.
Build a Community
Building a strong community is essential; but remember that it would take effort and time. The best way to accomplish this is to stick to your schedule and create content consistently. Share your videos with your family and friends and encourage them to share it further. Once you start gaining a reputation in the gaming community, consider collaborating with other creators to gain more audience. Always ask your audience to subscribe, like and leave comments on your videos as all these count in the YouTube Algorithm.
Be Original
You can take inspiration from your favorite YouTubers but the key to success is to be original. Come up with ideas that are unique and have not been done before. If you get inspired by someone, try to think of ways to make it better or improvise, instead of simply copying.
Conclusion
Good YouTube content must be entertaining, tell a story, capture the viewer’s emotions, be educational and useful to them and more. If you can encourage viewers to try new games, play along with you and discover new pastimes, you have success on your hands.