With the rise of YouTube and social media, many kids aspire to become YouTube stars. YouTube provides a platform for people of all ages to broadcast themselves to the world. And with billions of users on the site, YouTube stardom has become an increasingly attainable dream for talented, hardworking, and luck kids.
But how does a kid actually become a successful YouTuber? What does it take to build an audience and turn a hobby into a lucrative career? While becoming a YouTube sensation often involves some luck, there are steps that aspiring kid YouTubers can take to improve their chances of success.
Have an Engaging Personality
One of the most important ingredients for YouTube success is having an appealing, engaging personality that shines through in videos. People want to watch YouTubers they feel connected to and find entertaining. Kids who are naturally energetic, funny, talented, smart, creative, insightful, or have other traits that make them fun to watch tend to attract more viewers.
Being comfortable on camera and acting naturally instead of stiffly reading from a script helps kids show off their personalities. Getting excited about topics they are genuinely passionate about also allows their enthusiasm to come through. Practicing on camera frequently can help kids hone their on-screen charisma. Playing to strengths and unique qualities is key.
Find a Niche and Make Great Content
Coming up with fresh, quality video ideas and content within a specific niche gives viewers a reason to follow a YouTube channel. Kids need to identify topics and formats that interest them, that they have knowledge about, and that they can create videos on consistently.
Popular niches for kid YouTubers include:
- Gaming – Playing video games while providing funny commentary
- Comedy/Parodies – Creating funny skits and parodies of pop culture
- Reviews – Reviewing toys, video games, movies, or other products for kids
- How-Tos/DIY – Showing projects the YouTuber has made or giving tutorials
- Challenges – Completing physical challenges, food challenges, etc.
Once a niche is chosen, kids need to work hard at being creative, energetic, and adding their own flair to videos so their content stands out from others in that niche. High-quality editing is also key for polished-looking videos.
Collaborate with Other Creators
Collaborating with other popular YouTubers in videos can help kids get exposure to new audiences. Having influencer “guest stars” in videos, participating in collaboration videos on other channels, and getting shoutouts from YouTube friends are great networking strategies.
Kids may be able to collab with YouTubers they know in real life or look for ones they like within a similar niche and reach out to ask about collaborating. Starting with smaller channels and building up to larger ones as they gain notoriety is recommended.
Promote Videos Through Social Media
While YouTube is the main platform, leveraging other social media sites like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook can help kids gain more views. Posting video clips, links, photos using influencer marketing techniques on social media drives traffic back to YouTube.
Kids should create social media accounts for their channel handle and interact regularly with their followers. Social media can be used to promote new videos, run contests, or reveal behind-the-scenes footage.
Build a Consistent Upload Schedule
Posting new videos consistently and frequently keeps kid YouTubers top of mind with the YouTube algorithm and their audience. Kids should aim to establish an upload schedule they can stick to, such as posting one video per week.
When first starting out, posting 1-2 videos per week is recommended over daily vlogging, as it allows time for higher quality productions. Then once their following grows, they can increase to 3-5 videos per week. Sticking to the schedule keeps viewers engaged.
Pay Attention to SEO
Learning search engine optimization (SEO) techniques helps kid YouTubers get their videos found online. This includes:
- Using key tags, popular keywords, and phrases that are commonly searched in video titles and descriptions
- Putting links back to their channel and videos in video descriptions
- Creating content and metadata around trending topics and searches
Understanding SEO helps videos rank higher in both YouTube and Google search results so more people discover them.
Engage with Viewers
Responding to comments, holding live streams, and finding other ways to actively engage with their growing audience helps kid YouTubers build a strong fanbase.
Reading through comments and replying to questions shows kids care. Doing live Q&As, unboxing fan mail, and reacting to viewers’ assumptions are all popular video formats that get viewers involved.
Turn on Ads Through the YouTube Partner Program
Once a kid YouTuber hits 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the last year, they can apply to the YouTube Partner Program, which allows channels to monetize through running ads. This threshold proves to YouTube the channel offers value to advertisers.
The program allows partners to earn revenue from video ads running on their content. This is how many top YouTubers earn their main income.
Sell Merchandise and Promote Sponsorships
Additional income streams outside of ad revenue come from merchandise and brand sponsorships. Once a following is built, YouTubers can sell customized clothing, accessories, and other products their fans want.
They can also partner with brands selling products relevant to their audience for sponsorship deals, including dedicated videos, product reviews, and brand promotions. These deals earn a commission or fee.
Collaborate with Multi-Channel Networks
Joining an MCN (multi-channel network) means signing with a company that helps YouTubers grow while taking a percentage of revenue. MCNs provide tools, resources, cross-promotion, licensing deals, merchandising, and ad sales support.
MCNs help smaller channels get discovered and give YouTubers support so they can focus just on content. Maker Studios, Fullscreen, and Studio71 are some top MCNs.
Tips for Parents
For kids aspiring to be YouTubers, parental support is crucial. While the path can be challenging, ultimately rewarding, and teaching valuable skills, there are also potential pitfalls. Parents can help by:
- Making sure kids focus on schoolwork first before YouTube
- Overseeing channel content and monitoring interactions
- Having kids practice videos and build skills before going public
- Discussing online safety, privacy, and responsible use
- Monitoring for signs of stress, risks, or lack of balance
- Being realistic about income potential
With parental guidance, kid YouTubers can better navigate the complexities of running a successful channel.
Conclusion
Becoming a wildly popular YouTuber takes skill, consistency, business savvy, and some luck. However, many kids have built substantial followings and even careers around their video channels. For those with passion and dedication, YouTube stardom is an exciting possibility.
With the right personality, content, promotion strategy, and parent support, kids can tap into the lucrative opportunities of YouTube fame and influence. While achieving YouTube success presents challenges, the rewards for those who persist and prosper are certainly worth it.