How to have a ROCK STAR status in YouTube - a guide

Being famous in YouTube is as easy as 1-2-3 here in my How to achieve Rock Star Status in YouTube Guide

Achieving Popularity on YouTube

While there is no guaranteed method for achieving popularity on YouTube, there are many things
you can do to increase your chances of success. The following list represents the most common
approaches that can be used for virtually any video created for YouTube.

■ Improve your production quality While most successful YouTube videos are not
exactly ready for prime time, they are a bit more polished than the glut of “amateur”
content on YouTube. As always, there are exceptions, particularly with viral videos that
become popular as the result of an outrageous stunt or a newsworthy event caught on a
camera phone. Perhaps your results could be improved by using more creative camera
work and editing (such as additional angles and a faster pace). Careful framing and
attention to lighting can go a long way as well, even for video blogs or videos with only
a couple of setups. Audio quality is also important, which can be improved through the
placement of a microphone and the removal of background noise. In any case, thinking
about how you put something on video can be just as important as what you choose to
record.

Viewers are more likely to stick with something that is not painful to their eyes
and ears. Don’t worry about making your pieces look too polished, since without the
budgets of a Hollywood studio, there’s little chance that someone will mistake your video
with the latest Bruckheimer epic. In general, showing your viewers that you have a handle
on your craft inspires confidence in your abilities as a storyteller, demonstrates respect for
your audience, and gives them the feeling that they are not wasting their time.
Add more visual appeal The other side to production quality is the talent, props,
and sets that you choose to include in your videos.

When selecting a location to record
your video, choose appealing environments, even if it means rearranging a bedroom
or office to create a pleasing “set” design. Visual appeal can also come in the form of
extra graphic elements (carefully designed titles or animations) and special effects,
which temporarily elevate a typical YouTube video to more a design-conscious level.

Any additional elements that you can think of to hook potential viewers with their eyes
(particularly in the still image that is associated with each video) increase your chance
of success. Visual appeal may even be added to webcam videos by varying facial
expressions and moving your head around a bit instead of staring directly into the camera
without blinking for prolonged periods. Similarly, aural appeal can be added by reading
your script or delivering your blog entry with enough inflection and emotion, while
avoiding a monotone delivery.

■ Fill a niche There are countless areas of special interest that are represented on
YouTube. Knowing which one of these groups (or range of interests) that you want to
target is critical to getting your message across, even if that message is simply to visit
your channel and watch more of your videos. An understanding of your target market
and its makeup will guide many of the choices that you make, starting with production
considerations, and ending with where you will place your videos to achieve optimal
exposure.



If you’re looking to break into YouTube, finding an area that hasn’t been
sufficiently covered might be one approach. Many successful companies (YouTube
included) got where they are by filling a need that was, as yet, unsuccessfully fulfilled.
Finding a niche and filling it with videos that are produced well and that meet the
requirements of its potential viewers is one starting point for success.


■ Make it timely Reading the pulse of other YouTube users or the community at large
can be difficult. It requires research or a natural intuition about trends and, in the end,
is often a matter of luck. Still, it may be the key to finding a formula (if there is such as
thing) for YouTube success. Alternately, documenting important events means putting
yourself in the right place at the right time, which can be an equally elusive proposition.
You can begin to stay acquainted with what’s happening in a particular community by
reading a lot of blogs, fishing around for information in discussion groups or through
e-mail lists, polling your friends or colleagues about their interests, and simply doing
your “homework” when it comes to an area that seems interesting.


■ Make your videos easy to find Without providing relevant data about your videos, it
will be difficult for users to locate them. Even users who are interested in the subjects
covered by your videos will have a hard time if they have not been properly described
and tagged. Begin by adding a description that includes as many specific details as
possible. Adding relevant tags may also be useful, so consider what keywords users are
likely to use in a search.


■ Build a network It’s easy to promote your video if you already have a network of
interested viewers in place. Once someone subscribes to your channel, you’ve got
an instant audience every time you upload a new video. Of course, it’s not so easy to
gain subscribers. Once you’ve had some success with one or more videos (perhaps
even a viral video hit), then you can more easily build a solid subscriber base—on rare
occasions, this may happen overnight.


■ Seed your videos online Post links to your videos or embed the video into blogs,
discussion groups, and other Web pages like MySpace as much as you can. Try to get
your videos reviewed by sites online, such as popular blogs. Post comments to other
videos on YouTube or similar social networking sites, along with a link to your video. If
your video fits well into a particular niche, then make sure to get visibility on any sites or
community groups that are related to that area of interest.