PC Doctor April 12, 2021

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Dear PC Doctor:

I have a YouTube channel. I’m just getting started. How can I develop a following?

Signed,

Ready to go Viral


Dear Ready:

Thanks for your question. I checked in with a few YouTube experts and they had this to say about developing your YouTube Channel: If you want your channel to stand out, it is critical to connect with your community. Lots of people have created fun and intriguing content – You want to find the people who will be excited specifically about yours.

First, think about what you name your channel; it should attract viewers and be something you are comfortable with and proud of. Choose an image for your channel icon that will do the same. Next, decide how often you are going to create and upload new content – and do it regularly. Log in often and check for comments. Reply to them. Look for channels that have content that relates to yours: watch their videos and comment. Create community! All of this will increase the number of viewers on your channel.

If you want to dive deeper into what makes a YouTube channel successful, there are plenty of resources. The library has how-to books if you want step-by-step print instructions. A great place to get into a deep dive is YouTube Creator Academy. These are the official online mini courses that You Tube offers. You’ll find them by logging into your account and looking at the upper right-hand side of your screen. Click the image of a video camera and then Creator Academy from the drop-down menu. These are great resources and they are free! Of course, there are user-made YouTube videos that offer advice, too!

I hope this helps.
Until next time,
Happy Computing!
PC Doctor

Editor's Note: Questions should be directed to PC Doctor, care of the Athol Public Library, info@athollibrary.org or Athol Public Library, 568 Main St., Athol, Mass. 01331, or dropped off at the library