3 YouTube Mistakes You Must Avoid in 2021 Dodging these potential mistakes can save you from shrinking your reach and help you shine as a video content creator
By Mohit Mirchandani •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
The year 2020 was when the world truly 'discovered' YouTube. People had 'time on their hands,' which led to a sharp upswing of new YouTube creators. From a spike in the views for 'How to' videos to foraying into YouTubing, the pandemic brought viewers and content creators in droves. Popular YouTuber Franklin Seeber and YouTube licensing specialist Wanner Aarts explain the intricacies of creating YouTube content and what not to do if you want to thrive in the video-streaming world.
Inadequate channel setup
One of the most common gaffes committed by YouTubers is not setting up the channel properly. Populating the 'About' tab so that first-time viewers know what you are about, categorizing and grouping videos on the 'Home' tab to make it easier for viewers to find what they're looking for quickly are some of the ways to organize a channel appropriately.
"Finding my popular uploads in one place is important for my viewers not only for engagement but also for new viewers to find similar content in one go," says Seeber, who is the face behind the RAWWFishing channel with over 2.5 million subscribers.
Aarts adds, "Understanding YouTube's complex copyrighting policies has taken me years, and my first advice is always to simplify and organize content, to avoid any bumps along your content journey."
Not considering packaging
Knowing your target audience is half the battle won, but creating and packaging your content in a way that appeals to them is a whole new game. Understanding your niche and creating content accordingly is a given, but many YouTubers don't realize that packaging is crucial to attract and sustain viewers. "Every time you create a video, you need to put yourself in the shoes of a viewer looking for the type of content you offer and tailor your video accordingly," says Seeber.
"The title of your video, the thumbnail used, even the description in the video itself—everything adds up to how well your target audience reacts to your content," asserts Aarts.
Failing to create engaging content
This is a no-brainer, but a fact that several newbie YouTubers forget in the course of their YouTube journeys. Attention to detail is a trait that will set you apart from other YouTubers creating similar content. Basic factors such as audio quality, video duration, and editing are significant. But things such as whether or not your content is engaging, is it answering important questions, is it easy to follow, do you include closed captions are the questions that need answering every time you create a video.
"As a niche content creator, I have to be doubly mindful of the content I create. It is very easy to lose sight of your aim as a YouTuber, and this is my only advice to new YouTubers: don't forget why you're doing this!" says Seeber. Aarts believes, "There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of new YouTube channels created every day, and it's easy to get drowned out. Going the extra mile for your own channel can serve you well in the long-term," concludes Aarts.
